Falcon Park II Auburn New York Home of the Auburn Doubledays NY-Penn League (Short Season Single-A) |
Just like 1995, the Doubledays featured one good starter and one good closer surrounded
by a group of young pitchers who all struggled to keep their ERA’s under
5.00. Derek Dace would go 9-4 with a 3.25 ERA while closer Chris McFerrin went
4-2-20 Saves with a 1.71 ERA. Luis Yanez also pitched very well despite his even
5-5 record posting a 2.45 ERA and Jose Rijo’s son Jose Rijo Jr. was 1-3 with
a 3.54 ERA out of the pen. Future Houston Astros’ Wade Miller made a brief appearance
(2 games 1-1, 5.00 ERA) before going on to pitch brilliantly for 2 seasons
for the Houston Astros (2001 - 16-8, 3.40; 2002 - 15-4, 3.28) before being
haunted by a faulty rotator cuff which ultimately caused him to end his promising
career prematurely. Up until this time, the Doubledays weren’t a playoff contender
but they still featured several future up and coming Houston Astros. All
that would change in 1997 and 1998 when two young prospects made their debuts
and would spend 2 years pitching off this mound en route to stardom… and while
it may be too early to tell as both are still thriving today, it is possible that
each of this young stars has the potential to become the first Hall of Famers
ever to play in Auburn in its history dating back to 1900. |