Huntsville Stars By The Numbers

Published on September 4, 2008 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


1: First at-bat in AA ball and Matt LaPorta hits a grand slam. He left the Stars in early July with 20 homers.

3: The number of players from the 2008 Huntsville Stars that were called up to the Major Leagues this season (Mat Gamel, Angel Salome and Alcides Escobar). All three received an at-bat last night (9/3), Escobar was the only one to get a hit. This number also reflects the ranking of the Stars overall winning percentage in the league; two teams (Mississippi & West Tenn) with lower winning percentages are in the playoffs based on a split-season format.

4: The number of pitches needed to win a baseball game. With a suspended game tied on April 27th, the Stars and Jacksonville Suns needed to finish up the next day during a daytime DH. With the score tied 9-9, two outs and a 2-2 count on the Suns batter, Juan Sandoval threw one pitch to retire the side. In the bottom of the 9th Mat Gamel grounded to 1st on the first pitch and Chris Errecart, after fouling off one pitch, jacked a solo walk-off shot to end the game. You think you've seen it all...Sandoval comes in and throws one pitch, records an out and gets the win. All in a day's work, except that he spent more time warming up for the game then actually playing the game.

5: Don Mincher's number that the Huntsville Stars retired. The last player to wear that number was Mike Bell.

10: The number of new speakers installed at The Joe this season.

21: Most Stars hits in a game (vs Chattanooga).

40: Falling short of the playoffs this season, 40 is still the number of wins and losses the Stars have logged in post-season play in franchise history.

44: Overall players assigned to Huntsville this season.

47: The number of one-run games the Huntsville Stars played in this past season. The club's 17-30 one-run record came back to haunt everybody as the first half ended in a tie. Just one of those first half one-run games that would've swung our way would've landed us in the playoffs. Also the game time temperature on a night that the weather gurus called for snow back in April.

58: The game number where David Welch threw a complete game (seven innings) no hitter against Chattanooga. Welchie allowed two walks and whiffed six to up his record to 7-1 at that point of the season. Matt LaPorta homered and the Stars won, 2-0.

52: The jersey number of CC Sabathia who was acquired by the Brewers from Cleveland for Stars RF Matt LaPorta and three additional MiLB players. LaPorta went to Akron and his batting average dropped 76 points. Sabathia went to Milwaukee and is now the front-runner for the 2009 NL Cy Young Award and has the Brewers ahead of the pack in the wild card race. LaPorta was selected for the Future's Game and the USA Olympic team. You do the math and figure who go the better end of that deal.

67: Ounces in a 2-liter bottle of Diet Mountain Dew that is consumed daily by a couple staff members.

82: Player transactions that started with JR Hopf being transferred to Nashville and ending with Alcides Escobar being transferred to Milwaukee.

100: The number recorded on the speed pitch indicator every time the scoreboard needed to be reset.

144: The number of fans to participate in Operation Clean Sweep on March 22nd, effectively taking control of the stadium and showing that civic pride is alive and well.

179: The new franchise record for hits in a season established by Alcides Escobar eclipsing 176.

216: Days remaining before the Stars next home game.

333: The winning percentage of the Stars in extra innings (5-10).

360: The new franchise record for a batting average. Angel Salome crushed the previous record of .340.

385: The cost of a 2009 season ticket ($5.50 per game and some new perks).

800: The Stars winning percentage in shut-out games (8-2).

833: The Stars winning percentage in DH games (5-1).

3,240: The number of stadium horns sold at The Joe in 2008.

05252: The winning number in our end of season drawing for a lifetime season ticket.

11,689: The number of honorary first pitches thrown by Huntsville Stars fans, staff, players, coaches, umpires and anybody else that wanted to join in on the fun. Big thanks to Cabinet NG, the official sponsor of the event. Look for something record breaking again next season out of Cabinet NG.

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Southern League Stories from September 4, 2008


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