Miami Palms Blog

Miami hit two home runs, but only managed 6 total hits on their way to losing to the Rays in a fairly brutal manner. The Rays tied the game initially in the 5th inning when Danny Espinosa hit a home run. It was Espinosa again in the bottom of the 9th, with two on and 2 out who hit one down the line that bounced over the short fence on the left field line, counting for two runs and a Tampa Bay victory.  For good measure, Espinosa was also responsible for the Tampa run in the second, as well.  Tampa Bay Rays 5, Miami Palms 3  Saturday, September 9, 2017  Miami Palms (87-55)                                      Tampa Bay Rays (4-3)                          ...

Perhaps it doesn’t seem like such a big, slugging season for the Miami Palms in 2018, but that might be because of the impression that Edwin Encarnacion and his 36 home runs have left, or the fact that Miami only has one other player, Jaspero Gonzalez, with 20. On the other hand, there is a bounty of players sitting on 19, including John Jaso, Chris Korb, Nick Markakis and Tony Abreu. Then there is Frank Sohn, formerly the slugging center of the lineup, with only 16 homers for the year, but boasting 37 doubles, more than welcome in the center of the lineup. If the Palms can put players on base ahead of those sluggers, there should be no problem boosting the run total, just in time for the playoffs.

The Palms and Rays each clubbed their share of home runs on Friday afternoon. The Palms were able to collect 4 runs on 2 home runs, including one from John Jaso and another from Jaspero Gonzalez, who became the 2nd player on the Palms roster to reach 20 home runs on the season. The Rays, for their part, clobbered 3 home runs, but didn't get the complimentary production, like Frank Sohn's 2 run double.  Miami Palms 8, Tampa Bay Rays 4  Friday, September 8, 2017  Miami Palms (87-54)                                      Tampa Bay Rays (3-3)                                     Player     ...

After dropping another series with the Blue Jays, it all but confirms that the Jays will end the season with a winning record over Miami. The Palms have been able to overwhelm nearly all of their in-division opponents, but the Blue Jays have proven to be a bugaboo. There hasn’t been anything in particular that gives Toronto the leverage, although they have seemed to pitch particularly well, especially Marco Estrada, in games between the two teams. The good news for Miami is that Toronto will not be a playoff team.

It appeared that 3 was indeed the magic number for this series, as the Palms reclaimed one game in this 3 game set by scoring the total that gave Toronto a win in the first two games of the series. Miami's three runs came from two different John Jaso at bats. Tony Abreu scored twice, on a single in the third and another in the 7th, trailed by Johnny Giavotella on that particular opportunity. Miami has an off day before returning to Florida to meet the Rays in Tampa.  Miami Palms 3, Toronto Blue Jays 2  Wednesday, September 6, 2017  Miami Palms (86-54)                                      Toronto Blue Jays (8-6)                              ...

3 seems to be the magic number for the Blue Jays in this series, winning back to back games with that run total. This time, it was thanks to a fast start, in which they collected a pair of runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning, and a consistent ending when they added a run in the 8th. Miami actually scored tonight, when Tony Abreu hit a solo home run.  Toronto Blue Jays 3, Miami Palms 1  Tuesday, September 5, 2017  Miami Palms (85-54)                                      Toronto Blue Jays (8-5)                                  Player          AB R  H BI BB SO...

Naturally, the day after a post came out about the Palms figuring out the offense, they were shut out in Toronto. JA Happ held Miami to 5 hits, while the Blue Jays were able collect 11, including the first three batters of the game, as well as a home run from Darwin Barney.  Toronto Blue Jays 3, Miami Palms 0  Monday, September 4, 2017  Miami Palms (85-53)                                      Toronto Blue Jays (7-5)                                  Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave      Player   ...

After a long lull in offensive productivity, the Palms put together a series of good offensive games against the Yankees. They hit the magical double digit threshold twice and swept a series for the first time since immediately after the All Star Break. The Palms are hoping that this return to offensive efficiency can stay with them as the post season approaches.

The Palms seem to have rediscovered their offense just in time for the final month of the season. Nick Markakis led the charge on Sunday afternoon, starting the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning. The Yankees climbed to a lead with a Gary Sanchez 3 run blast. The Palms would score the next 6 runs to take a 3 run lead, but Aaron Judge struck, hitting a 3 run shot himself. Markakis would round things out, however, hitting a three run shot in the 9th, putting the Palms in front and giving Miami the sweep in the Bronx.  Miami Palms 10, New York Yankees 7  Sunday, September 3, 2017  Miami Palms (85-52)                                      New York Yankees (3-6)                    ...

While the Palms maximized their run production in the first game of this season, it was only one swing of the bad that gave Miami the clearance to win the second game of their series with New York. Chris Korb slugged a three run homer in the 6th inning, giving Miami all the runs they needed, Manny Parra held the Yankees hitless until the 6th inning, and scoreless until the 9th.  Miami Palms 3, New York Yankees 1  Saturday, September 2, 2017  Miami Palms (84-52)                                      New York Yankees (3-5)                                   Player          AB R...

Even though Miami's pace hasn't matched that of the beginning of the year, and the Red Sox and Yankees have started to make a push towards the post season, the Palms still maintain the best record in the American League. They sit 6 games ahead of the Red Sox in the East and a comfortable 3 games ahead of the Astros for home field in the AL. The Dodgers maintain the top record in the League, which would give them home field advantage in the post season.

The Palms finally did it, breaking into double digits after several long wees. It took 4 home runs, including 3 run shots from Edwin Encarnacion and John Jaso, as well as a grand slam from Jaspero Gonzalez to get Miami to the limit, but they still managed to do it. The Palms collected only 13 hits, feasting on 10 walks from the beleaguered Yankees pitching staff.  Miami Palms 15, New York Yankees 2  Friday, September 1, 2017  Miami Palms (83-52)                                      New York Yankees (3-4)                                   Player          AB R  H BI BB SO...

Miami broke out of a serious funk on Wednesday, collecting 19 hits and scoring 9 times thnks in large part to 4 home runs. Frank Sohn leveled the first and heaviest blow with a grand slam off of Jose Berrios in his first at bat. Some other unlikely suspects, Chris Korb, John Jaso and Coco Crisp all added solo bombs in order to round out the high scoring victory in Minnesota.  Miami Palms 9, Minnesota Twins 6  Wednesday, August 30, 2017  Miami Palms (82-52)                                      Minnesota Twins (1-2)                                    Player          AB R...

Miami continued their recent trend of being unable to string together hits and saw their opponents succeed in that same regard. The Twins collected 5 hits in the 4th inning, scoring 4 times, and scored 3 runs on 5 more hits in the 7th. The Palms collected only 5 hits through the entire game, and failed to make a dent in Ervin Santana's day.  Minnesota Twins 8, Miami Palms 1  Tuesday, August 29, 2017  Miami Palms (81-52)                                      Minnesota Twins (1-1)                                    Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E ...

The Palms went to Minnesota and brought their pitching with them. Starter Archie Bradley went innings and allowed only 1 hit, while the bullpen also only allowed the one hit. Were it not for Edwin Encarnacion, the Twins might have had the same pitching performance. He hit two home runs, accounting for all three runs the Palms scored.  Miami Palms 3, Minnesota Twins 0  Monday, August 28, 2017  Miami Palms (81-51)                                      Minnesota Twins (0-1)                                    Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB...

Doug Fister and his relief allowed 13 hits and walked 7 batters (including Edwin Encarncion 3 times), but it wasn't a collection of hits and walks strung together that led to the Palms victory but rather a trio of home runs from Tony Abreu. All were solo shots, but the collection was enough to secure victory for Miami.  Miami Palms 4, Boston Red Sox 2  Sunday, August 27, 2017  Miami Palms (80-51)                                      Boston Red Sox (6-10)                                    Player          AB R  H BI BB SO  P  A  E LOB   Ave...