Jul 2, 2024 By Chris Dugan 3 min read

The Wild Things’ hitters are a patient bunch.

The numbers prove as much.

And as you read the numbers, keep in mind that “on pace for” is not the same as “is sure to get there.” What is up early in a 96-game season usually goes down later. There are, however, no guarantees.

Prior to Tuesday night’s series opener against Florence, the Wild Things had played 44 games. In that span, Washington hitters have drawn 206 walks, which ranks third in the 16-team Frontier League. That means Washington is on pace to draw 444 walks this season, which would break the franchise’s record of 425 set in 2008.

Yes, the Wild Things’ hitters like to take pitches, work deep into counts and drive up the opponent’s pitch count.

However, while Washington is on a record walk pace, it also is setting the pace for another single-season franchise record.

The Wild Things’ hitters have struck out 396 times, an average of nine times per game. Only two other teams in the league – Lake Erie and Windy City – have whiffed more often than Washington and both of those teams have played more games than the Wild Things.

Washington is on pace for 855 strikeouts, which would break the franchise record of 785 established in 2015.

Is there way too much taking and not enough swinging? Is there too little action when the Wild Things are batting? Are the hitters being too selective?

“There’s a little truth to all of those things,” manager Tom Vaeth said. “There are times when we’ve gotten too passive at the plate. There are times when we’ve been too aggressive at the plate.

“It’s not often that you see a team on record pace for both walks and strikeouts, but that’s the way the game has become. Not enough people get ashamed about striking out, not enough get mad about strikeouts, except me.”

The thing is, this strategy has worked. Washington entered Tuesday in first place in the West Division.

No June swoon

The Wild Things ended June with a 28-16 record (.636 winning percentage). That is the third-best record at the end of June in the franchise’s 22 seasons. The best record was 28-14 in 2022. Washington also was 12 games over .500 at 25-13 (.658) in 2004.

Pitching in

Washington entered Tuesday second in the Frontier League in team ERA at 3.53, trailing only Lake Erie (3.36). The Wild Things’ starting pitchers have much to do with success as Washington leads the league with 20 quality starts (at least six innings and no more than three earned runs allowed). Kobe Foster and Zach Kirby each have six quality starts.

This and that

Center fielder Caleb McNeely leads the league with 47 RBI and he is second with 10 home runs. … First baseman Andrew Czech ranks second in walks (39) and doubles (16). … One player on pace for a team record is second baseman Evan Berkey, who has been hit by a pitch a league-leading 15 times. The Wild Things’ single-season record for hit by pitches is 18, held by three players, Joe Cuervo (2002), Brad Hensler (2002) and Shane Stoner (2012).