JOPLIN MINER MAGAZINE

Enrique Hernandez:  The New Bill Mazeroski ?? Series song: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=there+will+be+days+like+this The Joplin Miners' philosophy since taking over the franchise was to do whatever it takes to get to the World Series.  In the first two seasons, the end result was a trip to the 2018 World Series and another trip to the 2019 Ozzie League Championship.  The cost included trading away top prospects for a one year rental in Justin Verlander in 2018 and a half year in 2019 of Hyun-Jin Ryu and swallowing a 10M contract for injured Gio Gonzalez, a contract that could not be unloaded via trade or contract fine over the winter. As a result, the Miners retooled in the off season and jettisoned Charlie Morton and Freddie Freeman for one year of Charlie Blackmon and the addition of two top 100 prospects, i.e. Royce Lewis and Ian Anderson.   It also meant the Miners were forced to add a number of 100k pitchers which usually means providing can

CHARLIE BLACKMON LEADS MINERS The Joplin Miners won 3 out of 4 games in it's Chapter 1 series against the rebuilding Darien Blue Wave.  DBW has some great sluggers like Miguel Sano, Matt Olson and Yordan Alvarez.  The Miners took a step back in the off season given Chris Sale's disappointing 2019 MLB season. Still, the Miners have a great outfield of Peralta, Betts and Blackmon so maybe the Miners can get lucky and secure the wildcard.   Game 1:  Darien 8  Joplin 1 W:  Happ:  5-2-1-1-4-4 (1-1) L:  Sale: 5.1-6-7-7-2-9  (0-2) HRs:  Sano (2), E. Rosario (1) Chris Sale continues to disappoint early in the season.  Miguel Sano hit 2 homers and knocked in 5 runs.  Happ held the Miners to 1 run over 5 innings.  The DBW bullpen shutout the Miners over the last 4 innings. Game 2:  Joplin 10  Darien 7 W:  Roark:  5-10-4-4-1-3  (2-0) L:  Porcello:  4.1-11-7-7-0-2   ( 0-2) HRs:  Blackmon, Peralta, Forsythe, Olson (2), E. Rosario Games like this make it hard to argue the basebal

LOGAN FORSYTHE LEADS MINERS Miner Manager Kevin Cash will have an enormous task in front of him during the 2020 campaign.  Joplin's front office understood the risk it was taking when it took on Gio Gonzalez's 10M contract for a half year of Hyun-jin Ryu.  The move allowed the Miners to save Chris Sale for the first round of the playoffs and ultimately led to the upset series win over the Los Altos Undertakers.  Unfortunately, Sale failed to do well in the OL championship and Joplin had to go home for the winter. The Miners faced NCISP in the opening series of the 2020 season. Game 1:  NCISP 5  Joplin 1 W:  Merrill Kelly 9-3-1-1-2-4 L: Chris Sale:  5-8-5-5-3-4 Chris Sale won the 2019 Cy Young award.  He did not pitch like it in Game 1.  Joey Votto singled and doubled and knocked in 2 runs, Adam Jones and Matt Chapman each hit solo shots.  As a result, Sale was knocked out after 5 innings and the Miners dropped to 0-1.   Game 2:  Joplin 5 NCISP  2 W: Tanner Roark: 6