Sussex County Miners Report 06/25

Hitting: This is a good hitting team, however they can be overly aggressive on the base paths. When they’re successful they can move runners over and score runs but if we can stop them from running we will significantly stunt their offense. 

2     S    D Amato, H 2B: (Saw 40 pitches in game 1) He pulled off on back to back low and away fastballs, 7 pitch ab to start the game, inside outed a low and in SL into LF and took a 2nd bag on the throw into the cut. Showed bunt twice after #13 walked to lead the inning. Hit and run 2B into left after showing bunt. 

10   S    Maciel, G RF: worked a tough 2 out ab and roped a middle away FB. Advanced on an E2. Topped curve which resulted in grounder back to the pitcher (3 straight breaking balls). He will go after high and outside fastballs. Solid line drive 2B into RF on a middle in FB. 

29   LH  Backstrom, M  1B: Very solid power, got picked off but immediately broke for 2nd and made it. Crushed an up and away FB the opposite way for a 2B (105mph exit velo). 

6     RH Smith, J LF: Broke to second on the first pitch of the next ab got CS. Patient hitter.

8     RH  Sayre, A DH: chased a low and away slider, gassed up by two FB after starting the ab with SL. Got picked off at first and got out of the rundown to go back to first. Ended up stealing early next ab. Late on 3 straight FB and got frozen on an outside SL for a K. 

9     RH  O Brien, K C: Swung over the top of low and away CB pulled his head off, doesn't seem to adjust well to offspeed. Battled to 3-2 only to go down looking on outside FB. .1.97 pop time.

3     RH  Turner, G SS: Roped a ball down the 3B line, diving play saved an XBH. Down 0-2 early but fought back and ripped a hard grounder into LF. 

1     RH  Johnson, D CF: Frozen on a low and away slider for K. Swung right over CB after back to back breaking balls, then lined a FB into left. Stole on first pitch. 3rd ab he waited back on CB but still hit a weak grounder. Sac bunt in 8th. 

13   RH  Zimmerman, W   3B: very speedy, if he gets on he will try to take a bag. Trouble adjusting from the FB to the breaking ball. 

Pitching: solid starters but shaky bullpen. If we can get into their bullpen early we will be in a very good position to win this series. 

14    LH    Hensey, R: FB (89-92), CH (81-84), SL (78-81). He will consistently fill up the zone as he only has 3 total walks all year. Gets ahead early and often. Favors the low and in slider to put away righties in 2 strike counts. Lets up a decent amount of hits because of how many strikes he throws. Hung a CH later in the game and it was crushed for a HR. 1.36-1.40 to home, 

21    RH    Ariza, J: SK (86-88), FB (86-89), CUT/SW (78-80), CH (80-81). Made an error on a PFP. Seems to get into a lot of deep counts for a reliever. 

18    RH    Luneke, T: FB(88-92), SL(75-78), CUT(82-85). Tends to throw a lot of pitches in his innings, batters are hitting .320 against him. His breaking balls move a ton, so if you can lay them off they will most likely break out of the zone. Averaged about 5-6 pitches per ab with a lot of chases. 

12    RH    Stil, M: FB(94-96) Seemed to just pump fastballs with a 4 run lead in the 9th. On the year he has 5 walks with 20 K’s. All his earned runs came in 1 outing.