February 28^th, 2017
Nassau, Bahamas
by Serenity Summers

-=In the Bahamas=-
Howdy, folks! I’m packing my stuff and getting ready to head back to the States. I was here in the Bahamas covering Florida‘s voluntary off-season workouts, a new program initiated by the organization. These voluntary events give players the option of participating in conditioning and baseball drills under official supervision. The Bahamas was chosen as the host site due to its proximity to Jacksonville and the opportunity to help expose the PEBA internationally. Travel was provided by one of Drew Streets‘s luxury brand of cruise lines. Notable participants include Newton Wilcox, Javier Cruz, Miguel Cantú, and Avery Carson.

Earning All-Star honors in his first two big league seasons, Wilcox really elevated his game last season and is poised for another strong campaign. Last season, Wilcox put an emphasis on improving his defense, which paid off with an All-Leather Award. Along with his superb play in left field, Wilcox served as a competent backup center fielder. Wilcox has set two personal goals this upcoming seasons. The switch hitter wants to continue his solid approach while batting right-handed, and he wants to finish strong. Last season, Wilcox batted well over .300 early, only to see his average fall off to .277 by the end of the season.

While Wilcox has already established himself, Cruz looks to follow suit. A highly touted prospect, Cruz has struggled at the next level. Labeled as a five-tool player, Cruz has only shown 60% of his tools. Last season, Cruz tallied eight assists while earning All-Leather honors at centerfield. While his legs stole potential doubles in the gap, Cruz also used his speed to steal 30 bases. Cruz’s performance at the plate, however, was a different story. He batted below .250 and had an OPS under .650. Despite the struggles, the organization remain optimistic. All indications show that Cruz is ready for the challenge this season. Hiring a personal nutritionist, Cruz has arrived to the Bahamas in wonderful shape and mind frame.

Cruz and Wilcox have entertained the locals with home run batting practice duels. To the delight of fans, Cruz has been able to match Wilcox swing for swing on most days. Hopefully, that is a sign of things to come this upcoming season.

Another challenge for Cruz this season will be the transition to right field to make room for Michaël Demers. A natural athlete, Cruz is expected to make a seamless transition.

Cantú solidified his role in the rotation last season. The 24-year-old racked up 200+ innings and 17 wins. Fresh off his three-year extension, expectations are sky-high for the third-year Cuban defector. Many scouts around the league believe Cantú has the electric stuff to challenge for a Golden Arm Award. At 230 pounds and armed with an 97+ MPH fastball, Cantú only started pitching three years ago. Since then, he has made tremendous strides in learning how to become a pitcher rather than a thrower. Part of Cantú’s transformation is the presence of fellow countryman, Héctor Rodríguez. The ageless wonder has been instrumental in teaching Cantú the art of pitching and living life in America.

Fans can let out a collective sigh of relief because Neanderthal is back at it again. Having suffered through a torn rotator cuff and shoulder issues, Carson has worked extremely hard this off-season to strengthen his shoulder and improve his mechanics. With the help of Jaime Sánchez and Tom Morrison, Carson has already returned to a full program of throwing off the mound.

-=Spring Awaits=-

Those not involved in the Bahamas off-season program have already reported. Coming off a disappointing playoff series against Gloucester, the players have been waiting all winter to get back to baseball. For the most part, the team remains the same. Only Todd Hanna, Kwang-chih Zhu, and Takanobu Murata have departed. New faces include the veteran Orlando García (acquired in the Zhu trade) and the relatively unknown Demers.

While García is pegged to fulfill the veteran mentor role, Demers is expected to play a significant role on the field. The Québec native is slated to man centerfield and take over the leadoff spot. At 26, Demers had been playing for the Xtreme Canadian Baseball Coalition (XCBC), a controversial league owned by the major Canadian network TSN. Known for their aluminum bats and emphasis on entertainment, Demers is the XCBC’s first position player to make the transition to the PEBA. Not known for his power, it is expected that Demers’s speed and spray hitting should transition well. The big question mark is whether he can adjust to professional pitchers who throw an assortment of pitches. Demers will also have to work off the field to withstand the scrutiny of previously playing for the XCBC.

While Demers gets his shot at centerfield, Robert Robinson will get his opportunity at second base. The 23-year-old struggled mightily at the plate last season, hitting only .184 in 152 at bats. Robinson learned the hard way that major league pitchers throw more off-speed pitches than their AAA counterparts. To help prepare for the upcoming season, Robinson spent the off-season playing winter ball. There, Robinson received plenty of time to work on his pitch selection and defense.

Although most of the roster spots are relatively, there are still some battles to be played out at spring training. Ricardo Macías formed a nice tandem with Ramiro Fonseca behind the dish last season. While Macías figures to get a spot, Florida will carry four catchers to spring training. John Allen and Juan Hernández will have a chance to show what they can do this spring. In the outfield, Eric Springer will have to fight to find a roster spot. Springer figures to vie with  García for the final outfield spot. It will be up to Lewis and Shinsui Sato to choose between experience and leadership or youth and talent.

-=Interviewing Drew Streets=-
This is more of a teaser, but I had a chance to chat with Florida’s eccentric owner. I will be releasing that conversation soon. We talked about his feelings on the state of the Featherheads and the PEBA, baseball philosophies, and life outside of baseball.