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Mr. Ed -> RE: Players and prospects III (4/11/2016 10:45:12 AM)
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Fort Myers manager Jeff Smith expects Sunday's big game to boost Nick Gordon's confidence.
The Twins' fourth-ranked prospect tied a career high with four hits, including three doubles, before the Miracle dropped a 4-3, 10-inning decision to Bradenton at McKechnie Field.
"He really drove the ball, really attacked the baseball. I think he had a double on three different pitches, two changeups and a curve maybe," Smith said. "[He] really drove the ball, hit the wall one time, short-hopped the other and then drove another to left-center; singled to right off a tough sidearm pitcher. So he had a good day overall at the plate and just as good a day defensively out there."
Gordon had picked up a single in each of Fort Myers' first three games, but Smith said he was encouraged by the way the 20-year-old shortstop was playing in his second full season.
"The last week of Spring Training, he had a good week, he really drove the ball to all fields and he has a lot of life in that bat," Smith said. "I think every game that young players play at this level of the game starts to slow it down a little bit; they get acclimated to the pitching. And the big thing with him is that he was able to swing at balls in the strike zone [Sunday] and not miss his pitch and do some damage on his pitches that we know he can drive the ball with."
MLB.com's No. 90 overall prospect slapped a double to left in the first, then added leadoff doubles in the third and fifth -- one to center and one to left. Gordon had never had more than two extra-base hits in the same game.
"With Nick, even the first few games, he was still hitting the balls hard; there were a lot of balls hit hard, just right at people and the defense made some nice plays," Smith said. "Anytime your players in a young season have a good game like that, it is a good confidence boost, but it's also contagious with some other players and, hopefully, that gets the whole team going.
"He's a big part of the team, too, and it was definitely fun to watch him drive the ball to all fields and look to take extra bases all the time."
Gordon added a single in the sixth for his third career four-hit game and first since Aug. 24, 2014 with Rookie-level Elizabethton. He swiped second base for his first steal of the season.
Miracle starter Keaton Steele carried a no-hitter into the sixth before Pirates No. 11 prospect Kevin Newman singled with two outs. The University of Missouri product allowed a run on two hits and a walk while striking out two over 5 2/3 innings.
"He changes speeds back and forth. He really had a good slider working in the game and was able to mix and match his speeds, take a little off and put a little on, and he was able to keep runners off-balance and get a lot of ground balls and make some pitches when he had to," Smith said of the 24-year-old right-hander. "He pitched fantastic and I look forward to having him back out here in another five days."
Fort Myers took a 3-2 lead into the ninth, but Bradenton's Chase Simpson slapped a one-out triple to right. Gordon's relay from Chad Christensen sailed past third baseman T.J. White and toward reliever Trevor Hildenberger (0-1), who was backing up the play.
"It probably could've been caught, but it hit [Hildenberger's] glove and ricocheted off his glove and went into the stands," Smith said. "The whole play was pretty much just one of those bizarre baseball plays that you don't see very often. From the minute the ball was hit to the minute the guy scored, you just look at yourself and say, 'You won't see that again in a long time."
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