The Chattanooga Lookouts lost 10 of 13 games to close the first half of their Southern League schedule, but manager Tommy Watkins is choosing to focus on the final four contests.
Chattanooga ended the half with a four-game split at Birmingham and scored 26 runs in its two victories, including last Saturday's 12-2 romp that was halted by rain after six innings. The Lookouts assembled a 28-14 record and a five-game lead in the North Division on May 19, but their late stumbles yielded a 36-33 mark and a third-place finish.
Birmingham Barons center fielder Tito Polo (18) safely dives back before Lookouts first baseman Brent Rooker (25) can tag him out on opening day at AT&T Field on Thursday, April 5, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn."I just think our guys were playing pretty decent those last few games," said Watkins, who is in his first season as the team's manager. "I'm looking forward to the second half starting. We've been on the road for a while. We've got a ton of new players, and I think Jimmy Kerrigan has been a good addition. He's an outfielder who plays the game hard and is fun to watch.
"Andy Wilkins is back off the DL and hit three homers on the last trip. His veteran presence will help."
The Lookouts open their 70-game second half at 7:15 tonight at AT&T Field against the Biloxi Shuckers. Chattanooga is third among the league's 10 teams in hitting at the midway point with a .257 average, but the Lookouts are ninth in pitching with a 4.17 team ERA.
Nick Gordon and LaMonte Wade led the charge to Chattanooga's 28-14 record, but they now compete for the Rochester (New York) Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliates of the Minnesota Twins. Wilkins played 61 games for the Lookouts last season and is hitting .381 through his first six games with Chattanooga this year, having already compiled 11 RBIs.
Wilkins, who turns 30 in September, played 17 games for the 2014 Chicago White Sox and 26 games for the 2016 Milwaukee Brewers.
Kerrigan was promoted last Wednesday from Fort Myers of the high Single-A Florida State League, replacing the injured Wiel. In his first four games with the Lookouts, Kerrigan has hit .313.
Wiel hit .306 with 32 RBIs in his first 55 games with the Lookouts before going on the disabled list, with his average ranking third in the league. Fellow Chattanooga newcomer Brent Rooker has hit .259 in his first 64 games in Double-A, with his 40 RBIs ranking sixth in the league.
The tandem of Wiel and Rooker, who were Southeastern Conference standouts at Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, respectively, was nurtured under the guidance of Gordon and Wade at the start of the season. Now it will be counted on to help spearhead a second-half surge.
"Zander went on the DL at the end of the first half, and that definitely hurt us," Watkins said. "Rooker has been doing a good job, too. He's only hitting around .260, but he hasn't had that hot streak yet to where he just absolutely goes off. I look for big things to come from him.
"Add that to getting Zander back healthy, and I'm looking forward to this second half."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.