Ducks' Wally Backman still wants to win Atlantic League second-half championship

To be clear, winning the second half Atlantic League North Division championship has never mattered. The Ducks could have lost every game for the last two months and still be in the same big picture situation as they are now. After clinching the first half championship in late July, their position as official title contenders was cemented.

In fact, they are still awaiting their first game with any tangible stakes since July. That will come Oct. 11 when they host the first game of a best-of-three first round Atlantic League playoff series.

Although manager Wally Backman has been adamant about using the second half to make sure his best players were well-rested and healthy, he still sees value in winning the somewhat-symbolic title.

"I think it's important, sure it is," Backman said. "They all know that we won the first half and I've told each and every one of them that I want to win the second half, too."

Part of that value is having the players who were signed after the first-half clinching party earn some ownership in the Ducks overall regular season success.

At this point, that looks like a likely outcome.

The Ducks, who have won every possible title since Backman took over before the 2019 season, entered their weekend series with the Gastonia Honey Hunters in firm control of their destiny in the second-half standings. They held a 3½ game lead over the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and a four-game lead over the York Revolution with 16 games to play, and would play the High Point Rockers in the first round if those standings ultimately hold.

The Ducks last played High Point on the final weekend of August, when they took the final two games of a three-game series.

Because of the amount of regular rest that Backman has given his starters since July, a second half championship would very much be a ‘team title’ — a testament to the Ducks’ deep bench and, once again, a comment on the quality of players that Backman and president and general manager Michael Pfaff are able to bring in with a phone call or two.

"I think it means something to them," Backman said. "We just don't want to let [another team] in, just to let them in. We're going to play every game to win still, but I'm still able to rest guys that I need to rest. I'm not going to push them to the hilt, but the players that we have on our bench have done a fine job for us to this year."

Ford watch

Ducks hitting coach/outfielder Lew Ford, who has been the face of the franchise for nearly a decade, entered Saturday night needing four hits to tie Ray Navarrete’s franchise record of 963. The Ducks finish their three-game series with the Honey Hunters Sunday afternoon, begin a four-game set with the West Virginia Power Tuesday, and return home Friday for three games with the Lancaster Barnstormers.

Ford, 45, entered Saturday hitting .286 with two home runs and 25 RBIs in 49 games.

"It’s going to mean a lot to Lew I think," Backman said. "But it means something to me to watch Lew do that. He's been my coach for two years. A [hitting coach] is a lot of work, being a hitting coach and preparing yourself to play. So, what he's been able to accomplish in the two years I've had Lew, I’m impressed with him."