5 Takeaways from Marlins’ Series Win vs. Astros

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It looks like the Miami Marlins have finally found their groove in the midst of the season. The Marlins have just won their second straight series as they won two out of three games against the Houston Astros.

In Game 1, the Marlins beat the Astros 7-4 with huge performances from second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and first baseman Jesus Aguilar. In Game 2, Miami shutdown Houston’s offense with their 5-1 victory. Unfortunately, Miami couldn’t get the series sweep and lost Game 3 by a score of 9-4. 

It’s hard for any team to hold an offense like the Astros to so many runs in a series. The fact that the Marlins were able to capture a couple of wins against the second-best team in the American League says a lot about how much Miami has grown in the past couple of weeks. 

Before Sunday’s loss against Houston, the Marlins had won five games in a row. That was their longest winning streak since their seven game streak back in April.

The Fish are hot and it’s going to be fun to see where they go from here.

Here are five takeaways from the series. 

 

DON’T TRADE JAZZ

Last Tuesday, Marlins manager Don Mattingly held a team meeting to address some issues that players had in the locker room.

Apparently, the meeting was centered around Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the players were criticizing his work ethic and the way he dresses to the ballpark. Some might even think that the players were jealous of Chisholm and Mattingly knew he had to call a meeting before things spiraled out of control and the team chemistry would fly out the window.  

Man, was that meeting one of the best decisions Mattingly has made this season. 

Since Tuesday, Chisholm has hit four home runs and tallied nine RBIs. He had also stolen a base during that span which allowed him to join Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker as the only two MLB players to hit at least 10 home runs and have at least 10 stolen bases so far this season. 

Another thing to take note of is that ever since the team meeting, Miami’s record has been 5-1.

 

Miami’s bats have come alive

The Marlins’ offense has finally woken up. In the month of June, Miami has averaged 6.5 runs per game. Those 6.5 runs per game are the second highest among any team in the MLB during that span. Miami has also managed to bring their team batting average up to .246, seventh-best in the National League. 

During the series against the Astros, the Marlins’ bats came alive as they scored seven, five, and four runs in each game against an elite Houston pitching staff. 

In Game 1, Chisholm and Aguilar each hit two home runs that helped give the Marlins a series-opening victory. 

In Game 2, Miami had big performances from multiple players including third baseman Jon Berti, left fielder Luke Williams, and Aguilar. Berti was able to produce two RBIs and Williams had an RBI and a couple of base hits. Aguilar had two hits including a double. 

In Game 3, Astros right-hander Justin Verlander had pitched six shutout innings and struck out five Marlins batters. Verlander has been incredible this season with a 1.94 ERA and a league-leading eight wins. 

But just when you think that this was going to be another one of Verlander’s dominant outings, in the seventh inning, Miami was able to produce four runs that included a big three-run home run from right fielder Bryan De La Cruz that sent the ball soaring into the Crawford Boxes. 

It’s great to see the bats come alive and hopefully, the Marlins can sustain the production on offense in the games to come. 

 

The bullpen has been surprisingly solid

The main area of concern all season has been the quality and consistency of the bullpen. Miami has lost countless one-run games because of blown saves or missed opportunities to get out of situations by the Marlins’ relief pitchers. 

The starting pitching has been lights out all season and to have their games ruined by the bullpen has been frustrating. But, there’s a glimpse of hope. 

During the series against the Astros, Miami’s starting pitchers often found themselves out of the game early due to the rise in pitch counts. No Marlins starting pitcher ever made it to the sixth inning during the three-game set because of how hard it was to get Houston’s hitters out. From top to bottom, the Astros are loaded with talent, so it’s understandable that Miami’s starting pitchers couldn’t go deep into games. 

The bullpen did a fantastic job in suppressing Houston’s batters as much as possible. Aside from Game 3’s outing from right-handed reliever Louis Head who gave up four runs, Miami’s bullpen had given up just two runs in the series. 

Impressive outings from right-hander Anthony Bass, right-hander Cole Sulser, and left-hander Tanner Scott have played a huge part in Miami’s ability to come out with a series win.

 

Should we be concerned about the injuries?

Miami has been dealing with injuries for a large part of the season. 

Guys like Brian Anderson and Joey Wendle have been on the Injury List for a couple of weeks, so they should be returning to action pretty soon. Then, you have a guy like starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo who hasn’t seen game action since early May. It feels like every day, there’s a new player getting put on the IL. 

Right before Game 2 of the series, arguably Miami’s best hitter Garrett Cooper was placed on the IL due to COVID. 

During right-handed starting pitcher Pablo Lopez’s start in Game 1, he was forced to come out of the game with what looked like an injury on his right wrist after he got hit by a line drive in the fifth inning. The good news is that x-rays came out negative and Lopez was diagnosed with a right wrist contusion. The bad news is that because he got hit on his throwing arm, how much is that going to affect his accuracy or pitch velocity? As of now, Lopez is day-to-day and should be able to pitch in his next start on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

There shouldn’t be any concern with Cooper, as he should come back into the lineup as soon as his 10 days on the IL are complete. As for Lopez, we’ll see how much he is affected by his wrist in his next start. But, Miami definitely dodged a bullet because this could have definitely been much worse than it was.

 

The NL East is the hottest division in baseball

Aside from the Washington Nationals, the NL East has been tearing it up in June.

The Marlins have been rolling and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Philadelphia Phillies had won nine in a row since June 1st before getting their win streak snapped against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. The Atlanta Braves have looked unbeatable and have won 11 in a row. Even though the New York Mets haven’t looked great as of late, they are still 39-22 and sit on top of the National League with the best record.

It will be interesting to see how the standings play out in the coming weeks because the Marlins have a series against the Phillies and the Mets this week. Those series are crucial for Miami if they want to climb the standings in not only the National League, but their division as well.

The Marlins have a three-game series against the Phillies that will be played in Philadelphia from Monday through Wednesday.

Tyler Herro: The Scoring Tweak to Fully Expand his Offensive Menu

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When evaluating the Heat’s current off-season, the name Tyler Herro comes up a lot. Yet when you see that name pop up on the internet, you know it’s probably involved in a mock trade of some kind.

But that’s pretty much what the off-season is for. Fantasy trades, predicting possible outcomes, and trying to pinpoint the direction of a team a couple months in advance. Except, nothing can be predicted in this league, since you can only control what you can control.

With that said, if a star does present themselves, you go for that guy, which Pat Riley pretty much noted in his presser after the season.

But there also must be some perspective and realism: Tyler Herro isn’t just a trade chip. He’s a valuable player to this current Heat build, and has a good chance of being the team’s starting 2 guard by game 1 of the 2022-2023 NBA season.

So, that gets me back in my element of discussing specific developments, instead of the constant jersey swaps that are popping up on the daily. What will be the focus of Herro heading into next season?

The initial answer would include adding some extra muscle to become stronger as an attacker and finisher around the rim. Gaining that also could gradually improve his defensive abilities, since strength just slightly piles onto everything in a positive manner.

Yet that isn’t the main focus heading into next season.

This entire discussion must be based around Jimmy Butler. He’s the superstar of this team that the front office is trying to build around, whether that be internally or externally. And if it ends up being the internal route, a lot of weight will fall onto Herro’s shoulders to fill the gaps that are necessary to counteract Butler.

A primary way of doing just that: isolation, isolation, isolation.

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It’s a true statement that the “playoffs tell,” but that doesn’t mean you have to always throw away the things you learned in the regular season. Herro grew in so many major areas of his game this past season on his way to winning the 6th man of the year award, including his shooting from deep, control in the pick and roll, play-making, and much more.

Yet the only slot of his game that didn’t stand out in the category of pure improvement was his isolation game. In his rookie season, he scored 0.69 points per possession with a 3.4% frequency. That jumped up to 0.84 points per possession in his second season on a 5.2% frequency, yet declined back down to 0.78 PPP this past season while simultaneously shooting up to a 9.3% frequency mark.

He was so skilled off the screen that it almost wasn’t noticeable. No matter if it was the high pick and roll, a dribble hand-off attack, or a set that landed him in catch and shoot position, he just continued to shine and prove to be a high level offensive player.

So, if that’s the case, why is the isolation stuff so important?

Well, here’s your answer…

The injury restricted him in the Eastern Conference Finals from being effective, but the constant blitzing and doubling was the cause in the second round against Philly. He became the decoy which opened up Butler on their way to a series win, but when discussing internal improvements next to Butler, a decoy isn’t the current need.

Back to the original point, this is where the isolation need comes into play. We can talk all we want about “beating the blitz,” but the next layer is not allowing the opposing team to blitz you from the jump.

The need for the screen fell right into the 76ers’ plans to stop Herro.

Now, you mix in a good amount of isos into that shot profile, and it could be an entirely different ball game.

His usual go-to when going one-on-one can vary. If it’s a big that’s guarding him on an iso, a pull-up triple of some kind is always the outcome as he shoots over the top. If it’s a regular match-up, there’s a good chance a step-back mid-range is the answer, since he found a lot of success in just shooting over the top of guys when gluing them to the floor. Then the last option is when he knows a weaker defender is the match-up, in which he will get into his crafty finishing bag around the rim.

The issue with that above: being able to pinpoint a player’s upcoming move in a game of one-on-one is problematic.

It felt like at times teams know what’s coming in those spots, and when that transitions into playoff ball, the half-court offense shrinks, the strong-side corner shades over, and left handed skip passes are required.

A lot of this is viewing stuff under a microscope, which is necessary with players of Herro’s caliber, but it just illustrates how a little bit of 1-on-1 polishing could shift his entire scoring menu.

Once again, top tier players could force their way out of their respective teams, meaning Pat Riley begins picking up the phone, but that just doesn’t seem like a very likely scenario in my personal opinion.

Changes will be made around the edges, but it still comes back to patching up the holes in the boat. Butler is the boat, and Herro would be the hopeful patch.

Isolation will never, and shouldn’t, be anything close to his base. But it must be available to him when needed, since that’s the next step. He’s only gotten better the past 3 years in a Heat uniform, and I don’t believe that’s plateauing now.

 

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The Miami Heat’s Summer Goals

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The legendary coach John Wooden once said “The best way to improve the team is to improve yourself.” While many are turning their attention to transactions after the Heat’s disappointing loss to the Celtics, let’s look within and provide a focus for each of the current Heat players for this summer. 

Javonte Smart 

Entering his second summer with the Heat, Javonte needs to put his strengths on display to have a chance to make the Heat’s roster next season. In his final year at LSU, he led the SEC in 3 point shooting percentage. He also scored nearly 22 points per game with Sioux Falls this season. He’s proven to be a scorer, but at 6’4” he needs to show his ability to be a playmaker at point guard while being able to defend at a high level. 

Omer Yurtseven 

Omer shined last summer, and previewed flashes of excellence this season especially on the glass, but the leap to regular rotation minutes is enormous. He must improve his foot speed to stay on the floor in today’s NBA. He also must improve his finishing, where he was below league average finishing compared to other bigs at the rim and in the mid-range. With a big summer, Omer could be in line to overtake the backup big minutes behind Bam. 

Haywood Highsmith 

Similar to Javonte, this could be a make or break summer for Highsmith – especially with the Heat having a contract guarantee deadline in mid-July. After shooting nearly 40% from behind the arc this season in the G-League, Haywood has proven his ability to shoot but his path likely requires him to prove that his 6-7 athletic frame and 7-foot wingspan can be impactful on the defensive end of the floor. The path for Highsmith to make the roster and find meaningful minutes seems difficult, but it’s also hard to doubt the Heat’s ability to develop shooters. 

Mychal Mulder 

The Heat called up Mulder in March from Sioux Falls, after he averaged 18-5-3 with the Skyforce. Mulder is 27 years old (2017 NBA Draft) and so his window to land in the NBA permanently is slowly closing. He needs to show the shooting potential that we spoke about with Highsmith, but at only 6-3, his ability to defend both guard positions is critical to keeping his two-way contract next season. 

Tyler Herro 

After gains last offseason, Tyler needs to have another offseason getting stronger. He’s still only 22 years old, but his body still hasn’t matured to that age. With his added strength, he

should be able to add more physicality to his game. He’ll never be Jimmy Butler – but the ability to be more physical on drives, absorb contact and still finish (or create more free throw opportunities) will boost his scoring output. The strength will also help him survive better on defense when teams look to hunt him. His continued development as a playmaker is going to elevate his game from the 6th Man of the Year to a star talent who is a threat to score 25+ nightly while also recognizing opportunities to set up teammates. Finally, continuing to sharpen his strengths in shooting while creating a quicker trigger on his jumper (especially off the dribble) will take his game to another level. 

Bam Adebayo 

While many point to Bam needing to add a three point shot, I tend to disagree (for now). You have to learn to crawl, then walk, and then run. Bam first needs to become confident in shooting from the 14-16 foot range. Adding the threat of a jumper from the short corner, elbows, and nail puts the defense on notice. This would keep Bam within one dribble of the rim to layer counters with simple shot fakes, or back down smaller defenders. In that range, he can continue to also utilize his comfort zone of the DHO to initiate offense. According to Cleaning the Glass, Bam showed growth in the 2020-2021 season, shooting 14% more mid range shots (9% more long mid range) and hitting 16% better on those long mid range while shooting 7% better from mid range. However, this season Bam saw a 4% decrease in mid range shots (5% decrease from long mid range) and his accuracy dropped 3% from mid range and a significant 7% drop from long mid range. Add a 14-16 foot jumper to 24 year old Bam and you’re invested in a perennial All-NBA player for the rest of this decade. 

Gabe Vincent 

Like most young guards, Gabe can afford to add strength that will make his improving skills more effective. He could also continue sharpening his ball handling especially against pressure. He’s more of a combo guard than a true point guard, but the added experience, strength and improved handle will make his ability to initiate even easier. After only hearing about his shooting abilities, Gabe put all the doubters on notice this season shooting a career-best 37% from behind the arc. With his improved shooting, he should expect defenses to adjust to his strengths moving forward. Adding a mid range shot that can be utilized as a counter to teams running him off the line, but also to add another weapon to DHO and ball screen actions that he often passed up on during the playoff run. 

Caleb Martin 

Another gem for the Heat’s scouting and player development, Caleb proved this season that he belongs in the NBA. His defensive versatility is his definite strength and should not fade anytime soon at only 26 years old. His two-way ability should be highly sought after in the free agent market, but the price he commands is most determined by what he can provide on offense. He improved 15% from behind the arc to 42% from his previous season. His shot mechanics won’t be part of any instructional videos, but more important than the visuals are the

efficiency and consistency. In addition to his outside shot, adding to his offensive toolbag beyond relying on his elite athleticism seems to be the path to more consistent minutes. 

 

*****

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*****

 

Max Strus 

Strus seized his opportunity shooting 42% and making 130 more three point field goals from the previous season. As we’ve seen around the league, the one dimensional shooter is being pushed away for guys who do “more”. Max said himself that his goal this summer is to “be more complete” which would assume he plans to add more playmaking and counters to teams limiting his opportunities behind the arc. Similar to the conversation last summer with Duncan Robinson, adding a shot fake and 1-2 dribble pull up would serve Max very well. He also could improve as a playmaker creating off the dribble and when using his athleticism to get into the paint. In addition to his offense, Strus needs to continue the growth on the defensive end of the floor. 

Duncan Robinson 

After a historic season shooting 45% from behind the arc in 2019-2020, Duncan has seen negative regression in each of the past two seasons. Over that time, he has shot 8% worse and made 36 less threes (on 30 more attempts). In the context of the entire league, 37% and 226 3PTM is very, very good – but what has lacked is consistency. On nights when he’s on, he can drop eight threes, but on nights that he’s not, he is unplayable at times. Most importantly, Duncan needs to restore his own confidence in what is undeniably an elite talent. If his shooting is restored, you can then look at counters (shot fake, 1-2 dribble pull up) when defenses try to take him away. With his defensive struggles, you could point to lacking strength, but that added muscle has to come without hampering his shooting or slowing him down even more. 

Victor Oladipo 

Of the entire team, Victor’s offseason program might be the most interesting. Because most of his time was spent rehabilitating rather than developing, this might be the first time that Victor can focus on sharpening skills and adding to his game since 2018. While strength and conditioning will certainly still be part of his summer, continued development on the offensive side of the floor is crucial. He shot better than his career numbers behind the arc this season, but can that last over the course of an entire season? His playmaking as a combo guard is apparent, but can he be more efficient in that role and reduce turnovers. 

Jimmy Butler 

After a dominant playoff run and an All-Star season, even Jimmy has summer work to improve his game as he ages. As we saw with an aging Dwyane Wade, the ability to create and make mid range shots will be important to extending Jimmy’s star play. You can extend that out to behind the arc, but it’s such a small part of Jimmy’s game that I don’t know if it warrants a

summer focus. Part of extending Jimmy’s window is going to be treatment for his knee, which could require surgery. 

Dewayne Dedmon 

After being a productive addition to the Heat, Dedmon’s effectiveness faded this season. At 32 years old, Dedmon likely isn’t adding major facets to his game at this stage of his career. This season Dedmon shot a career-best 45% from behind the arc on limited attempts, and that could be something as he ages that could keep him relevant as a back up big. You could also focus Dedmon’s work on developing better touch around the rim. If the Heat intend to bring him back, the summer work should revolve around how Miami intends to use him behind Bam. 

Markieff Morris 

Similar to Dedmon, Morris is at a stage in his career where he likely isn’t adding major facets to his game and his return to Miami is questionable. Missing much of the season after a flagrant shove by Nikola Jokic was unfortunate and his role never recovered. While focusing on strength and conditioning, Markieff needs to be an effective stretch big to have a role in this league. Enhancing his shooting from 16 feet out to behind the arc is the key to his ability to find minutes. Without it, he’s likely spending the end of his career nailed to the bench. 

Kyle Lowry 

The first and foremost priority has to be his conditioning. The time away for personal reasons certainly impacted his conditioning during the season, and you could argue it never really recovered and may have played a role in his hamstring injury during the playoffs. As Kyle moves into the summer, the Heat should challenge him to come back into training camp in the best shape of his career. That will not only allow Kyle to thrive in his role, but provide the team the point guard they desperately need. As should be expected as he ages, Lowry saw career-lows in attempts in the paint this season. This makes his efficiency in the mid range and behind the arc most important to his scoring especially with the amount of opportunities he gets from DHO and ball screens. 

PJ Tucker 

Tucker shot a career-high 41% from behind the arc this season. If Tucker can continue to shoot at that clip and continue his consistent toughness, win-now teams will be lining up for his services. Beyond shooting, we saw flashes of playmaking from PJ that many did not know even existed. If he’s back in Miami’s system, the counters he can bring to DHO and short rolls make him a bigger offensive threat than most expected. Finally, being 37 years old, PJ clearly must maintain elite fitness to maintain his level of play as he ages. 

Udonis Haslem

You don’t send the soon-to-be 42 year old with summer homework. Udonis knows to continue to be an active player, he must continue to maintain excellent fitness and there is no doubt he’ll live up to that expectation. Keep that short corner jump shot polished, hold players accountable, and be ready for one more season as the standard-bearer of Heat Culture.

A Guide to Understanding Sports Betting Odds

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When you are new to the world of sports betting, it can be a bit easy to get lost in some of the detail that comes on different apps and websites. One of the main difficulties that can come with betting on sports is how to actually understand what odds you are being given for a certain outcome. It is very important that you understand this and know what it means as it will play a large part in your online betting experience. 

 

How Are Odds Presented? 

 

Online sports betting sites and the best online sportsbooks tend to present their odds in different ways. This can come down to a number of factors such as personal preference of the site owner and also the country in which the site is based. As such, it is important that you have an understanding the different ways that betting odds are shown. Some of the most common include the following: 

 

Fractional Odds 

 

Some of the most common kinds of odds are fractional odds. They are (predictably) displayed as fractions, so will come up as 3-1 or 6-4. The way that you can work out how much you will get back on these odds is easy, as all you need to do is multiply the amount of the bets you place by the fraction. For example, if you were going to place a bet with £10 and the odds were 3-1, if that bet were to come in then you would be the winner of £30 profit and you will also get your £10 back too. 

 

When the odds aren’t as straight forward then you need to multiply your bet by the first number and then divide it by the second. As such, if you were to make a bet with £10 and the odds were 7-4, then you would get £17.50. Work this out by taking the 10 and multiplying it by 7 (70) and then divide that by 4, which comes to £17.50. 

 

You are going to be able to tell whether a bet is a favorite or not depending on whether the first number is bigger than the second. If the second number is bigger than that bet is a favorite but if the second number is smaller than that bet is an underdog.  

 

Decimal Odds 

 

A decimal odd is shown as one number and this number is the amount that someone would win based off of a £1 stake. For example, if the odds are listed as 6 then you would get £5 profit and the original £1 bet. You tend to find decimal odds don’t get used as much as fractional odds purely because of the fact people find fractional odds a bit easier to navigate. It will simply depend on the website you decide to use. 

 

Conclusion 

 

Sports betting is incredibly popular and done all over the world. If you want to get involved, then you should start learning about how to read odds as this is going to be very important when it comes to placing your bets.

NFL Receiving Yards 2022 Leader Odds

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The NFL is all about passing these days, and wide receivers have been benefiting big time from the rules in today’s NFL. Wide receivers are easy to come by these days in terms of talent, but the quarterback needs to be good enough to get them the football, though. There are so many of them, and some teams have as many as three good wide receivers.

 

Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams led the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,947 yards receiving, and he was not far from 2,000 yards receiving. There will be those that bet on the NFL receiving yards leader at an online casino, so, What are the odds, and who will be the favorites to be the receiving yards leader in the NFL this upcoming season?

 

Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp +800

 

Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings and Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams both have the best odds to win the receiving yards title this season. Jefferson is more likely to get it this time around than Kupp is. Justin Jefferson was second in the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,616 yards receiving.

 

The Minnesota Vikings don’t have a deep receiving core behind Jefferson. Adam Theilen is a very good number two wide receiver, but they don’t have a bonafide number three. Kirk Cousins will be throwing passes to Justin Jefferson this season. 

 

As for Cooper Kupp on the Los Angeles Rams, some of his yardages might be taken away by Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson. The only thing for him going is that Matthew Stafford is his quarterback. 

 

Kupp is also one of the most reliable wide receivers in the NFL. He may have a lot of catches once again this season, but don’t count on him getting that much yardage again this season.

 

Travis Kelce and Ja’Marr Chase +1000

 

Travis Kelce, tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, and Ja’Marr Chase, wide receiver of the Cincinnati Bengals, both have the second-best odds to be the NFL’s leading receiver in 2022. 

 

Kelce will be Patrick Mahomes’s number one target this season now that Tyreek Hill is no longer with the football team after being traded to the Miami Dolphins.

 

Travis Kelce will be by far the best offensive tight end statistically this season, but the question will be how many games does he get double teamed and how many games does he have boom or bust kind of performances in fantasy football? 

 

Kelce finished with 1,125 receiving yards last season, which was 14th in the NFL.

 

Ja’Marr Chase was fourth in the NFL in receiving yards as a rookie last season at 1,455 yards receiving. He is already one of the best wide receivers in the game. Chase’s size and body build, along with his physicality, is a nightmare for defensive backs. 

 

Ja’Marr Chase is a game-breaker and also had five touchdowns last season over 50 yards. The Ja’Marr Chase-Joe Burrow connection was on point last season as it was back in the LSU days. 

 

Despite going to the Super Bowl last season and falling short, the connection can even be better this season because they will have a much better offensive line.

 

Davante Adams +1200

 

Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders has the third-best odds to win the 2022 NFL receiving leader. Adams is a wide receiver and is one of the best in the NFL. He finished with the third-most receiving yards last season, with 1,553 yards receiving with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

 

Davante Adams will be catching passes this season from his old college football teammate at Fresno State, quarterback Derek Carr. Carr was one of the reasons why the Las Vegas Raiders made it to the playoffs last season, and he will make sure that Davante Adams gets the ball often this year.

5 Takeaways from Marlins’ Series Split vs. Giants

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Coming off a disappointing series against the Colorado Rockies earlier in the week, the Miami Marlins looked to bounce back and defend their home field against the visiting San Francisco Giants over the weekend.

Miami won the first and third games of the series, but failed to close out the series win on Sunday as they lost 5-1 and ended up splitting the four-game series against San Francisco. 

The Marlins don’t play the Giants anymore in 2022, with the exception of  a miracle postseason berth, and finish 3-7 against them.

It was a very up-and-down series for the Marlins which also fittingly sums up their season so far.

Here are five takeaways from the series.

 

Sandy Alcantara throws another gem

Does this really come as a surprise? It seems like every start, starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara racks up eight or so strikeouts and gives up no more than one run. 

In the series-opening game against the Giants, Alcantara tallied eight strikeouts and pitched a shutout in seven innings. 

After his phenomenal performance, Alcantara’s ERA sunk down to a staggering 1.81 which is fourth in the MLB and second in the National League.  

 

Elieser Hernandez pitched his way out of the rotation

Starting pitcher Elieser Hernandez has really struggled this season. His 6.75 ERA is the worst among Miami starters and he has given up a total of 18 home runs all year, the most in the MLB. 

Hernandez’s outing against the Giants was probably the worst in his career. In the second game of the series, the Marlins opted to go with an opener to start the game. 

Left-handed relief pitcher Richard Bleier opened the game for Miami and didn’t pitch great. Bleier looked uncomfortable because he had been so used to coming out of the bullpen throughout his career, so opening a game was not what he had in mind. 

Hernandez would then come out of the bullpen in the second inning and he didn’t have an answer for shutting down the San Francisco hitters. Hernandez gave up eight hits and eight earned runs through 4.1 innings of work. Miami lost that game 15-6 and Hernandez was sent down to Triple-A.

“He hasn’t been able to gain any traction through the course of the season,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said about moving Hernandez to Triple-A. “I felt like the best thing for him is to get him down, get reset, let him get refocused, and let him work on things without the pressure of being in a big league game.”

 

Garrett Cooper is heating up, but where’s everyone else?

First baseman Garrett Cooper has been the lone bright spot in the Marlins’ offense during the series and was a big part in Miami’s come-from-behind 5-4 victory in game 3. 

During the three games he played in the series, Cooper went 7-for-14 and hit an opposite-field solo home run during the series finale. 

Cooper has been starting to get it going offensively and it’s been great to see. 

As for everyone else, the bats have been fairly quiet during the series. There’ve been too many strikeouts and not enough production with runners in scoring position. Also, where has the long ball been? Just one home run through four games. I know the ball flies at Coors Field, but even in Miami, the Marlins haven’t had a problem hitting the ball into the stands. 

 

Giants had too many extra-base hits

It felt as if every hit the Giants had in the series was an extra-base hit. Doubles, home runs, and triples were being sent all around the ballpark. 

Over the four-game series, the Giants had a total of 17 extra-base hits.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford even recorded a triple in the third game and if you’ve seen Crawford run, he’s not exactly Rickey Henderson out there. 

Sure, LoanDepot Park is a big ballpark and it’s easy to get a triple if you hit the ball deep enough into the corner like Crawford did. But also, the pitcher has to make sure that those types of hits don’t happen and the outfielders need to be quick to react to the ball.

 

The Walk-Off Helmet

In the third game of the series, the Marlins beat the Giants in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off sacrifice fly by outfielder Jesus Sanchez that was deep enough to score third baseman Luke Williams with ease. 

In typical walk-off fashion, the players chased Sanchez around the field and showered him with sunflower seeds. But, is that a football helmet on his head? 

We’ve seen crazy walk off celebrations over the years but the football helmet has to be a first. 

Do I get it? No. Do the players look like they’re happy? Sure. And that’s all that matters, right?

Up next for the Marlins is a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

That series will be played from Tuesday through Thursday at LoanDepot Park. 

 

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Photo by Tony Capobianco

 

A Full Guide to Becoming a Better Golfer

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In order to enjoy any golf game to the maximum, you must focus on enhancing your skills. Now, a vast majority of seasoned golfers will tell you that one of the best ways to boost your game is through golf lessons.

You will frequently stumble upon people advising both more and less experienced golfers to try them and avoid seeking professional instructions. That’s because precisely these lessons can be of huge help.

 

On the other hand, there are people who have never had any lessons before and have done just fine. Now, if you’re not of those rare birds, and you need some guidance, then check out these tips below.

 

Practical Ways To Improve Your Golf Game

 

Set Your Goals 

 

If you want to enhance your game, the first thing that you should do is set certain goals for yourself. They can be both short-term and long-term. Why does this matter? Well, they will help you figure out exactly what needs to be done to take your game to the next level.

First, start by writing down measurable, doable goals. At some point, you can look back at these notes to see how far you have come.

Search The Web

 

It is widely known that Google has the answer to every single question, hence, you should browse the web to see if there are any golf-related websites that are loaded with useful information. Avid golf lovers at www.golfah.com want to remind you that a high-quality, thorough golf-related site is supposed to feature beneficial guides and tips that will help you improve your game. So go ahead and see whether you can find an educative online handbook.

Focus On Your Mental Approach

 

It is safe to say that golf is one of the most difficult sports in terms of mental aspects in the world and a vast majority of experienced golf players will tell you that golf can oftentimes play havoc with the brain.

Namely, due to the scoring system, every golfer must face up to having failed on practically every hole. Sadly, a lot of golfers have a tendency to lose focus and quickly get stressed due to the numerous rules that this sport brings.

And that’s precisely one of the reasons why you must work on your mental approach and start accepting the fact that you’ll be dealing with various challenges during your game and that you won’t be able to play perfectly every single time.

 

Therefore, you should have a more relaxed and laid-back approach, otherwise, you will completely lose your mind. Furthermore, accept the fact you will most likely hit bad shots frequently, and that there’s no point in beating yourself up because of that. 

Don’t Forget To Implement These Tips As Well!

 

Good Posture Before You Hit The Ball

 

Before you even start thinking about striking the ball, you should first take other factors into account that are going to help you get the ball exactly where you want it. Distance between body and club, the width of stance, overall body posture, bend in your knees, all these things play a huge role.

Check Your Eyes On A Regular Basis

 

You might think that your vision will always remain perfect, but sadly, that’s not the case. Namely, the report that has been given by the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics has stated that one out of ten people older than 18 in the USA have reported some issues when it comes to their vision.

This refers even to the ones who are wearing glasses. Golfers have the tendency to joke about their eyes, stating that it’s much better when the ball is a blur, but the truth is, if you do not have a regular eye checkup, you’re not going to be able to enhance your game.

 

Bear in mind, that in order to play golf smoothly, you must have a solid vision for aiming, enhanced coordination between the club and your hands, and probably the most important thing, eye teaming. 

What does eye teaming mean? Namely, it represents a visual skill that enables both eyes to work together in an accurate and coordinated way.

 

 

Experiment With Your Swing

 

Oftentimes, golfers obsess over a single approach, doing everything they can to enhance their swing, that they forget to try out other interesting techniques. The point is to try out something you haven’t tried before with your golf shots and you can always schedule a less with some more experienced golfers at your club.

 

 

As you can see, you do not need to join any club or hire a professional in order to take your game to the next level. All you have to do is give some of these tips a chance, and you’ll make significant improvements to your game.

The Miami Heat’s Roster Season Review + What’s Next

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Looking back over this season for the Miami Heat, they finished as the first seed in the Eastern Conference, yet capped out in the Eastern Conference Finals in game 7, one win, or one shot, away from another NBA Finals appearance.

So, now that it’s officially off-season time, it’s time to project forward. But you can’t fully look ahead until you evaluate the past, so let’s take a brief look throughout the roster to establish both what happened and what’s next…

Jimmy Butler:

What happened?

When talking about the Miami Heat, you must start out with the headliner, which is clearly Jimmy Butler. Sometimes a season is remembered by how you start, and other times by how you finish. And in Butler’s case, he capitalized in both of those fields.

From MVP ladder rankings to begin the year to a 47 point masterpiece in game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals facing elimination, it’s no doubt that it was a terrific season. We all know about his defensive excellence when surrounded by strong defenders, but carrying the offensive load yet again to this degree was eye opening.

Y’all can have fun with NBA player rankings, but Butler cemented himself as a clear top 10 player in today’s league.

What’s next?

When talking about the next steps for individual players, I’m going to do a lot of talking about simple on-court improvements or the next stage of a contract/trade possibility. Yet for Jimmy Butler, it’s about just the opposite.

It’s just building a roster to get him that ring that he so very deserves, which was one of the primary reasons he landed in Miami in the first place. Watching him put it all out there in this post-season showed one thing that we probably already knew: build fully around Butler to get this group over the hump. Basically the playoff motto for the Heat in this recent run: get Jimmy Butler some help.

Bam Adebayo:

What happened?

Offensively he may have his ups and downs on picking when to go and be aggressive, but his impact was felt from game 1 to game 100. One of the league’s best defenders, even if the voters couldn’t recognize that. Games 3 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals showed flashes again on the other end, mostly about the hope of what he would look like as a full-time third option on the offensive end.

In the mix of things throughout the season, Adebayo receives a lot of blame from the public. When they lose, it’s easy to look over at his stat-line and make that the reason it occurred, but it truly isn’t the full story. There’s no doubt the aggression will have to pick up in a more consistent manner, but Adebayo did his job this season, and that game 7 proved the focal points of this Heat group.

What’s Next?

Clearly Adebayo is locked into contract and isn’t going anywhere, so what’s next for him is much more game-based. His defensive traits are here to stay, meaning the offense will always be the primary focus in an off-season.

When players talk about that specific focus, it’s usually prefaced by “perfecting my all-around game.” But when it comes to Adebayo, I don’t believe that to be the case.

The next step for him: a go-to offensive move that we’ve discussed for quite some time. Is it a post-up move? Face-ups? Jumper? It’s tough to say, but it comes down to his comfort level in certain spots.

Something to watch for though: Bam Adebayo loves that baseline. No matter if he’s in position for a post-up or a face-up, the end result is most likely going to be a baseline dash or a post spin down that line for position under the rim. So I’m thinking they’re going to find a way to maximize his skill down there.

Tyler Herro:

What happened?

As I stated earlier, the way you finish a season is usually remembered much more than the main chunk of your production in a certain time frame. And for Tyler Herro, he wasn’t even lucky enough to actually “finish” his season correctly after dealing with that groin injury in the Eastern Conference Finals.

But to zoom out a bit, he grew a ton this past season as an offensive player. Aside from winning the sixth man of the year award, he was right up there at the top of the scoring list with Butler in the regular season.

But it isn’t about the numbers, he grew as a creator in terms of finding healthy step-backs and fade-aways to get his shot off against good defenses. He even grew to the degree that teams through the entire playoffs threw different defensive coverages at him since they were so worried about him. Those obstacles slowed him down a good amount, but there’s no doubt he made strides this year as a scorer in this league.

What’s next?

When hearing what is next for Tyler Herro at this time of year, I know what you all are thinking. Donovan Mitchell. Zach LaVine. Damian Lillard. Probably even LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo. The point is that he’s going to be thrown into any conversation for those stars to improve the team, and I mean rightfully so. Everybody is pulling that trigger to land a star in this league next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

But the realistic element: it’s not that likely. Yes top players always move around every off-season, but this is totally out of the Heat’s control. It’s 1) on the specific player to ask out and demand Miami and 2) the opposing team has to actually like the trade package you’re offering.

Aside from all of those fantasies, there are clear areas for him to improve on the basketball court. The first step is his driving game, which did make strides throughout the regular season, but the physicality of the playoffs blocked the rim off for him to attack.

He must find ways to draw contact on those stop signs standing in the lane, which may develop with his focus on adding some extra upper body strength.

The last thing is a combination of a live dribble and his play-making skills. That’s another thing that was peaking late in the regular season, but the constant blitzing and doubles he faced found ways to stall out both him and the team’s offense. Working on those quicker passing triggers will be key for his off-season development.

Oh, and the last thing to note, the next step for him personally is becoming a full-time Heat starter.

Kyle Lowry:

What happened?

I feel like the Kyle Lowry section is one of the hardest to sum up into words. He had a strong regular season in terms of carrying the team when guys went down, which was pretty much what the Heat needed when they acquired him.

But the other thing they needed was the two words he used pretty often in the regular season: “real season.” His ramp up process was hitting new levels late in the regular season, which Erik Spoelstra joked recently that they wished the playoffs could’ve started then. But well, they didn’t.

Lowry started off the “real season” pretty well with some strong performances at the beginning of the Hawks series, but the fall-off came a little after as injuries struck. In and out was his story-line the rest of the way, as that hamstring never truly allowed him to look right. He had a big game 6 in the ECF next to Jimmy Butler, but it capped off there.

I feel like he exceeded some of the regular season expectations with the hot pockets throughout the year when guys went down, but the playoffs plummeted quite a bit. Was it simply derailed by injuries? Was that usual burst to the rim and pull-up shooting gone? I’m not sure, but I do know that hamstring situation didn’t help.

What’s next?

Kyle Lowry is locked into a decent sized contract with this Heat team moving forward, meaning “what’s next” seems to be characterized by a potential trade for some. But let me just say this in simple terms: Kyle Lowry came to the Heat because of Jimmy Butler. Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler are close friends. Jimmy Butler isn’t allowing Kyle Lowry to be traded.

Maybe that last sentence has an exception if it’s grabbing a top tier star and he needs to be packaged, but even then it gets a bit cloudy. The point is that Lowry is a part of this current build, so the focus on what is next is how to maximize him.

And this isn’t young player development like improving on a specific skill, this is honing in on his body and physical build. Something Spoelstra danced around in his exit interview presser was the idea of Lowry getting into Heat shape, finishing the convo off with “I think Kyle will come back next training camp in the best shape of his career.”

That fixes a lot of what we’re discussing. He needs to be in great shape, preserve himself in the regular season, and be fresh by the time the playoffs roll around. That’s what Butler did this past year, and that’s what Lowry will need to do.

PJ Tucker:

What happened?

PJ Tucker simply exceeded all expectations in everybody’s eyes from the front office to teammates to fans. We knew he was a defensive dawg, but increasing the offensive display of a 37 year old isn’t easy. Speolstra talked about how he was surprised of this ascension, as he even carried the load of the front-court when Bam went down with injury for a month and a half.

Tucker told Spo that he used to play some point guard, and he didn’t believe him. When he reassured, Spo tweaked the December game-plan of giving Tucker some more play-making reps, which included a hot stretch of running some post-spits and different sets for him for a good chunk of time.

We also can’t just say he was great defensively while not punching that point home. He made Trae Young’s life horrible in the first round, handled both James Harden and Joel Embiid off switches all series long, and didn’t allow Jayson Tatum maximum comfort all 7 games. He was the rock of everything they did, and every Heat player has made sure to point that out all year.

What’s next?

Contract wise for Tucker, he’s one of those flexible off-season pieces to watch as he has that $7.4 million player option at the moment. I’m not the guy to fully project forward on what he will do with that, but it’s clear no matter if he opts in or out, the Heat will be very focused on bringing him back.

Yet as he isn’t getting any younger, the enticing part about his return would be making his life a bit easier with some type of front-court addition. More than anything though, he just wants to be out there and play, and it’s clear he fits Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler, and this organization to an absolute T.

Duncan Robinson:

What happened?

As Tucker may have exceed many expectations, it’s pretty clear that nobody saw the Robinson season coming at all. After receiving his healthy bag, he endured some shooting struggles to begin the year.

Spoelstra and the Heat stuck with him all the way through, yet he could never really find his usual comfort and consistency from deep, while it felt like the offense was being restricted at times to get him going.

One Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra fight and a 4 game losing streak later, a change was made. The Heat shifted the starting lineup and rotation to have Max Strus start at the 2, trying to find a spark in anyway possible. And that was exactly found.

Robinson then began to trickle down the Heat’s rotation little by little, eventually finding himself on the outside looking in by playoff time.

What’s next?

The next stage for Robinson is unclear, but the next stage for the Heat with Robinson is a bit clearer. As I pointed out earlier, yes, he’d be included in the big time deals for the star-powered players in Heat jersey swaps on social media. But the Heat’s off-season isn’t going to consist of waiting around for something that probably won’t even happen.

So, could a Robinson deal be done on its own to patch up some holes in the roster? Very much so. Talking about Tucker possibly needing some front-court help on the surface, the question becomes: who could Robinson get you as a potential stretch big?

We have a full off-season to talk about that now, but the point is that’s the next outlet for Robinson and the Heat. There are clearly teams that can use the shooting gift that Robinson possesses, and the Heat may need to shift in another direction.

Gabe Vincent:

What happened?

Entering this season, there was one hole on the Heat’s roster according to many Heat observers: back-up point guard. Gabe Vincent was going to be a fine third string point guard, but they needed a trusted back-up.

Not only did Vincent emerge into that, he progressed into a solid starting point guard for many slots of the regular season and the playoffs.

Not enough is said about the strides he made in his all-around game. Many were eyeing his shooting from deep since that’s what landed him on the roster in the first place, and that began to click as well. But more importantly, he became a big time defender, his play-making skills grew more than expected, and they transitioned him from a small 2 into a solid 1. In terms of production and progression, Vincent was one of the true success stories from this year.

What’s next?

Some may call Vincent or Max Strus sweeteners for a potential star-powered trade, but I don’t think it gets much sweeter than two highly productive rotation players on minimum contracts next season. That is just incredible value from a contractual perspective.

On the other side of things, I truly believe Vincent’s off-season development approach will be the cliche “improving in all areas.” It’s working on the consistency of the outside shot, the effectiveness of the pull-up, a tighter handle, and most importantly, quick play-making attributes.

Max Strus:

What happened?

As illustrated in other areas of this piece, Max Strus emerged this season from out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s not about fully jumping onto the scene, but just arriving at the right time. As much as we group Vincent, Strus, and Caleb Martin together in that young undrafted branch, many Heat observers compared them often.

Why is that? Well, there were only so many rotation spots, so the question continued to be ‘who was going to be the odd man out?’ For a good stretch of time with Vincent and Martin’s offensive game surging, that guy seemed to be Strus. But well, you know how that story ended up going.

Robinson struggled, changes were made, and Strus found himself in the starting lineup on the biggest stages. In the same breath as Vincent, he was a major success story for this Heat developmental staff who just continues to do it again and again.

What’s next?

Not to be too repetitive, but as described previously with Vincent, his contract is just an insane amount of value heading into this next season. But as much as that’s a thing, they’re going to be playing for even bigger pay-days next season heading into free agency.

For Strus individually, the shooting is clearly his staple. He had some flashes of strong attacks and defensive stops, but those will need to improve heading into this next season.

But since he’s going to be a part of this Heat offense yet again, he’s going to need something out of Duncan Robinson’s book from previous years: effectiveness off dribble hand-offs.

Strus is a tough shot maker and a clear movement shooter, but a lot of his shooting stretches came off slip screens or ghost screens into a spot-up jumper on the wing. Or just the usual catch and shoot from anywhere on the floor. But the smoothness of a Robinson hand-off would be crucial for Strus as the “best shooter on the team,” as he proclaimed with semi-air quotes.

I can say that he works on it a ton in practice after watching a ton of his post-practice shooting drills this season, but that’ll be a primary focus in the Summer.

Victor Oladipo:

What happened?

Victor Oladipo’s season consisted of an incredible comeback story and extremely small sample sizes. He made his return late in the season showcasing some high level defensive moments, yet the offensive insertion slowed down the Heat’s strides late in the year.

They shelved him for some time for that very reason, but when Lowry went down in the playoffs, his number was called again, and he answered the call. He did a very good job as a shot creator when they needed him to be, and a second half against Jaylen Brown and the Celtics in game 1 will be on his career highlight tape.

We know he’s a high-level talent, but the question was how he’d round into shape. He did a good job responding to that, but now the attention turns to what the title of his next chapter will be…

What’s next?

Oladipo is currently a free agent at the moment after he took a chance with the Heat earning the minimum, but now it’s about what his market looks like. The Heat do hold his Bird Rights, so they will have some level of control, but it’s much more on the rest of the league.

Personally, it feels like there’s a good chance he finds his way back onto this Heat roster, which quickly transitions into what is next in his production.

As much as I’ve highlighted individual improvements for much of the Heat’s roster, it’s more about role for Oladipo. Trying to blend him into their game-plan on the fly this season wasn’t the easiest thing to do, since a lot of his play was either standing in the corner as an off-ball threat or going isolation mode.

Once the Heat find out his plans in free agency, they’re going to jump on that pretty quickly. Dissecting what his job on the offensive end will be for this team, so the outline is totally understood by opening night.

Caleb Martin:

What happened?

I feel like I could just copy and paste the story-line of many of these undrafted players who climb up the ladder, since Caleb Martin falls right under that category as well.

Betting on himself by signing a two-way contract with the Heat after being cut by the Charlotte Hornets, then turned into a key rotation player who finished the season on a regular contract with Miami.

A big time game early in the year against the Milwaukee Bucks showed his abilities under the bright lights with so many guys out, but one major defensive run around January capitalized on his effectiveness. A point guard clamping tour from Steph Curry to Chris Paul to De’Aaron Fox to Fred VanVleet. The way he was able to size down proved to be very helpful, and he just fit the build of this team.

What’s next?

Martin is also a free agent, but they will throw him the qualifying offer as Miami can match outside offers if necessary. But after Martin spoke in the exit interviews on Tuesday, he voiced over and over again that he wants to come back to Miami.

So, to continue on what’s next for him personally, I’d like to retreat back to a point I made about Oladipo. When I asked Martin about his focus in improvements and role next season, he kept bringing up one guy’s name: PJ Tucker. The focus won’t be on an individual attribute, even though he noted his shooting consistency will be big, but instead his role is going to be laid out on the table from day one.

Screening, rolling, play-making off the slip. Martin wants to be that dirty work guy that can be relied on regularly much like Tucker has been this past season. This team had a lot of depth this past year, but now they need assigned roles to that depth. And Martin accepting that type of stuff can do just that.

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Dewayne Dedmon/Omer Yurtseven

What happened?

Yes, I’m going to merge two very different players who only share the same position, since both of them are in two totally different spots.

Dewayne Dedmon is coming off a year as the team’s trusted back-up big, while Omer Yurtseven was in an evaluating state as the third string big, who popped into the lineup when needed during Adebayo’s absence.

Dedmon had a strong showing early on, but the minutes declined rapidly in the playoffs as his production slowed down. Spoelstra began going smaller, which is always his most comfortable area, leaving Dedmon on the outside looking in.

Yurtseven, on the other hand, was a garbage time killer. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but his biggest moments came when he’d enter with 3 minutes left and come away with like 6 rebounds out of nowhere. That’s definitely a skill, and he has a good amount of skill while being very young,

What’s next?

The reason I grouped them together was much more about this section. Dewayne Dedmon will be a free agent with the Heat holding Bird Rights, but it pretty much feels like Miami got everything out of him that they needed. The next stage for him in terms of contract could be the end with his Heat tenure.

Omer Yurtseven on the other hand could have a bit more responsibilities. I still believe that the Heat grab some extra front-court pieces either in a possible Robinson trade, or low level free agency options, but Yurtseven will have a fighting chance.

He will have another run in Heat Summer league, now as more of the focal point after Strus dominated the last time around. He’s been working majorly behind the scenes with the coaching staff, so I’m interested to see the way he’s grown by the time Summer league actually starts.

Either way, the back-up big slot feels to be the one area of speculation to kick off this off-season.

Markieff Morris/Udonis Haslem/Haywood Highsmith/Javonte Smart/Mychal Mulder

What happened?

Lastly, we can’t leave anybody off. Markieff Morris had some moments to begin the year, but one Nikola Jokic shove in the back basically ended his role on this Heat team, since his time of recovery kept being extended.

Guys like Haywood Highsmith, Javonte Smart, and Mychal Mulder didn’t really have any major impact on this Heat group, but they’re always important to keep an eye on in this Heat organization.

One moment they’re just some guys in Summer League, and the next thing you know they’re starting 12 games in the regular season. More than anything, the developmental group deserves all of the credit.

What’s next?

Morris will be a free agent as well after earning the minimum, so it feels like it could be the end of the road there, unless no other reserve 4’s come available in free agency. (I’m eyeing Thaddeus Young possibly.)

Haslem just never seems to be done, as his exit interview every year seems to go the same way. He said he will think it over in the off-season, which will probably mean he will be back breaking up bench altercations again next year.

And as I said before, Highsmith, Smart, and Mulder will have some chances in Summer League to show what they’ve got.

(Yes, that’s everybody on the current roster. No, I won’t be addressing the Kyle Guy’s and Mario Chalmer’s from earlier 10-days.)

 

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Top 3 Horses to Watch Out for in Belmont Stakes 2022

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Many punters are starting to prepare for the Belmont Stakes this year as the event gets closer. Others may already have placed their bets on the horse that they think will win the race this year via ante-post betting. 

 

But there are still many percentages of bettors who are still undecided as to who they will entrust their bet to this coming June 11. We will talk about the top three names that are making the rounds on the internet today. But first, we will discuss any updates regarding the projected lineup of the Belmont Stakes 2022. 

Post-Preakness Update

After dominating the Preakness Stakes last May 21, Early Voting trainer Chad Brown announced that they would not enter the Belmont Stakes race. Epicenter, the second runner-up of the Preakness Stakes, also won’t run the third and last leg of the Triple Crown this year. It was stated by his trainer Steve Asmussen. 

 

Therefore, both horses should be removed from your list if you have considered betting on them in the Belmont Stakes. However, Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will compete this coming June 11. 

 

With that being said, let us start discussing the top three contenders of the 2022 Belmont Stakes that you should watch out for. With this article, you can better prepare yourself before wagering on the tvg top picks for the belmont.

Rich Strike

Since the winner of the Preakness and its second runner-up will not be on the race track for the Belmont Stakes, we will be rooting for the Kentucky Derby winner. Rich Strike is expected to be amongst the final lineup of the Belmont Stakes, and he is not just a contender. He is one of the most promising to win the race. 

 

Rich Strike entered the Kentucky Derby Race race with an 80-1 odds. So it was an unexpected moment for the fans when Rich Strike won. At that moment, the Derby favorite Epicenter, who entered the race with a 4-1 odds, and Zandon with an 8-1 odds, were occupied on a duel on the front. Rich Strike seized his moment and stole the spotlight from the two frontrunners. 

 

The race ended with a winner that nobody had expected. Rich Strike, who is way below the odds list, has triumphed. He beat Epicenter, the favorite, by three-quarters of a length, while Zandon finished third also by three-quarters of a length behind Epicenter. The result of the Kentucky Derby 2022 became the second-biggest upset in Derby history.

 

Punters who trust Rich Strike also didn’t expect the turn of the events. Rich Strike pays out $163.60. The Kentucky Derby 2022 is a perfect example that not all the time, the favorite will win. Events will have their plots and twists that no one expected. In that race, Rich Strike shows the world what he is capable of. Not to mention that he finished his last five races in the top five. 

 

It would be best to consider that Rich Strike had plenty of preparation time after he skipped the Preakness Stakes.

Mo Donegal

Mo Donegal is one of the Kentucky Derby 2022 contenders. He has a short odds of 8-1 entering the competition, but he only finished the Derby in the fifth spot. However, on the Belmont Stakes, Mo Donegal has an increased chance of winning the race considering the lineup and his race history. 

 

This 3-year-old colt trained by Todd Pletcher has won three out of six races he joined. In two of them, he finished third and one as the fifth finisher, which was the Kentucky Derby. Remember that when handicapping a horse, you should also consider his competitors. Other horses who will compete with him significantly impact whether he wins or loses. 

 

Trainer Todd Pletcher also decided to skip the Preakness Stakes so Mo Donegal will have enough time to prepare for the last leg of the Triple Crown. Although Mo Donegal didn’t have luck on his side in the Kentucky Derby, it might be the opposite on the Belmont Stakes. Mo Donegal already has experience running in Belmont Park before. 

 

He raced on the track twice last year, where he recorded a win in one of those races and third on the other. Because of this, Mo Donegal’s familiarity with the race track might be his ticket to winning the Belmont Stakes.

 

Creative Minister

Creative Minister is the Preakness Stakes 2022 third-place winner. He entered the race with a 10-1 odds and finished it two ¾ lengths behind the second place winner, Epicenter. Out of the top three finishers of the Preakness Stakes, Creative Minister is only the one who has shown interest in contending for the Belmont Stakes. 

 

He has shown strength on the race track since May 21, which is why he became among the top three Belmont Stakes contenders that you should watch out for. Creative Minister has an outstanding race record. He runs for a total of four races, including the Preakness. He won two out of the four races he entered. Creative Minister never falls below third place in his racing history. 

Start Handicapping Early

If you plan to bet on the Belmont Stakes 2022, you should start handicapping as soon as possible. The race is set for June 11, and you only have a little time to do all the research to get the information you need. Then, you can start and prioritize handicapping these top three horses to start you off. 

Inter Miami CF

Player Ratings: Inter Miami vs the Portland Timbers

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Inter Miami get themselves above the playoff line with a 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers. After starting the season on the wrong foot and receiving tons of criticism, Phil Neville and the Herons have started to hit their stride at the right moment.

Miami is 5W-2L-2D in their last nine games. This latest win against Portland shows that the South Florida club has been progressing well as the season plays on.

The Herons have a budding identity and a group of players that work well together – something the team hasn’t had in their entire history:

Here are the player ratings from Inter Miami’s win vs the Portland Timbers.

*Anything under a six is below average/poor. A six is average and or good. A seven through ten is great and or excellent.*

Goalkeeping

Drake Callender – 7.3: Had another solid game between the sticks. Was confident, vocal, and had a great command of his box. Making the case to stay on as Miami’s starting goalkeeper.

Defense

Chris McVey – 8.3: Had his best game in an Inter Miami shirt. Was lively down the left side and got the game opening assist. Being right-footed allows Miami to open up other passing angles that normally wouldn’t be possible with a left-footed left-back. He was defensively solid and kept Dairon Asprilla at bay all game.

Ryan Sailor – 7.3: Improving with each match that he starts. There were moments of shakiness at the beginning, but Sailor is a rookie and that’s understandable. He did well to grow into the game and looked comfortable once he found his footing. Ended the match with an impressive 93% pass completion percentage and seven clearances.

Damion Lowe – 7.5: Another solid performance from the Jamaica international. Was first to every ball, and aggressive in winning every 50/50. Criminally underrated by the national media, but, his work doesn’t go unnoticed.

DeAndre Yedlin – 7: Consistent, again. Used his recovery speed well against a tricky Portland front three. Got a little tired at the end but did well to hang on.

Midfield

Bryce Duke – 6.7: Didn’t quite have the same impact that he normally would. Looked a little fatigued, but still got the hockey assist on Miami’s first goal. Showed great vision all night and was unlucky to get a yellow card that saw him pulled from the game early.

Gregore – 7.9: Once again, he was the metronome for Miami’s midfield. Paired up nicely with Mota as the team’s double pivot. Was defensively sound and drove the team forward when possible. Ended the game with five recoveries and 70 touches.

Jean Mota – 8: An absolute engine for Inter Miami. With each game, the 28-year-old is showing just how important he is for Miami’s attack. Alongside Gregore, Mota was very good against a solid Timber midfield. His passing ability and vision dictated the tempo. Ended the match completing 67% of his long balls and 90% of his passes.

Attack

Robbie Robinson – 6.3: Looked a little lost on that right-hand side. Tried his best to get going but couldn’t quite find his rhythm. Had a couple of good moments in the final third but didn’t quite connect. This two-week international break will do the 23-year-old a world of good.

Leonardo Campana – 8: Got his seventh goal of the season. Was physically imposing vs the Timber defense and his movement inside the final third was excellent all game. His linkup play was immense. Had several moments in the game where he switched the point of attack seamlessly. The perfect number nine for Neville’s expansive 4-3-3.

Ariel Lassiter – 8.1: Was a thorn on the left side of Portland’s defense. His speed and willingness to take on his defender one. v one was a big reason why Miami was able to hit the Timbers on the counter. Starting to develop very good chemistry with McVey on the left flank.

Subs

Indiana Vassilev – 6.7: Did a solid job on the left side after Robinson came off injured. Had some good moments cutting in on his left foot and did a great job tracking back on defense.

Robert Taylor – 8: Had a phenomenal impact off the bench. Slotted into the midfield well, and got the game-sealing goal.

Gonzalo Higuain – 6.3: Came on and had some decent hold-up play. However, there was a moment where he was dispossessed in a bad spot that led to a Portland counter where they nearly scored. A player of his caliber has to do better in those situations – especially when three points were on the line.

Aime Mabika – 6.5: Had a couple of good clearances near the end of the match. His imposing stature made it a nightmare for Portland’s attackers to get crosses into the box.

Victor Ulloa – 6.5: Did well to clog up the middle where Portland was most dangerous, especially in the second half.

Coaching

Phil Neville – 7.5: Another well-coached game from Neville. The players are beginning to understand his philosophy and they execute it well. The 4-3-3 the Herons play suit the personnel at his disposal and he has made the most of it. Got the club inside the playoff line just as the season gets to the halfway mark; very impressive considering how the team started the season.