Not Just a Break-Even Ballclub

 Rhys Thomason | South Florida Sports Independent

It’s not the record that tells you much — not yet. At 11–13, the Miami Palms could be anything. They’re a bloop and a blast away from relevance, or a couple of misfires from the kind of May malaise that derails seasons. But to hang around this team for even a few days is to know one thing for certain: this group thinks they’re more than the standings say they are.

“I’ve been around some clubs that just kind of accept the rollercoaster,” catcher Matt Wieters said after Tuesday night’s 12-inning loss in Anaheim, still in partial gear. “That’s not this room. These guys don’t mope. It’s more of a ‘we’re going to get it right, eventually’ kind of vibe.”

The Palms have seen the full spectrum already: blowout wins, last-gasp losses, slugfests, duels, weather delays, late scratches, and injury woes. And yet the tone in the clubhouse — even after three straight losses — isn’t resignation. It’s almost… constructive.

Take Brett Gardner, the de facto field captain. He’s played in World Series games, but he still hits the weight room early, picks up empty gum cups, and rides the young guys when they don’t run out a grounder in the seventh inning of a game that seems over.

“He holds us to a big league standard,” infielder Matt Koch said. “And that’s a gift. It’s easy to coast when you’re 11–13 and 3,000 miles from home. But nobody in here gets to coast.”

There’s also been a growing cohesion between longtime Palms players and the newer faces. Frank Sohn, entrenched in right field and hitting close to .280, has quietly taken on a leadership role. His pregame hitting group with Korb, Encarnacion, and Gonzalez has turned into something resembling a routine — part therapy session, part mechanics workshop.

And speaking of Chris Korb, the third baseman has found a groove. He already has five home runs on the season, including a grand slam against the Yankees that seemed to electrify the entire dugout.

Manager Scott Hatteberg, always a steady presence, has been more vocal this week — privately and publicly. “We’ve got an identity forming,” he told reporters. “We don’t have to manufacture leadership. It’s there. And we’re going to lean on that.”

Still, the bullpen has been shaky. Cody Allen, the veteran reliever, is battling through a bumpy stretch, but he’s not hiding from it. He spent an extra 20 minutes postgame on Monday walking through delivery videos with pitching coach Tony Rico, trying to find the release point that once made him one of the American League’s best.

It’s small stuff — extended conversations in front of lockers, minor league call-ups fitting in quickly, veterans not needing a translator to connect with the rookies — but it adds up. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll be the difference.

No one’s printing playoff tickets in April. But the Palms aren’t playing like a team worried about the back of their baseball card. They’re acting like a team that believes they’re better than their record.

They’re probably right.


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