Miracle set to start FSL defense
The Fort Myers Miracle have never been in this position before – opening a new baseball season as the defending Florida State League champions. Never since moving to Fort Myers in 1992.
They have, however, made appearances in the playoffs eight times since 1995, including five times in the last nine years. Two of those times the Miracle lost in the FSL Championship series until winning it all last season.
As the Miracle began the 2015 season Thursday night at the Charlotte Stone Crabs – and their home opener against the Stone Crabs at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Hammond Stadium – 16 players with a hand in last season’s championship run begin the season in Fort Myers.
“We have a good group of guys back who know how to win games as a team,” said outfielder Jason Kanzler, who cracked the championship-winning home run in the 11th inning against Daytona last September.
No one can accuse Kanzler of being a home-run hitter per-se. He struck just 12 last season.
“The homer was unexpected,” he said. “I had a rough game up until then. I have some power, but (manager) Doug (Mientkiewicz) told me not to put too much on myself. Just be myself.”
First-round pick (2013) Kohl Stewart, the No. 4 rated prospect in the Twins organization, got the starting assignment on Opening Night at Charlotte. Stewart was 3-5 (2.95 ERA) last season in 19 starts for the Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels with 62 strikeouts in 87 innings.
“I’m excited and ready to go out and throw,” said Stewart. “I hope to help us start out right with a win. I want to attack hitters enough to put our team in position to win a game each time I pitch.”
Returning right-hander Aaron Slegers is slated to start the home opener Friday night. Chih-Wei Hu and Ryan Eades are newcomers to the pitching staff, joining returning arms Slegers, Ethan Mildren and six relievers in the bullpen.
New manager Jeff Smith, who won 157 games as Miracle manager in 2008-09, has the task of living up to last year’s success.
“Our strength on this team will be team chemistry,” Smith said. “I hope it is our strength. Our pitching is strong, but I like our position players, too. We have a lot of speed and I’m anxious to see how much chaos we can cause on the bases.
“As defending league champs we want to focus these guys, we have a lot of guys back who got a taste of winning the title last year. It’s my job to bring them all together with the goal of getting back to the playoffs and go from there.”
The Miracle have a home-run threat in catcher Mitch Garver, who struck a team-high 16 last year for Cedar Rapids. Niko Goodrum returns for a second Miracle campaign anchoring the infield with returnee Aderling Mejia and newcomers Engelb Vielma, Tanner Vavra and Bryan Haar.
Four outfielders start the year in Fort Myers with Kanzler and newcomers Chad Christensen, Logan Wade and Marcus Knecht.