Year in review: From a tailspin to a smoke-out

Mahoning Valley never recovered from an 11-game losing streak in July.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers' 2003 season was marred by an 11-game losing streak that dropped them out of New York-Penn League playoff contention.
What satisfied manager Ted Kubiak was the way his team responded.
"Record-wise [38-36], we were not where we wanted to be," said Kubiak, who completed his third overall stint at Mahoning Valley, following the season. "But what we've done here, what we've accomplished, is probably as good as I've had happen with any club."
The Scrappers were 15-10 on July 12 after defeating Lowell. What ensued, however, was a tailspin that began the following day in a 15-4 loss to the Spinners.
Kubiak held a closed-door meeting after that game in which he scolded his team for its play and preparation.
It lost the next 10 games.
"Nothing was going right," outfielder Ryan Goleski said. "It was something different every night that was costing us.
"After a few games, it started to play a mind game on us," Goleski said. "We started losing confidence in ourselves."
The Scrappers didn't win again until July 24 against Williamsport, but by then they had fallen to 16-21.
"We didn't play well during that time, but we were hitting balls hard right at somebody," Kubiak said. "We weren't as bad as the record shows, but that just happens."
Out of contention
Mahoning Valley's slide, combined with the Auburn Doubledays' stellar play, widened the gap in the Pinckney Division standings.
Auburn went on to win the division with a 56-18 record and qualify for the playoffs.
The Scrappers, meanwhile, clawed their way back during the second part of the season, closing it by winning 10 of their last 14 games.
"It has to be perseverance on the staff and us constantly pounding on them for what we know the [Indians'] organization wants and what we realize they need as players," Kubiak said.
With the Indians' first three draft picks (Brad Snyder, Javier Herrera and Ryan Garko) assigned to Mahoning Valley, expectations were high entering the season.
Snyder and Garko got late starts -- Snyder because of contract negotiations with the Indians; Garko because his Stanford team was playing in the College World Series.
Herrera played in 12 games before being promoted to Class-A Lake County.
Most impressive, however, was the 24th-round Goleski, an outfielder from Eastern Michigan who brought a confident swagger to Mahoning Valley.
"[Goleski] has probably gained more bat speed in his time here than any player I've had come through," Kubiak said. "He understands how difficult the game is and how much he needed to learn and how much he still has to learn."
Goleski batted .296 with eight home runs, tying him for the team lead with third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, and 37 RBIs.
"The mental aspect is the biggest adjustment in this game," Goleski said. "Just learning to play every day and getting acclimated to this lifestyle.
"You get introduced at this level, and as you go up it's going to get a lot harder."
Nice improvement
The most-improved player was outfielder Mike Conroy, who completed his third year as a professional.
After batting .186 in 2002 at Mahoning Valley, Conroy had a breakout year, batting .292 with seven home runs and a team-high 44 RBIs.
"He was unbelievable," Kubiak said. "He had an outstanding year. I don't think he's never given 100 percent in anything, and that's why he's had the year he's had."
While the Scrappers' offense ranked second in the league behind Auburn, their pitching struggled at times.
Scott Roehl had the most wins (5) on the team, while starters T.J. Burton (4-2, 6.79 ERA) and Juan Lara (3-3, 3.50) pitched 60-plus innings this season, as well, showing positive signs.
"The second half of the season was probably the best I've pitched in my life," said Burton, whose four wins came after the 11-game losing streak.
A 20-year-old Canadian, Burton started pitching when he was 16. The right-hander will continue his development in the Indians' instructional league in Winter Haven, Fla.
"His whole game this year was to compose himself and to understand the mental part of it," Kubiak said. "He's made some strides, as tough as it has been."
The bullpen had a number of impressive performances, including those of former Poland High athlete Matt Davis, Reid Casey, Roger Lincoln, Honeudis Pereyra and Dan Rich.
"We struggled early, with a lot of new guys not being used to pro ball," Burton said. "The starting staff really came on, and the bullpen's been solid for us all year."
The season also was highlighted by players with big-league experience (Chad Durbin, Chris Magruder, John McDonald and Paul Rigdon) making stops at Mahoning Valley.
And nobody can forget how the season ended -- with a smoke-out.
Smoke from a fireworks show hovered over the field for over an hour, canceling the second game of a doubleheader against Jamestown and ending the season in peculiar fashion.
richesson@vindy.com