This could finally be the year for Bowie
It was very late in the 2006 season. Bowie Baysox fans and players felt their playoff drought was about to end. Bowie's last go in the Double-A, Eastern League playoffs had come nine seasons earlier, in 1997.
But now the second-place Baysox were hosting third-place Altoona in a four-game series to end the regular season. Since the top two teams in each division make the playoffs Bowie just needed to hold on to second to make the post-season.
The Baysox had a solid two-game lead. Needing only one win to at least tie for second place, Bowie got swept four straight. Altoona beat them in their own park and stole Bowie's playoff spot.
That was a stunning end to a season for a Bowie Baysox franchise that has served parent club Baltimore well over the years, but hasn't often been a big hit on the field.
In its 16th season, Bowie has made the playoffs just three times, in 1993, 94 and 97. The Baysox have never won the Eastern League championship and in fact, have never even won a playoff series.
So this year has been special for the Baysox and their followers. After Wednesday night's win in Reading, the Baysox are 77-54 and lead their division by three games. Their magic number over Harrisburg to clinch a playoff spot is three. It doesn't look like anything can slow this team now from finally ending its playoff drought.
"We have a motto here: 'Beat the Streaks,' since we;re the longest running team in the League to have not made the playoffs and we have never won an Eastern League championship," Baysox Assistant General Manager Phil Wrye said. Wrye is in his tenth season with the Baysox and can really appreciate the great season the 2008 team is having.
"It's been fun. From a team perspective the players are really into it. Some of the guys have playoff experience with Frederick but some of our veterans have never made the playoffs," Wrye said.
"The feeling around the ballpark is different than in past years. In the past this time of year, fans might have been speculating if one of our guys might get a September callup. Now they are really into the games a little more."
All three previous Baysox playoff appearances ended with first-round losses by 3 games to 2 in five-game series. It happened vs. Canton-Akron in 1993 and vs. Harrisburg in 1994 and 1997.
No one was thinking about the playoffs when this year's club started 0-5; but Bowie recovered and had a winning record, 13-12, by the end of the month. At the end of May the Baysox were 8 games over .500 at 32-24 and on their way.
"Early in the season, we won like 17 or 18 straight home games and the players really got into the streak," Wrye said. "Some were saying then, this could be a playoff team and this could be a special year."
With some top prospects on the club like Chris Tillman, Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold, O's fans have made the trek to Prince Georges Stadium this year to check out some of the players who before too long will be playing at Camden Yards.
"We are seeing more O's fans this year," Wrye said. "The savvy baseball fans know we have some top prospects here and are coming out to see the future. We've seen more O's hats and shirts in the stands here than ever before."
The 2008 Baysox are making a real run at the record book. Lou Montanez, now in Baltimore, is still leading the league in all three triple crown categories and is considered a solid contender for the Eastern League MVP award. Brad Bergesen has set a new team record with 15 wins; Julio Manon has a new season record with 30 saves; and David Hernandez the league strikeout leader, needs 27 more for a new Baysox mark.
With 11 games left, Bowie needs an 8-3 finish to record 85 wins and break the club record of 84 set in 1994. The Baysox are 43-25 at home this year and have three home regular-season games left next week vs. Trenton, a club they could see in the post-season.
In the Eastern League, the top two finishers in each division play a first-round, best-of-five series with the two survivors meeting in the best-of-five Eastern League finals. Right now Bowie is in first in the Southern Division, three games up on Akron, likely their first-round playoff foe.
To find out more about the team, check out their website by clicking here. To purchase playoff tickets, call the box office at 301-464-4865.
Remember When
The 1997 Baysox team, managed by Joe Ferguson, is Bowie's last playoff club. The rotation included pitchers like Steve Montgomery, Sidney Ponson, Chris Fussell and Alvie Shepard.
David Dellucci batted .327 and Johnny Isom hit 20 homers. The club finished the season on a 26-12 tear to make the post-season with a mark of 75-67, but the Baysox lost, 3 games to 2, to Harrisburg.
Since that last Bowie playoff appearance, 70 Baysox players have made the Major Leagues.
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