2007 Birmingham Barons

The 2007 Birmingham Barons went 62-78 overall, and finished 5th in South Division of the Southern League.

The Barons opened their 2007 campaign on April 5 with a home game against the Carolina Mudcats. The Barons competed in the South division of the Southern League along with the Jacksonville Suns, Mississippi Braves, Mobile BayBears and Montgomery Biscuits. They played their home games at Regions Park in Hoover. All games were broadcast on WYDE-FM "The Source" and were called by Director of Broadcasting Curt Bloom.

This marked the Baron's 22nd season as the Chicago White Sox AA affiliate, and their 20th year in Hoover. The minor league contract was extended by 4 years to 2010 on July 20, 2006. It was the first season under new owners Don Logan and his sons Jeff and Stan. Rafael Santana was announced as the Barons new manager on January 18, 2007. In October, the Barons announced that Santana would not return for the 2008 season.

Roster

Pitchers

• Gio Gonzalez (8-7, 3.27 ERA, 177 strikeouts, 1st in MiLB)
• Jack Egbert (12-8, 2.89 ERA, 158 strikeouts, 8th in MiLB)
• Wes Whisler (6-12, 5.16 ERA)
• Ryan Wing (6-6, 3.34 ERA), moved into starting rotation week of June 25
• Kyle McCulloch (1-1, 6.27 ERA), received from Winston-Salem August 3
• Kris Honel (2-2, 4.50 ERA), moved out of starting rotation week of June 25, retired July 31
• Adam Russell (7-9, 4.28 ERA)
• Tim Bittner
• Dewon Day, promoted to Chicago May 28
• Fernando Hernandez, Jr, placed on bereavement list August 24
• Oneli Perez
• Edwardo Sierra, promoted to Charlotte May 22
• Carlos Vazquez, promoted to Charlotte May 4
• Corwin Malone, received from Charlotte May 15
• Carlos Torres, received from Winston-Salem May 30
• Josh Fields, received from Charlotte July 20, placed on DL August 2, activated August 24
• John Wesley, received from Winston-Salem August 8

Catchers

• Eric Hollis, activated from DL May 4, returned to DL May 15. Activated May 28 and returned to DL July 18
• Donny Lucy, promoted to Charlotte August 3
• Jeremy Frost
• Cole Armstrong, received from Winston-Salem August 3

Infielders

• Jason Bourgeois, promoted to Charlotte June 1
• Chris Getz, on DL May 30 - July 31
• Chris Kelly
• Michael Myers
• Micah Schnurstein
• Robert Valido, assigned to Winston-Salem June 25
• Victor Mercedes, received from Winston-Salem June 1
• Jeremy West, retired June 25
• Kenny Perez, received from Charlotte June 25, promoted to Charlotte July 31
• Shawn Garrett, signed as free agent June 26

Outfielders

• Cory Aldridge
• Thomas Collaro, promoted to Charlotte August 3
• David Cook, received from Winston Salem August 3
• Ricardo Nanita
• Adam Shabala signed as free agent June 25
• Sean Smith

Coaches and trainers

• Rafael Santana, manager
• Richie Hebner, hitting coach
• Rich Dotson, pitching coach
• Joe Geck, athletic trainer
• Adam Tischler, conditioning coach

Southern League All-Stars

Pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Jack Egbert, right fielder Thomas Collaro, catcher Donny Lucy and second baseman Chris Getz were selected on June 27 to suit up for the 2007 Southern League All-Star Game in Pearl, Mississippi.

Gonzalez was the sole Baron named to the 2007 Southern League All-Star Team on August 30, 2007.

Results (66-81)

April (14-11)

• 5-9: Won 4 of 5 vs Carolina Mudcats (3-5, 4-2, 10-0, 6-4, 5-0), finishing 1 game back in the Southern League south division
• 11-14: Won 4 of 5 at Mobile BayBears (5-1 in 7, 5-2 in 7, 5-2, 2-3, 7-5), taking the division lead
• 16-20: Won 3 of 5 vs Montgomery Biscuits (2-1 in 10, 10-1, 4-6, 2-3, 3-2), keeping the division lead
• 21-25: Won 0 of 5 at Mississippi Braves (5-6 in 11, 1-2, 0-2, 1-4, 2-5), falling 4 games back
• 26-30: Won 3 of 5 vs Huntsville Stars (1-0, 6-3, 4-2, 0-8, 4-6), remaining 4 games back

May (5-15)

• 2-6: Won 1 of 5 vs Tennessee Smokies (3-4 in 11, 5-0, 1-16, 0-1, 3-10), falling 5 games back
• 7-11: Won 2 of 5 at Jacksonville Suns (6-3, 1-4, 1-4, 11-12, 2-1), falling 6 games back
• 12-16: Won 1 of 5 vs Mississippi Braves (1-2, 3-14, 3-4 in 11, 0-7, 6-4), falling 9 games back
• 17-21: Won 1 of 5 at Montgomery Biscuits (4-7, 5-2, 2-6, 1-5, 3-4), falling 10 games back
• 22-26: Won 3 of 5 at Carolina Mudcats (12-4, 5-3, 1-2, 9-2, 2-5), remaining 10 games back
• 28-31: Won 2 of 4 vs Jacksonville Suns (3-10, 3-5, 3-2, 5-3), remaining 10 games back

June (12-17)

• 1: Won 1 vs Jacksonville Suns (7-2), climbing to 9 games back
• 2-6: Won 2 of 5 at Knoxville Smokies (6-3, 3-10, 1-8, 7-5, 3-4), falling to 11 games back
• 7-11: Won 3 of 5 vs Mississippi Braves (3-6, 3-12, 3-2, 12-3, 9-6), climbing to 10 games back
• 13-17: Won 2 of 5 at Huntsville Stars (2-3, 4-2, 9-2, 2-3, 2-3), remaining 10 games back

First Half Record: 32-38 (5th place, 10 games back)

• 18-23: Won 1 of 6 at Chattanooga Lookouts (0-9, 0-6, 0-1, 8-3, 7-8, 1-8), falling to 5 games back for the 2nd half
• 24-29: won 2 of 5 vs. Jacksonville Suns (3-2, 1-6, 5-1, 7-15, 4-5, 0-6), falling to 7 games back
• 30: won 1 at Montgomery Biscuits (4-3), climbing to 6 games back

July (10-12)

• 1-3: Won 1 of 3 at Montgomery Biscuits (1-6, 4-9, 7-6 in 13), falling to 7 games back
• 4-7: Won 2 of 4 vs. West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (5-2, 1-6, 5-4 in 12, 3-4), falling to 8 games back
• 11-15: Won 2 of 5 at Jacksonville Suns (0-4, 4-9, 5-0, 3-1, 2-5), falling to 9 games back
• 17-21: Won 1 of 5 vs. Chattanooga Lookouts (2-5, 2-9, 0-5, 6-2, 3-4), falling to 10 games back
• 23-27: Won 3 of 5 at West Tennesee Diamond Jaxx (3-4, 4-3, 13-8, 6-3, 1-6), falling to 11 games back
• 28-31: Won 2 of 4 vs Montgomery Biscuits (2-0, 6-2, 3-9, 2-6), remaining 11 games back

August (10-13)

• 1: Lost 2-3 vs Montgomery Biscuits, but climbed to 10.5 games back
• 3-7: Won 4 of 5 at Mobile BayBears (6-4, 6-4, 2-4, 9-8, 9-2). climbing to 9 games back
• 8-12: Won 2 of 5 at Huntsville Stars (8-9, 8-10, 6-2, 6-4, 3-11), remaining 9 games back
• 14-18: Won 3 of 5 vs. Mobile BayBears (6-3, 3-5, 4-6, 10-6, 10-3), climbing to 8 games back
• 20-24: Lost 5 straight vs. Montgomery Biscuits (3-4, 3-7, 3-8, 1-6, 5-10), falling to 12 games back
• 25-29: Won 1 of 2 at Mississippi Braves (2-0, 5-6), falling to 13 games back
• 30-31: vs. Huntsville Stars

September (1-3)

• 1-3: vs. Huntsville Stars

Notable games

The Barons got off to a fast start, winning 10 of their first 12 games, but dropped a five game series to the Mississippi Braves in late April and have struggled ever since. The Barons lead the Southern League in fielding errors.

On April 14 Barons utility man Jason Bourgeois hit two triples versus Mobile. Two days later he scored the winning run with a walk-off homer in the 10th. The next day he stole three bases versus Jacksonville, and on May 7 he got four hits in another game against the Suns. Two days later he scored an in-the-park home run. Shawn Garrett matched the latter feat on August 4 against Mobile.

On April 27, Barons ace Gio Gonzalez struck out 13 Huntsville batters.

The team suffered its worst loss on May 4 with a crowd of 6,150 on hand. In the midst of a dense fog the Tennessee Smokies scored 16 runs and held the home team to one score.

On May 22, Michael Myers hit a grand slam against Carolina on the way to a 5 RBI night. His was the first grand slam hit by a Baron since 2005. Two nights later Gio Gonzalez struck out 12, adding to his current total of 163 strikeouts (2nd in the minor leagues).

On June 10, second baseman Victor Mercedes hit for the cycle against the Mississippi Braves, the first Baron to accomplish the feat since Reggie Jackson did it on July 8, 1967. He went on to hit 3 doubles in the July 25 game at West Tennessee and to record a 5 RBI night on August 7 at Mobile.

Cory Aldridge hit two triples in the July 28 game against Montgomery. David Cook homered in 3 straight games from August 9-11.

Statistics

As of August 26, Birmingham led the Southern League with 25 1-run losses.