Manager Carlos Subero talks to Nick Buss, one of many Chattanooga Lookouts who have made key contributions during their run to the Southern League's second-half North Division title. They start the playoffs Thursday in Jackson, Tenn.The Chattanooga Lookouts have one question they just can't seem to answer after winning the Southern League's North Division second-half title.
Who is the MVP?
"It really has been a team effort," outfielder Nick Buss said. "Every night it's somebody else getting the big hit or someone else pitching well. Everyone on this team seems to contribute. With this team, more than any I've played on, you never know who it's going to be in any given game."
The Lookouts finished the second half with a 41-29 record and were 73-65 overall, but they produced no representatives on the league's season-ending all-star team.
A year after Scott Van Slyke led the league with a .348 average and Alfredo Silverio hit .306, the Chattanooga lineup did not have dominant hitters. Rafael Ynoa and J.T. Wise led the full-season Lookouts with .278 averages, while Buss hit .272, Blake Smith .267 and Luis Nunez .257.
Wise led the league with 41 doubles.
"Ynoa and Buss have done a tremendous job of setting the table, but it hasn't been just one guy that has carried the club," manager Carlos Subero said. "I'm not trying to be politically correct, but it's been a different guy every night. You had Blake Smith, and then he struggled. Then you had Ynoa and Buss, but then they struggled. Now Wise has picked it up with Nunez.
"Nunez has probably been the kid who has had more key hits for our team in the eighth or ninth inning. He's had like five or six home runs that have either tied the game or given us the lead."
The Lookouts had several touted pitchers at the beginning of the season, but Ethan Martin, Logan Bawcom and Allen Webster were traded, and Nathan Eovaldi was promoted to Los Angeles and then traded. Matt Magill led the team with an 11-8 record, and he led the league with 168 strikeouts.
Magill also was named Southern League pitcher of the week on three occasions.
"It's got to be Rafael Ynoa as far as a position guy and Matt Magill as far as a pitcher," pitching coach Chuck Crim said. "Who would have ever thought that at the beginning? It's a long year, and it's about the guy who stays steady and does his job on a consistent basis. That's why Matt and Rafael have put themselves on the map."
The Lookouts open their best-of-five playoff series Thursday night in Jackson. Game three is set for Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at AT&T Field, which would also host games Sunday and Monday if they were necessary.
Lee honored
Zach Lee was named Tuesday as the league's pitcher of the week after winning recent starts against Jackson and Birmingham and yielding only one run in 12 innings worked. The top Dodgers prospect according to Baseball America is 4-3 with a 4.25 earned run average since his June 25 promotion to Chattanooga.