Miners receive Pinto's message loud and clear

BY LES WINKELER, THE SOUTHERN




O'FALLON, Mo. - Given their improved play over the past four days, the Southern Illinois Miners won't feel uncomfortable unpacking for this week's homestand.

That wasn't the case before the Miners arrived at T.R. Hughes Ballpark four days ago. Manager Mike Pinto promised wholesale changes if performances didn't improve. Pinto made it clear his statements were not idle threats.




"I did unpeel the paint off the walls in Evansville last week," Pinto said. "There were a lot of rumors going around of what was said, and they're all probably true. I was probably loud enough they could hear it outside the clubhouse.

"I was just tired of seeing that kind of baseball. I wasn't going to continue to put up with it. I just wanted the message to be clear we had a higher standard. It's what I'm going to get one way or the other."

For whatever reason, the message came through loud and clear.

Not only did the Miners respond with their first winning streak longer than two games, but they came from behind, protected leads and played more aggressively than they had earlier in the season.

"We weren't throwing strikes," Pinto said. "We weren't taking advantage of opportunities. We've got guys on, we weren't moving them over. We'd have guys on second and third and were taking called third strikes, things I just wasn't going to keep on watching."

The Miners' manager made it clear it wasn't necessarily a lack of effort.

"I had guys trying to do more than I thought their skills allowed," Pinto said. "I said, 'We brought you here for a reason, based on your history. You don't need to do more than your history, just do what you've done.'

"That will be enough and we'll win baseball games. I have a career .260 hitter, hitting .190 and I've got guys who have hit for power in the past and they don't have an extra base hit."

Before arriving at T.R. Hughes Park, Pinto termed the just-completed series a second tryout. He made it clear the improved performance saved several jobs.

"I was sending a message I would have made changes, drastic ones," he said. "In all seriousness, I've had 50 leads sent to me by different scouts.

"I was fully prepared to back up the bus and change half of this team out.

"It was not an empty threat. It was very serious."

That's not to say the roster will remain pat this week.

"You'll see a couple changes," Pinto said. "There are a couple positions I've been focusing on. We need to get a DH in the middle of the order who really has some pop in his bat.

"We're going to add one of those."

One change that is certain, starting pitcher Chris Tierney will be activated from the disabled list. Tierney has been sidelined with an elbow problem