Richmond Dukes 2022: a season in review

7 Nov

Wild walk-off wins, crushing last-out losses, defensive gems, mammoth home runs, international call-ups, record-breaking feats, and a thrilling climax. 2022 was a season to remember for Richmond Dukes, full of promise and glimpses of greatness, that could have been even better but for the tiniest margins. Let’s dive in and relive some of the most memorable moments.

HOT START

There was a buzz in the air in Richmond at the start of April. Many of the core Dukes players had returned for 2022. The addition of some exciting newcomers together with a few experienced veterans bolstered the group, making them a genuine threat to anyone in Single A on any given Sunday.

Coming off a good Spring training, they began the season with two wins on the road followed by three of the next four to top the table on 5th June with a 5-1 record. That .833 winning percentage would be their season’s peak and was good enough to sit in first place ahead of Herts Hawks in South Central-B, who had a .769 record (10-3). Dukes had played fewer games than Hawks due to scheduling constraints and had yet to face the stronger teams in Single A, but that was all about to change.

CLOSE GAMES

337 regular season games were played in Single A in 2022 and of those, 37 finished in a walk-off victory (11%), including four walk-offs on both 19th June and 17th July respectively. Three of those 37 walk-off wins came courtesy of Richmond Dukes, demonstrating their never-give-up attitude and clutch performances at the plate in the final moments of a game when the pressure was at it’s highest.

But it wasn’t all champagne-popping and high-fiving. On the flip side, Dukes also lost four games from a winning position going into the final innings that exposed their defensive fragility. Two of those four defeats were walk-off losses, and one of those came at the hands of Pool B runner’s up Formosa Islanders. In hindsight, if they had found a way to cling on to their lead and win that game in early June, they would have finished the season with a 13-13 win-loss record, equalling Formosa’s, and it would have been enough to beat Islanders into 2nd place by virtue of the better head-to-head results.

However, baseball is a game of inches and fine margins, and hindsight is a luxury best left for dreamers. The overarching narrative to take away is, whether win or lose, Richmond Dukes competed to the very end, often against opponents who were technically superior, and never faltered in their belief that they could win.

MID-SEASON SLUMP

The walk-off defeat to Formosa Islanders was one of a run of four straight losses before Dukes snapped that skid with a doubleheader win against none other than the eventual Single-A National Championship finalists Formosa Islanders. They exacted revenge against their foes in almost identical fashion, a nail-biting finish, walking off victoriously on a wild pitch.

Richmond was understandably elated, excited and full of confidence after those victories, but it would prove to be the calm before the storm as they nose-dived into a nightmarish slump losing 8 games on the bounce against teams with winning records who were fighting for the top spot in Pools A & B. Any hopes they had had of postseason play had been shattered and was all but lost. Mathematically there was still a chance to progress to the playoffs if they could win all their remaining games, including a tough doubleheader on the last day of the season against the South Central-B leader, but they would still need other results to go their way.

SMASHING RECORDS

After finishing their rough road trip, Dukes headed back to Richmond for a 6-game homestand to end the season. With their backs up against the wall and a mammoth mountain to climb, there was nothing to lose for the Dukes. They played with a care-free and relaxed attitude which naturally translated into great baseball. They won the first doubleheader against Herts Eagles before facing bottom placed Herts Raptors in early August. The bats suddenly caught fire and they ripped apart the visitors, smashing multiple team and single player records along the way. Only the maximum 5-run inning rule prevented the onslaught from spiralling wildly out of control for the visitors. Dukes scored the maximum five runs in each of the four innings played setting another team record, as they marched on towards the final games of the season riding a 4-game winning streak. Across the entire season they would score the maximum five runs per inning on 19 separate occasions.

FRENETIC FINISH

Heading into the last weekend of regular season play, Dukes were clinging onto a mathematical hope of clinching 2nd place in their pool and playing in the postseason. They had to win both their games against Pool B winners Herts Hawks and hope Formosa Islanders lost both their final games to last placed Herts Raptors. It was a tall order, and no one truly believed that Islanders would lose two games. Nonetheless, Richmond wanted to finish strong. Two wins would extend their winning streak to six games (which would have been their longest all season), but more significantly they would finish the season with 13 wins and 13 losses. A .500 record for the season would have been a fantastic achievement for this team, and for manager Paul Tiley, considering where they were this time last year.

Hawks flew into town feeling confident having won 19 games so far and on the verge of winning number 20. They had already beaten Dukes twice at Grovehill Park earlier in the season so they may have underestimated the challenge that awaited them. Dukes certainly remained unfazed and unperturbed by their opponents’ nonchalance and took advantage early on. They breezed to a comfortable victory in Game 1, which shook the visitors to their senses, setting up an exciting Game 2 and climax to the season. The momentum swung back and forth repeatedly before Hawks earned a last gasp victory, edging out Dukes by a single run with the tying run left stranded at second base.

Ultimately, the final game loss was insignificant as Formosa Islanders had already secured their place in the postseason with a Game 1 victory against Raptors, but it was a significant performance by Richmond proving the quality and potential of this squad of players.

ANDY, THE NEW ROY

There have been many notable and outstanding Rookie of the Year winners over the 30-year history of Richmond Baseball Club, but it is hard to find one who had a better year offensively than Andy Nendick. Nendick was the unanimous recipient of the ROY award for 2022 after belting 21 hits, including 8 doubles and knocking-in 13 runs, amassing a .525 average and 1.283 OPS (On-Base percentage plus Slugging), despite batting in the bottom of the order for the majority of the season. The moment was never too big for him, consistently coming through with big hits at key times to drive the team forward.

SAM K-KING

Sam Hofbeck was the ace and the horse for Richmond Dukes this year. His 5-4 record and 8.10 ERA belied just how dominant he was on the mound. He pitched over 45 innings in 9 starts, completing 8 games and striking out 98 hitters, whilst issuing only 45 walks in that span. The 98 K’s and his K/9 rate (average number of strikeouts per 9 innings) were both the highest in Single A this season. When he was feeling good and had his best stuff, he was almost untouchable and should have won more games with more run support and tighter defence. Ironically, his best performance came arguably in a 7-6 loss versus London Minotaurs in which he struck out 17 batters over 7 innings, a career high and a Richmond Baseball Club record. Hofbeck was the undoubted and unanimous 2022 Cy Young Award winner for Richmond Dukes.

FARINA’S FAREWELL FLOURISH

Rumours abound that 2022 might have been the final season in a Richmond jersey for Gaston Farina. But if the rumours prove to be true, what a way for Farina to finish. Farina has been a steady veteran presence for the Dukes over the past few seasons. He joined Richmond Baseball club in 2016 and has played at Double A level with both the Dragons and Barons, though he may have saved his best performances for last with the Dukes. Farina took home both the Batting Title and Gold Glove awards after leading the team with a .595 batting average and a .727 OBP (On-Base percentage). He also put on a defensive clinic with a .926 fielding percentage, whilst playing multiple positions. Should he decide to leave, he’ll be a big loss for the club, both on and off the field.

INTERNATIONAL CALL UP

Monty Nendick continued his meteoric rise in British baseball with an MVP award this year to go along with an international debut for Great Britain Baseball. Monty made the roster that flew out to Valencia, Spain in July to compete in the U15 European Baseball Championship Qualifiers. Monty came off the bench to pinch hit in the bottom of the third inning and singled to centre on a 1-2 count. It was his first hit in his first ever at-bat for his country in competitive play. It is a remarkable story for the young man who only started playing baseball in the summer of 2021 before winning the Rookie of the Year award for Richmond Dukes in the same year. He has continued to improve his skills every week and has been duly rewarded for that dedication. If he continues to work hard and remains hungry to improve, he’ll be one to keep an eye on for years to come.

WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER

The veteran players of the team, specifically James Guerra and Sam Hofbeck, were instrumental in mentoring and coaching the younger, less experienced players. Their sage wisdom and technical feedback on mechanics worked wonders on individual players’ development over the season, and their contribution should be recognised and applauded.

But the constant throughout the season and the unsung hero of Richmond Dukes was their manager, Paul Tiley. Through the highest highs and lowest lows, Tiley steered the ship on an even keel, never wavering from his philosophy, even with the game on the line. His game management, tactical awareness and player utilisation was technically superb, and he infused the entire team with his jovial, friendly demeanour. There is a kindred bond and a camaraderie within this Dukes’ squad that is rarely found anywhere else in British baseball. Each and every one of the players loves to play for the team and for each other. And that is in large part thanks to Tiley. His influence on creating a winning and happy culture within the team cannot be underestimated.

WINNING SEASON

Richmond Dukes finished the season with a 12-14 record (.462) – statistically, a losing record – but the season was far from a losing one. There were numerous accomplishments, records, fabulous individual performances, flashes of brilliance, and personal triumphs. The 12 wins were the highest by a Dukes team in almost 10 seasons. The 245 runs scored, 224 hits, 58 extra-base hits, 8 home runs, 175 RBI and 229 stolen bases were all higher team season totals this year compared to 2021. The 135 walks equalled their 2021 total, but their 124 strikeouts were lower compared to last year.

Plate discipline improved, hard hit ball percentage went up, clutch hitting got better, manufacturing runs through intelligent and aggressive base running increased. This was not a losing season. By all accounts this was a successful winning season, one that every member of the Dukes team should be proud of, and one that can be a foundation for an even better season next year.