So when you think about maybe what prevented you from sustaining that kind of level over an entire season, what do you think?

think?I think there's just a couple, a couple key pieces that, like, injuries didn't help us this year whatsoever.

Um, Drew Veach was a guy that came in for the back half, uh, just an incredible player.

I think he, he had 16 stolen bases in 13 games.

He hit above .400 for the 13 games that he played for us, and then a sports hernia kinda shuts him down and, and then you don't have him for the back half, which you expect to.

Kyle Yip was a, a all honorable, all mention, all conference, uh, player last year that we didn't end up getting 'cause of a hamate fracture and, um, and then probably our closer, uh, Blanchet towards the end of the year, he, yeah, got shut down with some UCL tightness.

So, um, the injuries didn't help, but then, then again, um, yeah, it's, it's just that consistency.

I wonder what, uh, what lessons are you gonna take from this one into next year?

So Jake, uh, you talk about kind of, you know, part of the managing is, is understanding just when you're losing guys and how, how early in advance-- Like do you know at the start of the season when these guys' last games, or is it-- does it vary throughout the season?

Uh, well, and that's what we've tried to, to really, um, do a better job of in the last two years and, and get those dates, uh, departure dates as, as soon as we can so that we're prepared and equipped for it and, uh, it, it does vary sometimes.

Say, injuries are gonna come up and then some dates are gonna change, and the most challenging one is when players from junior colleges then commit to Division One schools, and they haven't been at those schools yet 'cause they're transferring into them.

So, hey, maybe they need them another week and a half earlier to, yeah, get their introduction down and then get everything acquainted on campus.

So that can be kind of, uh, one that, that comes out of nowhere.

But I feel like this year, uh, we've done a good job of, of maintaining, and the guys have, have given us notice to, to, yeah, kind of fill, fill holes when we lose guys.

Okay

... um, it, it's, it can be challenging.

Like, do you know at the start of the season when these guys' last games, or is it, does it vary throughout the season?

Yeah.

Well, and that's what we've tried to, to really, um, do a better job of in the last two years and, and get those dates, uh, departure dates as, as soon as we can so that we're prepared and equipped for it.

And, uh, it, it does vary sometimes.

Say, injuries are gonna come up and then some dates are gonna change.

And the most challenging one is when players from junior colleges then commit to Division 1 schools, and they haven't been at those schools yet 'cause they're transferring into them.

So, hey, maybe they need them another week and a half earlier to, yeah, get their introduction down and then get everything acquainted on campus.

Okay

Overall, I mean, I think you kind of answered the question, but do you feel the record is perhaps worse than the baseball that you've actually ultimately put out there on the field?

Yeah, 100%.

I think, yeah, like I mentioned, there's three games where we've been up 6-3, 4-2, and 4-3 in the eighth or ninth inning, and we found a way to not hold on.

And you win those three games, and then the script is flipped a little bit, and then your record looks a little bit different.

But, I mean, it is what it is.

It feels like we're getting a little unlucky, and everything is falling, and et cetera, et cetera, but you can't really use excuses anymore.

We're working hard to play better baseball and I like what we've been doing offensively.

With Jake Lamferman, head coach of the Edmonton Riverhawks tonight on Inside Sports, when you look at this sort of the three-game losing streak and the overall start, what do you think maybe has been the biggest factor holding this team back so far? I mean, you talk about the inability to get the job done late in a game, but overall, is there anything that you feel is kind of grossly missing right now, or is it maybe some smaller stuff that's adding up?

But for you to handle these college arms, how do you go about that where you know you have the health of the young players arm in the back of your mind? Maybe you'd like to squeeze another inning out of them here and there, but as a manager, how do you go about that?

Yeah, at this level with what we're trying to do and develop these players and continue having really strong relationships with schools, it really is more the health of the player and trying to get them to be able to develop at the same time, but not necessarily pushing anybody.

And yeah, that's the tricky line we're towing.

And How many innings we get out of our starters really right now depends on pitch counts.

So if we have guys that we have 20 innings and they threw 50 to 75, a couple of these guys, innings in the spring, then, hey, we're not going to really push that envelope.

Although, hey, they're starters and they usually go seven or eight innings in the spring.

We got to utilize what we can out of them and make sure that we're Making everybody happy with coaching staff and people that send their players to us.

Well you know everyone knows I think that you're a local guy so is Levi Moon I think just a little bit down the road here but how do you guys work together in recruiting?

But for you to handle these college arms, how do you go about that where you know you have the health of the young players arm in the back of your mind, Maybe you'd like to squeeze another inning out of them here and there, but as a manager, how do you go about that?

Yeah, at this level with what we're trying to do and develop these players and continue having really strong relationships with schools, it really is more the health of the player and trying to get them to be able to develop at the same time, but not necessarily pushing anybody.

And yeah, that's the tricky line we're towing.

And How many innings we get out of our starters really right now depends on pitch counts.

So if we have guys that we have 20 innings and they threw 50 to 75, a couple of these guys, innings in the spring, then hey, we're not going to really push that envelope.

Although, hey, they're starters and they usually go seven or eight innings in the spring.

We got to utilize what we can out of them and make sure that we're making everybody happy with coaching staff and people that send their players to us.

But how do you guys work together in recruiting?

... what can you tell us about, I guess, chemistry and how that can sometimes probably outweigh just raw talent? Is there a balance to strike there in, in bringing the right type of player to Edmonton as well?

Yeah, and it's-- that's kind of a, a big piece of when we're looking at returning guys.

We obviously can't take seniors.

Those guys are, are, aren't eligible to play in the WCL.

So when we're looking at the current roster of guys that can come back, um, that's a big, uh, a big piece to it.

It's, it's we want the guys that, um, make the clubhouse extremely easy to work with, and for player to player, we want leaders that, that can lead the way and, and have been a part of it with our organization and can continue to do so in the years to come.

So, um, we have a g- great group this year of, of guys that were just on field, performed for us really well, but also community-based.

... to body the summer?