Marlins Drop NLDS Game 1

This wasn’t the start that we wanted in Houston. The Marlins lose 9-5 versus Atlanta to start the NLDS. The game initially thought to be a pitchers duel between aces Sandy Alcantara and Max Fried, turned into a shootout. With the Braves lineup, that is the type of game they will always win. In the process, the Fish blew an early 4-1 lead. The Braves 6-run 7th inning sealed the deal.

 

The Braves can swing it but are beatable

 

Without a doubt, the Braves have one of the most potent offenses in the league. 3 MVP candidates leadoff their order. Acuna Jr. led off the game with an absolute missile to right-center to put the Braves up 1-0. RBI doubles by Travis D’arnaud and Marcell Ozuna cut the Marlins lead to 4-3 in the 3rd. Finally, in the 7th, D’arnaud’s 3-run homer broke it open, followed by a Dansby Swanson 2-run homer to put it away. The Braves are dependent on the long ball. Keep the ball in the park, and we win. Sandy did just that (for the most part) and saw some success. Today, Pablo Lopez attempts to do the same and lead the Marlins to victory.

 

The Marlins swung it well, struggled to close the door

 

I understand the decision to put Sandy back out on the mound for the 7th. 90 pitches in, he was on a roll. However, it may have been in the Marlins best interest to hand the ball to Boxberger for the 7th, let Yimi get the 8th, and save Kintzler for the 9th. Sandy allowed 2 singles to start the inning and put Yimi Garcia in an extremely tough situation versus the meat of an extremely potent lineup. Mattingly’s decision is definitely questionable, although Sandy most likely had some say in it. Yimi Garcia finally folded and lost us a game. It happens, and he will pick it up going forward. The bats were great early, putting up 4 runs, but they stalled late, as 9 runs from the Braves were too much to overcome.

Looking at today’s game: Marlins vs Braves 

 

Pablo Lopez takes the mound for the Marlins as they try to bounce back versus their division rivals. Ian Anderson takes the ball for Atlanta. The Marlins’ backs are against the wall, but they’ve been here before. Time to defy the odds again.

 

Down 3-1: “It’s Not Like It Has Never Been Done Before”

“It’s not like it has never been done before.” That’s what Bam Adebayo had to say about being down 3-1 in the series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

If there were ever a team that can sustain a confident mindset of winning three straight games, it would definitely be this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler made sure to say that their confidence will stay high over the next few days, saying “I know we can do it.”

The reason that they know they can do it is because the issues that they’ve endured are fairly obvious. They have done a pretty good job defensively, but ultimately open shots will need to be made to beat a team like the Lakers.

It was also clear that the role players had a tough time in game four, especially since the rotation changed once again. Meyers Leonard went back to the role of getting no playing time, while Kendrick Nunn played a rough 25 minutes. When your offensive engine, in Goran Dragic, is not playing, somebody will have to step up and replicate some of the things that he usually does.

“The series is not over.” That is what Tyler Herro had to say about their current situation. Once again, there was a mutual theme between players after the game, which was that they know what they need to fix. And that ultimately falls on everybody on this roster.

Jae Crowder has mentioned many times that they need to take it game by game. And now that they’re focused on just getting a win in game five, it’ll make for an interesting Friday night.

This team led by Jimmy Butler will not just lay down after getting this far. They will battle and compete in game five since it’s just yet another testament of that Heat culture.

Jimmy Butler has thrived in these types of situations, not only in basketball but in life. He’s endured the feeling of being down 3-1 since he was 13. He has been doubted and counted out his whole entire life, and he will get to display some more of that will to win on Friday.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Tough Game Four Loss

The Miami Heat fell short in game four against the Lakers, 102-96. Miami once again displayed their toughness and grittiness, but ultimately couldn’t pull out a win. Here are my five takeaways…

#1: Miami’s defense looked strong once again.

Miami decided to switch over to play more man in the last game, and stuck with that in game four. This caused disruption against both Anthony Davis and LeBron James. For starters, Miami’s ability to throw a bunch of guys at AD, especially with Bam Adebayo back, holds much importance. Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala continue to try and play physical with Davis, which is needed when you can’t match his length. LeBron James on the other hand also had a tough time against Miami’s defense. They forced LeBron to have 5 first half turnovers, and only score 8 points. For Miami, that was a huge plus going into halftime, since they did what they had to do on that end of the floor. The shooting is actually what seemed to hurt them early.

#2: Jae Crowder’s impact was on full display, even when he isn’t scoring.

When taking a look at the impressive first halves from Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder’s impact may have been lost. But ultimately, this was a huge reason for their defensive success. He went scoreless through 17 minutes in the first half, but somehow they missed him when he went to the bench. Anthony Davis began to gain confidence offensively once he didn’t have the physical Crowder matched up with him. This was yet another representation of these role players impact, which hold much value in an NBA finals game against LeBron James and company. He also brings an element of intensity when on the floor, which is always a spark to the team, especially the young guys. Jae’s defensive performance in game four should not be overshadowed, since it played a huge part in only going into the half down by two.

#3: Bam Adebayo’s injury doesn’t seem to be an issue.

Bam Adebayo returned to play in game four of the finals, but there were question marks if he would be 100%. And well, it was clear right out of the gate that he was. He hit the floor two times in the first quarter, and continued to play through it like nothing happened. Once again proving the toughness of Bam Adebayo. He also took initiative to be offensively involved early for Miami, which was much needed. But ultimately, his true impact came by doing everything else on the floor. His defense, passing, and rebounding abilities continued to shine in game four. And more importantly, the level of comfort he brings for teammates when on the floor. Even though this team has Jimmy Butler, Bam is the engine of this Heat team.

#4: Three-point shooting woes continue for Miami.

The Miami Heat have harped on their outstanding three-point shooting all season, but these NBA finals games haven’t proved that to be true. It was discussed that Miami were in need of a bounce back shooting game in game four, but that wasn’t exactly the case. Jae Crowder and Tyler Herro had a tough night shooting the three ball, which is needed with Goran Dragic out. The problem wasn’t only that they weren’t hitting these shots, but they were missing open shots. And when you are in an NBA finals game against a team like the Lakers, you must capitalize on those open jumpers. Miami will need to clean this issue up going forward, after shooting 11 for 32 from beyond the arc.

#5: The lack of role player production hurt Miami.

Miami has been a team all year that has thrived on the production of their bench unit and role guys. But ultimately, they didn’t show up in game four, since Kendrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, and Andre Iguodala had a tough time being offensive factors. Even though I mentioned the impact of Jae Crowder throughout as well, he wasn’t able to be the scoring factor that he usually is. And without Goran Dragic, there was a need for somebody to fill the shoes offensively. Kelly Olynyk did it in game three, which was a huge reason for their win. But once again, this Heat team missed Goran Dragic in game four. There were many instances in the fourth quarter where Goran would usually step up and get a bucket in a time of need. When you don’t have that offensive engine, it’s a tough game to win.

Marlins Braves NLDS

5 Keys to Marlins and Braves NLDS Series

The Miami Marlins stand among MLB’s final eight teams. The 2-0 sweep of the Chicago Cubs caught most baseball fans by surprise. It marked only the second postseason sweep in franchise history, but the Marlins were not among those astonished by the accomplishment. The Marlins expected to win, as they do against their NL East rival the Atlanta Braves, in the NLDS.

The juggernaut that is the Atlanta lineup presents a far more formidable challenge for the Fish, but there is a pathway for this unlikely Cinderella story to continue.

Here’s a look at five keys to the Marlins and Braves NLDS Series.

Frontline Starting Pitchers Need to Come Through

The Miami Marlins starting pitchers posted a 4.31 cumulative ERA in 2020. That was good for 14th in MLB, but it included 13 different pitchers. The Braves touched up Pablo Lopez, Game 2’s starter, for nine earned runs in 12.2 innings pitched (three starts). Sixto Sanchez made two starts versus Atlanta, surrendering four earned runs over nine innings pitched.

Sandy Alcantara, who has yet to lose against the Braves in his career, takes the hill for the Marlins in Game 1. In three career starts versus Atlanta, Alcantara has a 2.41 ERA without recording a decision. Braves hitters have posted a .230/.338/.279 slash line in 71 career plate appearances versus Alcantara.

The Marlins likely need two of these three pitchers to dominate their starts versus the Braves. The other options to start on the NLDS roster include unproven rookies Dan Castano, Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers.

The pitching staff in general posted a bloated 6.64 ERA versus Atlanta this season, but a closer look at that number shows 41 of the 64 earned runs came courtesy of pitchers who were not on the Wild Card roster. Subtract those pitchers, and the staff ERA drops to a far more manageable 4.00 against the Braves.

“We have to attack the strike zone,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “We’ve got good stuff. Don’t give them anything. Make them earn it. We have to go attack these guys.”

Leverage the Bullpen

Miami’s starters will need to go deep into games to prevent exposing the weaker portions of the team’s bullpen. The Marlins used a staggering 37 different pitchers this season, including 28 different relievers. Overall, the bullpen ERA finished at 5.50, fourth worst in the league. A closer look at that number reveals it as a flawed measure.

17 of those 28 relievers pitched less than eight innings out of the ‘pen but surrendered a whopping 65 earned runs over 59.2 innings combined. Hence, the inflated bullpen ERA. If you take the Marlins top-five relievers, you’ll see a group that posted a 2.00 ERA over 85.2 innings pitched. That would be the best mark in the league by far.

Brandon KintzlerYimi GarciaBrad BoxbergerJames Hoyt and Richard Bleier sport a mix of stuff and experience and should be able to save games if given the opportunity. As a group, those five are 13 for 18 in save opportunities. As a team this season, the Marlins are 31-0 when leading after six innings, so the bullpen has come through.

Mattingly will need to leverage these top-five arms to win this series. In the Wild Card round, the bullpen posted a scoreless 6.2 innings pitched in two games, allowing just two hits.

Watch Out with the Fastball

Marlins pitchers relied heavily on the fastball in their Wild Card sweep of the Chicago Cubs. Miami threw fastballs at a 75 percent clip against the Cubs, with an average speed of 95.8 mph. Chicago hitters struggled to turn on those offerings, hitting just .157 against Marlins’ fastballs.

Against the Braves, the Marlins staff may need another approach in the NLDS. Atlanta sports the best fastball-hitting lineup in the MLB these days. Braves batters posted a .311 average against fastballs in 2020, the highest such mark since the 2015 Royals hit .312. Atlanta’s slugging percentage remained a whopping .551 against fastballs.

The Reds tried to limit fastball use in the Wild Card round, throwing just 43 percent of their pitches as heat. The Marlins staff will need to locate their off-speed and secondary pitches well, and be selective with their fastballs, because Atlanta’s lineup is stocked with five regulars who hit well over .300 against the fastball.

Getting Runs Early

The Marlins offense did nothing through six innings in both Wild Card games. Thankfully, their starting pitchers kept those games in control, allowing a stirring comeback in Game 1 and a go-ahead homer in Game 2. The offense seemed to come alive late in both games.

Against the Braves, the Marlins will need more runs early in the ballgames. Atlanta gave up 24 runs over its final three games of the regular season, losing two of them, but they were dominant in their two-game sweep of the Reds in the Wild Card round. If the Marlins can chase Atlanta’s starters early, they set themselves up for success down the line in this series. With no off days, bullpen management will be key, and the Braves don’t have a solid fourth starter in their rotation.

What’s more, the Braves bullpen was one of the best in MLB in 2020. Atlanta’s bullpen posted a 3.50 ERA, which was fourth lowest in MLB and second lowest in the NL. Miami struggled to scratch runs across the Braves bullpen during their 10 matchups this season.

The Marlins will look to repeat their last outing against Atlanta’s ace Max Fried, when they connected on two home runs in the first inning. Those were the lonely two homers surrendered by Fried in 2020. Miami hitters have had some success against Fried, with a slash line of .333/.383/.593 in 60 plate appearances.

Jesus Aguilar went 15-for-40 with two blasts and eight RBIs against Atlanta during the regular season.

Make Up for Marte’s Loss

Starling Marte suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left pinkie in Game 1 of the wild-card series and sat out Game 2. He’s on the taxi squad for the NLDS, and will not make an appearance for the Marlins in this series.

Reserve outfielders Magneuris Sierra, Monte Harrison and Lewis Brinson each have excellent speed and are strong defenders but can’t hit like Marte. And that’s a problem for a club that batted .203 in the wild-card series.

For Marte’s replacements, getting on base and putting pressure on the defense will be key. The Marlins stole 53 bases in 2020, and they’ll need to manufacture runs with the feet in this NLDS series against the Braves.

 

Tuesday, Game 1: Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.00 ERA) at Max Fried (7-0, 2.25 ERA), 2:08, FS1

Wednesday, Game 2: Pablo Lopez (6-4, 3.61 ERA) at Ian Anderson (3-2, 1.95), 2:08, MLB Network

Thursday, Game 3: Kyle Wright (2-4, 5.21 ERA) at Sixto Sanchez (3-2, 3.46 ERA), 2:08, FS1

Tyler Herro Isn’t Fazed by the Big Stage

Tyler Herro walks back to the bench after the end of the first quarter in game three, with a chirping LeBron James in his ear. He doesn’t even react to one of the best players to ever play the game, mostly since Jimmy Butler did that for him.

That wasn’t the only instance that he had people trying to get in his head. Late in the first quarter, Tyler attacked the rim on a fast-break with two guys in front of him and a trailing LeBron James. LeBron blocked his shot, and sent Tyler to the floor hard. Markieff Morris decided to stand over him and wait for him to get up, so he could let him know. Tyler Herro decided to push him out of the way to show that he wasn’t backing down.

To put that in perspective, this Lakers team is going at a 20 year old rookie, who is the youngest player to ever start in an NBA finals.

They’re not only going at him mentally, but also physically when on the floor. It seems as if they are more worried about Tyler Herro with the ball in his hands than Jimmy Butler who just scored 40 points.

And Tyler hasn’t even played to the best of his abilities in this Finals series. He is 17 for 48 from the field through the first three games, but still makes the Lakers defense uncomfortable when on the floor.

But ultimately, Tyler is being asked to play a role that he hasn’t played much of all season, on the biggest stage possible. Without Goran Dragic, he is the main ball-handler on the team. Goran was a guy that took a lot of the load off Tyler all season, which he has mentioned a lot in the past about how comfortable he is when he shares the floor with Goran.

This meant that he had to not only adjust quick, but also grow up quick. And he has done exactly that.

He has the most dynamic offensive abilities on this roster, which means he can explode at any moment. Confidence has nothing to do with it since he doesn’t lack an ounce of it, but rhythm seems to be the actual attribute. If he can get his shots to fall early on, this will take a lot of the load off of Jimmy Butler and the rest of the team.

Even when being the main focus for a team in the NBA finals, he still doesn’t shy away. He continues to get the ball at the end of games and attempt big time shots.

As Jimmy Butler said after game three, “I saw him just hoop. This isn’t a big stage for him, this is just basketball.” And well, Tyler will indeed need to go out there and just “hoop,” since that can ultimately win them another game in this series.

Game Three Heroics to Game Four Adjustments

After a huge win that the Miami Heat capitalized on in game three over the Los Angeles Lakers, you may not expect many changes. But there will be.

For starters, there may be yet another rotational change in game four, since there is a chance that Bam Adebayo could return. But what does this mean for Miami’s starting lineup?

Many would probably expect Bam to enter the lineup in the place of Meyers Leonard, but I’m not sure that’s the route Coach Erik Spoelstra will go. It has clearly been effective when using Meyers Leonard or Kelly Olynyk when Dwight Howard is in the game, which means they will probably give Meyers the first 6 minutes to take that match-up.

So if it’s not Meyers, who will Bam Adebayo start in front of if he plays?

I believe the move will be to put Tyler Herro back into a bench role. Now, he’s clearly one of their most effective scorers, but just because he’s not starting, doesn’t mean he won’t play 35+ minutes.

This means that Jimmy Butler will play the one, which matches up well with the Lakers since LeBron James has been playing the point for them. And obviously with an adjustable coach like Erik Spoelstra, he can make a switch at any time.

If Miami doesn’t decide to go this route, they will probably decide to just put Bam Adebayo back at the five as they did in game one. This means that their starting lineup will be the death lineup that I’ve talked about prior to the NBA bubble. Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, and Bam Adebayo would look to try and blow the doors off early in the first quarter, which is usually when they throw their strongest punch.

Miami also will have to keep some strategic things that they used in game three.

For one, they will need to continue to be physical with Anthony Davis and other bigs. Since their offense runs on the production of AD, it’ll be crucial to try and slow him down. This also means to continue to be energetic and emphatic on grabbing rebounds. Miami made it clear that they were going to make sure to dominate in that area, since the film showed that’s what lost them game two.

Another thing they will have to continue defensively is going away from the zone. That adjustment in game three gave them the defensive edge that they needed. The zone may have got them here in some instances, but it ultimately isn’t effective against this team, which was a huge adjustment on Erik Spoelstra’s part.

As much as the Lakers have been talking about watching film and making adjustments for game four, so is Miami. They will be physically prepared, and more importantly mentally prepared.

It is that next man up mentality, but as Jae Crowder said after game three, it is also that “next game up mentality.” Jimmy Butler and others will be ready for the challenge.

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Incredible Game Three Win

The Miami Heat pulled out an incredible win in game three against the Lakers, 115-104. This was behind the incredible performance of Jimmy Butler. Here are five takeaways…

#1: Jimmy Butler plays with fire in first half explosion.

Jimmy Butler came out in game two looking to score, but game three was even better. He had 19 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds at the half, but stats cannot explain what Jimmy was doing on the floor. Constant energy and intensity on both sides of the floor, which is contagious for his teammates. He made sure to let everybody know that if they grab rebounds, they can win. That message seemed to be fresh in everyone’s minds since there was an eagerness to be aggressive on the boards. Jimmy’s leadership was also on full display tonight as well. Not only with the ball in his hands, but also his voice after plays. He constantly would let the young guys know when they did something wrong, which is much needed at this point in the finals. Jimmy further proved that he has the ability to flip a switch, not just scoring, but doing everything on the basketball court.

#2: Early turnovers for Lakers turn into Heat offense.

Turnovers for the Lakers were the story of the first quarter, since it seemed they just could not get into a rhythm. The Lakers had 14 turnovers at the half, LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for 9 of them. Miami’s defensive plan going in was to make these guys uncomfortable, which is exactly what they did. Jimmy Butler, Jae Crowder, and Andre Iguodala were at the forefront of that, utilizing their defensive IQ. This ultimately allowed Jimmy Butler and others to get more possessions on the offensive end, which they were capitalizing on. Anthony Davis had some rough first half minutes due to Miami’s intensity, which was key for this team going into game three down 0-2.

#3: Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro early struggles, still gave Miami a 4 point halftime lead.

Not many would’ve believed that the Heat would lead by four at the half with Tyler Herro shooting 1 for 8 from the field and Duncan Robinson shooting 1 for 5 from deep. But well, it happened. Tyler Herro was going to be a key piece heading in, since he’s a guy that can replicate some things that Goran Dragic brings offensively. Duncan also had a tough time since the shots were not falling. This led to him penetrating and utilizing the other parts of his game, and when Duncan attacks, good things usually happen. These shooting struggles clearly were temporary, since both Tyler and Duncan hit a three to start the third quarter.

#4: Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard give quality minutes in the absence of Bam Adebayo.

Meyers Leonard obviously only played for some short spurts, and they were some quality minutes. 7 points going 3 for 3 from the field definitely was a boost to this team. Also he obviously brings the vocal side of things when on the floor, which makes the young guys more comfortable on the defensive end. Kelly Olynyk on the other hand didn’t have a great start to the game, but bounced back in the third quarter. His ability to be such a threat from beyond the arc was crucial for Miami tonight, especially since it forces the Lakers bigs to go out to the perimeter. This was a big reason Jimmy Butler was able to attack so well, since he thrives when he plays with a floor spacer like Kelly.

#5: The Miami Heat’s statement game fully displayed Heat culture.

This is the ultimate takeaway: A statement game. That’s exactly what this Jimmy Butler led team did in game three. When everyone doubted, this team didn’t lack an ounce of confidence. That’s because of two words: Heat culture. This was the ultimate representation of this. A coaching adjustment when two of your starters get injured, your star player showing he can flip the switch, and the role players stepping up to play their new roles. If that doesn’t prove Heat culture, I don’t know what does. This game three win means more than both of the Lakers wins. Now, the momentum has completely shifted. And Bam Adebayo could possibly return in game four. As Jimmy Butler said during the game, “They are in trouble.”

3 Keys for the Miami Heat to Win Game Three

The Miami Heat are currently down 0-2 in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. There has been a lot of adjustments that have been made in the rotation, due to the absence of Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo. Although Bam is doubtful to play in game three, there is still a chance for him to play since he went to shoot-around this morning. Either way, here are some keys for game three…

#1: Miami must capitalize on their strength, which is three-point shooting.

This one seems fairly obvious, but since they haven’t shot the ball well from deep in the first two games of the series, it’s even more important now. If Miami wants to win in game three, they have to continue to shoot the ball without hesitation. Even if the shooting becomes problematic again, they must continue to get shots up since there’s no need to get away from their game. Obviously missing Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo has hurt it a bit, since Bam’s ability to work dribble hand-offs with his elite screen setting is very essential. Goran also helps shooters get going, since his ability to attack opens up the game for others. But either way, there’s no excuses to not shoot the ball well. They have more than enough guys who are capable of getting hot, and if they go cold once again, it’ll be a hard game to win.

#2: Although Miami can’t match the Lakers length, they must bring physicality.

As mentioned, Miami clearly can’t compete with the Lakers plethora of bigs, especially Anthony Davis. But what they can do is bring physicality to make Anthony Davis and others uncomfortable. This needs to happen if Bam Adebayo is playing or not. A perfect example is the first half of game one. Although they weren’t completely stopping those guys, they were making them work. If you don’t put a body on a roaming Anthony Davis when playing zone defense, it’ll be a long game for Miami. Also, I’d say that Miami will go to man a little bit more in game three, so they can throw a bunch of different guys at AD, much like they did against Giannis. Obviously you can’t do it to the same extent, since LeBron James is on the floor as well, but the Lakers run on the production of Anthony Davis. If Miami can make him uncomfortable, it’ll give them a shot to win this game.

#3: Miami will need to have one scorer stand out from the rest.

The scoring column in game two was pretty even throughout for Miami, but without Goran and Bam that can’t be the case. They will need to have one guy stand out offensively to put a stamp on game three. This is something that Miami hasn’t done much of, since they rely so heavily on their role players, but that may need to change tonight. There’s still many guys capable of doing so, including Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, or maybe a big game for Duncan Robinson or Kendrick Nunn. If somebody can play the role that Goran has played throughout this playoff run, it’ll open up the game for others. Jimmy Butler tried to do that in game two, but ultimately I feel Tyler Herro will step up in game three.

UFC Fight Island 4 Overdelivers: Fighter Grades

UFC Fight Island 4 underpromised and over-delivered. Imagine you go in to ask your boss for a raise and not only does he give you a raise but he also gives you a promotion. Yeah, that was what this fight card was like. Fresh blood was spattered all over this card with many UFC fighters still in the rookie stages of their career. Some bled well, while others not so much. Who delivered a perfect performance and who failed to deliver? Find out below:

 

Main Event: #2 Holly Holmes vs #6 Irene Aldana

 

Holly Holmes: A+

Review: Holly Holmes came out and executed her game plan perfectly. With Aldana’s strength being her boxing, Holly circled out of the way and used the teep kicks and side kicks to the body to push her back out of range. This gameplan allowed her to stay on the feet and dictate range only allowing exchanges when she wanted. On top of that, she was able to take her down each round and in this position Aldana looked helpless. It was a perfect fight for her winning all 5 rounds. Congratulation Holly Holmes.

 

Irene Aldana: D

Review: Aldana showed her lack of experience in this fight heavily. The inability to cut Holly off in the ring as she circled and to adjust to the sidekicks exposed her weakness of being able to adapt mid-fight. Irene is a great competitor and potentially a future title challenger but tonight just wasn’t her night. She was inches away from being TKOd as the 5th round ended. She had the best takedown defense coming in but Holly exposed this part of her game being able to take her down 5 times. Aldana has time to grow and come back from tonight’s lackluster performance.

 

Co-Main Event: Yorgan De Castro vs Carlos Felipe

 

Carlos Felipe: B-

Review: For someone who said they love watching the Diaz brothers fight, Carlos definitely showed flashes of their gamesmanship in the fight. Whether it was taunting or open hand slapping his opponent, he paid his dues. This was a good, but not great win for Carlos. He definitely showed an edge in hand speed and aggression but his technical skills weren’t polished as yet. At just 26 he has lots of room to grow and sharpen his tools.

 

Yorgan de Castro: D

Review: I was thinking of giving him a higher grade since he did win the first round but after him doing absolutely nothing in the third, I decided he didn’t deserve it. Yorgan has not looked good in his last two fights. He seems to burn out his gas tank by midway of the fight. At this point, he does an offensive line move and just pushes you up to the fence to get a break. With another loss, he might be on the chopping block. If he is able to increase his cardio or lose some fat he should be able to increase his chance at longevity. 

 

Main Card Fight 3: #1Germaine de Randamie vs #4 Julianna Pena

 

Germaine de Randamie: A-

Review: It seems like the only person that Germaine de Ranamie doesn’t look good against is current champion, Amanda Nunes. She seems to wipe everyone else. This fight was no different. She came out and in round 1 used her striking to perfection. Round 2 is why that “A” has a “-”. She was able to be taken down and did take some good ground and pound until she was able to get up. In the third round, Pena was the aggressor but this is where preparation meets opportunity. Pena gives her neck up and De Randamie ends it all for her. 

 

Julianna Pena: C

Review: Julianna Pena came out and it was clear that her stand up game wasn’t on the level of Germaine. She was able to land shots but they were few and far between. In the second round she was able to impose her will. She was able to take de Randamie and down and start to control the fight in her realm. Unfortunately for her, she was unable to dominate top position. GDR was able to reverse the position and almost secure a von flue choke. In the 3rd round Pena gave up top position into a guillotine that put her to sleep. If Julianna is able to increase her striking, she would be much more competitive as a fighter. Right now she’s too one dimensional but if she’s able to improve her stand up game, she would be a much more competitive fighter and certainly one more worthy of a title shot at that point. 

 

Kyler Phillips vs Cameron Else 

 

Kyler Philips: A

Review: This kid continues to deliver. At only 25 years old he goes out there and stops an opponent who was riding a 6 fight win streak. He showed an edge on the stand up game and once he was able to get the fight to the ground he showed dominant there too. Early in the second round he gets the early takedown, takes his opponents back and reigns down elbows for the TKO win. Keep your eye out for this kid, 

 

Cameron Else: C-

Review: It’s always hard making your UFC Debut on only 9 days notice. For Cameron Else this fight really showed his lack of preparation. He came out like a deer in headlights and seemed to struggle to find his range. Unfortunately for him he was not prepared for the ground game and struggled to work position. He also seemed to have a lack of cardio. For Else making your UFC Debut on this note isn’t the best impression but hopefully with some more time to prepare he will come back stronger.

 

Dequan Townsend vs Duško Todorović

 

Duško Todorović: A

Review: Dusko really looked good in this fight. Honestly it should’ve been over in the first round but Dequan took the most knockout shots that I’ve seen and still stayed up. Dusko showed his ability to utilize his full arsenal of skills wether it be stand up or on the ground. When he took the fight down, he completely outmatched and was able to deliver the ground and pound TKO. Now at 10-0 it’s time to make some noise

 

Dequan Townsend: C-

Review: Dequan came in having good knockout power and lots of experience under his belt. He was able to use it in some ways to keep the fight competitive initially but unfortunately when he was on his back, the power from Dusko was too much. For Townsend he has now lost his 4th straight and might’ve lost his spot in the UFC. Hopefully he get some wins outside and come back more polished. 

 

Prelims

Carlos Condit vs Court McGee


Carlos Condit: B+ 

Review: The former Interim UFC Welterweight champion came out and really turned a new page in his career. After losing 8 of his last 10, he seemed to have a performance where he put all his experience to good use. Winning by decision showing good striking and footwork showed his growth as a fighter this late in his career. Good dub

 

Court McGee: D+ 

Review: Court showed good heart in this fight. He came in and would land some strikes but not at the volume that Condit did. He didn’t dictate pace and took a knockdown at the end of the 1st that if there was 10 more seconds he wouldve been TKO’d. Definitely showed heart making it to the end but definitely left more to show. 

 

Charles Jourdain vs Joshua Culibao

 

Charles Jourdain: B 

Review: He seemed to have won the fight but this is a tough draw for him. He did win the first two rounds but it was interesting to see them give a 10-8 to Culibao in the 3rd

 

Joshua Culibao: B-

 

Review: He was able to make a comeback in the 3rd round and did impose his will. Showed good heart after clearly losing the first two to come back and get himself a draw. In the words of “The Hybrid” Niko Price, “Its not a loss!!”

 

Jordan Williams vs Nassourdine Imavov

 

Jordan Williams: C+

Review: You can say what  you want about the kid but he refused to go down. Showed incredible heart and durability

 

Nassourdine Imavov: A-

Review: Nassourdine was able to outlast the early flurry from Williams and delivered some nasty shots that should’ve knocked him out. Great fight from him. 

 

Loma Lookboonme vs Jinh Yu Frey

 

Loma Lookboonme: A+

Review: Loma was absolutely dominant in this fight. Her Muy Thai clinch with her knees and elbows just rocked Frey and it wasn’t even close.

 

Jinh Yu Frey: F

Review: Just did not look good. Got outstruck 3-1 and didn’t dictate pace at all. 

 

Casey Kenney vs Heili Alateng

 

Casey Kenney: A+ 

Review: Kenney is a rising star in this sport. His body kicks were nasty and delivered a masterful performance 

 

Heili Alateng: C-

Review: Props to him for lasting that long with all the nasty body kicks he was taking. He showed an ability to take a shot and was able to keep the fight competitive. 

 

Luigi Vendramini vs Jessin Ayari

 

Luigi Vendramini: A+ 

Review: Wow! What a finish by Vendramini. He was able to get Ayari backing up and then delivered a beautiful head kick that put him down. 

 

Jessin Ayari: F- 

Review: He was unable to get anything going and getting KO’d in the first round shows that you got some growing to do before you can hang with the big leagues. 

 

Marlins vs Braves NLDS Preview

The Marlins square off versus Atlanta in the NLDS. This is the matchup no Marlins fan wanted to see because of the 29-9 loss that the Marlins suffered last month at the hands of the potent Atlanta lineup. We are quick to forget that the season series was only 6-4 in the Braves favor. There is no sense of fear in the clubhouse as they have adapted the “bottom feeders” mentality fully and convincingly. The Braves have a clear tangible edge over the Marlins, but this Marlins team has a chance, and they know it.

 

Here are 5 things that need to happen for this Marlins run to continue into the NLCS:

 

Pitcher’s duels, not home run derbies

 

I think this goes without saying, but we can and will not be able to out-hit the Braves. Atlanta has 3 perennial MVP candidates at the top of their lineup. Yes, 3. Ronald Acuna Jr, Freddie Freeman, and Marcell Ozuna are the most intimidating 1,2,3 punch in the entire league let alone the NL. The Marlins will look to do what they did in Chicago. Rinse and repeat. We will see Sandy, Sixto, Pablo, and probably Trevor Rogers. If the Marlins pitching can perform as they did in Chicago, then the possibilities are endless. Even though Atlanta swept the Reds, their bats aren’t exactly hot. They only put up 2 runs through the first 20 innings of the Wild Card Series before they broke it open late against Raisel Iglesias. The Marlins bullpen was lights out in the Wild Card series, allowing 0 runs in their body of work. If this translates along with stellar outings from the starters, this series can be stolen.

 

Starling Marte plays for Marlins

 

If the Marlins are to win, it will have to be parallel to what they did in Chicago. Great pitching and timely veteran hitting. With Starling Marte in the lineup (our best hitter/veteran) the chances that we pick up one of those important timely hits increase exponentially. Marte has been a great veteran voice even if his statistics don’t show that in a Marlin uniform. Hitting just .245, Marte has struggled to an extent at the plate. He has, however, come through in extremely clutch moments to help propel the marlins to where they are now. Marte on the field means positive things. We can win without him, but at the end of the day, we want our guy out there patrolling center, stealing bases, and clutching up when it matters the most.

 

Small ball

 

Even though the Marlins swept the Cubs, there were a lot of missed opportunities for the Fish. They failed to move runners over after getting them on early, and as a result, relied on the home run ball to bail them out. This cannot be the case in Atlanta. The Marlins were 2nd in the league in stolen bases, and they need to utilize this aspect of their game to its fullest extent if they are to steal 3 against Atlanta. Get runners on, steal bases, move the runner over, get him in. It’s a simple method that the Marlins struggled to apply at certain points this year. They get guys on consistently and steal bases consistently but struggle with the latter steps mentioned. By controlling games with their speed, the Marlins can maintain tempo and put pressure on the Braves to respond.

Sandy needs to be the ace

 

Sandy Alcantara has set the tone recently with his amazing starts to clinch a playoff spot in New York and in game 1 against the Cubs. He allowed only 3 runs in 13+ innings of work against two potent lineups (the Yankees more than the Cubs but still). If he can do this again, he will set the tone for Sixto, Pablo, and even Trevor. Sandy needs to go out and dominate like the ace that he is. Another 7 innings of the 1-run ball would do the trick. It is all about showing the Braves we are no joke. We are not losing 29-9 again. We are not into losing, period. Unlike the Braves, we don’t lose in the playoffs. Sandy can set the tone to keep this fact true.

 

Keep the Marlins mentality

 

Even if the Marlins go down 2-0 to the Braves (or at any point for that matter), they need to play the same way. They are “bottom feeders” and they need to continue to embrace it. It allows them to play with no pressure and just play a kids’ game. It allows the veterans to stay engaged, it shows the young guys the culture they are invested in. This team has beat all the odds to get here, what’s to say they don’t beat them again. They are playing with house money.

 

The Marlins have defied reality to find themselves here with a chance to compete for an NLCS berth, and there is nothing that is stopping them. They have no pressure. They are bottom feeders, and they will continue to play like it.