Rodgers Not Worried About Vigilantes’ Start

Manager Buck Rodgers is preaching patience about the Vigilantes’ slow start this season.

“What this team needs is experience,” said Rodgers, after the Chico Heat finished a three-game sweep of the Vigilantes with a 4-1 victory in front of an announced crowd of 1,974 Monday at Saddleback College.

“In the beginning I expect us to play .500 or below. I visualize this team being a good team by the end of June. There was no way in a two-week spring training for the players to adjust to all the things we’re trying to teach.”

But by dropping their third straight to the defending league champions, the Vigilantes are within range of a dubious distinction. In the three previous Western Baseball League seasons, only one team--Tri-City in 1996--has opened the year 0-4.

That’s the least of the Vigilantes’ problems. They only scored eight runs in the series, with six of those coming Saturday. Things don’t figure to become easier soon with Sonoma County starting a three-game series here tonight.

“Hey, there are eight new people on the field,” said first baseman Alan Burke, the only returning Vigilante starter this season. “Right now everyone is trying to impress. We’re overanxious, trying to do too much. A win will relax us, make us feel better about ourselves.”

Rodgers hinted at lineup changes before the homestand ends on Thursday, but said he and his staff are still evaluating how much talent his team has.

“We’re not swinging the bats right now, but we will,” Rodgers said.

Chico, which had 10 hits on Monday, is swinging the bats just fine. If there was anything Chico had proved to Rodgers during the series, it was how much the Heat love to hit fastballs.

Vigilante starter Mike Parisi (0-1) found that out in the first inning, getting nicked for two runs on three hits, an error by second baseman Robert Muro and a sacrifice fly by Brian Wisler.

Parisi, a former Cal State Fullerton standout who pitched in the Florida Marlins system, gave up three runs and nine hits in five innings. But he still turned in a decent effort; only one of the runs was earned, and Parisi stranded seven runners.

Wally Ritchie, one of three Vigilante relievers used by Rodgers to finish the game, gave up a leadoff home run to Brian Arntzen in the sixth for the final Heat run.

Heat right-hander Jose Salcedo, who is trying to bounce back from an injury-plagued, 3-9 season with Try-City last year, had a stronger performance.

Salcedo gave up four hits--and one run on an RBI single by Randy Curtis in the third--in five innings, walking none and striking out six.

Relievers Todd Schiffhauer, Hank Sprinkle and Joey Dawley picked up where Salcedo left off, holding the Vigilantes to three singles.