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Left-hander's pattern is to beat himself up after making bad pitch
By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Sunday, Jun 15, 2008
It was a typical Chuck Lofgren outing in what has become a maddening 2008 season.
The Aeros left-hander struck out five of the first seven batters he faced in Friday's rain-shortened outing against the visiting Portland Sea Dogs.
But as has been Lofgren's pattern this year, the batters he didn't retire by strikeout reached via a walk or base hit — causing Lofgren to lose his focus and quickly get himself into a bases-loaded jam.
As lightning began to light up the night sky and heavy rains started to drench the Canal Park field (causing a one-hour delay and ultimate suspension), Lofgren had allowed a run on three hits and three walks through 21/3 innings and was forced to leave with the bases loaded and just one out.
''It's something I've been fighting all year long,'' said Lofgren, who is 1-3 with a 5.95 ERA in 13 starts and has not earned a victory since May 1.
''I'll go a couple innings good, then I'll have one where I'll walk a guy on four pitches. Then I'll give up a hit and another walk, and I find myself battling out of some rough situations. Instead of just letting it go and focusing on the next hitter, I beat myself up and try to make a perfect pitch.''
In a season of bad luck, it turns out Lofgren caught a break when Friday's game was suspended and made up as part of a doubleheader Saturday. First, his night was done before he could inflict any more damage.
And by a little after 6 p.m. Saturday, teammate Reid Santos had escaped the jam by completing a strikeout on Andrew Pickney and coaxing John Otness to fly out to right field to leave the bases loaded and preserve the Aeros' 1-0 deficit.
The Aeros rallied from a two-run deficit to secure a 4-2 win, handing Lofgren a no-decision.
As Santos made his way to the dugout, Lofgren, rated by Baseball America as the Indians No. 2-rated prospect, was the first to walk over to shake his hand and offer a pat on the back.
Not long before the heartfelt gesture, Lofgren learned he was being placed on the temporary inactive list while right-hander Frank Herrmann was activated in time to make the start in the second game of the night's doubleheader.
''It's probably for the best,'' Lofgren said. ''I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues this season. I've been talking a lot with my mom and our team psychologist. There's a lot of things bothering me that I can't let affect me because they're out of my control. I have to find a way to put it aside and go out and pitch every day.''
There's been some talk that the best move for Lofgren now might be a few weeks away from the Aeros, perhaps working out at extended spring training in Winter Haven, Fla., in an attempt to iron out a delivery issue.
''We've been watching video from 2006 when I had a pretty good year in [Class-A] Kinston, and we've noticed my arm slot was a little lower then,'' Lofgren said. ''A high 3/4 slot is best for me. When I come over the top too much, I force the ball and it cuts on me and I have no command of where it's going. That's when I start to get erratic.''
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.
It was a typical Chuck Lofgren outing in what has become a maddening 2008 season.
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