Sunday, August 26, 2007

A LATE-SEASON MIRACLE LOOKS UNLIKELY

Several fans and New Britain Stadium press box people have been chiding me about my writing that the Rock Cats’ late-season bid for the Eastern League playoffs was likely to come up short.

I’ve had a surge or two of optimism that I would be wrong since I wrote it several weeks ago, and believe me I’m still hoping that some miracle will happen, but I’ve witnessed so many pennant races over the years and I just don’t see any spark or leadership that could alter the 2007 Rock Cats’ fate.

When the team hit .500 at 47-47 with a doubleheader sweep of division-leading Trenton on a magical July 20, I sensed that maybe the Cats had turned the corner. They pounded Yankees phenom Joba Chamberlain, who is now baffling American League hitters. Enthusiasm filled the clubhouse. The stereo boomed music and there were smiles all around.

But New Britain lost the next two to Trenton, were beaten twice by the Connecticut Defenders in Norwich and lost two more to New Hampshire. The six-game losing streak erased all the good feelings, and in my mind sentenced the Rock Cats to also-ran status.

Yet the positive forces that have been at work during the Rock Cats’ better days resurfaced in mid-August. They won three straight in Portland, but lost the first game in a three-game set in New Hampshire August 20. Anthony Swarzak pitched a gem the next night and if the rubber game in the series had gone New Britain’s way, the Rock Cats would have been in business.

But the 12-0 pasting delivered by the Fisher Cats in the getaway game reinforced my original gut feeling that 2007 was not going to be the year that New Britain would return to the playoffs. Still, the optimists hold out hope. As Rock Cats voice Jeff Dooley looked forward, he saw a five-game home series with the last-place Defenders. If the Rock Cats could win four of five ...

Going into the final game of the set, the Defenders have won three of four and now only a miracle could save the season. Portland and New Hampshire are tied for second place – the last playoff slot – and lead New Britain by 4 ½ games. The Rock Cats have 12 to play, but have to go through two teams. If New Hampshire were to falter, the Cats have a five-game series with Portland to end the year, but the veteran-laden Fisher Cats are playing the best ball of the three.

On Saturday, the Rock Cats had a 5-1 lead after one inning. Eight innings later, the Defenders left the field with a 7-6 victory. Playoff-bound teams don’t blow games like that. They had two chances to rally against the Defenders bullpen but their at-bats disappeared without a threat.

I’m sorry, eternal optimists, but New Britain will have to wait until next year to try and break what will be a four-year postseason drought.