This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Without question, relief pitcher A.J. Achter was the poster child for this year's Salt Lake Bees.
During the just-completed 2016 Pacific Coast League season, the Bees made 231 player transactions and used 74 different players — both franchise records.
Achter?
He spent more time than any other player traveling between Salt Lake and Los Angeles.
From April 9 through Sept. 4, when Achter was once again recalled by the parent L.A. Angels, he made 17 trips between Triple-A and the major leagues.
"It feels like it's been a long year because I've been a part of two teams for half the season," Achter said. "There's so much time and energy invested in both of them. Physically, it was tough. But mentally, it was really a grind — trying to get through, not knowing where I was going to be day-to-day."
Achter, a 28-year-old right-hander, contributed to his jet lag by pitching well enough for the Bees to remain on the Angels' radar.
In Salt Lake, Achter appeared in 29 games. He finished 2-2 with three saves and a 3.50 earned run average. In his last five appearances, he allowed four hits in nine scoreless innings.
Said Salt Lake manager Keith Johnson, "Every single time he's gone up and come back down — with the exception of one hiccup with us — he's performed well. That takes a lot of mental strength."
When the season started, Achter's fiancée and "our little dog" joined him in Salt Lake. But they ended up going home to Brighton, Mich., when the revolving door kept spinning.
"Definitely a unique situation," Achter said. "But I'm very grateful for the opportunity I've had up there. That's something I didn't have much of before. …
"When you get called up, it's always exciting. And when you get send down, it's always disappointing. But the comfort level I have with this staff and my teammates in Salt Lake made it a lot easier. I had an absolute blast playing with these guys."
Not surprisingly, Salt Lake's record-setting number of player transactions factored into a disappointing record.
After a 22-13 start, the Bees went 41-66 the rest of the way. They finished 63-79. Omaha was the only team in the PCL with fewer wins (58).
"We had a lot of guys come through and play here," Johnson said. "So with that, the win-loss record isn't going to be great. But that's not necessarily my job. My job as a Triple-A manager is to get guys ready for the big leagues. And we've sent quite a few guys up — guys who, with an exception of one or two, have done well.
"Obviously, the competitive spirit in anyone makes you want to win ballgames," he added. "But making sure these guys are ready to contribute if they're called by the big league team is our No. 1 thing."
Off the field, the Bees fared much better.
After a cool and rainy spring, they still averaged 7,195 fans per game at Smith's Ballpark. They finished sixth in the 16-team PCL in attendance. During their final three homestands, they drew eight crowds over 10,000.
"The first of June," said general manager Marc Amicone, "we were behind last year fairly significantly. … But we had a great summer — June, July and August — and finished ahead of last year. We're really pleased. Really pleased."
According to Amicone, the Angels continue to be a valued partner, despite Salt Lake finishing its third consecutive losing season.
"They have been great," he said. "It's cyclical sometimes in terms of wins and losses and, the last few years, we've been in the valley in that cycle. But they treat us well and they put good people here — coaches and players. That's important."
Twitter: @sluhm —
2016 Pacific Coast League attendance
Team Dates Total Average
1. Round Rock 71 603,013 8,637
2. Sacramento 71 609,666 8,587
3. El Paso 72 564,259 7,837
4. Albuquerque 67 522,266 7,795
5. Iowa 68 504,160 7,414
6. Salt Lake 70 503,659 7,195
7. Nashville 71 504,060 7,099
8. Oklahoma City 67 437,905 6,536
9. Fresno 71 439,389 6,189
10. Tacoma 71 377,164 5,312
11. Omaha 67 356,135 5,315
12. Reno 70 365,883 5,227
13. New Orleans 66 339,400 5,142
14. Las Vegas 68 331,999 4,882
15. Memphis 69 324,581 4,704
16. Colorado Springs 64 270,100 4,220