All Eyes on Hermida

[Swift]

Swimming Upstream


All Eyes On Hermida

The 24 year old former first round pick will take a prominent role in the offense after a promising second half

Everyone knows the story of Jeremy Hermida, the golden boy who cruised through top prep league competition in Georgia, became a first round pick in 2002 and dominated the minors so markedly that he made the cover of Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook. Then, the wheels came off. Nagging injury after nagging injury, shoddy defense, piling up strikeout totals. How could this be the same player that was meant to take the major leagues by storm? 2006 was meant to be the year he won rookie of the year. Injuries would prevent him from playing in 100 games, and he would watch teammate Hanley Ramirez finish 2006 as the rookie of the year.

After supporters attributed the poor season to hip and leg injuries that would understandably hamper an athlete, and after also pointing out that Hermida historically struggled in his first exposure to a new level of competition, 2007 was meant to be the year he proved his worth.

2007 began for Hermida much the way 2006 ended, a fluke injury prevented him from even playing in a game until May 14th. And when he did come back, he struggled to hit, bottoming out by hitting .188 for the month of June and seeing his batting average dip to as low as .211.

Something clicked in July as he hit .338 for the month, raised his average to as high as .262 and he went on a roll for the rest of the year. He finished the season with a .296 average, something completely incomprehensible as late as June, and a respectable 18 home runs. In those final 3 months of the season, Hermida showed glimpses of what made him so highly regarded coming out of high school in 2002.

Having shown that he can hit for average and take a patient approach with him to the plate, the Marlins are expected to lean heavily on the young right-fielder as 2008 begins. Hermida will likely begin the season hitting 3rd in the lineup, and while no one is saying Hermida has to hit like the previous 3rd place hitter before him, Miguel Cabrera, it is plausible that the team saw enough in Hermida’s different approach at the plate that they feel he can. Much of the 2008 Marlins’ hope for mere respectability hangs on Hermida’s ability to replicate his second half success.