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Doubledays take series finale from Scrappers
Scrappers fall against
Doubledays in series
finale at Eastwood Field
By Steve Ruman
NILES
Four years!
In the grand scheme of things, four years is nothing more than a blip on the radar.
However, in northeastern Ohio sports years, it’s an eternity.
In the summer of 2012, LeBron James was the scorn of Cleveland. Brandon Weeden was prepping to become the starting quarterback of the Browns. The Indians were headed toward a dismal 68-94 finish. Closer to home, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers found themselves with a 23-22 record and in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Today, James is the most beloved sports figure in Cleveland, the Browns are seven starting quarterbacks removed from Weeden and the Indians are on an historic run.
As for the Scrappers? Following their decent start in ’12, they proceeded to lose 23 of their final 30 games to finish 30-45. They have been searching to string together wins ever since.
On Thursday, the beat continued for the Scrappers (3-11) who fell to Auburn 5-2 at Eastwood Field.
The Doubledays scored three runs in the second inning thanks to thee Scrappers errors, catcher’s interference, a walk and a wild pitch. They added a pair of runs in the fourth on a two-run single by Clayton Brandt.
The Scrappers’ offense was paced by Todd Isaacs, who went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
The Scrappers made things interesting in the ninth when they loaded the bases on three straight walks to start the inning, but were only able to score one run.
“We kept fighting to the very end, and that’s all you can ask for,” Isaacs said. “We stuck through and kept pushing even through adversity, and that’s a good sign.
“Every day you come out to learn and to get better. Even if we don’t win on the scoreboard, we have to get better individually and as a team.”
Since Aug. 4, 2012, the Scrappers are 60 games under .500 (104-164). They have been especially bad at home (47-87), where they haven’t had a winning record since 2011.
The struggles on the field have presented Scrappers front office personnel with a few additional challenges when it comes to getting fans to the ball park.
“Obviously, it’s always better if you’re winning, but from our perspective the focus always has to center around the total fan experience,” said Scrappers general manager Jordan Taylor.
“Winning is the one thing we can’t control, so we have to look beyond what happens on the field. The struggles just make us work extra hard in developing new and unique promotions.”
While the Scrappers have struggled on the field, fans continue to support the franchise. The Scrappers are averaging 3,162 fans per home game, which ranks in the top half of the New York-Penn League. On Thursday, 5,023 fans poured into Eastwood Field for the first Buck Night of the season.
“It can be especially challenging in our market, because the people from this area are so passionate about their sports,” Taylor said. “They want to see a winner. But again, we cater to both the hardcore fan and the casual fan who is looking for a total night of entertainment at an affordable price.”
Taylor noted that while the Scrappers’ record has been disappointing in recent years, that doesn’t mean the team has been void of talent. In fact, 15 members of the Indians’ current roster at one time made at least a stop in the Mahoning Valley. All told, there are 25 former Scrappers who are playing in the major leagues.
“Fans recognize talent, and certainly on this year’s team we have some very strong prospects and top draft choices,” Taylor said.
The Scrappers begin a three-game series tonight at State College.