MIAMI -- A couple weeks ago when torpedo bats took Major League Baseball by storm, field coordinator Aaron Leanhardt hinted that the Marlins would soon be using them. During Miami’s four-run fifth inning in Friday’s series opener against Washington, every RBI came on a torpedo bat: Xavier Edwards’ two-run single and Kyle Stowers’ two-run double. Stowers, who expressed his interest to Leanhardt early in Spring Training, had already been considering a torpedo bat with Orioles assistant general manager Sig Mejdal entering the 2024 season. Old Hickory sent Stowers his shipment last weekend in Atlanta, and he hasn’t gone back to regular bats ever since. But did he have any reservations to test them out in a game? “In the back of my head, sure, but we do different tools in the cage,” Stowers said. “For years we've done different stuff: weighted bats, end load, handle load, light bats. You use so many different tools to find that barrel. At the end of the day, it's not all that much different. That's what I told myself is, ‘Don't think about it and trust it.’” Edwards’ shipment from TUCCI arrived at 11:30 a.m. ET ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Mets at Citi Field. He wasted no time using the bat, going 1-for-3 with two walks. “It feels a little lighter, but the handle's the same,” Edwards said. “It's the same model. The weight's distributed a little different.” |
The idea behind the torpedo bat is to move wood from parts of the bat that aren’t used to where they do in terms of making contact with the ball. Stowers, for example, noted that Friday’s double down the line was off the end, while his other two swings were more on the inside part of the barrel, where you want it. Though Stowers and Edwards are using versions made by their bat companies, some specifically designed by Leanhardt are on the way. Through the first two games of the weekend series with the Nationals, they have combined to go 8-for-16 with two walks, two doubles, one triple, four RBIs. Stowers and Edwards aren’t actually the first Marlins to try out a torpedo bat. Derek Hill did so during the first week of the season to little fanfare. It was only a matter of time before his teammates would join in. Big league camp was a feeling-out process with so many new faces, so Leanhardt only briefly mentioned his invention. Torpedo bats fall in line with the organization’s modus operandi of innovation under president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. “He's a brilliant mind who has a lot of really, really good ideas, and he also understands and connects with players really well,” Bendix said. “It's a unique combination. The way he connects with players, in addition to being very smart and very interesting, that's what really makes him special.” Added manager Clayton McCullough: “Well deserved. Lenny is brilliant. Innovation is something here that we are, and have been, pushing. Lenny certainly brings a lot of innovative ideas. Lenny is that and some other things [like] in-game strategy. Lenny has a lot of great thoughts. [It’s a] big reason why we wanted someone with Lenny's ilk and his talent be on our staff.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
Sandy Alcantara discusses the birth of his daughter, and his new haircut. |
Saturday’s Venezuelan Heritage Night marked the first T-Mobile Heritage Celebration Series of the season. Utility player Javier Sanoja, who is a native of Maracay, made his Major League debut on Sept. 7, 2024. When he returned to his hometown over the offseason, he found a mural with his likeness on a building. Sanoja answered a few questions about Venezuela that I asked in Spanish (thanks to a 1,746-day Duolingo streak!). Shout out to El Extrabase’s Daniel Álvarez-Montes for his help translating. MLB.com: What’s your favorite food?
Sanoja: My mom's Pasticho, which is a type of lasagna, and I hope all of you can try one day. And an arepa with caraotas (black beans) and cheese. MLB.com: What’s your favorite team and player?
Sanoja: Cardenales de Lara, which is the [Winter League] team I play for, and Jose Altuve, of course. That's the team that gave me an opportunity, so I'm very appreciative and thankful for the opportunity they gave me to become a professional player in Venezuela. MLB.com: What’s your favorite memory from your childhood?
Sanoja: During the Olympics, we will play all the sports like baseball, soccer, any other sport in the neighborhood, with all my friends. In baseball, it was the time where I went 4-for-5 in a state tournament. MLB.com: What do you miss most about Venezuela during the season?
Sanoja: My family. Thank God I've been able to bring my wife here, but my parents -- and the food. |
Homestead High School and North Miami Beach played to a 7-7 tie after five innings in the fourth annual Jackie Robinson Classic presented by Nike on Wednesday night at loanDepot park. The event, which featured both schools’ bands and cheerleaders, marked the start of the Marlins’ celebration of Robinson’s legacy and impact on baseball leading up to Tuesday’s Jackie Robinson Day. The student-athletes received customized Marlins shirts with the number 42 on the back along with one of Robinson’s nine values. Marlins president of business Caroline O’Connor and Marlins legend Charles Johnson also met with both teams pregame. |
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