The New Jersey Jackals, opponents of the Quebec Capitals starting Thursday in the Frontier League semifinals, are scary on paper. We’re talking a total of 195 home runs in 95 games, but you should know that their local games this season were played in what looks like a softball park.
Capitales manager Patrick Scalabrini was careful not to add fuel to the fire early in this 2 of 3 series, but he could hardly hide the fact that certain Jackals hitters were heavily favored by a fence that was less than 290 feet from right field . For comparison, the Capitales scored a total of 122 long balls in the regular season and still finished third in the independent tournament. That’s still 73 laps less.
• Also read: The Capitals will face the mighty Jackals
• Also read: A redemption for Patrick Scalabrini
• Also read: Capitals by Car with Steven Fuentes and Abdiel Saldana
“The Jackals remain an offensive force, that’s what the team is built on,” Scalabrini said, showing respect for the enemy. It’s a group of brutal bombers who drop bombs.
Keon Barnum and Josh Rehwaldt, two left-handed hitters, also took advantage of Hinchcliffe Stadium’s size this season, finishing with 30 and 29 home runs, respectively. Right-hander James Nelson remains the Jackals’ primary offensive weapon with a .388 batting average.
On neutral ground
A unique situation could develop to the Capitals’ advantage for this semifinal, as the meeting is scheduled for Thursday in the United States on neutral territory. Jackals Stadium is not available because it is needed by a high school team that has priority. The Jackals aren’t the venue’s first tenants, so the first game of the semifinals will be played elsewhere in New Jersey, at Skylands Stadium, home of the Sussex County Miners.
Miners Stadium is better suited to professional baseball and the Capitals’ starter, Panamanian Abdiel Saldana, will be less nervous on the mound. Scalabrini actually decided to bet on Saldana in the first game of the series, while Steven Fuentes will start on Saturday in Quebec. In the event of a third and final meeting, also at Stade Canac, Ruben Ramirez will be sent to the mound.
“Saldana finished the season a little stronger and was in the rotation with him in the first game,” the manager explained simply. Fuentes isn’t a problem for us to see him throw in Quebec, as he often forces opponents to hit groundballs, and the synthetic field makes defensive plays easier to execute.
Robbed of your ace
Another interesting piece of news for the Capitals: They won’t have to face outstanding Dominican pitcher Jorge Tavarez. The Jackals’ shooting guard pitched a complete game of nine innings, limiting Miners’ batters to three hits and a single walk in Tuesday night’s 5-0 win in the Eastern Section meeting without the next day.
The Gunner, who threw 109 pitches and finished the night with 10 strikeouts, will not necessarily play in the first game. In addition, it appears that Tavarez will not be able to arrive in Quebec this weekend due to a situation that prevents him from going through customs. Otherwise, the Jackals could rely on several good backup players, including Dazon Cole, Matt Vogel and Lance Lusk, to thwart the Capitals.
“They don’t have many gaps in their formation,” stressed Scalabrini.