The baseball season is approaching the 30-game mark and the Hartford (Conn.) Yard Goats still are homeward bound.
They still have a ways to go before they play their first game of the 2016 season in front of their home fans. But don’t take the schedule to task. The unusual circumstances are all part of the move of the Rockies’ affiliate in the Double-A Eastern League from New Britain, Conn., to Hartford. The major stumbling block was the completion of a new playing field in Hartford in time for the early April opener.
The Rockies’ Double-A farmhands not only have met the scheduling obstacles head on, they have been nothing short of spectacular. The Yard Goats have led the league’s Eastern Division standings all season.
Manager Darin Everson stands firmly behind his make-the-best-of-it attitude. The Yard Goats, 19-6 after 25 games, are 11-2 in their “home” games away from home.
“We see that we’re the home team on the scoreboard in our road home games,” Everson said. “We don’t have any fans, but in those games we know we have the last at-bats. We get the development time on the field before the games as we would in a home game. The development time is crucial for our young players.”
Everson and Ron Gideon, the Rockies’ development supervisor in Double-A, began preparing their players for the challenges ahead during spring training.
“The biggest thing was creating a mind-set that we were going to compete the way we know how to compete every day no matter what,” Everson said. “We’ve had to have good energy throughout.”
Gideon, a member of the Rockies’ player development department from the beginning, doesn’t remember another Rockies farm team having such obstacles.
“We’ve always had pretty stable situations with our clubs,” Gideon said. “We explained in spring training that we had to make the best of the situation. Winning always helps.”
The players have thrived on being road warriors. Outfielder David Dahl has eight home runs and 17 RBIs in the first 25 games. Left-hander Harrison Musgrave is 4-0 with a 1.30 ERA. Lefty Kyle Freeland is 3-1 with a 0.87 ERA and right-hander Zach Jemiola is 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA. Both are 22.
“We don’t keep track of how many days we have to go before we get to play a real home game,” Everson said. “We’ve actually been in Hartford one day since the season started and that was an off day. We have a lot of first-time Double-A players. It’s crazy, but maybe they think this is how it is.”
Gideon also pointed out that the spring weather hasn’t been favorable.
“I think we’ve had only two days of decent baseball weather,” he said.
The Yard Goats can take heart. Summer and the projected May 31 opening of their new stadium are just around the corner.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296, imoss@ or @irvmoss
Organization leaders
Through Thursday
HITTING
Minimum 21 games
Batting average: Brendan Rodgers, Asheville, .366; Brian Mundell, Asheville, .356.
Runs: David Dahl, Hartford, 25; Stephen Cardullo, Albuquerque, 23; Rodgers, Asheville, 23.
Hits: Mundell, Asheville, 36; Mike Tauchman, Albuquerque, 34; Rodgers, Asheville, 34.
Doubles: Rafael Ynoa, Albuquerque, 10; Rodgers, Asheville, 10.
Triples: Ynoa, Albuquerque, 3; Wes Rogers, Modesto, 3; Mytz Jones, Asheville, 3; Sam Hilliard, Asheville, 3.
Home runs: Dahl, Hartford, 8; Rodgers, Asheville, 6.
RBIs: Rodgers, Asheville, 22; Jordan Patterson, Albuquerque, 21.
Stolen bases: Rogers, Modesto, 12; Max White, Modesto, 11.
PITCHING
Victories: Harrison Musgrave, Hartford, 4; Kyle Freeland, Hartford, 4.
Saves: Matt Krosity, Hartford, 8; Sam Thoele, Asheville, 5.
Innings: Freeland, Hartford, 38; Jack Wynkoop, Asheville, 30 .
Strikeouts: Ryan Castellani, Modesto, 36; Ryan Carpenter, Albuquerque, 35.
ERA: (starters) Parker French, Asheville and Modesto, 1.02; Musgrave, Hartford, 1.30. Six relievers have not allowed a run.
Organization leaders
(Through Thursday)
HITTING
(Minimum 21 games):Batting avg.: Brendan Rodgers, Asheville, .366; Brian Mundell, Asheville, .356.
Runs: David Dahl, Hartford, 25; Stephen Cardullo, Albuquerque, 23; Rodgers, Asheville, 23.
Hits: Mundell, Asheville, 36; Mike Tauchman, Albuquerque, 34; Rodgers, Asheville, 34.
Doubles: Rafael Ynoa, Albuquerque, 10; Rodgers, Asheville, 10.
Triples: Ynoa, Albuquerque, 3; Wes Rogers, Modesto, 3; Mytz Jones, Asheville, 3; Sam Hilliard, Asheville, 3.
Home runs: Dahl, Hartford, 8; Rodgers, Asheville, 6.
RBIs: Rodgers, Asheville, 22; Jordan Patterson, Albuquerque, 21.
Stolen bases: Rogers, Modesto, 12; Max White, Modesto, 11.
PITCHING
Victories: Harrison Musgrave, Hartford, 4; Kyle Freeland, Hartford, 4.
Saves: Matt Krosity, Hartford, 8; Sam Thoele, Asheville, 5.
Innings: Freeland, Hartford, 38; Jack Wynkoop, Asheville, 30 .
Strikeouts: Ryan Castellani, Modesto, 36; Ryan Carpenter, Albuquerque, 35.
ERA: (starters) Parker French, Asheville and Modesto, 1.02; Musgrave, Hartford, 1.30. Six relievers have not allowed a run.
