Stanton homers twice on perfect day
MLB.com's No. 3 prospect, Stanton hit a solo shot with two outs in the first inning to give the Suns an early lead. He connected for a three-run blast that capped Jacksonville's seven-run sixth.
"I just tried to relax and not do too much, nothing different than any other day," Stanton told jacksonville.com. "I just had a good day. Baseball is a game of ups and downs, and you've got to be able to overcome the downside as fast as possible. You just need to do it calmly and not press too much."
The 2007 second-round pick is tied for second in the Southern League with six homers. More impressively, he shares the top spot with 16 walks and is second with a .462 on-base percentage. A year ago, he posted a .311 OBP in 79 games with the Suns.
This spring, Stanton impressed the Marlins with his improved plate discipline.
"Last year in the spring, he was fooled by offspeed pitches. This year, he's taking pitches," veteran Wes Helms told MLB.com in March. "He's seeing the ball. And when he sees the pitch he likes, he's going at it with authority."
The power has always been there for the 6-foot-5, 235-pound California native. In 2008, his first full season, he finished second in the Minor Leagues with 39 homers. He split last year between Class A Advanced Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville, combining for 28 homers and making an appearance in the All-Star Futures Game.
Osvaldo Martinez chipped in a two-run single for the Suns (10-6), who have won six straight to climb to the top of the Southern Division.