The 2014 Great Lakes Loons season could be defined by what might have been, but that wouldn’t provide a complete picture.
Yes, the Loons came within a half-game of qualifying for the Midwest League playoffs, and it’s a half-game that might not have existed except for a late-season rainout, but it was also a season filled with peaks and valleys, individual and team accomplishments, and, of course, highlights.
So what follows is one observer’s list of highlights, while knowing full well that a host of others could have qualified, as well.
The Wild Chase For A Wildcard
With West Michigan and South Bend having already clinched Eastern Division playoff berths in the first half, the second half became a battle among six teams for two remaining postseason spots. And what a battle it was.
The chase for the final wildcard spot went down to the final day, with the Loons trailing Fort Wayne by a half-game and needing a win against West Michigan and a Fort Wayne loss to Bowling Green. The Loons took care of their business by beating the Whitecaps 3-1, but Fort Wayne defeated the Hot Rods 4-0 to advance to the postseason.
As mentioned, a rainout in Bowling Green on Aug. 23 didn’t help the Loons’ cause. They were leading 4-0 when the game was called before it was official, and because they were heading to Dayton the next day – and weren’t scheduled to play Bowling Green again – there was no chance of finishing the game. And that’s how the half-game difference between the Loons and Fort Wayne was created.
Special K
Pitching coach Bill Simas talked about his staff “pitching to contact,” and it made perfect sense considering the Loons had one of the league’s best defenses. But with Loons pitchers piling up strikeouts at a record pace, contact was often non-existent.
The Loons staff led all full-season minor leagues with 1,256 K’s, which easily eclipsed the previous franchise record of 1,177 set in 2010. The bullpen played a huge part, but it was an all-hands-on-deck effort.
How good was it? In July and August combined, the Loons struck out at least 10 batters in 32 of 57 games.
Welcome Aboard
Right-handed pitcher Jose De Leon joined the Loons in mid-August after dominating the Pioneer League with Ogden. He didn’t miss a beat at the next level.
Pitching at Fort Wayne on Aug. 19, De Leon set a Loons record with 14 strikeouts, eclipsing the old mark of 12 held by two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and two others. De Leon struck out nine consecutive batters at one point, which was just one shy of tying the Midwest League record.
De Leon finished 2-0 with a 1.19 ERA with the Loons and struck out 42 batters in 22 2/3 innings. He struck out a total of 119 in 77 innings between Ogden and Great Lakes.
Temper, Temper
By the time South Bend’s Daniel Palka took the field at Dow Diamond on July 3, he’d hit eight home runs off of Loons pitching. And while it may or may not have been a coincidence that pitcher Scott Barlow plunked Palka on the batting helmet, it set the tone for what became a very contentious evening.
In all, Loons pitchers hit five Silver Hawks batters – South Bend’s Stryker Trahan broke his bat on the ground in frustration after getting hit – before things came to a head in the bottom of the eighth. South Bend reliever Tom Jameson threw behind Loons batter Jesmuel Valentin, and then hit him with the next pitch.
Valentin and Jameson, apparently discussing the latter’s sudden inability to throw a baseball anywhere near the strike zone, exchanged opinions as both benches emptied. No punches were thrown, but five participants were dismissed for the night, including both managers.
The benches cleared on July 3 after the Loons Jesmuel Valentin was hit by a pitch against South Bend.
Wait, They Won How?
The Loons were down to their last breath against Lansing on Aug. 3 at Dow Diamond. Trailing 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Josmar Cordero whiffed on a third strike, but the ball sailed past Lugnuts catcher Daniel Klein to the backstop.
With Cordero, not to be confused with Usain Bolt, running to first base, Klein calmly retrieved the ball, and fired it … into rightfield (Cordero would have been out by a step). That allowed Jacob Scavuzzo to score from the second base, while Brandon Trinkwon moved to third.
That brought up Jesmuel Valentin, in his first game back off of a stay on the disabled list, and he rapped a single up the middle for the win.
And They Missed A Field Goal
The Loons returned home on May 12 from a three-game sweep at the hands of South Bend and took out their frustrations on West Michigan. They scored six runs in the fourth inning and five in the seventh on their way to a 17-1 win.
The 17 runs were one run shy of the team record while the 16-run margin of victory set a record. Every player in the Loons lineup had a hit while six players had at least two. Newcomer Josmar Cordero went 4-for-5 to raise his average to .550.
Star Power
The Loons were represented by three players at the Midwest League All-Star game played at West Michigan’s Fifth Third Ballpark: Catcher Kyle Farmer, rightfielder Joey Curletta, and reliever Mark Pope.
Farmer and Curletta were starters while Pope – at the time the Loons closer – entered the game in the early innings and retired both batters he faced. Farmer was hit by a pitch and walked in his two plate appearances, while Curletta was 0-for-2.
Let it Rhame
For almost the entire second half of the season, Loons reliever Jacob Rhame was like a hired gunslinger brought in to clean up a corrupt town before riding off into the sunset.
Seems only fitting, since Rhame is from Texas, but also for how lethal he was for enemy batsmen. The hard-throwing right-hander set a Loons record with 32 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, and piled up strikeouts with a fastball that topped out at nearly 100 mph.
Rhame finished the season with 90 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings – while giving up only 14 walks – an ERA of 2.00, and a 0.921 WHIP.
Best In Show
Again, they represent only one person’s opinion, but here are my individual awards of 2014:
MVP – Jesmuel Valentin
Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies organization during the heat of the playoff race, Valentin led the Loons in runs scored and triples, was second in batting average, OPS and stolen bases, and was third in hits, RBI and total bases despite playing only 108 games with the Loons. Was also a solid defender at second base.
MV(Pitcher) – Jacob Rhame
Tough call here, because several pitchers – especially those in the bullpen – had excellent years. Starter Jonathan Martinez was consistently good before being traded to the Cubs’ organization in late July, but the nod here goes to Rhame. He tied for the team lead in saves, led all non-starters in strikeouts, and didn’t give up an earned run for nearly the entire second half of the season.
Best Defender – Brandon Trinkwon
A natural shortstop, Trinkwon also played second base and third. He had a flair for the spectacular but made the routine plays, too.
Player(s) to Watch – Curletta and De Leon
Curletta cooled off some after ranking among the league leaders in batting average for the first two months of the season but still led the team in hits and RBIs. But he’s a beast physically and has a gun for an arm in the outfield.
De Leon provided only a small sample size with the Loons, but what a sample it was. He was named the Pioneer League’s Pitcher of the Year for his work in Ogden, and he’s averaged 11.9 K’s per nine innings in two professional seasons.
Bright Beginnings
The Loons won their first game of the season, at Fort Wayne, 9-0, and then again on Opening Day at Dow Diamond (April 8) with an 8-4 victory over Cedar Rapids.
Jonathan Martinez pitched six shutout innings in the season opener and struck out 12 batters, while Greg Harris gave up one earned run in five innings in the home opener and Justin Chigbogu homered.
It’s worth noting that the Loons’ Malcolm Holland led off the season with a walk and promptly stole second base. That was the first of 65 steals the Loons had in April to set a new team record.
Saying Goodbye In Style
The last of the Loons’ 70 home games may have been the best.
Playing in front of a record crowd of 6,191 at Dow Diamond, and in the final sprint of the wildcard chase, the Loons posted a dramatic 2-1 win over Lake County when Alex Santana delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
The win temporarily gave the Loons a half-game lead in the wildcard race, and was followed by not only a Fireworks Loontacular, but also Loons players greeting fans as they exited the stadium.
“No matter what happens from here on out, it’s been a great summer with a lot of great memories,” Loons manager Bill Haselman said after. “The ballpark is one of the best, if not the best, in the minor leagues, and the fans came out in droves once the weather warmed up.”
- Bruce Gunther
Loons players greet fans as they exit Dow Diamond following the final home game.
