EXCLUSIVE: Idaho Falls Chukars manager explains hot streak

IDAHO FALLS (KIFI) - The once-struggling Idaho Falls Chukars have become the hottest team in the Pioneer League.

The Chukars won four of six against the Boise Hawks, who entered the series in second place, and strung together a three-game win streak for the first time all season. Local News 8 spoke with manager Troy Percival to learn how they’ve turned the corner.

“I’m fortunate,” he said. “I have a good pitching background.”

That’s an understatement. Percival is a four-time MLB All-Star, a former lights-out closer who secured a World Series victory for the Anaheim Angels in 2002. Major League Baseball provided footage of his playing career to Local News 8 which included strikeouts of Jose Canseco and Derek Jeter.

However, this year’s Chukars schedule is his toughest in some time. It’s not just because they’ve only played teams over .500.

“Other teams are sitting at home, and we had nine home games in the first 25,” he explained.

Percival said the travel experience this season has been even more grueling than his time in the minor leagues.

“Y’know, you don’t even remember which bed you’re in, which hotel you’re in, which city you’re in half the time,” he said.

The home field advantage clearly helps, but the real difference comes on the field itself.

“The biggest thing is we’ve got our pitching lined up, finally,” Percival said. 

Before the season began, Percival worried the Chukars didn’t have enough starting pitchers. Now they do.

“Getting guys who can go five or six innings - now the bullpen’s not as tired,” he said. “They’ve been pitching better. That’s pretty much the basis of how it’s all improved.”

The team’s strike percentage has actually decreased over the past week, but believe it or not, that may be for the best.

“We are throwing a lot better pitches around the strike zone, where before, our misses were so far that you were never going to get a swing,” Percival explained. “Now our pitches are competitive pitches, whether they’re balls or strikes.”

“We’ve got the opponent swinging the bat now because they know we’re going to be around the zone,” he continued, “so it’s been a big difference-maker for us.”

Percival, of course, is drawing from experience.

“I was taught bottom of the zone until you’re ahead in the count, then you work up,” he said. “Today’s pitchers are predominantly up in the zone, and we’re trying to change that here with our squad.”

"Let’s go back to a little more old-school,” he asserted. “Let’s learn how to pitch, change speeds, move the ball around a little bit.”

Local News 8 asked Percival if he feels there’s a greater emphasis on velocity now compared to his playing days.

“Far more,” he said. “In my day, there were maybe ten guys that were 95-100 [mph]."

The footage MLB provided Local News 8 includes a Percival fastball hitting 97 mph.

"And now you find that, in this league, there’s guys that are doing that,” he added.

As a result, Percival is trying to avoid the literal arms race.

“I’d much rather have guys with good movement who can locate,” he said.

In just six games, the Chukars went from a league-worst ERA (over 11.00) to the best (5.07). However, by Major League standards, that’s still sky high. Percival said a 5.07 ERA is equivalent to a 3.07 ERA in most other leagues.

“There’s good pitching in this league,” Percival explained. “It’s just very difficult elements to pitch in. Every field that we’ve been to, the wind blows out substantially. You’re at high elevation.”

The increased average velocity also contributes to the hitter-friendly conditions, since hits leave the bat faster and therefore travel farther. Percival’s experience has given him a workaround.

“Our goal is more balls hit on the ground,” he explained.

The team recently signed a new catcher and a new shortstop. Their defensive prowess, in tandem with more ground balls, has paid dividends.

“When all of a sudden, great plays are happening, when before, those might’ve become hits, it just energizes the team,” Percival said.

“Our clubhouse is becoming a much better environment,” he added. “You get in the dugout, and I feel like the guys expect to win now.”

To watch this report you can click here.