WINNIPEG — For the second time in the last three years, the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ season ended without a playoff berth. The season finished on a high note with the Fish closing out the schedule with a four game win streak, but they had to settle for second place in the highly competitive north division.
“It’s pretty disappointing but that’s the way of life,” Goldeyes outfielder Reggie Abercrombie said.
The 2015 campaign fell off the rails early with the team winning just five of their first 14 games and they were never able to really climb back into the playoff picture.
“You fall behind early like that and it’s okay nobody panics,” Goldeyes starting pitcher Matt Jackson said. “But as the season goes on if you don’t pick it up everyone starts to press a little bit and we fought some injuries.”
The Goldeyes had very respectable numbers at the plate. It was on the mound where they struggled with the Goldeyes surrendering 431 earned runs. That’s an increase of 66 earned runs from 2014.
“We didn’t perform like we wanted to,” Jackson said. “I think our expectations were high. For myself too. I didn’t throw number wise as I did last year.”
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After leading the American Association with 20 home runs Josh Mazzola getting named the teams MVP for the third time in his career. He’s hoping to find work playing winter ball this off-season but there’s no question he wants to return for a 5th season in Winnipeg.
“Once you get the opportunity to play in Winnipeg you really don’t want to play much anywhere else,” Mazzola said. “For me to not want to come back, it would just be stupid of me to say I wouldn’t like to come back.”
WATCH: Josh Mazzola looks back at 2015 season
Abercrombie played parts of the last two seasons with the Goldeyes. Now at the age of 35, Abercrombie is still contemplating his baseball future.
“If I do play next year it’ll be my last year for sure.” Abercrombie said. “And you know I’m getting up there in age.”
Abercrombie has a 5-year-old son at home and is not even sure he’ll play winter ball this off-season.
“It depends on my son,” Abercrombie said. “See what he wants me to do. If he wants me to stay home, I guess I got to stay home. But if he wants some big Christmas toys and stuff like that, then I got to play winter ball.”
For other players it’s time to get back to the normal routine which for Jackson means going back to his Monday to Friday gig.
“With UPS I work the morning shift,” Jackson said. “I usually get up around 3 a.m. work til 10:30 a.m. then I do my workouts and my throwing, and I have my kids later in the evening.”
Manager Rick Forney has already headed home to Maryland but it’ll be a busy off-season as the Goldeyes try and re-tool to return to their dominant ways.
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