Here is the 2017 Tucson Saguaros story rewritten into fuller paragraph format while preserving the headings, links, statistics, scores, and `
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2017 Tucson Saguaros Season Recap - Kirby Campbell Leads the Defending Champions to the Best Record in the Pecos League Before a Stunning Playoff Exit
The 2017 Tucson Saguaros entered the season with a very different identity from the team that had arrived in Tucson one year earlier. In 2016, the Saguaros had been the new team. By 2017, they were the team everyone wanted to beat. Tucson had won the Pecos League Championship in its inaugural season, gone 51-14, established the league record for wins at the time, led the league in attendance and won the championship at Kino Stadium. The expectations for Year 2 could not have been higher.
There was also a major change. J.D. Droddy would no longer manage the team, and the job went to Kirby Campbell. Campbell inherited a defending champion and responded by producing another extraordinary regular season. Tucson finished with the best record in the Pecos League, with the current historical standings listing the Saguaros at 46-14. They had strong pitching, a deep offense and home-field advantage and appeared positioned to return to the Pecos League Championship Series.
Instead, the season ended suddenly at Kino Sports Complex. The High Desert Yardbirds defeated Tucson two games to one in the Pacific Division playoff series. Tucson won the opener 15-4, but High Desert answered with a 4-1 victory and then defeated the defending champions 4-3 in the deciding game. High Desert would go on to win the entire Pecos League Championship. Tucson was left with one of the strangest distinctions in franchise history: the Saguaros had the best regular-season record in the Pecos League and never reached the championship series.
The managerial transition began almost immediately after Tucson won the 2016 championship. Kirby Campbell was announced as the Saguaros manager for the 2017 season. Campbell had spent part of 2016 as the starting first baseman for the Great Bend Boom before moving into the manager's position during the season. A 2014 graduate of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Campbell had already experienced the unusual transition from player to manager that is common in independent baseball.
Now he was being handed one of the best jobs in the Pecos League. Tucson wasn't rebuilding; it was defending a championship. J.D. Droddy remained connected to the organization as Director of Player Procurement before later moving on to manage the Salina Stockade in the American Association. That meant Campbell was taking over the on-field operation while inheriting much of the structure of the championship club.
Tucson did not return the entire 2016 championship roster, which is hardly unusual in independent baseball. Players move up, move to other leagues, retire or simply do not return. But five important players from the inaugural championship team came back for another season.
Pitchers Brandon Cook, Jake Eaton and Matt Kelley returned, along with outfielders Burnell Dailey and Thomas McKenna. Those players gave Campbell continuity. They knew Tucson, they knew Kino Stadium, they knew what it took to win the Pecos League and they understood that the expectation surrounding the Saguaros had now become championship or disappointment.
The Pecos League changed dramatically for 2017. Four California teams entered the league, expanding the geographic footprint westward and stretching the Pecos League across six states and three time zones. Tucson moved into the Pacific Division, creating new opponents and new travel patterns.
The Saguaros would now see teams such as High Desert, Bakersfield, Monterey, California City and Hollywood regularly. It was a major change from Tucson's first season in the Southern Division. The result, however, was familiar. Tucson immediately became the team to beat.
Kirby Campbell's first Tucson team did not ease into the season. The Saguaros immediately started winning, opening the season at Kino Sports Complex with a 14-4 victory over the Hollywood Stars. Matt Kelley earned the victory after striking out seven while allowing only one earned run in six innings. Tre Porter went 3-for-5, while Thomas McKenna continued his strong Tucson career with another productive game.
The following night, Tucson won 8-2 and then followed with a 4-2 victory. The Saguaros went to Bisbee and kept winning, taking games by scores of 6-3 and 5-0. By the time Hollywood finally defeated Tucson 4-3, the Saguaros had started the season 7-0. The defending champions had immediately established that the managerial change had not slowed them down.
The team that would eventually end Tucson's season began causing problems early. The High Desert Yardbirds were one of the new California franchises, and their first series against Tucson demonstrated immediately that they were not intimidated by the defending champions.
High Desert beat Tucson 11-8 on June 1. The Saguaros responded the following night, with Clay Miller leading Tucson to a 6-0 victory, and then won again behind Tre Porter and Eric Morell. But High Desert continued to give the Saguaros trouble. The Yardbirds won close games and low-scoring games and proved throughout the season that Tucson's excellent overall record did not mean the matchup was one-sided. That became extremely important once the playoffs arrived.
Fernando Garza became the most productive offensive player on the 2017 Saguaros. Garza played 56 games and collected 82 hits in 211 at-bats while scoring 56 runs. He hit 17 doubles, two triples and a team-high 14 home runs and drove in a team-high 69 runs while also drawing 31 walks.
His combination of average, power and run production made him the centerpiece of Campbell's offense. Garza could change games with one swing, but he also consistently produced extra-base hits and drove runners home.
Nicholas Vitale was every bit as important. Vitale played 57 games and collected a team-high 84 hits in 216 at-bats while scoring 39 runs. He hit 17 doubles, two triples and six home runs and drove in 54 runs while striking out only 26 times.
His consistent contact made him one of the most difficult outs in the Tucson lineup. The Saguaros had power in Garza and a dependable hit producer in Vitale, and that combination helped keep the offense moving throughout the summer.
Thomas McKenna was one of the five returning players from Tucson's inaugural championship roster and gave Campbell exactly the kind of veteran production the Saguaros needed. McKenna played 56 games and collected 76 hits in 194 at-bats while scoring 51 runs.
He hit 12 doubles and four triples, drove in 45, drew 31 walks, was hit by eight pitches and stole eight bases. His ability to get on base and produce in different ways made him one of the most complete players on the team.
Tre Porter Provides Speed and Defense at Shortstop
Tre Porter played 54 games at shortstop and collected 60 hits while scoring 47 runs. Porter hit 13 doubles, one triple and five home runs, drove in 41, drew 31 walks and stole 11 bases.
Porter's value went beyond the raw offensive numbers. He gave the Saguaros athleticism at one of the most important defensive positions on the field and was repeatedly in the middle of Tucson victories throughout the season.
Burnell Dailey Returns and Keeps Producing
Burnell Dailey was another important connection to the 2016 championship team. Dailey appeared in 47 games and collected 45 hits while scoring 38 runs and driving in 35. He drew 30 walks, stole 12 bases and hit four home runs. His experience and speed gave Tucson another useful piece throughout the lineup.
Kevin Baron and David Kimbrough Add Depth
Kevin Baron played 47 games and collected 50 hits while scoring 37 runs and hitting 12 doubles. David Kimbrough appeared in 49 games, scored 42 runs and stole a team-high 17 bases. Christian Triplett added four home runs, while Logan Coughlin added another four.
The Tucson offense had enough depth that Campbell rarely had to depend entirely on one or two players.
The biggest strength of the 2017 Saguaros may actually have been their pitching. Tucson had quality starters, dependable relief pitching and multiple pitchers capable of working deep into games. Several members of the staff posted numbers that would stand out in any Pecos League season.
Clay Miller Goes 8-0
Clay Miller became the winningest pitcher on the staff, going a perfect 8-0 with a 3.02 ERA. Miller made 10 starts and threw 68.1 innings, completed one game and struck out 66 hitters.
On May 27, Miller struck out 11 while allowing only four hits over eight innings against Hollywood. On June 2, he helped Tucson shut out High Desert 6-0, and on July 4 he threw eight innings as Tucson defeated Monterey 5-1. He was exactly the kind of starter a defending champion needed.
Brandon Cook returned from the 2016 championship roster and became one of the best relief pitchers on the team. Cook appeared in 26 games and went 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA. In 46.2 innings, he allowed only 10 earned runs and struck out 54 while walking only eight.
His 1.10 WHIP was one of the strongest marks on the staff and gave Campbell a dependable pitcher capable of controlling the middle and late innings.
Redmond Floyd Posts a 1.12 ERA
Redmond Floyd was even more difficult to score against. Floyd went 2-2 with a 1.12 ERA in 21 appearances, allowing only four earned runs in 32 innings. He struck out 48 and recorded three saves. Opposing hitters had enormous difficulty producing anything against him.
Eric Morell Goes 7-0
Eric Morell gave Tucson another undefeated starter. Morell went 7-0 with a 4.09 ERA, made 10 starts, threw 66 innings, struck out 55 and completed one game. Between Morell and Miller alone, Tucson received 15 victories without a loss.
Frank Trimarco Gives Tucson More Quality Starts
Frank Trimarco went 4-3 with a 3.20 ERA. He appeared in 15 games, including seven starts, and threw 59 innings while striking out 60 and walking only 11. That command gave Tucson another dependable option.
Zack Gonzalez and Matt Kelley Add Even More Depth
Zack Gonzalez went 3-0 with a 3.08 ERA, making seven starts and striking out 47 in 46.2 innings. Matt Kelley returned from the championship roster and went 5-0 with a 3.68 ERA, making nine starts and striking out 53 in 51.1 innings. Josh Freeman added four victories, while Garrett Baker recorded eight saves.
It was one of the deepest pitching staffs in the Pecos League.
The Saguaros reached 20 wins while still holding only six losses and improved to 27-9 after Matt Kelley threw a complete-game two-hit shutout against Monterey in a 14-0 victory. By July 4, Tucson was 29-10 after Clay Miller helped the Saguaros defeat Monterey 5-1 on Independence Day at Kino.
Tucson then continued winning on the road. By July 17, the Saguaros were 39-13, and by July 22 they had improved to 44-14. The defending champions had once again separated themselves from most of the league.
When the regular season ended, Tucson sat on top of the Pecos League. The league's current historical standings list the Saguaros at 46-14. Alpine finished 43-18, Roswell finished 41-22, Trinidad went 36-23 and Bakersfield finished 36-25. No team had won more games than Tucson.
For the second consecutive season, the Saguaros had produced one of the best records in the league. The 2016 team had completed the job and won the championship. The 2017 team now needed to do the same.
The final days of the schedule were interrupted by Arizona weather as monsoon rains washed away the final two games between Tucson and Hollywood. Tucson's regular season was effectively finished, and the Saguaros would now wait for the winner of the Bakersfield-High Desert playoff matchup.
That winner was High Desert. The Yardbirds were coming back to Tucson, and this was not necessarily the opponent the Saguaros wanted to see. High Desert had already demonstrated throughout the regular season that it could match up with Tucson. Still, the defending champions had home-field advantage and the series would be played at Kino Sports Complex. Everything appeared set up for another Tucson championship run.
The opening game could hardly have gone better. Tucson defeated High Desert 15-4 and overwhelmed the Yardbirds. The defending champions were one victory away from advancing, and after everything Tucson had accomplished during the regular season, the result seemed completely logical.
The best team in the league had opened the postseason with an 11-run victory. It appeared Tucson was ready to continue defending its title.
Then everything changed. High Desert came back the following night and defeated Tucson 4-1. The Saguaros' offense disappeared. One night after scoring 15 runs, Tucson scored only one.
The series was tied, and suddenly the entire season had been reduced to one game at Kino Sports Complex. Forty-six regular-season victories no longer mattered. Being defending champions no longer mattered. Having the league's best regular-season record no longer mattered. The winner of Game 3 would advance, and the loser would go home.
Game 3 - High Desert Ends Tucson's Championship Defense
The deciding game was exactly the kind of contest expected from two teams that had seen so much of each other throughout the season. It was close from beginning to end, and one run ultimately separated them.
High Desert defeated Tucson 4-3. The Yardbirds had won the series two games to one, the defending Pecos League Champions were eliminated and the team with the best regular-season record in the league would not play for the championship. The season ended at Kino.
That is what made the playoff loss so difficult. Tucson didn't look overmatched in the series. The Saguaros destroyed High Desert 15-4 in Game 1 and were one more victory away from advancing. Instead, the offense scored only four runs over the final two games combined. High Desert won 4-1 and then 4-3.
A season of dominance ended in 48 hours. That is the reality of short playoff series. The regular season identifies the most consistent team, while the playoffs identify the team that wins at the right moment. In 2017, those were not the same team.
High Desert Goes on to Win the Championship
The playoff loss became somewhat easier to understand as the postseason continued. High Desert was not simply a team that caught Tucson at the right time. The Yardbirds kept winning, advanced through the Pacific Division and then faced the Roswell Invaders in the Pecos League Championship Series.
High Desert swept Roswell and became the 2017 Pecos League Champion. Tucson had been eliminated by the team that ultimately won everything. That does not erase the disappointment, but it demonstrates that High Desert was a legitimate championship club.
Kirby Campbell's Tucson Saguaros finished the 2017 regular season 46-14 according to the current Pecos League historical standings, giving Tucson the best record in the league. The defending champions faced the High Desert Yardbirds in the postseason, winning Game 1 by a 15-4 score before losing Game 2, 4-1, and the deciding Game 3, 4-3. High Desert won the series two games to one and went on to win the Pecos League Championship.
Fernando Garza collected 82 hits, scored 56 runs, hit 17 doubles and 14 home runs, drove in 69 runs and drew 31 walks. Nicholas Vitale led Tucson with 84 hits while adding 17 doubles, six home runs and 54 RBIs. Thomas McKenna collected 76 hits, scored 51 runs, hit 12 doubles and four triples, drove in 45 and drew 31 walks. Tre Porter finished with 60 hits, 47 runs, 13 doubles, five home runs, 41 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Kevin Baron collected 50 hits and scored 37 runs, Burnell Dailey had 45 hits, 38 runs, four home runs, 35 RBIs, 30 walks and 12 stolen bases, and David Kimbrough scored 42 runs while stealing a team-high 17 bases.
On the mound, Clay Miller went 8-0 with a 3.02 ERA, throwing 68.1 innings and striking out 66. Brandon Cook went 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA and struck out 54 while walking only eight in 46.2 innings. Redmond Floyd posted a 1.12 ERA with three saves and 48 strikeouts in 32 innings. Eric Morell went 7-0 with a 4.09 ERA, Frank Trimarco went 4-3 with a 3.20 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 59 innings, Zack Gonzalez went 3-0 with a 3.08 ERA, Matt Kelley went 5-0 with a 3.68 ERA and Garrett Baker recorded eight saves.
A Better Regular Season Than the Championship Team
The irony of the 2017 season becomes obvious when it is compared with 2016. The inaugural Saguaros won the championship, while the 2017 Saguaros returned with another dominant team and again produced the best record in the Pecos League.
They had multiple undefeated starting pitchers, relievers with ERAs near or below 2.00, Fernando Garza driving in 69 runs, Nicholas Vitale collecting 84 hits and Thomas McKenna producing another excellent season. The roster had championship experience, but none of that guaranteed a second trophy. High Desert needed only two victories after losing the opening game, and it got them.
Kirby Campbell's Only Tucson Season
The season also became Kirby Campbell's only year managing the Tucson Saguaros. Judging Campbell's season simply by the playoff exit would be unfair. He took over a defending champion, which is never an easy assignment because there is nowhere to go but sideways or down.
Instead, Campbell kept Tucson at the top of the league throughout the regular season. The Saguaros won more games than anyone else, had excellent pitching, produced a deep offense and remained one of the league's dominant teams. The failure came in the postseason, and in a short best-of-three series, two bad nights were enough to erase an entire summer of success.
The First Great Tucson Playoff Disappointment
The 2016 season had gone almost perfectly. Tucson entered the Pecos League, won 51 games, set attendance records, reached the finals and won the championship. Everything worked.
The 2017 season taught the franchise a different lesson. Great regular seasons do not guarantee championships. The Saguaros could finish first, dominate for two months and win Game 1 of a playoff series by 11 runs and still be eliminated two nights later. That was the first time Tucson experienced the cruel side of postseason baseball. It would not be the last.
A Championship-Caliber Team Without a Championship
When looking back at the 2017 roster, it is difficult to argue that Tucson lacked the ability to repeat. Clay Miller went 8-0, Eric Morell went 7-0 and Matt Kelley went 5-0. Brandon Cook posted a 1.92 ERA and Redmond Floyd posted a 1.12 ERA. Fernando Garza drove in 69 runs, Nicholas Vitale had 84 hits and Thomas McKenna had 76.
The team had pitching, offense, depth, experience and the best regular-season record in the league. High Desert simply played better when the season reached its most important two games.
The Defending Champions Were Gone
The final sequence tells the entire story. Tucson defeated High Desert 15-4 and moved one win from advancing. High Desert answered with a 4-1 victory to tie the series, then won the deciding game 4-3 to end Tucson's season. High Desert then went on to win the Pecos League Championship while Tucson went home.
The 2017 Saguaros had accomplished almost everything possible during the regular season, but unlike the inaugural team one year earlier, they could not finish the job in August.
The 2016 Tucson Saguaros established a championship tradition. The 2017 Tucson Saguaros learned how difficult that tradition would be to maintain.
They were the best regular-season team in the Pecos League. They just weren't the last team standing.
