Miami Palms Blog

Willie Bloomquist has been in the league for years, and it seems as though he will be finishing his career in Miami. Bloomquist has a long history of playing all over the field for his double digits of service, though he doesn't have a history of a strong bat. His versatility and wisdom are the two facets that earned him a role with the Palms. He will back up younger players in the infield, like Johnny Giavotella, Tony Abreu and Chris Korb, who will get the regular reps.

Gregor Blanco struggled last year at the plate, hitting only .207 and having the honor of being the only position player on the roster without a home run. Blanco isn't necessarily on the roster for his bat, though, and will continue to be a capable 4th outfielder, taking time to spell any of the regular three starters. He also has good speed on the basepaths, should he be needed there.

Cody Allen was one of the two big bullpen additions for the Palms coming into 2015, and was, well, decent. He was better than his raw numbers suggested, thanks to strong peripherals. He had a 3.91 ERA, but a FIP of 2.45 thanks to a high strikeout rate but hurt by hits at the absolute worst times. He was probably better than Francisco Rodriguez, though not enough so to unseat him as closer. K-Rod did nearly have 50 saves. Allen will dominate in the setup role this season. The Palms are certain of that.

Tony Abreu originally came to Miami to back up Martin Prado at third base, but took over the role of starting shortstop in 2013 and has steadily improved to become a solid contributor ever since. He is usually good for a batting average in the .290s, and last season finally reached the 20 home run plateau. His on base ability as well as his newfound power make him a reliable option in the lineup, and his speed allows the Palms to slot him near the top of the lineup, where he is expected to bat 2nd this season.

The last reall question surrounding the Miami Palms this season was the one as to where Billy Dupont would ultimately wind up. The answer is in: It's New York, with the Mets. Dupont originally started with the Palms as an outfielder, the position he will likely play in New York, but moved to first base when Aaron Rogers went to Philadelphia, and manned the position for 7 seasons. In his Palms career, he amassed 155 home runs, and was generally around .290 or .300 with his batting average. He will certainly be missed, as a former staple of the clubhouse.

Pitching prospect Jarrod Lantz has been told that he will be competing for a spot in the starting rotation this Spring. This also seems to indicate that the tam is done on the trade and free agent market, as this would bring their roster number to 25. This doesn't bode well for Billy Dupont, but it was a foregone conclusion that he was on his way out when the Palms acquired Edwin Encarnacion. The Palms hope to get a workhorse from Lantz, following in the footsteps of previous pitching prospects like Blake Johnston and Kyle Blume.

The Palms turned to Cuba, via San Diego to add another component to their pitching staff, acquiring Odrisamer Despaigne from the Padres. The 28 year old is trying to sort himself out as a major league pitcher, but there is still some room to grow. Despaigne usually throws the ball in the zone, for better or worse, which played really well in San Diego. The Palms hope his ability to keep people off the basepaths with his control will supersede his penchant for the long ball. Expect Despaigne to battle for a rotation spot this season.

The Palms pitching staff will need at least one new arm. Reliever Pete Otterloop went to Chicago to play with the White Sox next year. Otterloop was long a victim of bad luck. He didn't often allow men on base, and had a low walk rate. He didn't give up the long ball too often. It just happened that, whenever there was a homer, it seemed like there were two men on base. The White Sox have to believe they are getting a bargain in the young lefty.

The Miami Palms made a surprise move today, acquiring third baseman Edwin Encarnacion to replace the departing Billy Dupont, with the intention to move him to first base full time. In the last 4 seasons, he has hit over 30 home runs, while reaching42 in 2012. His average isn't too bad either, coming in around .273 for his career. Whether or not Dupont does come back, Encarnacion will likely have a full time spot in the line up. The Palms game up three minor league prospects.