Scrappers Notebook

League leaders: The Scrappers aren’t exactly dominating the individual statistics in the New York-Penn League after 21 games. Mahoning Valley doesn’t have a hitter among the top 10 batters in the league and doesn’t have a pitcher among the top 10 in earned run average. In fact the Scrappers have only three players even listed in the league’s daily statistics going into Saturday’s contest against Vermont. Jonathan Burnette is fifth in the league in extra base hits with 11 and he’s also fifth in total bases with 43, while Scrapper Brian Heere is tied for second in walks with 15. The third Scrapper listed is pitcher Jordan Cooper, who is tied for the league lead in home runs allowed with five this season. The Scrappers do have a hitter who has an average good enough to be ranked among the top five in the league, but catcher Wyatt Toregas, who is batting .368 on the year, has played in only seven games and doesn’t qualify for the top 10.

Mourning: The Scrappers organization suffered the loss of one of its veteran workers when Richard Buffone of Warren passed away Friday at age 68. Buffone had been a Scrappers ticket taker since the team’s inaugural season in 1999 and was also a member of the Scrappers Backers. A native of Steubenville, he retired from Packard Electric in 1990. He was also a member of the Western Reserve Quarterback Club and the Warren Italian Festival Committee. He loved the Scrappers and all of Cleveland’s sports teams.

Pete Mollica