Today’s game:
Who: Dayton Dragons at Lansing Lugnuts
What: Game 2, MWL playoffs
When: 7:05 p.m.
Radio: WONE-AM (980)
DAYTON — Minor league managers tend to look at the playoffs as a reward for players who have worked hard all year. Dragons manager Delino DeShields is no exception.
“At the end of the day, this is still about development,” DeShields said. “This is our bonus for these kids.”
If anyone deserved a bonus based on regular-season accomplishments, it’s the Dragons. No detailed statistical analysis is necessary to tell the story. Just a few facts will do. Consider:
• The Dragons were the only team in the minor leagues to lead their league in both batting average and earned-run average.
• They were the first to lead the MWL in batting average and ERA since Quad Cities in 1995.
• They were one of two teams in the minors, San Antonio being the other, to lead a league in runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
• They were the second team since 1969 (Fort Wayne, 2009) to lead the MWL in runs scored and fewest runs allowed.
Said DeShields prior to Thursday night’s opener against the Lansing Lugnuts, “Whatever happens from this point on, this has definitely been a productive season.”
Game 2 matchup: Justin Nicolino, 19, Lansing's starter tonight, was a second-round pick (No. 80 overall) of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010 out of high school in Orlando, Fla. He started this season in rookie ball, going 5-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 12 appearances.
The Dragons are countering with mid-season all-star Josh Smith, a 21st-round pick from Lipscomb University in 2010. The MWL wins and strikeouts leader is 14-7 with a 2.97 ERA overall.
The right-hander was 7-4 with a 4.46 ERA in the second half.
Garton departs: Outfielder Josh Garton, whose throwing (right) elbow has a date with Tommy John surgery today in Cincinnati, said his goodbyes Thursday before the game.
“They say (the rehab) takes six months and I should be ready by spring training,” Garton said while signing some of his jerseys. “Maybe I’ll be back here. Hopefully, I’ll be back somewhere.”
Nice guys finish first?: A security guard who interacts daily with the Dragons said this about the 2011 edition:
“They’re as friendly as anything. Good team. Nice guys. Just their demeanor. They’re friendlier than past years, more outgoing. Every team has some nice guys, but this team is loaded up with them.”
Tweet, tweet: DeShields used the occasion of the postseason to sign up for Twitter and remarked about its addictive qualities as he watched "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" in his office after infield practice.
DeShields said he expected to hear from Dragons part owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson but had seen no tweets from him as of about an hour before first pitch.
Extra bases: Dayton has not lost consecutive games since Aug. 2 and has won its last nine series. ... Outfielder Juan Duran had a cortisone shot in his ailing knee this week and will be limited to DH duty, at least early in the playoffs, DeShields said. ... DeShields went with Tucker Barnhart behind the plate to open the playoffs, a logical choice considering Barnhart has thrown out an MWL-best 45 percent of baserunners attempting to steal. With Duran, one of the team's hottest second-half hitters, only able to DH, a challenge will be how to get the bat of backup backstop Chris Berset into the lineup. Berset is hitting .312 over his last 27 games, raising his average from .107 to .215. ... Fans received "playoff beads" as they entered Fifth Third Field for the first postseason game here since 2008.
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