As everyone knows by now, the Gang has been sold to Tom Zagenczyk and renamed the Blue Ridge Bombers. Just what made owner Paul Barbosa finally give up on this team?What went right: The Gang were just on the cusp of contention for a playoff spot all year, but could never really make a serious run at it. The team ranked middle of the pack in both batting and pitching. Vlad Guerrero and Garrett Atkins had great years at the plate. Barbosa made two great trades for the future, bringing in highly touted Prince Fielder from Vancouver and the up and coming Adam Wainwright from Hoboken.
What went wrong: The starting rotation was an inconsistent mess. Aaron Harang was the top starter, and his ERA was barely south of 5.00 (it was 4.89). Huston Street blew 12 saves. Mostly, the team fell victim to Barbosa's waning interest over the course of the season.
Now with new ownership, the Bombers actually have a very good core to build around and may be a surprise in '08.
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