Bradenton takes a 25-34 record into today's doubleheader in Daytona before heading home Saturday to start a three-game series with Jupiter. St. Lucie (46-14) has already locked up the South Division title for the first half, so the Marauders have nothing more to do than play out the first half strong.
Counting tonight's doubleheader, the Marauders have 11 first-half games remaining. Following this weekend's series against the Hammerheads, the Marauders head to Fort Myers for three before taking three days off for the All-Star break.
There is one more first-half series after the break - three home games against St. Lucie - before the Marauders open the second half at home June 21 against Charlotte.
Of course, this isn't new ground for Bradenton - the Marauders have won the South Division's second half the past two seasons, taking advantage of minor-league baseball's two-seasons-in-one quirk.
The question is who will be on Bradenton's roster when the second half begins. The buzz around spring training was that pitcher Gerrit Cole (4-1, 2.53 ERA in 11 starts) would be in Bradenton until the weather warmed in Altoona, home to the Pirates' Double-A team.
Cole, the first overall pick of last year's draft who turns 22 in September, is headed to the FSL All-Star Game. The team's other All-Star pick, pitcher Jameson Taillon, may stick around Bradenton a little longer.
Unlike Cole, who pitched three seasons with UCLA before signing a pro contract, Taillon (3-5, 3.57) was drafted out of high school. He won't turn 21 until November, and the Pirates may bring him along slower than Cole.
This, of course, is all speculation. Time will tell who will be a Marauder once the second half and whether the team can make another late surge to the playoffs.
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