Can the Hitmen stop their nosedive?

[Hitmen]

Although the New Jersey Hitmen have dominated their Pan-Atlantic division brethren this season, local fans are grumbling about the September swoon experienced by the 108-win team. While the late season flop may have more to do with resting key starters than with a drop in performance, supporters of the team point out that the Hitman have not been challenged for most of the season, and may simply not be prepared for the dogfight that is the PEBA playoffs.

Though GM Matt Fuller dismisses the impact of running away with the division, he does admit that anything can happen in a short series. “The five game series may be fun for the fans, but in reality, any team can beat any other team in a best of five. Yes, we have the IL’s best hitter in Rubén Cruz, but any offense can be shut down by 3 outstanding pitching performances. Hopefully, it will be our pitching that shuts down the Calzones, but in the end, it’s a roll of the dice.”

Asked if his remarks reflected a lack of confidence in his team’s chances, Fuller angrily responded. “Look, there is no doubt in my mind that we have the best team in the Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance. None. Period. All I am pointing out is that those of you anointing the Hitmen as champions already don’t understand the nature of the playoffs. The Calzones are a tough, tough team. Even if we get past them, New Orleans and Charleston are both quality opponents. Nothing is a given once you hit the playoffs.”

Manager Tracy Evans sounded more positive at this morning’s playoff conference call. “There’s no question we have the confidence that we can beat anybody. We are heading into the playoffs with a renewed sense of urgency, a renewed sense of competition, and we are focused on continuing the effort and performance we put forth throughout the entire season.”

When asked about his team’s 16-14 record from September 1st on, Evans simply replied, “We were trying to give some starters extra rest. It’s not a matter of shaking things up, or trying new things, it was about getting some rest for guys who had played a lot of innings in the first 5 months. Over the last week, we’ve returned to our normal lineup, and assuming we stay healthy, we’ll stick with it.”