In horseshoes, “almosts” and coming close counts. Unfortunately for the Greensboro Bats, almost doesn’t count for a whole lot in baseball.

The Bats were the first-half winners of the South Atlantic League’s Central Division, but struggled in the second half. However, Greensboro won its first two playoff rounds against Capitol City and Macon, and advanced to the finals. DelMarra, an affiliate of the rival Baltimore Orioles, sent the Bats to an early winter.

Just like most minor league teams, the Bats were served by their youth, as a number of Greensboro’s players emerged as bona-fide prospects and future stars.

The starting infield, which was kept together for the duration of the season, consisted of six young men no older than 21.  First baseman Nick Johnson (18), less than a year out of high school, made his minor league debut in a big way. He committed only 16 errors, hit 16 homers, and drove in 75 runs. On the other corner of the infield, 20-year-old Donny Leon, a converted catcher, blasted 12 homers and 75 RBI. The middle infield of Rod Smith and Cristian Guzman was excellent defensively and continued to improve both in the field and at the plate. Catcher Victor Valencia worked hard behind the plate and gained valuable experience with each game he caught. Greensboro’s pitching was strong in ’97, as Craig Dingman emerged as the best closer in the league before being called up to Tampa. He saved 19 games, with 41 strikeouts, and a paltry 1.91 ERA. In Dingman’s absence, left-hander Ozzie Mairena and right-hander Omar Obando shared the closer’s role. The pitching staff also lost starter Luis De Los Santos to Double-A Norwich late in the season.

Julio Rangel, Jake Robbins and Francisco DeLaCruz all did a good job as starters for Greensboro and combined for 23 wins.

Greensboro’s ranks will undoubtedly lose players to higher levels of the minors and gain players from the lower levels, but the Bats should once again challenge for the division title and league championship in ’98.