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MLB

2014 Lake Elsinore Storm Season Recap

Storm celebrate 20th Anniversary season at The Diamond
By Tyler Zickel, Assistant Director of Media Relations
September 24, 2014

Lake Elsinore, CA - The 2014 California League season ended earlier this month after the Lancaster JetHawks defeated the Visalia Rawhide for the league title. Lake Elsinore's year came to a close after being eliminated from the playoffs by the Inland Empire 66ers in the opening round.

Postseason defeat aside, 2014 was a historic year for the Lake Elsinore Storm. The organization celebrated its 20th Anniversary season all year long, highlighted by the following:

ON THE FIELD - 2014 TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Made the playoffs for the 12th time in 14 years as a San Diego Padres affiliate.
  • Accumulated the second-best record in the South Division (75-65) and the fourth-best mark in the league.
  • Logged the second-best team Earned Run Average in the league, posting a 4.30 ERA that was second only to Stockton (4.08).

ON THE FIELD - 2014 INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Six players on the Opening Day roster were promoted to AA San Antonio during the season. Trevor Gott, Diego Goris, Bryce Morrow, Casey McElroy, Joe Ross and Hunter Renfroe all finished the season with the Missions after contributing to Lake Elsinore's success.
  • Outfielder Mallex Smith led all of professional baseball in stolen bases, finishing the year with 88. His 40 swiped bags with the Storm led the league, made even more impressive by the fact that he joined the team from Fort Wayne at the All-Star Break.
  • Relievers Brandon Alger and Adam Cimber ranked as two of the top bullpen arms in the league. Alger held opposing hitters to a mere .191 batting average while Cimber walked just seven hitters in 74.2 innings of work (good enough for a ratio of 0.84 BB/9IP).
  • Three Storm hitters ranked in the top ten of California League hitters. (Diego Goris [2nd, .324 average], Jose Rondon [4th, .319 average] and Benji Gonzalez [8th, .306 average])
  • Three Storm pitchers ranked in the top ten of California League pitchers. (Zach Eflin [3rd, 10-7/3.80 ERA], Colin Rea [4th, 11-9/3.88 ERA] and Bryan Rodriguez [8th, 8-9/4.16 ERA])
  • Rondon was named the 2014 California League Rookie of the Year after spending parts of first full professional season with the Inland Empire 66ers and the Storm.

IN THE SEATS - NOTBALE FACTS ABOUT THE DIAMOND IN 2014

  • The Storm led the California League in attendance yet again, as 220,069 fans took in a game at The Diamond in 2014.
  • Lake Elsinore was only team in the league to average over 3,000 fans per game this season.
  • Since 2010, over 1.1 million people have attended a Storm game in Lake Elsinore.

2014 ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Named the Large Business of the Year by the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce.
  • Finalist for the MiLB-wide John Henry Moss Community Service Award and the John H. Johnson President's Award.
  • Storm mascot Thunder was crowned as the California League's 2014 Mascot Mania champion.
  • President and GM Dave Oster was recognized as the Lake Elsinore Citizen of the Year.
  • GM Raj Narayanan was named the Murrieta Citizen of the Year.
  • Director of Player/Community Relations Terrance Tucker was awarded the 2014 California League Clubhouse Manager of the Year honor for the second consecutive season.

The Storm open the 2015 season at The Diamond on Thursday, April 9, 2015. Stay up to date with us until then by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and check out www.stormevents.com for all the offseason happenings at The Diamond. We'll see you next season!