Hoppers hope to work bugs out in second half

 

6-21-05

 

 

 

 

The Greensboro Grasshoppers will pursue that elusive element of consistency while they hit the road for two weeks.

 

After finishing the first half of the South Atlantic League season with a 35-34 record, the Hoppers start the second half 0-0. They open a three-game series at Hickory tonight, play three at Kannapolis, take a three-day All-Star break, play four in Columbus, Ga., and return to Greensboro on July 4.

 

What the coaching staff and the parent Florida Marlins are looking for is less of the streakiness that marked the first half. The Hoppers' tendency was to win and lose games in clumps of four or five.

 

One of those clumps turned into a nine-game losing streak and took them out of contention for the Northern Division first-half title.

 

"Only the baseball gods know what happened in that slide," outfielder Brett Carroll said.

 

Jim Fleming, the Marlins' vice president for player development, said the big goal for the second half will be to play well every night.

 

"What I liked is, at times, they showed a lot of talent," Fleming said. "The disappointment was consistency. The offense had periods when it was very good and others when it was not so good. So did the pitching staff."

 

Fleming said the hitters are sometimes overly aggressive, resulting in swinging at too many pitches outside the strike zone. He wants to see that channeled into swinging at pitches they can handle.

 

Carroll and Jon Fulton are two examples. Both have exhibited considerable power, but not the patience they need. That makes them susceptible to slumps and strikeouts (Fulton 62, Carroll 57).

 

First baseman Brad McCann and infielder Brian Cleveland have been two of the more solid hitters. McCann shares the team lead with 14 homers and leads with 41 RBIs while posting a .276 average. Cleveland, batting .263, hits near the top of the order and could be better with more patience.

 

J.T. Restko has played well, hitting .325, but has only 23 RBIs.

 

Fleming said Jai Miller, in his second season in Greensboro, has made progress not reflected in his .193 average.

 

"His at-bats and swings are so much better than last year," Fleming said. "Things are still frustrating him, and he needs to let that go and just let it happen."

 

Catcher Brad Davis, out since April with a broken hand, and outfielder Xavier Arroyo, recovering from a broken thumb, are nearly ready to play again.

 

Fleming would like the pitching rotation to settle in during the second half. It floundered when Jason Vargas was promoted to Jupiter (and since to the Carolina Mudcats), but has potential for the second half.

 

Craig Molldrem has gone 6-1 and limited opposing batters to a .195 average. Adam Brandenburg, the only left-hander among the starters, has been an up-and-down 4-3.

 

Rounding out the starters are Jose Garcia, who has won his two starts impressively; Taylor Tankersley, last year's top draft pick; and Kurt Koehler, recovered from a head injury.

 

Jeff Allison, who hasn't pitched since May 20 because of shoulder soreness, is healthy and will return to the mix when he rebuilds his arm strength.

 

Rick Vanden Hurk and Allen Baxter were promoted to Jupiter, but the season is over for Tim Wood, who had elbow surgery recently.

 

Chris Mobley, who has 17 saves, will get some late-inning help from Patrick Hogan, who just joined the team. Hogan's presence means Mobley won't have to pitch as often on consecutive nights.

 

Although the low minor leagues are about development, Fleming would like to see the Hoppers make a run at the second-half pennant.

 

"It's good experience," he said. "It's not the same as a major-league pennant race, but being in one in the minors can help."

Great to see Allison will be back sometime soon

 

Same with Brad Davis

and Tank