Marlins sweep Mets

Marlins Sweep Doubleheader versus Mets

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On Tuesday, the Marlins upped their record in double-headers to 6-1 by winning both games against the New York Mets. These two seven-inning contests were decided off of the Marlins’ stellar pitching in combination with timely hitting. The Marlins won game one 4-0 and game two 3-0. This Marlins sweep of the Mets moved the Fish to 14-11, now only 0.5 games out of first place.

Daniel Castano led the charge in game 1, throwing 4 ⅔ shutout innings on 6 hits and 3 walks. Bleier picked up the win out of the pen, whereas Boxberger and Kintzler sealed the deal in the 6th and 7th innings respectively. The pitching continues to look strong after the rest day at home before this road trip started.

Miguel Rojas picked up where he left off, smashing an early two-run single that turned out to be all the Marlins would need. Brian Anderson recorded his first two doubles of the year. This points to a bigger Marlins trend of reliance on pitching.

Looking past the anomalies of their 11-8 win against Washington and their 14-11 win against Toronto, the Marlins have struggled to win games when their pitching isn’t lights out. This team has struggled to consistently put 5 or more runs on the board, and on nights when the pitching runs out of steam, there is cause for concern.

Trevor Rogers made his MLB debut in game 2 of the double-header, he pitched 4 shutout innings, allowing only 1 hit and 5 walks. Josh A. Smith and Nick Vincent closed the door with 3 shutout innings out of the bullpen to cap off 14 innings of shutout baseball. Brain Anderson’s 2-RBI double gave them the lead, and Jon Berti’s stealing home sealed the deal.

Another set of games decided heavily on whether the Marlins bullpen is on or off. For both games, they pulled through, but it is evident that as more time without rest passes for the bullpen, the Marlins could be susceptible to another skid similar to the 5-game one they ended in D.C. The Marlins next day off is September 3rd.

Looking ahead, the Marlins bring Elieser Hernandez (1-0, 2.29 ERA) to the mound tomorrow in game 3 of the 4 game series versus Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.93 ERA). The Marlins struggled versus deGrom earlier in the season and have heavily struggled against him throughout his entire career.

Trevor Rogers

Meet the Marlins: Trevor Rogers

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The Miami Marlins roster shuffle continued throughout the weekend as the team made a number of moves. Miami has made 89 roster moves since the season began on July 24. The Marlins currently have 22 players on the Injured List (including 17 pitchers) and only have 11 players who have spent the entire season on the active roster. The latest move, though, is the additional of left-handed pitching prospect Trevor Rogers to the active roster.

Before Monday’s series finally against the Washington Nationals, a game the Marlins won 11-8, the team made several moves. Miami designated RHP Sterling Sharp for assignment, reinstated INF Eddy Alvarez from Paternity List and optioned him to the Alternate Training Site in Jupiter. LHP Brandon Leibrandt was also optioned to Jupiter. LHP Stephen Tarpley was placed on the 10-day IL (retro to 8/22) with right oblique strain, and the club recalled INF Lewin Díaz, RHP Jorge Guzman and RHP Jesús Tinoco from the ATS.

MLB altered Miami’s schedule in the wake of last week’s postponed with the New York Mets. The league scheduled a doubleheader for the Marlins and Mets Tuesday. This means the Marlins are now scheduled to play seven doubleheaders in this abbreviated season, including four over a 10-day stretch from 9/11-20. The Marlins have never played more than four doubleheaders in a single season (2011) and played a total of seven doubleheaders combined over the previous six seasons (2014-19).

One of the new rules this season allows for an expanded roster during doubleheaders, and LHP Josh D. Smith will serve in that role. Trevor Rogers will be added to the roster between games and will start Game 2.

Meet the Marlins: Trevor Rogers

Originally a 2017 first round pick by Miami, Trevor Rogers stands as the No. 9 overall prospect in the Marlins system according to MLBPipeline. Rogers’ spot on the 40-man roster came about when the team designated Sharp.

At 6-foot-6, Rogers is a lean lefty on the hill. He’s worked to add strength and velocity over the last few seasons. His fastball clocks in from 90-93 mph and tops out at 96 mph. His length aids him in that the delivery gets the ball on the hitters quickly. He has a changeup and slider in his arsenal as well, and has tried developing a cutter and slurve.

Rogers made five starts for Double-A Jacksonville in 2019. He went 1-2 and posted a 4.50 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. Over his 136.1 IP in all of 2019, between Double-A and High-A Jupiter, Rogers posted a 2.90 ERA and 150 strikeouts with only 33 walks.

Rogers is the cousin of former Marlins outfielder Cody Ross. He’s arriving at the Major League level a full year ahead of his expected promotion. While Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sixto Sanchez will be a fixture in the rotation moving forward, that’s unlikely for Rogers.

Marlins Nationals

5 Takeaways from Marlins Series Win over Nationals

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The Miami Marlins entered their five-game, four-day wrap around series versus the Washington Nationals having lost five straight. The Marlins arrived in D.C. struggling at the plate, particularly with runners-in-scoring-position. While starting pitching had been the team’s strength thus far, there were a few hiccups with that, too.

However, the Marlins ended their five-game skid and took the series versus the Nationals 3-2. The series win marked Miami’s first in D.C. since 2018, and the team’s first five-game series win since 2004.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins series win over the Nationals.

Offense Finally Opening Up

After huge struggles with runners-in-scoring-position during the losing streak, the Marlins offense broke out during this series. On Monday, the team batted around in the fourth inning, seeing eight baserunners and getting six hits.

An inning after leaving the bases loaded (something the team has struggled with this season), the Marlins plated six runs, including four with two outs. Nine of the team’s 11 runs on Monday came with two outs.

All told, the Marlins offense posted 5.2 runs-per-game during the series played in D.C. That’s after managing just 2.2 runs-per-game during the losing skid. With runners-in-scoring-position, Miami went 12-for-37 (.324), versus just 7-for-38 (.184) during the losing streak. Those five extra hits made the difference between winning the series and continuing the slide.

Returns of Alfaro and Rojas Are Key

Its well-trodden territory talking about the COVID-19 outbreak for the Marlins, but versus the Nationals, Miami finally saw some important returns.

Miguel Rojas signaled his return in a loud way. The unofficial captain of the team, who’d been live tweeting games while in quarantine and rehab, connected on a 3-run home run in his first at-bat back. He turned on a 2-0 offering from Patrick Corbin and immediately injected life into the lineup. In the series, Rojas went 3-for-13, with four RBI, three walks and three runs scored.

Jorge Alfaro, meanwhile, made his season debut during this series. Lost prior to Opening Day to COVID-19, Alfaro started as DH on Friday, then took over catching duties once Francisco Cervelli was lost to a concussion. Alfaro’s arrival couldn’t have come at a better time.

Alfaro singled in his first at-bat. He turned on the first pitch he saw and punched it into left field, later scoring on Rojas’s homer. Alfaro also went 3-for-13 in the series and registered his first RBI of the season yesterday.

Big Time Debuts in Marlins and Nationals Series

The Marlins have had 14 players make their MLB debut this season: INF Eddy Alvarez, LHP Daniel Castano, INF Lewin Díaz, RHP Jorge Guzman, OF Monte Harrison, RHP Jordan Holloway, LHP Brandon Leibrandt, RHP Humberto Mejía, C Brian Navaretto, RHP Nick Neidert, OF Jesus Sanchez, RHP Sixto Sanchez, RHP Sterling Sharp and LHP Alex Vesia.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 14 debuts matches St Louis for most in the Majors this season. Entering 2020, no team in MLB history had as many debuts over a team’s first 25 games. Elias also notes that the 14 MLB debuts matches the second-most for a single-season in Franchise history (14 in 1998 and 16 in 2010). More debuts are to come.

Sixto Sanchez’s debut came with particular fanfare and the team’s top prospect did not disappoint. Sanchez earned the win in his debut in the nightcap of the doubleheader over the weekend. He threw five innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs and two homers. He posted four strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Sanchez will be a fixture in the rotation moving forward.

“He’s gonna pitch every fifth day,” Mattingly said yesterday. “Right now, he’s in this rotation and we don’t plan on him going anywhere.”

Jesus Sanchez also made his much-awaited Marlins debut versus the Nationals. Although Sanchez has yet to break out (1-for-15), he’s demonstrating good patience at the plate. He sees 4.2 pitches-per-plate-appearance and has drawn four walks. He’s only struck out five times thus far, 26 percent of his plate appearances. Harrison, who Sanchez replaced in the lineup, has a strikeout rate of 54 percent.

Bullpen Needs Reinforcements

While the lineup has started to see players return, the bullpen remains threadbare. The Marlins bullpen has the 10th-worst ERA in MLB (5.09) and a negative-1.1 WAR (29th). Since the team’s restart after the outbreak, the bullpen’s ERA is 5.13 (8th-highest).

The biggest problem for the bullpen has been walks. Since August 4th, Miami’s bullpen issues walks at a rate of 4.5 BB/9. They’ve also allowed 1.67 HR/9, 19 in total this season. Justin Shafer has allowed the most runs out of the ‘pen (8), with Stephen Tarpley and Sharp trailing right behind (7).

Brandon Kintzler, though, has been solid as the closer, converting all six of his save opportunities.

With the starters pitching well, it’s important that the bullpen maintain leads moving forward. Kintzler has stabilized the back end, but the bridges from starter to closer need to be sturdier. Nick Vincent, Brad Boxberger and James Hoyt have all had a measure of success, and that will need to continue, especially with Tarpley landing on the IL.

The Marlins expect Yimi Garcia, Ryne Stanek, Vesia and others back soon.

Roster Shuffle Continues

With those bullpen arms waiting in the wings, many of those players lost to the IL due to COVID are near their return. Sandy Alcantara nearly made the trip to Washington, and Jose Urena and Caleb Smith are both readying themselves as well.

The Marlins designated Sharp for assignment after the young reliever’s recent troubles. His Rule-5 designation means he’ll be returned to the Nationals. Richard Bleier returned from the IL, but several other relievers remain unavailable.

Miami elected to recall Lewin Diaz for this week’s series versus the New York Mets, as well as relievers Guzman and Jesús Tinoco. The team reinstated Alvarez from Paternity List and optioned him to the Alternate Training Site in Jupiter. Leibrandt was also optioned after a successful MLB debut.

These moves have been made to prepare the Marlins for a key series versus the Mets. With four games in three days, the Marlins are looking to maintain their hold on a playoff spot while they await the return of the other players on the IL.

Who is the Miami Heat’s True Key Piece for their Second Round Match-up?

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The Miami Heat are moving on to the second round, which will most likely be against the first seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Milwaukee has struggled with Miami all season, for a multitude of reasons. But who will need to step up to beat this Bucks team 4 out of 7 times?

Many think the reason Milwaukee struggles with Miami is that the Heat have so many bodies to throw at Giannis, which consequently led to some of Giannis’ worst games of the season. Jae Crowder will most likely get the first shot at Giannis early on the defensive side. Although Bam Adebayo has proved to be Giannis’ kryptonite, there is no need to risk getting Bam in foul trouble early, which has been a problem during some games in the bubble.

This means that Bam will most likely guard Giannis in the fourth quarters throughout the series. And Miami still has guys like Andre Iguodala and Derrick Jones Jr to try and stop Giannis. But is Derrick Jones Jr’s offensive package good enough to play extended minutes against the Bucks?

Since Milwaukee’s defense revolves around a drop scheme which allows a bunch of threes, it favors Miami. But with DJJ’s inability to stretch the floor, this may mean that Kendrick Nunn replaces him in the 9 man rotation in this series. Kendrick Nunn clearly isn’t the most efficient three point shooter, but he definitely is a threat.

This leads right into Miami’s true key pieces for the series. Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Kelly Olynyk can all play major roles in this series with their ability to stretch the floor, but the true X-factor is Miami’s second year man Duncan Robinson.

A hand in his face can’t even slow him down at times, which is why teams have continued to try and blanket Duncan and let other players on this Heat team beat them. This is something the Bucks won’t do. They will continue to use their defensive sets, which will mean even more Duncan and Bam dribble hand offs. Duncan went 11-21 from beyond the arc in their three regular season games this year against Milwaukee. And since they pack the paint, it will limit Bam’s offensive numbers some. But since he does so many other things well, this won’t hurt their offense one bit.

Although it’s evident that Duncan is pretty much the x-factor in every game they play, since their offense basically revolves around him, it’s even more true in this series. If the Bucks continue to allow this to happen in this series, Miami will make them pay, which makes this series so interesting.

Tua impresses as second week of Dolphins training camp begins

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Rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa impresses with three touchdown passes to start the second week of Miami Dolphins training camp. As you would expect, the first week of NFL training camp has been a bit of a roller coaster ride, especially for the younger players. And although every player is sure to have it’s up and down moments, none gets more attention than those playing the most critical position on the roster–the quarterbacks.

After the first week of practice, we heard various reports on the 2020 5th-overall pick.

 

Towards the end of last week, a majority of the fanbase took an all-too-familiar stance. The Sky Is Falling.

Sure, it was only the 4th-padded practice.

And who cares about the horrific injury Tua suffered eight months ago.

Fans wanted results. They wanted to hear the same rave reviews that Joe Burrow was getting in Cincinnati.

Hell, some went as far as to question whether or not Tua was a unique talent.

With a weekend to regroup and a Sunday walk-through to help give the younger guys a sense of what’s to come in the next few weeks, Dolphins fans got exactly what they had hoped.

According to every beat writer in attendance for today’s practice, rookie QB had the best practice of his young NFL career.

 

Tua starting to turn heads

One play that has received the most attention from Monday’s practice is a 69-yard (nice) touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to Malcolm Perry. Here’s a look at the play, which shows off Tagovailoa’s accuracy and showcases Perry’s abilities as a pass-catcher. Perfect throw and catch. https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1297975843789168642?s=20

All other reports suggest that Mack Hollins was the recipient of not one, but TUA Tagovailoa touchdown passes. Which may spell the beginning of the end of the ridiculous ‘tUa Is oNlY goOd bEcAuSe oF hIs FiRSt RoUnD aLaBAmA wIdE ReCiEvErs” narrative.

Nevertheless, today is precisely what you want to hear about the rookie QB. The same QB that many of us have already concluded as the savior. But for Ryan Fitzpatrick–one of Tua’s most knowledgeable advisors, sometimes it’s just about getting better day in and day out. Here’s what Miami’s veteran signal-caller had to say about the promising young rookie.

“Yeah, he’s doing a great job and I know it’s your guys’ job to look at and evaluate every single day and every throw; but it’s something for us as quarterbacks and for me, I just like to see progress and sometimes it’s not necessarily a completion, but it’s the thought process and making sure the ball is going to the right spot at the right time. Sometimes there’s not going to be – some things are not going to look pretty, but it’s the right decision and that’s, for me, a step in the right direction.

#InTuaWeTrust

I know it’s easier said than done, but fans need to be extra patient with Tagovailoa. He is eight months removed from a devastating injury, and he’s going to take time to get acclimated to the NFL game. 2020 will be a season, unlike anything we’ve ever witnessed. So, let Ryan Fitzpatrick start week 1 vs New England.

Because soon enough, Tua Tagovailoa will be the Miami Dolphins starting QB. And there won’t be any turning back from there.

Marlins finally get on track offensively vs. Nationals

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It had been a week and 2 days (9 games) since the Marlins could muster more than 5 runs in a game.

Monday in Washington D.C., the Marlins ended their hitting woes in an 11-8 victory vs. the Nationals and built important momentum heading into a 4-game series with the New York Mets.

With Sandy Alcántara, Caleb Smith, and José Ureña still on the IL, Pablo López has stepped up. Tonight was no different. López pitched 5 strong innings, while giving up 3 runs (0 earned) and lowering his ERA to a measly 1.98. Pablo has been a surprising ace for this surprising Marlins squad. It will be exciting to see if he can keep up this pace throughout this short season.

The number: 17 HITS (and 6 walks)! This number is the highest we have seen by 3 hits, topping the Marlins’ 14-11 victory against Toronto earlier in the season. The stream of hits were led by the combined 8 hits of Jon Berti, Jesus Aguilar, and Corey Dickerson. The only member of the starting lineup to not cash in on the hitting frenzy was Jesus Sánchez, although he continues to look more and more comfortable at the plate. 8 of the Marlins 11 runs came with two outs.

Next: The Fish (12-11) head to New York for a 4-game set with the Mets (12-14). Neither the Marlins nor the Mets have announced starters for either game in Tuesday’s doubleheader.

5 Post-Game Comments from Spoelstra, Butler, Adebayo

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The Miami Heat completed the sweep over the Indiana Pacers tonight, which gives Miami a couple extra days of rest. Erik Spoelstra spoke on Tyler Herro’s play and Bam Adebayo mentioned how long he has to enjoy this win. Here’s what was said…

Post-Game Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked a little about the injury of Jimmy Butler. He said once again that it’s just soft tissue in his right shoulder. He than says, “What he needs more than anything is just rest.” Well, that’s exactly what Jimmy Butler will get since they will have a few days of rest before the start of the second round. Erik Spoelstra also mentioned that Jimmy Butler’s low free throw attempts may have had something to do with Jimmy being precautionary of his injury. He said that he was not trying to attack people as much today. Either way, Jimmy Butler will hopefully be back to 100% by game 1 of the second round, which will most likely be against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Bam Adebayo was asked about enjoying this round one win over Indiana, and responded with a very Bam like answer. He said, “I got until midnight to enjoy this. And then it’s back to business in the morning.” He clearly has the Miami Heat winning mentality, especially due to his play tonight that included 14 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists. Spoelstra mentioned his tough play this series, which he continually reiterated the impact of Bam. He also said, “I don’t care what the stat sheet says.” But tonight, it was clear that Bam filled up the stat sheet to his liking, which translated to a big Heat win.

Post-Practice Comment #3

Bam Adebayo touched on Kendrick Nunn’s return tonight. He said, “Don’t tell him I said anything but I’m proud of him, staying ready.” Bam also talked about trying to keep him in good spirits, since he was in the same situation a few years ago. Bam also reiterates, “I’m truly proud of that kid, to stay locked in, didn’t get discouraged from the situation.” For starters, it’s a little odd for Bam to be calling Kendrick a “kid” when Bam is younger. But when you play a mentoring role in someone’s career, it must feel that way. Although Bam is so young, he’s a star on this team, which means he is a major voice for guys to look for in any situation.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Erik Spoelstra spoke about some of the big play Tyler made down the stretch, including some huge offensive rebounds. He began saying that it clearly isn’t his job to grab those rebounds, but he has such a feel for the ball. He followed that saying, “He’s a serious weapon.” This was evident tonight since he has the confidence to make big plays in big games. It’s not very common for a 20 year old rookie to be in the closing lineup in his first playoff series, but with Tyler it’s different. He is truly a trusted piece for this team, that will continue to be looked to in tight games.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Jimmy Butler spoke on the team’s happiness for other people’s success. He said, “We love when other guys are successful.” This was on display in the second quarter when Kendrick Nunn hit a three pointer as soon as he entered the game. The bench absolutely loved it on the sideline, which was what Jimmy was referring to. He also said, “You should have fun. You should enjoy the game. And you can see that in how we play.” This team has the ability to flip a switch in certain circumstances. They can have fun and be excited on big plays, but they also know how to get down to business and be physical. This is why this team is so dangerous.

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Series Ending Win Over Pacers

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The Miami Heat have officially completed the sweep over the Indiana Pacers with a game 4 win, 99-87. This was a pretty spread out game for Miami’s offense, while Miami’s leading scorer was Goran Dragic with 23 points. Here are some takeaways from this game 4 win…

#1: Kendrick Nunn makes impressive return.

Kenrick Nunn got his name called in the second quarter of today’s game, and he delivered. He hit a corner three on only his second offensive possession, which he showed both a smile and a bit of relief after his recent struggles. Jimmy Butler’s early injury lead to some early minutes for Nunn. This is extremely important heading into a match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks, since Miami will need some offensive talent on the floor like Kendrick Nunn, due to Milwaukee’s defense that allows more threes. This also takes a bit of the load off of Goran’s shoulders at times, since it’s not ideal for a 34 year old Goran to play 34 minutes a game.

#2: Jimmy Butler’s early departure leads to choppy offense in first half.

Jimmy Butler exited the game after 5 minutes of play with an apparent shoulder sprain. This injury did not seem to occur in the game, since he was seen rubbing his right shoulder prior to today’s game. Jimmy’s early departure led to a stagnant Miami offense in the first half. Although Jimmy is not a threat shooting the ball, his presence causes Miami’s offense to run smoothly. Jimmy returned in the second half, and Miami seemed to return to its usual dynamic offense. One thing that this showcased was Jimmy’s elite facilitating ability, plus his ability to attack the basket which is a given.

#3: Bam Adebayo hunting to dominate Myles Turner match-up early.

Bam Adebayo seemed to have some fire in his eyes on the offensive side of the ball early in today’s game. Almost as if he planned to be aggressive and attack Myles Turner. This led to a Bam Adebayo mid-range jumper and a couple floaters in the paint, which none of those shots even hit the rim. Just net. Jimmy Butler’s early departure may have impacted his aggressiveness early as well, since he realized he would need to step up. This was just another snippet of Bam’s game that has yet to be unlocked yet. Everyone can see it’s there, but he does everything else so well that he doesn’t always utilize it. Bam ended the game with 14 points, 19 rebounds, and 6 assists.

#4: Tyler Herro continually shows he can be “that guy.”

Tyler Herro has continually proven that he is immune to pressure. He’s shown this throughout the entire series, but today he showed that he’s going to play the same way no matter if it’s practice, a regular season game, and now a playoff game. And as talked about before, although he has improved his ball-handling and play-making, he will always primarily be a scorer. He has the ability to not only hurt you from three, but also control the mid-range which is something that Miami hasn’t done a lot of. He showed off yet another big fourth quarter tonight, with some impressive drives to the basket and tough passes down the stretch. When you watch him in these games, it truly slips your mind that this guy is a rookie.

#5: Miami’s 4-0 sweep against Indiana is a warning to the top East teams.

The Miami Heat completed the sweep against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, which means they move on to the second round to likely face the Milwaukee Bucks. This first round showcased Miami’s number one strength, which is their unique mix of solid veterans and young talent. Goran Dragic and Tyler Herro were clear representaions of this, since they both stepped up in this series on the offensive side of the ball, especially during tough stretches. Erik Spoelstra also deserves major credit in this series for his ability to adjust so perfectly in this unique situation. And don’t forget about their elite two-way stars on the roster in Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, who have both been huge in fourth quarters, which is when they are needed most. Teams are recognizing the toughness in this current Miami Heat team, which makes them such a threat.

Capacity limits among rule changes for Miami Hurricanes, Dolphins games

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If you want to watch Miami Dolphins and Hurricanes football in person in 2020, you may be in luck. According to multiple media reports, the Dolphins will permit 13,000 capacity for the home openers for the Dolphins and University of Miami.

Miami’s first home game would be against the Buffalo Bills on September 20. For the University of Miami, their first home game is slated to be September 10 against UAB.

No tailgating will be permitted at Dolphins or Hurricanes games this season. In addition, masks will be mandatory when fans are not eating or drinking. Some other notable changes include no paper tickets, and cashless purchases for concessions, and parking.

Optimism for both Miami teams

Heading into their 2020 seasons, both the University of Miami and the Dolphins are generating excitement. Miami had a tremendous offseason and draft, with Tua Tagovailoa being the ultimate prize. Now, they will look to compete in an AFC East Division that just got a lot tighter. Along with the Dolphins, the Bills and Patriots both made moves in the offseason to make this a tight division race.

For the University of Miami, they enter 2020 with superstar quarterback D’Eriq King. He will undoubtedly bring a dual-threat play style to the offense, and allow for the Hurricanes to open up the field offensively. With the offseason that Manny Diaz had both in terms of recruiting and current personnel moves, the Hurricanes should be set for the next couple of years.

It’s an interesting time for Miami sports. Two of the most well-known football teams on the East Coast get ready to roll out their newest pieces. The good news for fans both parties is that they will be able to watch things unfold and be able to make their first impressions in person, at least for the foreseeable future.

I’ll be interested to see how the two teams fair in 2020. It’s been a year of bad news all around for everybody. Good Hurricanes and Dolphins teams would certainly give loyal Florida sports fans something to hang their hat on .

5 Main Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Herro, Olynyk

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The Miami Heat are coming off a big game three win over the Indiana Pacers, as they prepare to try and sweep the Pacers tomorrow. Erik Spoelstra talked with some media about these past few playoff games, while Tyler Herro discussed some of their defensive issues. Here’s what was said…

Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked about the recent success of his veteran Goran Dragic on the offensive side of the ball. He said, “If he shot 8 to 10 three-pointers a game, his coach would love it.” The same goes for Duncan Robinson. Spoelstra, Jimmy, and Bam have continually talked about wanting their shooters, including Duncan Robinson, Goran Dragic, and Tyler Herro, to shoot as much as possible. Spo also praised Goran’s work ethic when he mentioned the first playoff series against Charlotte a few years back, saying “their strategy was to go under on him…He’s put in such diligent work off the catch, not just the dribble.” Goran has been a much better shooter off the catch and shoot this season, since he’s never played this role before. This leads into Spo’s comment on his leadership, saying “I just think he’s gotten a lot more comfortable with his stature, not only within the league but within this organization.”

Comment #2:

Erik Spoelstra also took some time to reflect beack on the late great Kobe Bryant, since today would have been his 42nd birthday. Spo said, “I imagine Kobe Bryant would have figured out a way to have his own gym time at 5am…when everyone else was sleeping.” This was something that the Heat always took note of, since their star Dwyane Wade got his work ethic from Kobe as well, since he was the one he was chasing. Spo also mentions that “It’s just tragic seeing a lot of the stuff on the news today. I still can’t believe that this happened.” It still seems a bit surreal for everybody, since he was such a mentor in not only basketball, but in life.

Comment #3:

Tyler Herro discussed the way that Indiana has attacked him on defense through isolation. Tyler said, “It’s no secret who they’re going at, they’re going at me and Duncan.” It seemed as if Malcolm Brogdon was having a field day yesterday on offense, when he saw Tyler Herro matched up with him and no help defense around. After a couple late buckets from Brogdon, Jae Crowder was consequently subbed into the game for defensive purposes, and was the main reason that they came away with the win. Tyler also adds, “That’s something I’m not going to run from.” Although this was a problem yesterday, Tyler has shown some major defensive improvements in the bubble, mostly through his IQ on help defense. While the one on one stuff still seems to be an issue, Spo mentions that “They both really work at it, study it, and that why they improve. I love their approach.”

Comment #4:

Kelly Olynyk mentioned his role of being Miami’s single big, and consequently “doing Bam’s job.” Kelly said, “You’ve got to set screens, make sure the offense is flowing, moving side to side.” This is something that he’s continued to do in the bubble off the bench, which is why he made the cut for the 9 man rotation. And not only does he have to do Bam’s job, but he has to take the role as the spacer who can hurt the defense from beyond the arc. Kelly also mentioned that since Miami’s running smaller lineups, “you’ve got to rebound.” This is something Kelly put on display yesterday, when he grabbed 9 rebounds in only 13 minutes. Kelly ended with, “I’ve got to make sure I’m contributing.”

Comment #5:

Jae Crowder has clearly shown some major improvements in his three point shooting since joining the Heat. Kelly Olynyk spoke about Jae’s shooting compared to Boston, saying “I was looking at his shot the other day, and it’s really pretty…One thing you don’t want to do is ask what he’s doing, so he will think about it.” The reason you don’t want Jae to think about it is because he’s shooting with the utmost amount of confidence. This is mostly due to Spo’s confidence in him, when he would tell Jae to shoot them contested. Kelly also got asked if he has tried Jimmy Butler’s coffee, which he responded “No, I’m not a coffee drinker. But if he comes with some Jimmy Butler spicy tuna rolls, I’ll be right on it.”