The Royals' Texas League affiliate is off to a rough start to
2014, sitting at 4-13 and in last place in the North Division. The club trails
first place Springfield (STL) by five games, and is winless at home in seven
tries thus far.
Among the biggest struggles for Northwest Arkansas is a 5.77
team ERA, which is a full two runs higher than the next closest club. Opponents
have scored a staggering 115 runs – 39 more than the second worst team. Perhaps
worse, 22 of those runs are unearned. Naturals pitchers have walked 81 hitters
and have thrown 17 wild pitches, both the most in the eight-team Texas League.
As a team, the Naturals are hitting just .236/.323/.328 and
have scored only 62 runs in 2014, the league’s second worst mark. Northwest
Arkansas batters have hit just eight home runs, which also ranks second lowest
in the league.
Individual Hitting
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| MiLB.com |
Who’s Hot:
After going 1-for-16 to start the season, Jorge Bonifacio is
now fourth in the Texas League with 12 RBI, just three off the pacesetter. The
outfielder has five multi-hit ballgames in his last 10 starts and is hitting
.310/.370/.429 since April 11. In all, Bonifacio has one home run with a line
of .239/.338/.358.
Infield prospect Cheslor Cuthbert has a team-high 17 hits
and 12 walks and ranks second on the club with seven RBI. In all, he is hitting
.279/.392/.361.
Whit Merrifield is tied for the league lead with six
doubles, three of which have come in his last four games. Over that period, the
second baseman/left fielder has three multi-hit games and five RBI.
Who’s Not:
Lane Adams is on the rise with five hits in his last three
games, but is still hitting just .224/.329/.284 in 74 plate appearances across
17 games.
Individual Pitching
Who’s Hot:
23-year old pitching prospect Sam Selman tossed five innings
in his season debut April 11, in which he allowed just one unearned run. The
lefty allowed just two hits and walked four. Across two starts, Selman is
currently 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA.
Two of Tim Melville’s three starts have been very
impressive. The 24-year old tossed four scoreless innings April 4 and five
scoreless April 15. He allowed a combined three hits in the two outings. In
all, the right-hander has a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings and has held opponents to a
.133 batting average.
Relievers Cody Fassold and Andrew Triggs both have ERAs
under 1.80 in six appearances apiece.
Who’s Not:
Basically, everyone else. Specifically:
Prospect Jason Adam has lost three games, tied for the most
in the Texas League.
He was roughed up in his first start of the season, surrendering
eight runs (six earned) in just three innings against Midland (OAK). He
followed that outing with a two-hit performance and one earned run across four
strong innings also against the RockHounds , but then surrendered ten hits to
Springfield in his last start. The Cardinals score five runs, four of which
were earned. Opponents are hitting .388 against Adam with right-handed hitters
scorching him for a line of .545/.519/.773 in 23 April plate appearances.
Angel Baez has struck out 17 hitters in 10.2 innings, which
ranks among the league’s leaders in K/9. Unfortunately, he has a 10.97 ERA this
year across six relief appearances.
Noel Arguelles is tied for the league’s most walks with 13
and has a 14.09 ERA in his first 7.2 innings across six appearances.
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