Post
by moldyoldie » Wed Jun 23, 2021 5:08 pm
If you've been paying attention in recent weeks you'll notice a much better brand of baseball being played by our fair team. There's been some solid pitching, some timely hitting, a little bit of small ball, and something I've been waiting to see for a while now -- exploitation of team speed. The offense has been spearheaded by Jonathan Schoop, who after a horrendous start to the season has been the hottest hitter in baseball! A major turning point seems to have been when JaCoby Jones, Wilson Ramos, and Buck Farmer were all DFAed (Farmer has since returned due to injuries) and Daz Cameron, Derek Hill, Eric Haase, Harold Castro, and even Jake Rogers are playing major roles in a regular line-up rotation. Hill is currently on the IL. A big disappointment has been once-touted 5-tool player Nomar Mazara, but he remains in the line-up against righthanded pitching. Miggy is still old man Miggy.
Young pitchers Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and now Matt Manning are exerting themselves admirably in the starting rotation, but unfortunately veterans Matthew Boyd and Spencer Turnbull are on the IL. After that great start against the Yankees a month-and-a-half ago, José Ureña has seemingly lost his command. With injuries to Boyd and Turnbull and pending their return, it remains to be seen how the young trio will be handled with limited innings in the season's second half. We may see many so-called "bullpen games". Speaking of which, the current back end of Gregory Soto, Jose Cisnero, and Michael Fulmer are getting it done. Kyle Funkhauser, who I once thought threw "too straight", has found some life on his pitches and has become effective. Meanwhile, once prized arms Daniel Norris and Joe Jimenez may be pitching themselves out of a job.
"The primary purpose of a liberal education is to make one's mind a pleasant place in which to spend one's leisure."
- Sydney J. Harris