DIVISIONAL OUTLOOK: NL East—CF competition in Miami
Mar 14 2013
Justin Ruggiano (OF, MIA) entered spring as the heavy favorite to be the primary center fielder for the Marlins, but it turns out he may be in for a battle. A lower back strain kept him out of spring action until March 9 and opened the door for Chris Coghlan (OF, MIA) and Gorkys Hernández (OF, MIA). Manager Mike Redmond has deemed the job an open competition.
Ruggiano came out of nowhere to post strong numbers in 288 AB with the Marlins in 2012. A closer look reveals he was very fortunate. A 40% h% propelled him to a .313 BA, well above his .265 xBA. His SB will be tough to repeat due to a 27% SBO. With a SB success rate of just 64% and a 102 Spd, it would be a surprise if he was given the green light as often this...
Almost!
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