Shorebirds' month in review: April 2025

A check on how my local team is doing as the calendar turns.

Summary:

Surprise! Since I didn’t realize the Shorebirds would play a morning game on Wednesday, I was able to compile everything in time for publication today without being up half the night, which is why I usually wait a week in this situation. (I don’t pay THAT much attention to opponents’ home schedules.) Plus it was such an easy review to write: for the second year in a row, our Shorebirds have limped out of the gate and languish in the basement of the Carolina League. And it’s not just their record, but they lag in many offensive and defensive categories as well.

All numbers are compiled through April 30.

Record:

For month: 5-18. In 2024 we were a ghastly 3-18 and in 2023 we were 12-7.

Overall: 5-18, last in the CL North 12 games out. In 2024 we were saddled with the worst record in the minor leagues, so this is a (slight) improvement. It took us just six games to match our April 2024 win total. (Yes, we were a .500 team at one point.) In 2023 we were 12-7. But thanks to the absolutely putrid Colorado Rockies, we aren’t the worst team in baseball!

vs. opponents: 0-3 vs. Salem (Red Sox), 3-5 vs. Fayetteville (Astros), 1-5 vs. Carolina (Brewers), and 1-5 vs. Augusta (Braves). We lost two dates in our opening home series, one due to unplayable conditions in the infield after heavy rain the previous 36 hours in the erstwhile home opener, and one just due to an all-day rain in a brutal series where gametime temps never exceeded 58 degrees (on that Sunday day game.)

By the Numbers - Offense:

It’s probably easier to list the categories that we are NOT last in the league in, although somehow we’re not at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to batting average. (Our .218 composite average is eighth.) We are 10th in both stolen bases and caught stealing, which means the only team with a worse percentage in that regard is Salem. Also, our strikeouts and walks trend toward the middle of the pack.

The only category we lead in is sacrifice bunts, as the Orioles seem to want to instill a small-ball philosophy for a team that ended April with just 5 home runs. With a team OPS of .605 (league average is 75 points or so higher) the offense is punchless and listless, averaging just barely over 3 runs a game. That’s how you get 5 wins in a month.

By the Numbers - Pitching/Defense:

On the other hand, we are giving up over 6 runs a game and the ERA is 5.21, the only team in the league with that distinction. Strangely enough, we’ve allowed the fifth-fewest hits in the loop but the most runs - probably because we are walking the world, or at least the most in the CL with 139. Our WHIP and proportion of strikeouts to walks is the worst in the league, too. (We even average nearly a full pitch an inning more than any other team in the circuit, which is likely why our bullpen is ragged.)

The brutality extends to defense, where our fielding percentage is .010 behind the eleventh place team. (They, in turn, are .010 behind the top five, which tells you the order of magnitude of our ineptitude.) Our 46 errors already this season mean we AVERAGE two errors a game. Even our catchers nab a smaller percentage of base thieves than anyone else in the league.

Comings and goings:

We began the season with the following players:

Pitchers (16): Cohen Achen, Chase Allsup, Bryan Bautista, Yeiber Cartaya, Eccel Correa, Jacob Cravey, Joe Glassey, Sebastian Gongora, Christian Herberholz, Simon Leandro, Kenny Leiner, Keeler Morfe, Carter Rustad, Trent Turzenski, Ben Vespi, Evan Yates.

Catchers (3): Yasmil Bucce, Andres Nolaya, Miguel Rodriguez.

Infielders (6): Edwin Amparo, Edrei Campos, Maikol Hernandez, Steven Ondina, Fernando Peguero, Alfredo Velasquez.

Outfielders (3): Kevin Guerrero, Raylin Ramos, Braylin Tavera.

Once the games got underway, here were the additions and subtractions:

Additions: RHP Michael Caldon (activated April 8), RHP Adrian Delgado (promoted from DSL April 16), C Cole Urman (activated April 17), LHP Deivy Cruz (promoted from FCL April 23), IF Luis Guevara (promoted from FCL April 26.)

Subtractions: IF Angel Tejada was activated from the IL and promoted to Aberdeen April 16, RHP Joe Glassey was placed on the IL April 16 and was joined by C Miguel Rodriguez the next day. RHP Cohen Achen was promoted to Aberdeen April 23. At some unknown time during the month after his last appearance April 18, RHP Keeler Morfe was also placed on the IL.

In and out: RHP Grabiel Salazar came on a rehab assignment from Aberdeen April 12 but was returned to Aberdeen’s injured list after April 24.

The important part:

Attendance so far: 22,987 in 12 dates (two rainouts.) Compare to 33,357 in 13 dates (no rainouts) in 2024 and 31,105 in 10 dates (two rainouts) in 2023. Cold and rainy weather during the first homestand stunted attendance growth this season thus far.

A look ahead:

The month begins by wrapping up our rematch series in Fayetteville against the Astros’ affiliate before we continue the road trip down in Myrtle Beach against the Pelicans, who are affiliated with the Cubs. Once we return home on the 13th we have our first chance to play the Fredericksburg Nationals for six home games before returning to Salem, Virginia for the second time this season to play the Red Sox. We’ll finish May with the first five of a six-game set welcoming back an old foe, the Hickory Crawdads. The Rangers’ affiliate switched leagues when the former Down East Wood Ducks relocated at the end of last season, and it will be our first games against them since our 2019 South Atlantic league playoff series. We have a lot of payback to deal out.

Next month’s review will be June 5.

In the meantime, though, you can Buy Me a Coffee, since I have a page there now.