First-place Isotopes return home for brief three-game home stand

You can put an asterisk on it all you want.

Throw all the context around it you feel is necessary.

Do what you need to do.

None of it changes this one, rare fact for a mid-July baseball home stand: The Albuquerque Isotopes are in first place in the 10-team Pacific Coast League as they are set to host the Salt Lake Bees Friday through Sunday at Rio Grande Credit Union Field.

Thanks to a drastic scheduling format switch by Minor League Baseball, the same Isotopes that had the worst record in Triple-A baseball at the halfway point of the season on June 25 at 27-48 are now sitting alone in first place in the “second half” standings at 9-3 thanks to a league-wide restart.

And while this the format isn’t universally embraced among those in baseball who have grown to appreciate the traditional “it’s a marathon and not a sprint” aspect of a lengthy season being used to determine a champion, the tweak has injected some life into the Isotopes. The team is coming off back-to-back series wins — 5-1 over El Paso and 4-2 on the road last week over first-half champion Oklahoma City Dodgers.

In fact, with all those previous “traditional” seasons, the Isotopes have spent a grand total of one day over the past decade (since 2013) alone or tied for first place in the standings as of July 13 or later (that one day was July 29, 2017).

“Our minds changed, you know?” said Isotopes pitcher Phillips Valdez last week after being named the PCL Pitcher of the Week.

“The first half was good, but the second half (now and) we’re excited — everybody’s excited. We put in hard work. Now, it’s going to pay off.”

Truth is, however, the standings have rarely played a huge factor in Albuquerque’s support of the 20-year-old franchise that hasn’t finished with a record above .500 in the past decade.

The formula for the Isotopes that managed to lead the PCL in average home attendance last season for the first time in franchise history is about making sure fans have more than just a baseball game to take in when they spend a night at the park.

Along those lines, this mini three-game, post All-Star break home stand will feature a beer stein giveaway on Friday, the always-popular Dukes Retro Night game, Albuquerque Professional Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony and a postgame fireworks show on Saturday, and the Zooperstars performers at Sunday’s game.

Former Isotopes star pitcher John Ely and local journalist and 40-year official scorer for the Dukes and Isotopes Gary Herron will be inducted in a short pregame ceremony on Saturday.

Then the game will feature the home team donning the treasured Dukes uniforms of the past that have become iconic in the city even more than two decades after the franchise left town.

It’s nights like Saturday, and constant fan support, that made last year’s Isotopes fan favorite Wynton Bernard ecstatic two weeks ago when he learned he’d be coming back to Albuquerque.

“I definitely would say the fans. They always bring the energy,” Bernard said shortly after his return to the club and the Colorado Rockies organization just one day after his June 28 release from the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I know a lot of guys ask me what do you like? Where’s your favorite place to play? It’s definitely here (in Albuquerque). It means a lot when fans go out of their way to support you.”

Through nine games back with the Isotopes, Bernard has already flashed that strong glove in center field a time or two while offensively he’s hitting .256 with one home run, seven RBIs and a pair of stolen bases.

MISSING AN OLD FRIEND: While the Isotopes were thrilled to have an old friend like Bernard back after his memorable 2022 campaign that included his dramatic call-up to the Rockies after having played 1,015 games before reaching the majors, Bernard admitted upon his return he was missing an old friend of his own.

The hill in center field — on which Bernard regularly made highlight reel catches — was removed after the 2022 season for player safety reasons. It was the final one of its kind in professional baseball.

“I definitely miss the hill,” Bernard said. “I didn’t think I would. Part of me thought it was a little bit hazardous, but it was so fun to play on — catching a ball out there. ...

“I’m gonna miss seeing other teams fall on it. I fell on it a couple times, too. But I do miss it a little bit.”