Opponent: Yakima Bears
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Everett Memorial Stadium
Radio: KRKO (1380 AM)
Probable starters: Everett right-hander Ricky Orta (3-3, 5.79 ERA) vs. Yakima right-hander Scott Souther (1-5, 4.77)
Finding a balance
With catcher Danny Santin and outfielder Carlos Peguero joining the team in recent weeks, Everett has had something it was lacking all season: offensive balance.
Santin and Peguero have given Everett a pair of potent left-handed bats, meaning the AquaSox are now a threat from both sides of the plate.
Before those two arrived almost all of Everett’s power was right-handed. Only four of Everett’s home runs through the first six weeks of the season came from left-handed batters – all by first baseman Joe White.
But the additions of Santin (batting .277) and Peguero (8-for-20 in his last five games) have meant opponents can no longer just key on Everett’s right-handers.
“I saw some good things with the addition of Santin and Peguero,” Everett manager Dave Myers said. “We’ve got a little more sock from the left side and hopefully that will balance out our lineup and we’ll swing the bats a little better.”
Peguero’s surge has been particularly satisfying for the AquaSox. The 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic is an imposing physical figure who rockets balls out with ease during batting practice. He tore up the Arizona Rookie League to earn his promotion, but in his first four games with Everett he struggled with breaking balls, opening his AquaSox ledger 0-for-12. However, he appears to have made the adjustment.
“Any time you change leagues, especially a young kid, you don’t know what to expect,” Myers said. “They play in front of three or four people in Arizona and it’s a couple thousand people here. You’re playing night games and traveling and it’s different. I saw some good things (from Peguero) in Boise. I thought he had some good at bats and some good swings.”
Outfield crisis: The AquaSox are having trouble filling the outfield.
With Gavin Dickey out with a bruised wrist, Everett was down to two available outfielders for Friday’s game, Peguero and Bryan Sabatella, neither of whom is a true center fielder.
“Well, our whole outfield situation is not ideal,” Myers said. “We just have to do the best we can.”
Dickey, who started in center, suffered the bruised wrist when he was hit by a pitch early in Thursday’s 8-5 victory over Yakima. He had to be removed from the game and on Friday was sporting a wrap on his right wrist.
With Kevin Reynolds, Everett’s other center fielder, in Tacoma providing temporary bench relief for the Class AAA Rainiers, third baseman Leury Bonilla had to serve as an emergency sub for Dickey, coming into the game in left field with Sabatella taking over in center. Bonilla, who has experience playing outfield from his days in the Dominican Summer League, started in left Friday, with Sabatella again in center.
The Sox hope the problem will clear up soon. Dickey is day-to-day and Reynolds is expected to return today.
Nick Patterson, Herald Writer
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