Palms surge towards playoff positioning

Miami got off to a very sluggish start, but thanks to a recent string of very good play, including their recent sweep of the Chicago White Sox, they find themselves only 3 games out of first in the American League East and a half game out of the Wild Card spot. while their offense has been extremely effective, especially at the top of the order, a rotation featuring the excellent productivity of Manny Parra and rookie Jarod Lantz has anchored the team.
This ability to float at or just above .500 is especially heartening, given how much time the team has spent on the road. certainly, there will be some regression for a couple of players, but some of the players who haven't yet started hitting like the Palms know they are capable of will definitely start taking off in the friendly confines of Palms Park.

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