2011 Omaha Storm Chasers

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 10:07 am

Also they have the first outfield in MLB history to have every starter hit at least 40 doubles.

I guess you can't really call it a collapse when they are fighting for 4th place! Â It would still be nice to see them finish strong, next season they could make a little noise.

ThatGuy · Post by **ThatGuy** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 1:28 pm

iamjacobm wrote:Also they have the first outfield in MLB history to have every starter hit at least 40 doubles.

They may end up with all 3 going 20/40. Gordon has 22 HR now and Francouer/Cabrera both have 18. That would be mind blowing considering it's a converted 3b and 2 guys not a lot of people wanted last off-season.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:49 pm

They won the championship!

I would say this is probably the single best year that they have ever had in Omaha.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 8:55 pm

And it turns out Mendoza will get his first big league start this Tuesday.

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:49 am

Chaser's will be on Versus Tuesday night.

Greg

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:23 am

Greg S wrote:Chaser's will be on Versus Tuesday night.

Greg

They ended up losing the AAA championship.

Post by **nebugeater** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:41 am

I watched a few innings of the game. Â Pretty good coverage actually. Â What I was able to watch had Positive coverage about the Team name change, new stadium, and team in general.

Believe I heard on the radio this AM that 6 players got called up to finish the season in KC. Â Probably a typical number but not always from AAA in at last KC's recent experience.

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:05 am

Mendoza looked good in KC last night. Â Would have been interesting to see if the Chasers had won if he pitched for them last night. Â Need to see him against MLB hitting though.

Great season. Â Dyson, Cain, Mazzaro, and O'Sullivan all headed to KC. Â They also called up the relief pitcher Herrera. Â He's not on the 40. Â Wonder if Kila gets dropped from the 40. Â Probably best for him due to Hosmer and Butler already in KC. Â KC also has Robinson in Omaha.

Greg

Post by **Brad** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 8:45 am

Here is a great summary by the Chaser's Mike Feigen

Omaha Storm Chasers wrote:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2011

Storm Chasers Close Book on Magical Season
2011 campaign dotted by team, individual and organizational successes

OMAHA, Neb. - Rarely in sports do things go according to plan. Decisions are made, battles are waged, and teams overcome adversity (or don't). For the 2011 Omaha Storm Chasers, a "perfect storm" of a season unfolded, one that won't be forgotten for a long time.

Before the season even began, there was the rebranding of the franchise and the move to brand-new Werner Park. Both changes, while met with initial skepticism, would be recognized with resounding applause by season's end. The new moniker and logos became some of the most widely-recognized and widely-sought after in all of Minor League Baseball, while Werner Park became an industry gold-standard for medium-sized, family-friendly ballparks.

On the field, the Chasers evolved from a collection of hot-shot prospects to a close-knit team that brought home the Pacific Coast League Championship, the franchise's first league title since 1990. Nine young stars made the leap to the Kansas City Royals during the season, including middle-of-the-order bats Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Johnny Giavotella. Still, the team grew closer together, led by a veteran manager in Mike Jirschele - who won his 1,000th game as a manager on May 23 - and his coaching staff of pitching coach Doug Henry and hitting coach Tommy Gregg.

The team won 85 games in all, 79 in the regular season and six in the postseason. The Chasers held off the hard-charging Memphis Redbirds to win the division, knocked off the Round Rock Express in the first round of the PCL playoffs and swept the Sacramento River Cats in the PCL Championship. It was the first playoff series sweep in franchise history.

Along the way there were memorable moments, from the Opening Night victory on April 16 over Nashville to the near-no hitter by Luis Mendoza to the clutch walk-off home runs by Kila Ka'aihue. There was the early-season dominance of Louis Coleman, the unbridled speed of Jarrod Dyson, the big bat of Clint Robinson and the veteran presence of Jeff Suppan. To a man, every player on the roster contributed to the title, whether it was a star-turning performance by Danny Duffy in April, a cycle with seven RBI by Lorenzo Cain in May or clutch hitting by Manny Pina and Lance Zawadzki in September.

With great success on the field came a procession of individual accolades as well. Mendoza was honored as a PCL mid-season All-Star, a post-season PCL All-Star, PCL Pitcher of the Year and PCL Playoff MVP. Giavotella also received honors as mid-season and post-season All-Star and won the PCL Player of the Month for June. Robinson was a mid-season and post-season All-Star and was August's Player of the Month. Duffy and Mendoza were each given Pitcher of the Week awards as well.

Omaha's brilliant play was also recognized by the parent club in Kansas City. The Royals honored Giavotella and Mendoza with its Omaha Hitter and Pitcher of the Year and Giavotella with its coveted George Brett Minor League Hitter of the Year Award. Relief pitcher Kelvin Herrera won the Kansas City organization's Paul Splittorff Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors, then made his Major League debut September 21 after successfully closing out the PCL Championship Series.

The awards were not limited to the on-field performers. Storm Chasers Vice President and General Manager Martie Cordaro was voted the PCL Executive of the Year by his peers, and, along with Storm Chasers President Alan Stein, was named the national baseball Co-Executive of the Year by Ballpark Digest. Cordaro and Stein's leadership helped bring 425,742 fans through the Werner Park turnstiles this season, including the 12 millionth fan since the franchise began play in 1969.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:14 am

Not bad for a former-Omaha team playing in a Trailer Park way out in BFE, huh?

Post by **nebugeater** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:28 am

Omababe wrote:Not bad for a former-Omaha team playing in a Trailer Park way out in BFE, huh?

Two can play that game:

It just shows how much better things can be when you get away from that TERRIBLE Downtown!!

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:38 am

It shows how better things can get with a decent front office is more like it.

Post by **nebugeater** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:49 pm

iamjacobm wrote:It shows how better things can get with a decent front office is more like it.

Very true.

Winning doesn't hurt either

Post by **Coyote** » Fri Sep 30, 2011 2:34 pm

Wow. Just heard that Cooper Stone is throwing out the first pitch to Josh Hamilton in this afternoon's ALDS game in Texas.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:14 pm

Omaha Storm Chasers wrote:Alan Stein, President of the Storm Chasers since 2006, announced his retirement today. Best wishes to Alan in the future.

Omaha Storm Chasers wrote:Statement from Alan Stein:
“It was the highlight of my baseball career to see Werner Park open this spring and to know Omaha would keep its Triple-A franchise long into the future ... I love this team and this community and I know I leave both in good hands with the management team now led by President and General Manager Martie Cordaro.”

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Thu Oct 06, 2011 4:42 pm

Coyote wrote:Wow. Just heard that Cooper Stone is throwing out the first pitch to Josh Hamilton in this afternoon's ALDS game in Texas.

That story still tears at my heart.

Greg

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:11 am

This has been one of the most entertaining World Series that I have ever seen. Â God I hope the Cardinals take it home tomorrow night.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:26 am

Alex Gordon got a gold glove!

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 9:47 am

That was very cool. Â Quite a turnaround for him. Â Last summer he was sent down to AAA to learn a new position. Â A year later, team player of the year, gold glove, and may even gather some MVP votes.

Greg

Post by **Brad** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:34 pm

Chasers Collect Fourth-Straight 'Best of Omaha' Award

Omaha Storm Chasers wrote:OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha Storm Chasers have been named Omaha's Best Sports Team by the readers of Omaha Magazine, continuing a four-year run as the first-place selection. The announcement comes on the heels of the Chasers' Pacific Coast League Championship season and the highly-successful opening of brand-new Werner Park in 2011.

"Even though we received several national accolades throughout the 2011 season, being named Best of Omaha is perhaps the most fulfilling for our organization," said team president and general manager Martie Cordaro. "The overwhelming positive support from fans and readers of Omaha Magazine throughout the metro area is special. This award signifies the endorsement of all our efforts over the past few years and we couldn't be more thankful."

This year's contest, the 20th in the history of Omaha Magazine's Best of Omaha program, garnered more than 424,000 votes by just over 20,000 readers - both all-time records. The 424,000 votes cast is just shy of the Storm Chasers' total attendance this past season of 425,742, the club's highest total since 1997.