Sussex Season Notes

Sussex Draft Review | Season Notes | General Grades

High water marks of season: +2 (7-5, 14-12), +1 (22-23), -4 (79-83).
Low water marks of season: -11 (31-42), -12 (49-61,50-62,51-63), -15 (53-68) (thanks to Chris convincing me to play him on a lark; despite injuries)
Team Record notes: 10+ wins versus all but Chris (6), Dave (7) & Bob (8).  High of 14 versus Graham (sorry bud).  And that was after he schlitzed me in our first series of the year.  That was the season's high water mark -- 14-12 after Padilla wins game 1 of that first Houser series, then Pettitte is spanked while Zito throws a masterpiece, and Houser outscores Sussex 34-9 in the final 4 games of that series.  Never regained momentum until late in the year ... except for beating up Graham periodically.
Scoring notes: 24-17 in games won or lost by > 4.  38-47 in games won or lost by < 3 (are those standard?? 50% "close" games).  Only 3 games losing by > 6 runs -- 2 in same series to Graham (other to Ken -- by 7 -- in a Mike Lowell granny game) ('nother note there … Lowell hit 2 grannys against me, Delgado only other).  Record vs. teams in games decided by +5/-5 or more: Chris 3-4, Graham 5-4, Ken 4-2, Bob 3-1, Keith 4-2, Greg 2-1, Steve 2-2, Dave 1-1.  Didn't have a loss >5 vs. Chris, Keith or Greg.
General thoughts … It was a much more enjoyable team than Flint.  Less limited, more matchup oriented, far better pitching, less of a black hole at the bottom of the lineup -- giving the joy of being involved in more games.  Would've been interesting to stay with original group to see what Green/Palmeiro would've turned into ... just didn't have any more patience with the utter lack of offense.
Nother comment … I will return in 2004.