It only matters on how you perform in the playoffs, and that was true for the Orem Owlz this season as they won their third Pioneer League title in four years on Friday.
Orem (37-39) became the first league team since 1964 — when Pioneer League teams first starting utilizing first- and second-year professional players and played a 70-game schedule — and to win the championship with a sub-.500 record. The Owlz's recent playoff run in 2005 was notable because the team finished with an even 38-38 mark.
The '07 season was also one of redemption for some as Jay Brossman — carried off the field on a stretcher after suffering a concussion — emerged as the hero in the best-of-three championship series against the Great Falls White Sox.
Brossman knocked in three RBIs help Orem edge Great Falls 7-5 in the first game and belted the game-winning home run in the 16th inning of Game 2 to give the Owlz the sweep.
The win over the White Sox seems even more improbable after Orem lost six of seven meetings to Great Falls during the regular season.
Down the stretch the team got hot, taking their last nine of 12, and winning five in a row at the very end — taking into consideration that they didn't win more than three game in a row all season.
A week before they started winning, a playoff berth was in doubt after Orem was swept by Idaho Falls as part of a five-game losing streak. A sweep of the Chukars at home changed everything, and the pieces fell into place for the postseason hunt.
Relief pitching played a key in all of this. Ryan Brasier, Brian Chambers and Jordan Towns were clutch in keeping Orem in the close ones.
The starting pitching wasn't too shabby either, despite the lack of wins. Jordan Walden notched two decisions on 15 starts. He threw the heat as he broke the 100-mph mark with his fastball. Esmerlin Jimenez and Vladimir Veras led the starting staff with five win apiece.
Hitting led the team at the end. Brossman and Gordie Gronkowski flirted with a .400 average midway through the season, but settled down to an earthly .346 and .344 respectively. The power and the runs came from Jeremy Moore, who belted 14 dingers and tallied 54 RBIs.
Walden wows
Kevin Goldstein of "Baseball Prospectus" wrote of Orem Owlz right-handed pitcher Jordan Walden:
"Walden entered the 2006 season as the best pitcher in the draft after throwing in the upper 90s prior to his senior season at Mansfield High School in Texas, but he got a case of draft-itis during his senior year, losing velocity and command, and dropping all the way down to the 12th round due to perceived signability issues.
"After a year of throwing in junior college where he impressed at the tail end of the season, the Angels gave him a cool million to prevent him from re-entering the draft. So far, that looks like a bargain.
"In his final start of the year on Friday night (against Great Falls in the second and last game of the Pioneer League finals), Walden struck out 10 over eight innings while giving up an unearned run on four hits in a 16-inning marathon eventually won by Orem.
"It only builds on the end of the regular season for Walden, who had a 1.36 ERA in his last six starts with a 35/2 K/BB ratio.
"Beyond the numbers, the most exciting aspect of Walden is what seems to be a return of his stuff. Walden touched 99 mph with the Owlz after signing, while sitting in the 92-95 mph range, and his curveball and command have both come leaps and bounds since his disappointing high school campaign last year.
"He's instantly one of the top prospects in the Angels system, and possibly one of the more intriguing righties around."