Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Prado’s two RBI double keyed Marlins win.
Veteran still trying to get his timing down
MIAMI — Martin Prado’s timing at the plate isn’t back yet, not when he’s played only three games after missing more than six weeks, but Sunday afternoon brought as positive a sign as any.
Prado jumped on a firstpitch fastball, 93 mph and low in the zone from lefty Mike Montgomery, and hammered it to the gap in left-center field to score two runs.
For the Miami Marlins, the double served as the eventual game-winner in a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. For Prado, it was his first tangible, bigtime impact in a handful of at-bats since returning from his second strained right hamstring of the season.
“Fortunately for me and for my team, I got a good pitch to hit,” Prado said. “I was trying to be quiet with my front foot and just put a good swing on the ball, and he just gave me a good pitch to hit.”
While going 0 for 3 in his first game back Friday (and then 1 for 3 in his second game Saturday), Prado said he has “been working so hard” with hitting coaches Mike Pagliarulo and Frank Menechino. In that first game in particular, Prado said he was over-swinging and creating bad habits.
Sunday was only Prado’s 20th game of 2017, so he has some catching up to do.
“It takes more than three days,” Prado said. “I think it's going to be a process where I have to be more confident and focus every single game and at-bat. Just until you get the timing and used to recognizing spin, velocity, location.”
Ziegler gets relief
An MRI this week showed no serious damage in Brad Ziegler’s back, Ziegler said.
The Marlins put the sidearming right-hander on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a right back strain. The test revealed Ziegler is dealing with a mere pulled muscle, putting his mind at ease after some worry it was a more serious ailment.
“It wasn’t anything that just happened. It was more I realized, it could be a serious deal in the long-term too,” Ziegler said. “I didn’t notice it much. I didn’t go to them and say, ‘I need to be on the DL.’ I just went to them and said, ‘I want to get an MRI because I want to make sure it’s nothing serious. If it’s muscle, we can discuss how to go about fixing it.’ They were the ones who suggested DL at that point.”
Ziegler said he has felt the back pain to various degrees since March. The Marlins worried it might have been affecting his unorthodox delivery.
“It’s been a fight all year,” Ziegler said. “I would guess more than 10 [days], but we haven’t really discussed the long-term yet. The biggest key now is to get it pain-free, then start throwing and work back hopefully as quick as I can.”
Stanton to defend
Giancarlo Stanton will participate in the Home Run Derby next month.
Yes, that didn’t become official until Sunday night, when the Miami Marlins’ slugger and last year’s Derby champ announced his commitment via ESPN, which will broadcast the competition July 10, and the team.
Contributing to the intrigue this year, Stanton will seek to defend his title at Marlins Park, which is hosting this year’s All-Star festivities.
Odds & ends
Add at least one local name to the Marlins’ postdraft haul. Undrafted freeagent catcher Michael
Hernandez, an Archbishop McCarthy and Nova Southeastern alumnus, signed a minor-league deal with his hometown team Friday. …
Ichiro Suzuki became the oldest starting center fielder since at least 1900, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. At 43 years and 246 days old, he topped
Rickey Henderson, who was 43 years and 211 days old in his last center-field start on July 24, 2002. … Mark your calendars,
Tim Tebow fans: The Mets promoted the quarterbackturned-outfielder to High-A St. Lucie on Sunday. He will visit the Marlins’ Florida State League affiliate, the Jupiter Hammerheads, at Roger Dean Stadium July 7-10.