Miracle open home slate tonight vs. Reds

By Dana Caldwell
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — Now that 30-year-old manager Kevin Boles is officially a Miracle worker, what can fans expect after Fort Myers players jog onto the Hammond Stadium turf tonight for the 7:05 home-opener against Sarasota?

"We really have a little bit of everything to offer," Boles said. "There's a lot of guys with a lot of ability, and we're going to do the best we can to get it out of them."

Boles knows how to push most of the buttons. Sixteen players on the Miracle's high Single-A roster were with Boles and the Twins last season at low-Class A Beloit (Wis.).

"That's quite a bit of help," said Boles, whose team was 1-0 after Thursday night's 7-3 season-opening win at Sarasota and before Friday night's rematch. "They know where I'm coming from and they know what's expected of them, that they're going to be pushed and there's a lot at stake here."

Said shortstop Trevor Plouffe, who was with Boles last season: "The team chemistry is ridiculous. There's not one guy that's like an outcast. Everyone is friends. That's going to be to our advantage."

After almost a month of spring training, other advantages leap to Boles' mind.

"I really believe one of our strengths is going to be our starting pitching," Boles said. "We have some quality arms and we have some guys who attack the strike zone."

Two of Boles' best are 6-foot-4, 185-pound right-hander Matt Garza (who has moved up from Beloit and went five innings, allowing just one earned run Thursday night) and tonight's starter, Kevin Slowey, a 6-2, 185-pound righty who was 3-2 with a 2.13 ERA after joining Beloit for its second-place, second-half divisional finish last season.

"They both have a real good feel for pitching for such limited pro experience," Boles said. "Garza has real quality stuff. He has a lot of movement and he pitches from 91 to 94 (miles per hour). Good breaking ball. Change-up needs a little work, but he's definitely improved since he's been in a professional uniform. He attacks hitters.

"Kevin Slowey, his stuff is getting better every time we see him. He's around the plate, throws a lot of strike. Induces contact early and he has a lot of deception to his delivery. Guys just don't seem to pick up the ball."

Toss in Anthony Swarzak (6-3, 205), who came up from Beloit for last season's second half and posted a 12-9 record, 156 strikeouts and a 3.89 ERA, and there seems to be good reason for Boles' confidence.

Offensively, the Miracle also could play well beyond their years.

"We have some pretty unique hitters as far as their approach, being younger guys who are a little bit more advanced, polished," Boles said. "A lot of guys that are young hitters, they don't have a real strong understanding of the strike zone or a feel for being in hitters' counts, working themselves into a good hitting approach.

"These guys definitely have an advantage for being such young players. Trevor Plouffe, who was our starting shortstop last year, he's made quite a bit of improvement. David Winfree, who's our third baseman and DH, he had a tremendous year last year in Beloit. He's an outstanding player to watch."

A 6-3, 225-pounder, Winfree batted .294 with 16 home runs and a whopping 101 RBIs for Beloit last season. After a slow start, Plouffe hit .223 with 13 homers and 60 RBIs. Infielder Alexi Casilla, who was obtained from the Angels in a December trade for pitcher J.C. Romero, batted .325 for Cedar Rapids last season, and outfielder Jeremy Pickrel hit at a .277 clip with 12 home runs and 65 RBIs for Beloit.

This level, though, is a learning process in every way possible, so it's hard to tell if the Miracle can again have a winning season like the 74-59 2005 campaign.

"We'll see," Boles said. "You never know how competitive you're going to be because you don't know what the other teams have to offer. Definitely, we're a youthful club and we need to get these guys experience at this level. But as far as talent, these players do have a lot of ability.

"We need to be patient, but we do have expectations. We expect our players to play hard and we expect them to advance.

"And we want to create an atmosphere where the fans want to come out and watch us."

Slowey can hardly wait.

"I'm excited, not only to get my first start, but to open the season at home is going to be great in front of a great crowd," he said. "I'm just ready to get back to playing again."

Home opener

WHAT: Fort Myers Miracle, the high Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins

WHERE: Hammond Stadium, Lee County Sports Complex; Take I-75 to Daniels Parkway (Exit 131), go west to Six Mile Cypress Parkway. Turn left on Six Mile Cypress, and the stadium will be on the right.

TICKETS: $6 for box seats, $4 reserved (fireworks nights tickets are $7/$5; all tickets are $14 for concert games)

PARKING: $3

MANAGER: Kevin Boles, first season

LAST SEASON'S RECORD: 74-59