August has not been kind to the Aberdeen IronBirds. The team has slipped from first to third in the New York-Penn League?s McNamara Division with a 24-23 record, and through Monday was five games behind the Staten Island Yankees (29-18).
In the first week of August, the IronBirds went 2-5 and are in danger of falling below .500 for the first time since the season began.
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To make matters worse, catcher Brandon Snyder and outfielder Bobby Andrews were placed on the disabled list last week.
Andrews suffered a third-degree ankle sprain, and Snyder, an Orioles first-round pick in 2005, re-injured his left shoulder that was causing him problems earlier in the year at Delmarva. According to manager Andy Etchebarren, both are probably done for the season.
Etchebarren is trying to look at the bright side of losing Andrews and Snyder.
“Getting a couple new guys in here, I don?t know what they are going to do, but I think this brings a little more life to the ballclub,” he said.
During the past week, Aberdeen saw the addition of infielder Dave Cash, catcher Kevin Kotch and outfielder Kieron Pope. Cash, a 2006 40th-round draft pick, is joining the team after signing with the Orioles.
Kotch was reassigned from Delmarva to fill the void left by Snyder, and Pope, the Orioles fourth-round pick in 2005, was promoted from Bluefield (W.Va.).
“You have got guys with better control and can throw all their pitches for strikes,” Pope said of the New York-Penn League. “It is a little more relaxed and you don?t have to be ducking and dodging.”
“I was tearing it up pretty good,” Pope said of his stint in Bluefield, where he batted .341 and drove in 29 runs in 37 games.
Pope said that the instructors in Aberdeen are working with him on cutting down his strikeouts and putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position.
Despite the team?s slump, infielder Miguel Abreu is enjoying the month of August. He was hitting .321 in the first week of the month.
“I have just been seeing the ball so good and working my swing,” he said.
WOUNDED BIRDS
» Bobby Andrews was having a quite year in Aberdeen, batting .214 in 33 games with 11 RBI.
» Brandon Snyder has had a tough spring after injuring his left shoulder a second time. In Aberdeen, he was batting .234, with 11 RBI and one home run. He started the spring in Delmarva, hitting just .194.
» Aberdeen?s team ERA has gone above 3.00 for the first time this season, and the IronBirds lead the league in walks (172) and strikeouts (410) through Monday.
