Leaning against a concrete wall next to the Salt Lake locker room, Bees All-Star third baseman Jeff Baisley pondered his future.
"Hopefully, it will be easier to find a job this offseason than it was last offseason," Baisley said. "If you told me at the beginning of the season that these would be my numbers, I would have been more than happy."
On Monday, Baisley continued what has become a picture of consistency in 2011. The 28-year-old power hitter drove in his 89th run, putting him in range for 100 for the year.
Baisley's RBI, on a ground out, was Salt Lake's first of the night, slicing into an Omaha lead. Eventually the Bees (57-66) dropped a 9-6 decision to the Storm Chasers (67-55) at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
Excluding Baisley's hot April, when every ball he hit was bruised, Baisley resembled a metronome, steady, mechanical. He came into Monday's game batting .311 with 20 home runs. Not a shabby performance for a player who couldn't find a team until three days prior to spring training.
In the field, Baisley has been just as consistent. He leads all PCL third basemen in fielding percentage and has set a Salt Lake record by participating in 30 double plays.
All of this, he hopes, will lead to an invite to a major league camp next spring.
"I think I've done enough," Baisley said. "You never know in this game."
True words. Baisley expected a shot at the Oakland third base job this season. Instead, he was released.
Normally a slow starter, Baisley hit .500, slammed four homers and drove in 14 his first seven games with Salt Lake. Baisley followed 23 RBIs in April — good enough to earn Angels Minor League Batter of the Month honors — and 25 in May. There was a slump in June, but he has been nothing but consistent since.
"It's hard [to be consistent] during a 144-game season," Baisley said. "I prepare each day, going through the same routine and hope it works out."
martyr@sltrib.comTwitter: @tribmarty
Raptors 7, Brewers 2 • In Helena, Mont., Alexis Aguilar's two-run double highlighted Ogden's four-run, second-inning rally in its Pioneer League win. Enlly Morales also hit a run-scoring double during the rally. and the Raptors won for the fourth time in five games.
Ospreys 8, Owlz 4 • In Missoula, Mont., the host Ospreys pounded Owlz starter Daniel Vargas-Vila for seven runs on seven hits in 3 2â3 innings. —
Storylines Storm Chasers 9, Bees 6
R Salt Lake outfielder Jeremy Moore's 13th homer ties the game at 5-5 in the seventh inning.
• Moore scores from second on a fly out in the fifth, only the second time in team history two runs have scored on a sacrifice.
