The Salt Lake Buzz played their best baseball of the season when it meant the most. The Buzz won 10 of their last 12 to sneak into the PCL playoffs for a third consecutive season.
"We got hot at the right time, that's for sure," said Buzz manager Phil Roof. "Now if we can just keep it up . . ."Salt Lake, which finished the regular season with a 78-66 record, will meet the Edmonton Trappers (84-58) in a best-of-five series for the Northern Division title.
Game 1 is set for tonight at Telus Field beginning at 7. Buzz ace Scott Klingenbeck (9-3, 3.11 ERA, five complete games, two shutouts) is scheduled to start against Edmonton right-hander Aaron Small (8-6, 4.29 ERA).
The Trappers won both halves of the split season, thus earning the right to host the entire series.
Still, Roof likes his team's chances.
"A lot of things are in our favor right now," the veteran minor-league manager said. "We've been hitting great and scoring runs, and our pitching has been pretty good. The guys are loose and feel good about themselves. Plus, Edmonton won't have a couple of their top players."
The Trappers, indeed, will be without a pair of mainstays. Kerwin Moore, a speedy outfielder who leads the PCL in steals, was recently called up to the parent Oakland A's, and ex-Buzzman Patrick Lennon, who is second on the team in homers despite playing in Edmonton just half a season, is out with pulled muscles in his rib cage.
Buzz third baseman Todd Walker, who finished the year as the PCL leader in RBIs (111) and home runs , was promoted last week by the parent Minnesota Twins. Salt Lake continued to score plenty of runs in Walker's absence, however.
Second baseman Brian Raabe, the PCL's batting champion with a .351 average, leads the Buzz offense. Salt Lake outfielder/first baseman Brent Brede finished second in the league with a .348 average and had the PCL's best on-base percentage (.446). Denny Hocking, on major-league injury rehabilitation, gives the Buzz a slick-fielding shortstop with plenty of PCL experience.
The Buzz have received reinforcements from double-A New Britain as well. Mark Redman (3.81 ERA), Keith Linebarger (3.27 ERA) and Kevin Ohme (4.33 ERA) have joined the Buzz pitching staff. Outfielders Ryan Radmanovich (25 homers, .280 average) and Anthony Lewis (24 homers, 95 RBI) are also new to Buzz uniforms.
Roof says Radmanovich - in his first-ever game with the Buzz - will start in center field tonight.
Buzz veteran right-hander LaTroy Hawkins (9-8, 3.92 ERA) will start Thursday night's second game, but Roof will wait and see what happens before naming starters for the rest of the series.
BUZZ BRIEFS: The Buzz have a new home. No, they aren't leaving Franklin Quest Field for a new ballpark, but they will no longer be broadcast on KISN (570 AM), their radio home since arriving in 1994. All of the playoff games will instead be heard live on 1320-AM (K-FAN), the new all-sports station in town. It was announced several weeks ago that 1320 would broadcast the Buzz during the 1997 season, but KISN was supposed to finish out this year - including any playoff games. But KISN was planning to preempt two Buzz playoff contests - Thursday night in favor of Notre Dame football and Saturday night for Utah State football - which Buzz owner Joe Buzas found unacceptable. KISN was also threatening not to allow Steve Klauke, the only play-by-play voice the Buzz have ever had, to call the playoff games since Klauke is joining the staff at K-FAN after the Buzz season ends. So, Buzas decided to make the station switch earlier than anticipated - and Klauke will be behind the mike . . . The Buzz hit .293 as a team to lead the PCL in batting average for the third consecutive season . . . Edmonton weather forecasts are calling for rain showers today and Thursday.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
PCL playoffs
Northern Division championship
Salt Lake vs. Edmonton
Tonight: Buzz at Trappers, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Buzz at Trappers, 7 p.m.
Friday: Buzz at Trappers, 7 p.m.
*Saturday: Buzz at Trappers, 7 p.m.
*Sunday: Buzz at Trappers, 2 p.m.
*If necessary