ABL's First 20-Game Hitting Streak on Hold

Brian Adams

Brian Adams of the Kansas City Tornadoes certainly lived up to the term "designated hitter" in the month of April for the team from the Midwest. Adams batted .363 in the month of April for the Tornadoes and took the ABL's first-ever 20-game hitting streak into the first day of May.

On May 1, Adams continued his torrid hitting, going 3-for-5 against the team from So Cal with a single, double, and his 5th homer, raising his batting average to .374 and extending his hitting streak to 21 games. Unfortunately for Adams, the continued pursuit of this hitting streak is going to be on ice for awhile. On his seventh inning double, Adams strained a rib cage muscle and had to be removed for a pinch-runner. Further diagnosis determined that injury was serious enough to land him on the 15-day disabled list.

"It's so disappointing," said Adams after the game, "You can wait your entire professional career hoping to see the ball as well as I was seeing it. It's going to be very frustrating not being out there helping my teammates win."

Adams is known as one of the more competitive members of the team, and manager Damian Conor reports that he already busied himself with organizing a players-only meeting. "He hates to lose, simple as that," said Conor. "With Mando out and Rico also hurting, Brian is doing what he can to make sure the players keep their eye on the prize." The team's first round pick, Armando Rodriguez (Mando) suffered a season ending ACL injury, and the team leader in home runs, Ricardo Marquis (Rico) is listed as day-to-day with a nagging foot injury.

Only time will tell if the team can stay in the race while Adams is on the mend. For now, Adams will have to wait it out, just like the ABL will have to wait to see how long he can keep his hitting streak alive.