Baseball season is in full swing for the Bainbridge Bearcats. We’re merely two weeks away from opening day for the Atlanta Braves. That little ball of cowhide and red stitches is heavy on my mind.
Two of the big MLB players I’m curious to watch this season both play for the Los Angeles Dodger: right fielder and bomber Yasiel Puig and pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
Puig has all-star written all over him… if he can ride a streak long enough. Last season, the 23-year-old rookie of Cienfuegos, Cuba, batted .319 in 104 games. In his first 20 games, he had 34 hits and seven home runs. He slammed out 19 home runs for the season. That little tidbit of information is enough evidence Puig ran a little cold after his big league breakout in June.
For his 2014 season return, can Puig break his home run streak? I think he’s certainly capable, and I think it will happen. But I doubt a MLB sophomore can perform like people are predicting. I’ve heard fans speculating he’ll put up numbers that rival Miguel Cabrera, who had 44 bombs last season. He seemed to hit one every game.
On the mound stands Kershaw, one of the best starters in the game and the highest paid pitcher in the league. He finished the season with 236 innings under his belt and an ERA of 1.83. He’s only 26-years-old. With Kershaw on the mound, the entire team ticks together so well. He is undisputed leader of the field and an absolute blast to watch. I cannot express this enough: we are watching one of the greatest Hall-of-Famer careers with the young Dodger pitcher. He will be talked about for generations.
Zooming in on our local baseball environment here in Bainbridge, I got to experience something awesome Thursday: the Opening Ceremony for little league baseball at the Bill Reynolds Sports Complex.
What a blast it was to see so many young kids suited up in their fresh, new uniforms ready to play another season of ball. It brought me back to when I was in their shoes, back in the 1990s. I wish all those kids the best of luck this season. I hope each of them hits a homer.