Prior to the 2016 season, Brad Miller had been viewed as something of a tweener – an average defensive shortstop at best whose offensive potential never quite translated into consistent production at the MLB level. The Seattle Mariners finally grew tired of Miller’s inconsistency and lack of improvement and traded him away in a six player deal to the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason. For the first few months of the season, Miller looked like the same player that he was during the majority of his stint in Seattle, producing a .241/.288/.459 batting line with 35 runs, 14 homers, 32 RBI, and 4 steals in the first half (312 plate appearances). Since the All-Star Break, Miller has looked like a completely different player, producing a .305/.385/.656 line with 24 runs, 11 homers, 30 RBI, and 2 steals in just 148 plate appearances. So what in the world is going on here? Has Miller finally reached his offensive potential or has it merely been a strong month and a half for him?
Let’s take a look at Miller’s profile to determine if his recent surge is just a blip in the radar or a sign of things to come. Here are a few thoughts and observations:
Please, blog, may I have some more?
