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Wingnuts Playoff Preview

September 1, 2009 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


2009 North Division Series: Wichita Wingnuts (58-38) vs. Lincoln Saltdogs (49-47)

Time: First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

How to catch it: Tonight's game can be heard locally on 1410AM KGSO and worldwide at www.kgso.com

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE SALTDOGS: The Wingnuts are 19-15 all-time against the Saltdogs, including a 12-8 mark in 2009. After losing opening night to Lincoln, the Wingnuts won six straight games over Lincoln, all at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. In the second half, the Saltdogs won seven of 10 from the Wingnuts at Haymarket Park before Wichita swept Lincoln in a three-game series back in Wichita at the end of the season. Overall, the Wingnuts have won nine consecutive games against the Saltdogs at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Saltdogs are managed by Marty Scott who is in his first year in Lincoln. Scott managed back-to-back Northern League championships with the St. Paul Saints in 1995 and 1996. After missing the postseason last year for the first time since 2004, the Saltdogs rallied to clinch the North's second half on the final day of the regular season with an 8-1 win at Sioux Falls.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts open the playoffs with right-hander Will Savage, who went 5-7 in the regular season and finished with the fourth-best ERA in the league at 2.94. Savage made his final start of the year last Tuesday vs. Lincoln, pitching nine full innings and allowing just one unearned run. Savage made seven starts on the road during the regular season with a record of 1-5 and a 3.47 ERA. Savage was 0-3 against Lincoln this year, despite an ERA of 3.20, with all three of the losses coming at Haymarket Park. On June 23rd at Sioux City, Savage pitched the first no-hitter in team history, and the second in league history. After Sunday's season finale, Savage was honored as the team's 2009 Unsung Hero. Savage allowed three or fewer earned runs in 15 of his 19 starts and worked into the sixth inning in 16 of them. Savage was hurt by low run support this season, with the Wingnuts averaging 2.11 runs while Savage was in the game and 3.58 total runs in his starts. Wichita averaged 5.71 runs in their other 77 games. Savage and Derek Blacksher were the only Wingnuts' starters who began the year with the team and did not miss a start.

The Saltdogs send right-handed ace Jarrett Gardner to the mound who was 10-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 20 regular season appearances, 19 of them starts. Gardner last worked on Wednesday, taking a no-decision against the Wingnuts in which he allowed four runs in 6.2 IP. Gardner tossed a no-hitter vs. El Paso just two nights after Will Savage threw his, and matches up against Savage to open the playoffs. Gardner won his final four regular season decisions and six of his last seven. The 28-year old was 6-3 with a 3.82 ERA in 10 appearances at Haymarket Park. Gardner is the Saltdogs' all-time leader in wins and has won double digit games three years in a row. In a career that started in 2003, Gardner has walked more than two hitters just four times in 157 appearances, 126 of them starts. Gardner was 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA against Wichita, including his lone relief appearance on July 3rd. Lifetime, Gardner is 2-1 against the Wingnuts in six outings with a 3.03 ERA in 38.2 IP.

WINGNUTS BEGIN FIRST EVER POSTSEASON: Tonight marks the first playoff game in Wingnuts' franchise history. After going 45-50 in their inaugural season, Wichita posted a 32-16 record in the first half in 2009. The Wingnuts won the first half by nine games over the St. Paul Saints. After losing their season opener to Lincoln on May 14th, and then suffering a rainout the following night, the Wingnuts swept a double header from the Saltdogs on May 16th that vaulted them from last place into first. Wichita never relinquished their hold on first place again. The Wingnuts began the second half 5-10, before winning 21 of their final 33 games to finish one game out of first. The Wingnuts' 58-38 overall record was five games better than anyone else in the league. The Wichita Wranglers are the last professional sports team to win a championship in Wichita, when they captured the Texas League title in 1999.

PAST AMERICAN ASSOCIATION WINNERS: The current American Association formed in 2006. The Fort Worth Cats won the league title in both 2006 and 2007, beating the St. Paul Saints in five games each year. Last season, the Sioux Falls Canaries beat the Grand Prairie AirHogs in four games to win the league championship.

IN THE SOUTH: The Fort Worth Cats and Pensacola Pelicans begin the South Division Series tonight at LaGrave Field in Texas. Fort Worth won the South's first half title by an eight-game margin, while the Pelicans took down the second half title, clinching on Friday. Both teams went an identical 53-43 in the regular season. The Pelicans won 9 of 15 games against the Cats head-to-head. Games three, four, and five will be played at Pelican Park. The Cats are the only team in league history to have made the playoffs in all four years.

PORTER NAMED LEAGUE MVP: Wingnuts' left fielder has been named the 2009 American Association Player of the Year. Porter won the league batting title, hitting .372, tied for first with 21 home runs, and finished second with 86 RBIs. Porter also led the league in hits (140), on-base percentage (.453), slugging percentage (.617), and extra-base hits (48). Porter won the American Association Batter of the Week four times, was named the Batter of the Month for June, and was also named the Wingnuts' team MVP after their regular season finale on Sunday.

HOOPER NAMED MANAGER OF THE YEAR: The American Association announced today that Kevin Hooper has been voted the 2009 Manager of the Year. Hooper led the Wingnuts to a near wire-to-wire win in the first half and a nine-game margin of victory with a league-best 32-16 record. The Wingnuts send seven players to the All-Star Game in July and had five more named to the Postseason All-Star Team on Friday. Hooper is in his first year of managing after finishing a 10-year playing career with the Wingnuts last season. Hooper led the league in batting at .373 last year, 40 points better than anyone else. Hooper was drafted by the Marlins in 1999 after a four-year career at Wichita State University and reached the Major Leagues in both 2005 and 2006.

FIVE WINGNUTS SELECTED TO POSTSEASON ALL-STAR TEAM: The Wingnuts had five players voted to the league's Postseason All-Star Team, which encompasses players from the entire league. Greg Porter (outfield), Josh Horn (shortstop), Joe Muich (catcher), Derek Blacksher (Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year), and Brad Davis (Left-Handed Pitcher of the Year) all made the squad. The Wingnuts had two players make the postseason team last year when Kevin Hooper and Brenan Herrera were named.

PORTER WINS BATTING TITLE: For the second straight year, a Wingnuts player has won the league batting title. Greg Porter finishes the 2009 season at .372, 11 points in front of Shreveport-Bossier's Christopher Garcia who hit .361. Kevin Hooper won the league batting crown in 2008, hitting .373, 40 points better than anyone else.

OTHER FINAL LEADERS: Kelly Hunt finished tied for first in the league with 21 home runs and finished fifth with 43 extra-base hits. Dustan Mohr finished fifth with 73 RBIs. Michael Thompson's 32 doubles ranked second. On the pitching side, Will Savage (2.94), Adam Cowart (3.05), Brad Davis (3.35), and Derek Blacksher (3.38) finished 4th-7th in the league in ERA, with Davis tops among lefties. Blacksher led the league with 11 wins. Justin Dowdy's 17 saves ranked tied for fourth, while his 43 appearances also ranked fourth. Adam Cowart tied for the league lead with three complete games, while Will Savage tied for fifth with two of them. Cowart, Savage, and Brad Davis all pitched a complete game shutout, tied for second in the league. Savage ranked fifth with 125.1 IP.

TEAM AWARDS ANNOUNCED: The Wingnuts announced their annual awards following Sunday's season finale. Greg Porter was named Team MVP, Derek Blacksher as Pitcher of the Year, and Will Savage as Unsung Hero. Kevin Hooper, Richard Salazar, and Blake Gailen won the same awards last season.

HOME COOKING: The Wingnuts dominated at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium this season, going a league best 34-14 at home. The Wingnuts lost back-to-back home games just twice all year, and lost a series at home only three times.

ROAD SCHEDULE FINISHED: After the Wingnuts' 9-6 win at Sioux Falls on Sunday, the Wingnuts finished their 2009 road scheduled with a record of 24-24. The Wingnuts were 21-28 on the road last season. The Wingnuts won 10 of their final 16 road games after dropping 10 of 12 road contests to start the second half.

DIVISION DOMINANCE: The Wingnuts went 51-27 within the North Division this season, and had a winning record against all four opponents. The Wingnuts clinched the first half by nine games over St. Paul.

WINGNUTS FINISH STRONG: Despite losing their final two games of the season, the Wingnuts won 21 of their final 33 in the second half after a 5-10 start. The hot stretch brought Wichita within one game of winning the second half title.

RUBBER GAME NOTES: After their loss to Grand Prairie on Sunday, the Wingnuts are 9-3 this season in the rubber match of a three-game series.

THOMPSON HAS ALL-STAR SECOND HALF: Michael Thompson finished very strong after a slow first half. The Wingnuts' third baseman went 56 for 182 (.308) with 26 RBIs in his last 48 games, all in the second half. Thompson also hit 20 doubles in his final 40 games.

HERRERA HOT: Wingnuts' second baseman Brenan Herrera went 37 for 118 (.314) over his final 34 games with 18 runs and 13 RBIs.

BLASI FINISHES STRONG: Wingnuts' center fielder Nick Blasi finished the season 43 for 142 (.303) with 19 runs and 18 RBI over his last 34 games.

PORTER SETS NEW CLUB RECORD: Greg Porter went 3 for 5 on August 26th, including the game-winning home run in the bottom of the 10th. It was Porter's 42nd multi-hit game of the year, breaking Kevin Hooper's record of 41 set in 2008. Porter finished the season with 43 multi-hit games. Porter ended the season 122 for 303 (.403) over his last 77 games and won the league batting title at .372.

WINGNUTS MUSCLED UP, SHATTERED TEAM RECORD: The Wingnuts hit 86 home runs in 96 games in 2009 to lead the league. Wichita hit 56 home runs in 95 games in 2008. The Wingnuts hit 39 home runs in their final 33 games after going eight straight games without a home run from 7/11-7/18.

LONGBALL DISPARITY: The Wingnuts clubbed 86 home runs this year after hitting just 56 all of last season. Meanwhile, Wingnuts' pitchers allowed only 37 natural home runs all season, easily the lowest figure in the league.

MIDDLE COOKING: The Wingnuts middle of the lineup (Greg Porter, Dustan Mohr, and Kelly Hunt) finished with a combined 94 RBIs in the team's last 34 games.

CLUTCH PITCHING: Wingnuts pitchers got the clutch out when needed during the regular season. Opponents hit just .241 against the Wingnuts with runners in scoring position, and only .216 with two outs and runners in scoring position. Both were easily the lowest figures in the league.

CLOSE MARGINS: Of the Wingnuts 38 losses this season, 30 of them have been decided by three or fewer runs.

WINGNUTS LEADING THE LEAGUE: Wichita finished second in the league with a .288 team batting average. The Wingnuts' pitching staff finished first with a 3.52 ERA and walked 319 batters, fewest in the league. Wichita's .980 team fielding percentage also ranks first.

STARTING LENGTH: After pitch counts held Wingnuts' starters to four innings each over their first four games, the Wingnuts received at least five innings from their starting pitcher in 86 of their last 92 games, while getting at least six innings from their starter 70 times and at least seven innings 38 times during that same stretch.

FIELDING LEADERS: The Wingnuts led the league with a .980 team fielding percentage and have several players leading their position. Steve Pearson led all first basemen at .997 and Michael Thompson led all third basemen at .967. Joe Muich ranked third among catchers at .987 while Josh Horn finished second among shortstops at .962.

RED LIGHT MUICH: Wingnuts' catcher Joe Muich finished third among catchers with a .987 fielding percentage and ranked first in caught stealing percentage going 24 for 72 (33%).

The Wingnuts return home for game three of the series on Friday, September 4th. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, contact the Wingnuts' office at (316) 264-4625.



American Association Stories from September 1, 2009


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