Lookouts see improvement

John Valentin played on winning teams in six of his last seven seasons as a Boston Red Sox infielder, so a losing first half as the Chattanooga Lookouts manager is somewhat unusual.

"I don't like losing, but this is all about teaching," Valentin said. "Learning how to win and finding ways to win when you're behind the 8-ball is a character builder, and that's what we're all about. I'm optimistic about this second half because of the character that this ballclub is portraying and the resiliency that they have."

The injury-prone Lookouts went 30-39 but closed by winning series against Montgomery and Mississippi. They opened the second half Monday night in Huntsville, which won the North Division's first-half crown.

Lookouts players hope to emulate the 15-6 run they assembled after a 3-14 start. That surge ended when infielder/outfielder Gaby Martinez and catcher Lucas May went on the disabled list, but those two could be back in the lineup within a couple of weeks.

"We're a pretty deadly team when we're on, and I think we'll pose a serious threat," left fielder Andrew Lambo said. "When you finish strong, that's when all the other teams are ready to get out of here and go home. I think we're going to be hungry to the last day."

The potential for productive bats is there after first-half showings by Martinez (.298), May (.298), Justin Sellers (.294), James Tomlin (.291), Eduardo Perez (.290), Josh Bell (.281) and Lambo (.268). Chattanooga's pitchers have more experience after a half in which nobody separated himself as the ace.

"I don't think we have that," pitching coach Glenn Dishman said. "I think we've got a bunch of guys who try to contribute every night, and sometimes our starter goes six or seven innings and does a really good job. I think we've been hamming and egging a lot these last couple of weeks to where if the starter struggles, the bullpen steps up and keeps us in the ballgame."

Said starter Josh Lindblom: "The testament of our pitching staff has been our bullpen. They've been asked to make spot starts or long relief, and they haven't gotten nearly enough credit. I think we've got one of the best bullpens in the Southern League."

Lindblom (3-4, 4.30 ERA), Scott Elbert (2-3, 3.90), Travis Chick (5-2, 4.23), Jesus Castillo (3-5, 4.40) and James Adkins (2-5, 4.92) comprised the rotation at the start of the season. Kendy Batista (3-0, 3.05) gave the Lookouts six starters in recent weeks, but they're back down to five following Monday's promotion of Elbert to Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Mississippi Braves won 30 first-half games last season and went on to claim the league title.

"As we start to get these bodies back healthy, we should see the offense be a little more consistent," Los Angeles Dodgers farm director De Jon Watson said. "We left a lot of runners out there, so I'm looking forward to these kids coming together in the second half and definitely being better than they were in the first half."