Looking ahead to the offseason

This offseason will be a very tumultuous time this year. The Palms have one player who has already announced his retirement (Javier Vazquez), 7 players are free agents and 5 are entering option years.
The 7 free agents are some key players from the 2012 season. 4 every day starters, including Jaspero Gonzalez, Matt Holliday, Omir Santos and Eduardo Nunez are free to walk after this year. Gonzalez, Holliday and Santos especially would be tough to replace, though Holliday has been a mild disappointment in left field this year. Bench player Orlando Tiropez is also a free agent, while pitchers Dave Balierough and Ivan Fernadez also hold expiring contracts.
Players with an option include one more starter in the field, Nick Markakis, and one more starter on the mound, Kevin Correia. Bench guys Johnny Giavotella and Jose Molina could also opt out, while reliever Art McLoughlin may depart this year as well.
The Palms know that there is a lot of work to do, but their team in Triple A Jackson includes some future prospects. Expect to see pitchers Kyle Blume and Calvin Hobbes next season, as well as infielder Chris Korb. Other than that? The team has some serious work to do.

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