18 games over .500 with a 5 game lead in the division and number one in the power rankings??!! All brand new territory for the organization. The Mustang Magic just keeps coming. One week from the all star break they are riding a six game winning streak. Five of those six games were won by only one or two runs. One of the biggest questions surrounding the Mustangs is do they know how to deal with this kind of success? The locker room has been remarkably subdued. Most players avoid even acknowledging that things are going well. Part of the reason is trying to put your finger on what has really changed. There are some new faces that are adding value. But at it's core this is the same team that it has been since the inaugural draft. Why the sudden improvement?
LF Tommy Harris was an exception when talking to the media. He was all smiles when asked about the status of the team. "In the year and a half I have been with this organization I have been impressed with how it is run. They knew where they wanted to go and stuck with the guys they thought could get them there. I know that I personally did little to contribute my first year here. Management let me work through my struggles. The coaching staff was key in getting me back into a groove."
That is all well and good, but does just letting guys work through their problems explain why Callum Ritchie and Francisco Garza's batting averages are up by 46 and 37 points from last season? Where did Eric "Flash" Black find the pop to be on pace for 20 HR all of a sudden? Pitching has always been a strength for the Mustangs but this level of dominance is just ridiculous. With a team ERA of 3.13 and an opponent batting average of .235 runs against this club are incredibly hard to come by. The starting rotation just couldn't find room for 2013 AAA Cy Young winner Chet Carver. After all, his ML era was over 4. That is just not good enough for this roster. Obviously the league's #1 defense by both zone rating and efficiency, deep fences, and elite pitching coach Brian Taylor are factors. But can that really be the whole story?
Bottom line is that there really are no answers to the question. It seems that the baseball deities just favor the Mustangs in this magical season. So Mustang fans, grab some popcorn, kick back, enjoy the ride, and hope for continued success all the way to the post season.
BOO--HISSSSSS!
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