Schaumburg Boomers looking to return to winning ways

In the five years the Schaumburg Boomers have been in existence, the franchise has seen its share of highs and lows.

Manager Jaime Bennett aims to get the team on the right track after a disappointing 2015 season that saw the Boomers finish last in the Frontier League's West Division with a 40-56 record.

"Last season was a tough year. We had won a few championships in a row. Karma catches up with you a little bit," Bennett said this week before the Boomers returned for their home opener on Friday. "Things picked up a bit. The goal for many of these guys is to get to the next level."

The goal of the players who perform well in independent baseball leagues is to catch the eye of Major League Baseball scouts. Bennett, who has been with the franchise since its inception, said he tries his best to balance getting players ready for the big leagues while maintaining the bottom line: winning games.

"You got to be prepared that you're going to lose some guys. Last year was one of those years we lost a lot of guys early on. We had to replace guys as the season went on," Bennett said. "It's part of the game. We had some injuries, too. Now, we have a good group. Many of the players and the coaching staff have been here for awhile."

This year's edition of the Boomers will be on display with the home opener Friday at Boomers Stadium in Schaumburg.

In Bennett's time as manager, he has seen players come and go while trying to maintain a winning atmosphere. For instance, outfielder Kyle Ruchim's contract was recently purchased by the Chicago White Sox after a standout rookie season with the Boomers last year.

"It's not an ideal situation but you do it for the players. You want them to get to the next level," Bennett said. "You hope the best for them and you realize that it's part of the game."

This season, Bennett says he has a healthy mix of veterans and young players. He says the team's strengths, and weaknesses, reflect that.

"We've upgraded our pitching from top to bottom. Last season, our pitchers found themselves in a lot of 3-1, 2-0 counts," Bennett said. "This season, if we throw well and play good defense, we'll have a chance to win every night."

And Bennett knows that he and the coaching staff will have to make adjustments as the season goes on.

"We're throwing the ball really well. The offense is getting really good at-bats," Bennett said. "Normally, you're supposed to have stronger pitching than hitting, but we've seen more consistent at-bats."

Of course, there are times when Bennett adjusts his managerial style slightly to reflect the team's demeanor.

"You don't want to change too much. After winning like we've had, you don't want to mess things up," Bennett said. "We were fortunate for a couple of years. We had really good players."

Despite a 1-3 record entering Thursday's action, Bennett said he is optimistic regarding the team's future.

"It's nice to have players around who've won championships. I like where we're at right now," Bennett said. "Those guys have high expectations. We try to surround those guys with a mix of good, young players. We're trying to get to the next level."

Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. contest against the Windy City Thunderbolts (5-1) are available at the box office and at boomersbaseball.com.