Miracle Notebook: Matienzo won't win batting title

So much for Danny Matienzo's shot at a Florida State League batting title.

The Fort Myers Miracle first baseman seemed to have a chance at becoming the first Miracle player ever to win a batting crown, but his chances were dashed by the hot bat of Tampa's Tommy Winrow.

Winrow recently became eligible for the crown after qualifying for enough plate appearances. He only became eligible in the last week, but his batting average of .335 is far and away tops in the league.

Matienzo, whose .301 average has been steady throughout the year, must now hold off outfielder Doug Deeds for the team batting title.

Entering the last week of the season, Matienzo leads Deeds by .05 points.

The team batting title isn't the only one up for grabs.

Four players — Deeds, Matienzo, Alex Romero and Kaulana Kuhaulua are tied for the team lead in homers with five.

Kuhaulua, who has seen his batting average plummet since a stint at Class AA New Britain in the middle of the season, has been stuck on five for the better part of two months while Deeds and Romero have recently found their power stroke.

"Power stroke," of course, being a relative term. The Miracle, plagued by a lack of pop at the plate all season. The Miracle are on pace to set a record for fewest homers in a season.

According to team statistician Benn Norton, unless the ball starts flying out of Hammond Stadium in the next six days, the team will finish with less than 49 homers, set last season.

A 2-8 stumble over their last 10 games has almost guaranteed the team will finish with its worst overall record 1999. The 1999 club tied the 1993 club for most losses in team history with 79.

The Miracle are currently 58-72 on the year. Only wins in its last six games would save the club from eclipsing the 65-73 mark of the 1998 squad.

However, it's not all bad.

As Norton points out, several players on those teams turned into solid major leaguers.

Current Minnesota pitcher Brad Radke played on the '93 team while current Twins utilityman Mike Cuddyer and pitcher Brad Thomas played on the '99 team.

FARM REPORT: Thanks to solid seasons, odds are several Miracle players, including Matienzo and Deeds, will make the jump to New Britain next year.

They can only hope to find the success former Miracle players like Jason Kubel found in New Britain this year.

Kubel spent the early part of the season in New Britain before his hot bat moved him to Class AAA Rochester. Kubel (Miracle Class of 2003), hit. 343 at Rochester and will likely be called up to Minnesota later this week.

Reliever Travis Bowyer, who started the season with the Miracle, is finishing off a solid year at New Britain. He is 5-3 with a 2.03 ERA in 28 games.

Francisco Liriano, called up to New Britain several weeks ago, is 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA in five games.

NOTES: Chris Gullotta, a game night intern for the Miracle, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Florida State League Scholarship program earlier this month. A representative from each of the 12 teams in the league won awards. The program is sponsored by the Florida Marlins.

The team raised over $2,000 for the Hurricane Charley Disaster Relief Fund and a large amount of supplies and goods were also donated.

Fan Appreciation Night is scheduled for Saturday night's game against Lakeland. Fireworks are scheduled after the game.

The team has averaged 1,606 fans per game this season, fourth-best in the league.