AtL Lancaster Stormers

Barnstormers Re-sign Parker, Ackerman

Published on March 13, 2008 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Lancaster Stormers News Release


LANCASTER, Pa.-The 2008 Lancaster Barnstormers are getting a shot in the arm. The left arm.

Zack Parker and Eric Ackerman, two lefties who helped give the Barnstormers pitching staff a boost last season, have re-signed with the ballclub for 2008, Barnstormers vice president of baseball operations Keith Lupton announced today. Lupton also announced the signings of reliever Ricardo Gomez and catcher Manny Mejia.

Parker, 26, signed with the Barnstormers in late July. The Austin, Texas, resident was among the Atlantic League's best pitchers down the stretch, going 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA over eight starts and one relief appearance. One of those victories was a tidy, 3-1, complete game win at Camden on September 6. He allowed only five hits and faced just three batters over the minimum in the effort. Parker was named Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for August.

The left-hander spent the better part of his first seven pro seasons in the Colorado Rockies organization, and he led the Class A South Atlantic League with 16 wins for Asheville in 2002 and had a fine season at Tulsa of the AA Texas League in 2005, winning 12 games and posting a 3.79 ERA for the Drillers.

"Zack is a left-handed starting pitcher with a lot of promise," Lupton said, "and we're happy to help him on his way to, hopefully, doing great things in his career."

Ackerman, a local baseball and football star from Cocalico High School, returned to the Lancaster area in 2006 after spending four seasons in the Kansas City organization. Over the last two seasons, he has put together an 11-7 record in 84 games and has covered 148.2 innings of work. Left-handed batters hit only .148 off him in 2007, and he allowed just one extra-base hit in 61 at bats against the lefties. Ackerman is also tough on opposing baserunners; none attempted to steal a base against him the entire season.

"Eric has been a workhorse for us for several years, and we owe much of our success to him," Lupton said. "We're going to give him a chance to start again this season, as well as work out of the bullpen."

The Barnstormers have also added a third pitcher in right-hander Ricardo Gomez. Gomez, a 29-year old native of Puerto Plata, DR, pitched for the Charlotte County (Fla.) Redfish of the South Coast League last season, where he posted a 3.66 ERA and struck out 79 hitters in 71.1 innings of work. He previously pitched in the Pirates and Yankees farm systems, having particular success with Staten Island of the New York-Penn League, going 4-2 with a 1.67 ERA over two stints between 2000 and 2001.

"We've gotten several calls from baseball people in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic about Ricardo," Lupton said. "He throws hard. He's got a good WHIP ratio. We're going to start him in the bullpen and see how he does."

Manny Mejia, who served as the Road Warriors starting catcher for much of the last two seasons, will call Clipper Magazine Stadium home for the first time. He has enjoyed success on the Barnstormers' turf, hitting .296 (29-for-98) with four home runs and 14 RBIs in Lancaster. Overall, the 29-year old native of the Dominican Republic batted .288 with 36 doubles and 12 homers in his two previous Atlantic League seasons.

Like Gomez, Mejia is a former Pirates and Yankees farmhand. He clubbed 16 homers and drove in 56 runs with Pittsburgh's team in the Dominican Summer League in 1999. With the Tampa Yankees in 2004, he hit .287 in 42 games.

"Manny is a good ballplayer and a real good hitter," Lupton said. "He and Lance Burkhart will take our worries out of the catcher position."

The Barnstormers will open the 2008 season at home on Friday, April 25, 2008 against the Bridgeport Bluefish. The only way to guarantee seats for Opening Weekend is by becoming a Barnstormers season ticket holder. For more information on the Barnstormers numerous flexible ticket plans, call (717) 509-HITS or visit www.LancasterBarnstormers.com.

Tickets to Opening Night will go on sale during the Barnstormers annual FanFest on Saturday, April 5.

Check out the Lancaster Stormers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Atlantic League Stories from March 13, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central