But you still need to activate your account.
ORONO – Ten baseball games in seven days, nine games in six, or six in three.
No matter how you slice it, it adds up to many innings crammed into a short period of time. Conditions aside, it can tax a pitching staff and wear down everyday players. Throw in 85-plus degree heat and high humidity and you have the recipe for a tough week.
The Bangor Lumberjacks emerged from a grueling week in which they played four doubleheaders in six days. Basically it was a high risk/high reward week.
The games were seven-inning affairs which saved some of the wear and tear.
“The worst-case scenario would have been if our starting pitching had faltered and we’d completely blown our bullpen out. That would have had some carryover effects in the second half,” said Bangor manager Kash Beauchamp. “But our starting pitching held up pretty much the whole series.”
The starting rotation, ranked second in the league, came through beautifully as the Lumberjacks got two complete games, one shutout, and five games in which the starters pitched at least 4 2/3 innings. Not only was the bullpen not taxed, some of the relievers didn’t even pitch.
The result was six wins in Bangor’s last eight games, five wins in three days, and a four-game win streak.
“Three doubleheaders is tough, but winning five of them is huge,” said catcher Brad Hargreaves. “It could be the turning point of our season.”
Hargreaves should know how tough doubleheaders can be. He caught Friday’s second game, both games on Saturday, and the first on Sunday. It was “no trouble,” however.
“I played two doubleheaders in two days last year, so it’s not something I’ve never done,” Hargreaves said. “I felt fine yesterday. I’m a big believer in mind over matter.”
Yeah, as in if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
“As far as we’re concerned, it’s no big deal,” said player-pitching coach Kevin Pincavitch. “We just have to take it one at a time. If you think about it, it’s only three extra-inning games in a row. It’s only 14 innings instead of nine.”
It seems that playing three twinbills in three days was a new experience for everyone.
“In junior college, we used to play four games every weekend, but I’ve never had this many in a row before,” said third baseman Todd Brock. “After missing all those games early this year, you don’t moan and groan about it too much because you’re just happy to play.”
The twinbill traffic jam resulted from a week of rainy weather which wiped out all but the first game of the Northeast League team’s first week of the season in late May.
“I haven’t played a doubleheader since college and that was three years ago, but you just have to focus on what’s at hand,” said outfielder Barry Paulk. “In the second game of a doubleheader, you might start to feel it, but you still have a job to do even if you’re tired.”
Another factor that looked like it might work against the team was actually aided by the doubleheader. That factor was a frenzied flurry of transactions over the last two weeks.
The Lumberjacks made 21 moves in 14 days including eight signings, six releases or waivers, four disabled/inactive list placements, and three activations.
“Every day, someone’s coming in and coming out, so it’s kind of disorienting,” said 23-year-old outfielder and Jay native Edwin Thompson, one of those player signings.
“When you make this many moves, you hope it strengthens your club and I think we have,” Beauchamp said. “We’re not the team that I predicted at spring training that would have double-digit home runs in the three through nine spots. It didn’t work out that way, so it looks like speed, defense and pitching might have to be the new formula.”
Fossum on the mound for Dogs
Boston Red Sox left-handed pitcher Casey Fossum pitched an inning on Saturday as part of a rehabilitation assignment with the Portland Sea Dogs. He is scheduled to start Tuesday’s home game against New Britain and pitch two innings. Fossum, 25, was placed on the disabled list June 8 with shoulder tendinitis. In 59 1/3 innings, Fossum has compiled a 4-4 record with a 5.76 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and 24 walks.
Batters are Tuckered out
Former University of Maine starting pitcher Rusty Tucker is emerging as a solid prospect for the San Diego Padres.
As the closer for the Class AA Mobile (Ala.) BayBears, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound lefthander has been tough on opposing batters as a second-year pro. Tucker is second in the Southern League with 22 saves and 39 appearances. He’s 1-3 with a 3.80 earned run average over 42 2/3 innings through Sunday. The 22-year-old Gloucester, Mass., native has 55 strikeouts and allowed 36 hits and 26 walks.
Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or at aneff@bangordailynews.net
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