Biscuits Host Barons to Begin 2nd Half

The second half of the season offers the Biscuits a reset in the standings and welcomes the rival Barons to Riverwalk.

For the Biscuits, who pulled a nearly miraculous recovery in the first half, its a chance to start the new standings with a long six game set against a Barons team that has struggled to win games so far this season. Credit Brady Williams for turning the team around after a terrible start, and the Rays for sending reinforcements in time to save the village.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The Barons don't hit for average but they can reach the fences with the longball. Look for the Bham Boys to deposit mistake pitches onto the railroad tracks.

Look for Montgomery to get on base.
The Barons pitching staff has accumulated some woeful stats, last in the league in ERA, WhIP, Hits Allowed, Runs Scored Against, meaning lots of baserunners and lots of runs scored.

Barons fans can look for the Silver Lining - Bham pitchers don't walk many hitters. Only two teams have given fewer free passes.

Cam Seitzer, now with Bham

Look for a familiar face.
Biscuit fans will recognize one Barons player, former Montgomery first baseman Cameron Seitzer is now pitching for the White Sox affiliate and should expect a healthy round of boos from the Riverwalk crowd for defecting to a rival team.



Biscuit hitters will be looking for extra bases. Montgomery has boosted its OPS to second in the league on the strength of doubles and triples to offset having average homerun totals.

Barons catchers will be looking to slow the Montgomery running game. The Biscuits are the only team in the league with more steals (87) than games played (70). Two of the Bham backstops are ranked prospects, so it will be interesting to see how they handle the stolen base threat.

Biscuit pitchers will be looking for strike three against the Barons hitters, who have so far been willing to oblige opponents at a whopping average of more than nine per game.

Biscuit fans should not look for the pitch out. Halfway thru the season and nobody I talked to could recall a single instance of a pitch out by the Biscuits this season.

NOTABLE:

Among the late listed transactions last week was the Marlins release of former Biscuits outfielder Cade Gotta. Somehow batting .260 with twenty stolen bases in a half season wasn't good enough to stick with the team.

Yeah, I don't understand that last sentence either.

Pitcher Benton Moss, sent back to rehab with the Stone Crabs, has been pitching well and could be in line for a return to the Biscuits. In nine innings over two games, Moss has 12 strikeouts, five hits and has allowed just one earned run.

Ruben Alaniz also was transferred to rehab, sent to the GCL Rays.