Spikes displaying knack for 'turning two'

Guy Cipriano

UNIVERSITY PARK — The State College Spikes take all that “Turn Two” chatter seriously.

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The Spikes entered Monday ranked second in the New York-Penn League with 46 double plays. Tri-City was leading the league with 47.

The total received a significant boost when the Spikes turned four Sunday against Jamestown. They also turned four July 12 against the Jammers. The Spikes are creeping toward the team record of 58 turned by last year’s team.

“It’s nice to know that you have that leather in your defensive arsenal,” manager Gary Robinson said. “There are two things that are most satisfying. One is that we have young men with the capability to do that and the second is they work hard to do it. It’s not magic.”

At home, infielders practice double play turns before batting practice. On the road, the team regularly takes infield. Regular post-batting practice infield is a decaying concept in professional baseball.

“The pro guys are going to say, ‘Gary you are crazy,’” Robinson said. “We feel like these young men at this level need some defensive aspect everyday.” The Spikes are frequently turning double plays despite rotating infields. The current roster includes six infielders, but Aaron Baker and Justin Byler are both first baseman. The infield includes three players who participated in extended spring training and three others selected in this year’s draft.

Still, the group developed an instant chemistry.

“It’s more of a reaction thing,” said Baker, an 11th-round pick out of Oklahoma. “All of us have played the game for several years now. It’s just something you do growing up with different players.”

Robinson said Baker and Byler are major reasons for the infield’s success.

“They make a lot of picks off the back end of things,” Robinson said. “When that happens, that gives your second baseman a whole lot more courage to just get rid of the ball. He knows he doesn’t have to throw a perfect strike to finish the double play. That takes a lot of pressure off that turn.”

No group has benefited more from the team’s ability to turn two than the pitching staff. The Pittsburgh Pirates instruct young pitchers to toss fastballs to contact. A reliable infield increases a pitcher’s trust in the philosophy.

“It’s awesome,” right-hander Jason Erickson said. “Whenever you are in trouble, you are one pitch away from getting out of it. It’s a big help for a pitcher.”

No more buying balls

Jamestown manager Andy Haines brings a different perspective to the NY-PL.

Haines started his professional coaching career in the independent Frontier League, where he managed the Windy City Thunder to a title in 2007. He said independent owners approach the game differently than player development officials.

“In independent ball an owner hired me solely to win games for him,” Haines said. “I put the team together, ordered the bats and balls, hired the trainer, the coaches, and I ran the club during the game. I wore a lot of hats.

“Here, I have a lot more help, but I have a lot more bosses. I’m not paid to win the games in the New York-Penn League. The organization’s expectations are pretty clear, and that’s to teach these guys to be professionals.”

Outside the Pinckney

The Spikes begin an extended stretch against teams from outside the Pinckney Division when they open a three-game series tonight against Aberdeen at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. They also play Hudson Valley, Oneonta, Vermont and Brooklyn before returning to division play at Batavia on Aug. 22.

The Spikes play Aberdeen, Oneonta and Brooklyn at home. Their only remaining home series against a Pinckney Division team is Aug. 28-30 against Williamsport.

The Spikes are 1-8 against McNamara and Stedler Division opponents.

Local updates

Former Philipsburg-Osceola star Matt Adams entered Monday ranked fourth in the Appalachian League with a .378 batting average. Adams, who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals’ affiliate in Johnson City, was tied for third with six homers.

The Cardinals are using Adams as a first baseman. Adams caught and played first base during his career at Slippery Rock.

State College graduate Steffan Wilson entered Monday hitting .274 with eight homers and 41 RBIs in 94 games for the Brevard County Manatees of the High-A Florida State League. Wilson has played first base, third base, left field and right field for Brevard County, a Milwaukee Brewers affiliate.

Former Philipsburg-Osceola standout Adam White remains on the disabled list for the Low-A Lake County Captains. White was hitting .255 with 15 stolen bases through 53 games.

Guy Cipriano can be reached at 231-4643.