2 Good Surprises, 2 Bad Surprises

8 games into the season, there have been a few trends among the Palms that are a little unexpected. Who are some of the pleasant surprises? Who needs to get it going?

PLEASANT SURPRISES

Breck Smythe: Smythe came to the team expected mostly to be utilized for his glove and to offer a brief respite for Martin Prado and Troy Tulowitzki every once in a while. Now that he has hit a pair of home runs in just three games played, he has suggested that his bat may be something to be reckoned with as well.

Felix Gonsales/Blake Johnston: These two in young pitchers out of the bullpen weren't expected to dominate out of the pen, but after 8 games, they have pitched a combined 8.33 innings pitched, they are yet to allow a run, with 6 strikeouts and only one walk.

UNPLEASANT SURPRISES

Ayoz Sadan: the anchor of the Palms lineup for the past couple of seasons, Ayoz Sadan has gotten off to a very slow start. Less concerning is his .233 batting average. That will come around. What does cause some concern is the gaudy number of men left on base with to out. In 7 games played, he has already left 16 men on base. Were he batting at his typical clip, the Palms could have scored an additional 5-10 runs easily.

Art McLoughlin: Things have not gone McLoughlin's way. He blew today's game, giving up a pair of home runs. In fact, he hasn't gone an outing this year without giving up a run. After 8 games, his ERA is 14.29. Hopefully, a few more outings and he can work through these early season problems to get some good, beneficial outings.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Palms Can’t Just “Patch and Pray” Anymore

  South Florida Sun-Beat Column by Rhys Thomason It’s been said often enough this spring that the Miami Palms have been snakebitten by injuries, and sure, that’s true. Brett Gardner’s hamstring, Jaspero Gonzalez’s wrist, Jarod Lantz’s shoulder — all of them are the kind of setbacks that could sink a team with less depth. But let’s be honest: relying on duct tape and good vibes to paper over holes isn’t a strategy. It’s negligence. Look at the infield. Matt Koch has been pressed into everyday duty at second base, and while he’s played hard, nobody in Coconut Coast camp ever dreamed he’d be logging this many starts in April. He’s a utility man being asked to survive as a keystone anchor. That’s not development, that’s desperation. Then there’s the lineup. Edwin Encarnación keeps finding ways to knock in runs, but where’s the support? Pat Grant’s homer in the Bronx was a bright spot, but there’s a lack of consistent firepower around the middle of the order. The front office’s answe...
Read more

Verdugo, Red Sox Pummel Palms in Series Opener

By Vin Castillo, Coca-Cola Palms Park  MIAMI — The Palms got a dose of reality Monday night, and it came in the form of a relentless Boston lineup and an untimely outburst from their veteran catcher. Alex Verdugo went 4-for-4 with three RBIs, and the Red Sox racked up 16 hits en route to a 7-1 win over the Miami Palms at Coca-Cola Palms Park. The loss snapped Miami’s four-game win streak and featured a forgettable debut for newly called-up reliever Allan Persons, who gave up three runs on five hits in a single inning of work. Boston wasted no time, tagging Palms starter Blake Johnston for three runs in the opening frame, thanks to a pair of RBI hits from Xander Bogaerts and Mitch Moreland. Johnston lasted just three innings, surrendering four earned runs, and took his second loss of the season. Miami’s lone highlight came in the bottom of the first when Jaspero Gonzalez drilled a solo home run—his seventh of the year—to cut the early deficit to 3-1. That would be all the offense...
Read more