State College Spikes manager Gary Robinson knows an expression that he feels is appropriate for a Short-Season Single A club.
The hay's in the barn.
Robinson explained that when the game starts, the work has already been done, and it's up to the players to capitalize, and for the coaches to "not screw it up", as Robinson described.
This is the philosophy Robinson is taking into his first season as Spikes manager. It is a different way to look at things, especially considering the Spikes' 2008 season ended with an 18-56 record. And even as recently as opening night when State College lost by 13 runs to rival Williamsport, 2009 looked a lot like 2008.
"I didn't have any expectations," Robinson said. "My expectations are simply come to the ballpark everyday and give us your best effort give us a good work day. That's the only expectations I have."
But since opening night, the Spikes have shown signs of putting 2008 behind them in more ways than one. There's already improvement on the field with a 5-6 record entering play Tuesday night.
Part of that is the influx of what General Manager Jason Dambach called "college-level" talent. So far this season, the Spikes have two high draft picks on the roster in infielders Brock Holt and Aaron Baker, who were drafted in the ninth and 11th rounds respectively by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2009 MLB Draft.
Not to mention the Pirates first-round selection and No.4 overall pick, catcher Tony Sanchez, played four games for the Spikes before being promoted.
"The more successful teams in this league are usually the teams that are comprised of mostly college-level players," Dambach said. "So we really now are starting to see these guys signed and they're starting to get into the fold."
With a somewhat more veteran team than last year, including 11 players who spent time in State College, Robinson has taken more of a developmental approach to his club.
"Personally, I am more about developing players and developing men than I am about just the final score at the end of the game," Robinson said at the Spikes' media day. "That's not to say that I don't think winning is not important, it is. It's much easier to keep guys rocking and rolling if you've got a happy clubhouse and you've got to win enough games to make that happen."
Already the approach seems to be working. Entering Tuesday, the Spikes' team ERA of 3.78 is almost two runs lower than last year when it was last in the New York-Penn League.
Even for individual pitchers like Monday's starter, Tyler Cox, the difference between opening night and now has been significant. Cox was the starter who was tagged on opening night, and since then has won his last two starts.
"I think I just try to prepare mentally a little bit better," Cox said. "I hit that fifth inning in the first start and hit a wall and got tired. I think it's just mainly telling myself, 'Keep going, stay with it, stay focused and just get yourself through these innings you have to throw.' "
Robinson stressed the importance of the players' work ethic and said he enjoys working with the youthful team. He said throughout the time he spent with the players that he couldn't pick just one person who worked the hardest.
"They're young players that bust their rear ends everyday," Robinson said. "And I think that you will see this group get better and better and better. And that doesn't necessarily equate out to just how many you win and how many you lose. Hopefully that will translate."
