The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Manager, pitching coach retiring
Lake Erie loses final home game of season
As the Lake Erie Crushers season comes to an end, so do the careers of manager Dan Rohn and pitching coach Greg Cadaret.
Rohn — a baseball lifer — began his major league career in 1983 and spent a sixgame stretch with the Indians in ‘86. After leaving the majors for good in ‘86, Rohn started a managerial career that lasted 20-plus years.
“After 43 years in the game these bus rides are killing me as an old man,” Rohn said. “I’ve had my day in the sun for a long time, it’s time to let these younger guys come in and take over. I’m going to miss the players and being down there on the field, but I’m not going to miss those bus rides.”
Cadaret played in 10 major league seasons and had a career record of 38-32 — including three World Series appearances with the Oakland A’s in 1988.
Both Rohn and Cadaret joined the Crushers in the 2020 offseason after former manager Cam Roth left for a position with the Detroit Tigers. With the 2020 season canceled entirely due to the novel coronavirus, both had to wait until the 2021 season to make their debuts with the Crushers.
“My first day in the big leagues was a high point for me,” Rohn said, looking back on his baseball career. “My first hit was a triple and my second hit was a triple. Just getting there (was an accomplishment). Then being able to manage and work with the kids — seeing about 800 of them get to the big leagues was pretty gratifying.
Lake Erie finished its home schedule on Sept. 9 with a loss to Schaumburg — which won the Frontier League’s Central Division this season.
Before making his return to managing with the Crushers, Rohn managed with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the Frontier League.
Rohn and Caradet won the Frontier League title in 2015 with the Bums.
Over the final games of the Crushers season, former pitcher Ryan Feierabend will serve as pitching coach and hitting coach Ryan Powell will serve as acting manager.
“It was (Powell’s) lineup and he was doing what he had to do tonight,” Rohn said. “And (Feierabend) was the pitching coach tonight and he got some experience with that. I think it’s invaluable for those guys to get this work in. Part of us leaving our legacy behind is giving these guys the chance to see what it’s like to be in charge.”
In their final home game, Lake Erie’s hitting woes continued as they scored just one run in a 5-1 loss.
The Crushers managed six hits — scattered over three innings. They all six of those runners on base over those three innings — including the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth.
Brody Wofford’s single in the bottom of the fourth neatly scored Zach Racusin, but the right fielder was thrown out trying to reach home.
Designated hitter Trevor Achenbach extended his games played streak to 93 straight by making an appearance in the game on Sept. 9.
“He’s an Ironman,” said Rohn of Achenbach. “He plays the game the right way, he plays through pain. He’s probably 70-percent right now with a hamstring, but he wants to play. I tip my hat to everybody out there.”
The 2020 season hasn’t been kind to the Crushers on the injury front. They’ve lost several regular starters to injury over the course of the season — including three starting pitchers.
Achenbach is the Crushers leader in RBI (55) and home runs (14) and ranks third in batting average (.279) behind Racusin and Issac Benard.
Lake Erie closes out its regular season with a three-game series at Evansville starting Sept. 10.