Salt Lake Bees' season was an overall success

It started with a bang in April and ended with a whimper in September, but those most closely involved with the 2008 version of the Salt Lake Bees deem the recently completed campaign a success.

"This was a great season, really," said Bees outfielder/infielder Adam Pavkovich, who has played in Salt Lake the past three summers.

"I'm really happy with the way things went this season, not just for me personally, but for the team," said infielder Freddy Sandoval. "The team battled all year long."

For the third consecutive season the Bees won their division title only to lose in the first round of the playoffs, the past two years to the Sacramento River Cats. Salt Lake's most recent campaign came to an end Saturday night at Franklin Covey Field when Sacramento finished off its third straight win with another impressive power display.

"They earned it," said Bees infielder Matt Brown of the River Cats. "They basically beat us to a pulp."

Bobby Mitchell had never managed a baseball team at the triple-A level entering the 2008 season, so he was naturally excited and a bit anxious about the prospect.

Then the season started and Mitchell's club could almost do no wrong. The Bees opened by winning 21 of the team's first 22 games, the best-ever start for a minor league baseball team.

Yet Mitchell, who has spent his entire adult life associated with professional baseball, knew that having a 95 percent win rate wasn't going to last — especially at the triple-A level when success means that roster movements are inevitable.

Call-ups to the parent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim along with injuries to key players like outfielders Terry Evans and Brad Coon and first baseman Kendry Morales meant the Bees would not stay nearly as hot after their start.

That brilliant month of April was followed by two months in a row of sub-.500 ball. The Bees went a combined 27-31 in May and June. Fortunately for the Bees, that opening month was so good that they continued to lead their division by a comfortable margin. Salt Lake got back to its winning ways in July and August going a combined 33-26 to ward off a challenge by the surging Tacoma Rainiers and win its third straight PCL Pacific North Division title by four games.

Salt Lake's 84-60 final record was the second best in franchise history.