Miami Palms Blog

  By Vin Castillo, Coca-Cola Palms Park It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t quick. But for a Miami Palms club trying to claw its way above .500, it might have been exactly what they needed. On a humid Monday night in Miami, the Palms leaned on timely power and airtight relief pitching to edge the Boston Red Sox, 2–1 in 11 innings , opening the four-game set with a gritty win. ⚾ A Game of Missed Chances… Until It Wasn’t Boston piled up 11 hits , but could only push across one run—and that came in the sixth on a Christian Vázquez RBI. Time and again, they threatened. Time and again, the Palms escaped. Jarod Lantz bent but didn’t break over seven innings. “That’s kind of been the story with Jarod,” manager Scott Hatteberg said. “He competes. He doesn’t give you perfect, but he gives you a chance.” Miami, meanwhile, barely cracked the hit column—but made every swing count. 💥 Power Keeps Miami Alive The Palms struck first in the fourth when Chris Korb launched his 13th homer of t...

Sunday, June 28, 2020 – Coca-Cola Palms Park By Vin Castillo What began as a promising homestand has quickly turned into something else entirely. The Texas Rangers completed a series win—and did so emphatically—pounding out 16 hits in an 11–3 rout of the Miami Palms on Sunday afternoon. The loss drops Miami to 42–43 , their first dip below .500 since climbing back into contention earlier in the month. “We just got beat,” manager Scott Hatteberg said bluntly. “Across the board.” Third-Inning Collapse For two innings, the Palms and Blake Johnston traded zeros. Then came the third—and with it, the unraveling. Texas sent 11 men to the plate , tagging Johnston for six runs on a barrage of hits that never quite stopped. The inning featured a little of everything: line drives, well-placed grounders, and a sense that nothing Miami threw could disrupt the rhythm. “We couldn’t stop the momentum,” Johnston said. “That’s on me. I’ve got to find a way to shut that down sooner.” No Let...

  Saturday, June 27, 2020 – Coca-Cola Palms Park By Vin Castillo The Miami Palms took another hit Saturday night—on the scoreboard and behind the plate. Texas rode a pair of home runs from Ronald Guzmán and a steady outing from Kolby Allard to a 5–3 win , evening the series and dropping Miami back to .500 at 42–42 . But the bigger concern came in the middle innings, when Matt Wieters exited and was later placed on the injured list. In a corresponding move, catcher Francis Polk was called up from Triple-A Jackson. “It’s tough,” manager Scott Hatteberg said. “Wiet’s a big part of what we do, especially with the staff. But it’s part of the game. Next guy’s got to be ready.” Early Trouble for Fedde Making his return to the rotation, Erick Fedde never quite found a rhythm. The Rangers scratched out runs in each of the first four innings, taking advantage of four walks and a handful of well-timed hits. Guzmán delivered the biggest blow—a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI ni...

  Friday, June 26, 2020 – Coca-Cola Palms Park By Vin Castillo The transaction wire told part of the story before first pitch. The performance on the field told the rest. With Dylan Bundy activated earlier in the day and Javy Blanco optioned out, the Miami Palms handed the ball to a fresh arm—and got exactly what they needed: dominance, length, and a reminder of what this rotation might look like at full strength. Bundy struck out 12 over 6.2 shutout innings , and the Palms backed him with an early offensive surge in a 6–1 victory over the Texas Rangers, pushing Miami to 42–41 . “That’s as good as we’ve seen him,” pitching coach Tony Rico said. “Attack the zone, get ahead, finish hitters. That’s the blueprint.” Bundy Sets the Tone From the outset, Bundy looked in control. He didn’t issue a walk, worked efficiently through traffic, and repeatedly put Rangers hitters away with two strikes. Texas managed eight hits against him, but rarely threatened in any meaningful way....

  By Rhys Thomason So here’s the thing about the Miami Palms. They’re not boring. If you’ve followed this team for any meaningful stretch of the season, you already know that. What you might not know—what you still don’t know, 82 games in—is who exactly they are. Because within the span of a week, the Palms managed to look like three entirely different ballclubs. They were lifeless in Toronto. They were exposed in Chicago. And then, on a sunbaked Thursday afternoon back home, they dropped 18 runs like it was batting practice. Eighteen. “I mean, we know we can do that,” Pat Grant said afterward, shrugging like a man who had just driven in five runs and still didn’t feel the need to raise his voice about it. And that’s the most fascinating—and frustrating—part of this whole thing. They know . The Ceiling Is Not the Question Let’s be clear: this team is capable of being dangerous. You don’t accidentally collect 22 hits . You don’t stumble into performances like the on...

  Thursday, June 25, 2020 – Coca-Cola Palms Park By Vin Castillo The Miami Palms were due. After days of scraping for runs and searching for any kind of offensive rhythm, the Palms didn’t just break through Thursday afternoon—they kicked the door off its hinges. Behind a relentless, top-to-bottom barrage, Miami routed Baltimore 18–1 to salvage the series and return to .500 at 41–41 , in what might have been their most complete performance of the season. “We needed that,” manager Scott Hatteberg said, allowing himself a small smile. “Everybody contributed. That’s what it’s supposed to look like.” Early Statement, No Let-Up The tone was set immediately. Returning to the lineup, Brett Gardner wasted little time making his presence felt, and the Palms erupted for four runs in the first inning , putting Baltimore on its heels from the outset. But unlike previous games during this uneven stretch, Miami didn’t stop there. They scored in seven of eight innings , piling up 22 hi...

By Rhys Thomason The Miami Palms reached the halfway point of the season this week with the most honest record in baseball. 40–40. Not great. Not terrible. Not even particularly unusual. Just squarely, stubbornly average. The frustrating part for Miami fans is that this team rarely looks average. On some nights the Palms look like a club that could make October uncomfortable for somebody. On others they look like a lineup that misplaced its bats somewhere between Toronto and Chicago. Inside the clubhouse, the players know it. Frank Sohn was asked before Tuesday’s game who the calmest person on the roster is — a lighthearted social media question. Several teammates immediately pointed to him. The center fielder shrugged and said he doesn’t think about it much. That tracks. Sohn is hitting .275 with doubles sprayed all over the gaps and the same expression whether the Palms are winning by five or losing by two. A couple lockers down, Chris Korb is the opposite — the loudest voic...

  Wednesday, June 24, 2020 – Coca-Cola Palms Park By Vin Castillo A night after rediscovering their bats, the Miami Palms went quiet again. Baltimore left-hander John Means dominated Miami for eight innings Wednesday night, holding the Palms to just two hits as the Orioles claimed a 2–0 victory at Coca-Cola Palms Park. The loss drops Miami to 40–41 , continuing a frustrating pattern for a lineup that has struggled to string together consistent offense over the past two weeks. Means set the tone early and never lost it. The Orioles’ starter mixed a sharp fastball with a steady diet of off-speed pitches, striking out eight while allowing only a double from Chris Korb and a single from Brock Holt through eight innings. “Sometimes you tip your cap,” manager Scott Hatteberg said afterward. “He had command of everything tonight.” Miami’s best chance came in the second inning when Korb doubled into the left-center gap, but Means stranded him there with a strikeout and a routine gr...