The New Hampshire Fisher Cats have now concluded the first homestand and first road trip of their 2017 campaign and they’re returning to Manchester with a 6-7 record. It’s still early for sure, but here’s what we’ve learned so far about this year’s team.
Who’s Hot
After the first few weeks of the season, it’s hard to dispute that Anthony Alford has been the Fisher Cats’ MVP so far.
As the ‘Cats return to Manchester for their second homestand, the former dual-sport athlete at Southern Mississippi has become New Hampshire’s leading offensive catalyst.
At the end of New Hampshire’s first road trip, he’s leading the Eastern League in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging average. With six stolen bases, he’s also just off the pace for the league lead in that category as well.
Alford’s missed only two games this season, getting a base hit in every game he’s appeared in except for April 13’s contest against the Yard Goats, and even there he scored a run. Plus, in those ten games with a hit, he’s had more than one hit in seven of them.
Along with Alford, the Fisher Cats are getting steady production from Ryan McBroom and Tim Lopes. Both men are hovering around the .300 mark so far, with Lopes bringing a 10-game hitting streak back to Manchester. McBroom’s leading the team with 9 RBIs and he’s 7-for-18 with a trio of doubles with men in scoring position.
On the mound, the title of New Hampshire’s best pitcher so far would have to go to Carlos Ramirez. In four appearances, he’s pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing no runs and only two hits, with a 5-to-1 K/BB ratio and relief win against Hartford on April 13.
Jose Fernandez has been close behind with two runs off four hits in eight innings of relief work.
Who’s Not
Presumed staff ace Sean Reid-Foley has continued to struggle after an Opening Day loss that saw him leave before the end of the second inning.
Reid-Foley escaped without additional losses since then, but he couldn’t find much progress on the road. In his April 18 start against Trenton, Reid-Foley lasted only three innings. He still time to duplicate his strong performances in Dunedin and Lansing last season, but he’s put up a disappointing 5.68 ERA and frightening 2.21 WHIP to date.
Starting pitching has been New Hampshire’s weakness overall, with Shane Dawson (7.20) and Jon Harris (9.64) posted higher ERAs than Reid-Foley. However, Harris got an ugly win in a four run 5 1/3 inning outing against Hartford on April 15.
Out of the bullpen, Alonzo Gonzalez continues to struggle, as his one-inning four run performance on April 18 singlehandedly gave Trenton a win.
Among New Hampshire’s non-platooning batters, Emilio Guerrero had the worst performance during the first road trip, going 5-for-22, with only two RBIs and a walk.
In Between
Tim Mayza had two solid relief performances on the road, going a combined three innings with no runs and only one hit and one walk.
Those performances stand in contrast to his opening day nightmare that saw his ERA climb to an absurd 108.00. However, two quality appearances against Reading in addition to his two strong showings in this first road trip may prove that Opening Day was the exception to the rule.
Conner Greene and Francisco Rios may be on their way to supplanting Reid-Foley at the top of the rotation following work during the first road trip. Both hurlers were solid, if not spectacular.
Rios grabbed a win against Hartford on April 14 and a loss against Trenton on April 20, throwing a combined 11 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs off 11 hits.
Greene deserved a win against Hartford on April 13, but didn’t get a decision there, or against Trenton on April 19. In the two starts, he went a combined 11 2/3 innings, striking out 12 batters while allowing four earned runs off eight hits and six walks.
Shortstop Gunnar Heidt and catcher Raffy Lopez both have three home runs apiece so far, tied for the team lead. However, neither has been able to escape a competition for the permanent starting spot at their respective positions.
Coming Up
New Hampshire will repeat their series against Hartford and Trenton respectively, only this time they’ll do so with a six-game homestand.
The Fisher Cats celebrate the birthday of their mascot Fungo on Sunday April 23. Fungo’s Birthday will include a pre-game sing-a-long with Nini Bambini and a post-game Kids Run The Bases sponsored by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission.
Before New Hampshire leaves for their second road trip of the year, the first 1,000 fans will get an Uncle Sam Hat in their Wednesday April 26 contest against Trenton. The hats come courtesy of Northeast Delta Dental.
New Hampshire native Andrew Sylvia began covering the Fisher Cats in 2010 and 2011 and has reported on a wide variety of other sports for the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Nashua Telegraph and Patch.com in addition to thousands of other non-sports articles for over two-dozen outlets throughout New England and beyond.
He also has a Australian Rules Football fantasy team and he thinks they’re finally going to win it all this year, if only because he’s an optimistic kind of guy.
