The Erie SeaWolves played respectable baseball in April thanks largely to an offense that carried the team most of the time and masked a mediocre starting pitching staff that lacks a bona fide power arm and defense that's been inconsistent most of the season.
In the past two weeks, the bats have gone silent, especially with runners in scoring position, and the club is trying to emerge from a stretch in which its has lost nine straight after Wednesday's 2-1 loss at Bowie and 13 of its past 14 games.
Most of the personnel moves with the club in the past two weeks have compounded the situation the club faces. Losing leadoff hitter and center fielder Freddy Guzman to Triple-A Toledo was a big loss. The loss of right-handed closer Freddy Dolsi to the Tigers hurt, as did the right elbow injury to right-handed closer Brett Jensen, who remains sidelined indefinitely.
SeaWolves manager Tom Brookens has spoken about his team lacking confidence recently, but the club resembles one that lacks sufficient talent and abundant prospects. And that's no startling development, given the Tigers' decision to trade away far too many prospects during the past two offseasons, and to load up Triple-A Toledo's roster this season.
While the team is mired in losing right now, the performance of right-hander Luis Marte in his Double-A debut Wednesday is one reason to retain interest in the slumping club. Marte, a good-looking prospect, threw 111 pitches against the Bowie Baysox and allowed one run and four hits over eight innings. He consistently threw his hard stuff in the low nineties, which makes him an anomaly on this year's staff, which can compete but doesn't possess the power arms fans have grown accustomed to seeing pass through Erie the past three or four seasons.