Miami Hurricanes land 2023 gunslinger in Emory Williams

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More good news continued for the Miami Hurricanes on Monday as they were able to land a commitment from 2023 quarterback Emory Williams.

Williams is a three-star quarterback. He was recruited by offensive coordinator Frank Ponce, and had a sizable offer sheet.

In addition to Miami, he also held offers from Arkansas State, Indiana, and USF.

This is a commitment that has come full circle in a way. Miami was one of the first programs to extend Williams an offer back in April. Now, they have him in the fold.

Williams passed for 2,202 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions in nine games played for Milton High School last year. He had a 64% completion percentage, and passed for 245 yards per game. He also had four rushing touchdowns on the year.

Williams is a gun-slinger. He throws the ball with tremendous accuracy, particularly on the deep ball. This is in line with the types of other quarterbacks the Miami Hurricanes have recruited. He is a pass-first quarterback, and doesn’t have the running skills that many college football quarterbacks have in today’s game. He is not that type of quarterback.

Miami Hurricanes are building out their offense

When you look at the 2023 recruiting class, Miami is doing a good job of trying to round out the entire offense. They have tight ends in Jackson Carver and Reid Mikeska. They also have a wide receiver in Lamar Seymour. One of the traits of a good recruiting class is adding talented pieces that fit with each other. I am seeing a plan on the offensive side of the football.

With this commitment, the Miami Hurricanes now have eight in the 2023 class. The class itself ranks 29th overall nationally and seventh overall in the ACC. I expect that number to improve as the weeks and months go on.

The Miami Hurricanes got a player that they have been wanting. This is a classic case of the coaching staff identifying a player, and making sure they get him. Williams is a type of player that can become a cornerstone of a class. Now, it’s all about the results.

 

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Inter Miami CF

Scouting Report: How Can Inter Miami Improve In The Summer? Part One

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Inter Miami is in a transition phase.

After botching the roster build in their first season, they’ve spent the last two years trying to fix those mistakes.

With Chris Henderson at the helm, the South Florida club has transformed into a hard-working team that hits their opposition on the counter.  However, there still is plenty of room for improvement.

This summer will be a potential game changer for The Herons:

As Inter Miami pushes for a playoff spot, the more reinforcements that the front office can bring in, the better.

Below is a compiled list of players that could help Miami as they take those first steps to the next level. Not all of these selections are necessarily DP-caliber players, but they fit the personnel Miami needs at the moment.

In part one of this two-part series, we’ll be focusing on creative central midfielders. Attacking midfielders will be added in the following weeks leading up to the opening of MLS’ Secondary Transfer Window on July 7th.

Without further ado, here are several players that can help strengthen Inter Miami’s squad.

Creative Central Midfielders

Miami’s midfield has improved significantly over the last few months, but, it’s not perfect. The trio of Duke, Gregore, and Mota have done well, but Miami if wants to get to the next level they’ll need more of an impact at the number 8 position. A player who can comfortably go box to box while supporting the attack will give Neville some more tactical flexibility.

Here are three central midfielders that fit that criterion:

1. Benjamin Bourigeaud, age 28 – Stade Rennais F.C

Bourigeaud is a silky central midfielder that is a bit of a swiss army knife. He can play just as well on the wing as he can through the middle. The Frenchman is excellent on the ball and has phenomenal vision and spatial awareness. He loves to switch the point of attack with his long passing range and fancies plenty of balls in behind the defense to get runners into scoring positions:

A mezzala type of player, the 28-year-old can play as a left or right winger, which will be advantageous to Neville and his coaching staff seeing as they love players who can play in multiple positions.

Bourigeaud is no slouch in defense either. Being a number 8 requires a player to be strong in tackles as well, something that he can do flawlessly:

Bourigeaud is an offensive menace.

He’s in the 92nd percentile of shot-creating actions vs all attacking midfielders/wingers in Ligue 1. He’s also in the 95th percentile for progressive passes:

The Frenchman would be a standout addition to Miami’s midfield with his high work rate and ability to play across several positions.

2. Jordan Ferri, age 30 – Montpellier HSC

A slightly different type of midfielder, Ferri is more of a tough tackling deep-lying playmaker with a touch of elegance.

The Frenchman is a little on the older side, but that doesn’t mean his qualities have diminished. The former France international has an eye for a long ball which would suit Miami’s route one, over-the-top style:

He’s also adept at winning the ball back quickly and launching his team on the counter, something that The Herons do often:

He’s technically gifted in tight space and has a low enough center of gravity to keep the ball close to his feet. Inter Miami has struggled to keep possession for most games this season. Ferri’s ability with the ball would help Neville and his coaching staff gain a bit more control centrally:

Though he does play deeper, Ferri’s skillset would bring some calmness to Miami’s midfield.

2. Branco van den Boomen, age 26 – Toulouse FC

Branco van den Boomen is a 6’3 central midfielder that’s a powerful set piece specialist. Throughout the season Inter Miami has not settled on a set piece taker. With van den Boomen’s skillset, their worries would be put to bed:

The 26-year-old has a wicked whip to his crosses which saw him rack up a whopping 21 assists in the 21/22 season.

Being on the taller side, van den Boomen’s height will give Inter Miami an advantage through the middle and provide them more physicality in the trenches. But, that doesn’t take away from his ability to play quickly and get his teammates the ball when they’re in ideal field position:

The Dutchman would be an interesting piece in Miami’s midfield. Having a player as tall as him next to Mota and Gregore would intriguing to see – especially with his skillset.

In part two, we’ll look at potential attacking midfielders that could help give some more creativity in the center of the pitch.

Miami Hurricanes land Reid Mikeska as loaded ’23 TE room takes shape

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The Miami Hurricanes had a big Sunday, receiving two commitments from offensive players. They landed wide receiver Colbie Young to begin the day, and they finished the day with a commitment from 2023 tight end Reid Mikeska.

Mikeska is a three-start tight end. He is the 29th overall tight end in the 2023 class, and has a numerical rating of 86 per the 247Sports Rankings.

He caught 24 passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns in the 2021 season for Bridgeland High School. The Cyprus, Texas native was part of a team that reached the Class  6A regional final.

His offer sheet was extremely impressive. The Miami Hurricanes managed to beat out several top programs for his services. Oklahoma, Clemson, and Alabama were some of the bigger programs to send an offer his way. Florida, Florida State, and Oregon were others. He was recruited in Miami by Stephen Feld.

This marks the second commitment in less than a week for Feld, as he also helped Miami land Jackson Carver last Wednesday.

What could he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

Mikeska measures in at six-foot-five, 233 pounds. He will give the Miami Hurricanes a competent weapon in the passing game as well as somebody who’s not afraid to block. He can make things happen after the catch, and uses his size to bulldoze over defenders. This could certainly help Miami in a variety of ways, as that will allow them to have a player that can block for the running backs.

This offer is an interesting paradox in terms of Miami’s tight end commitments over the past week. Carver is more of a playmaking weapon. I see Mikeska as somebody that can handle more of the blocking duties. That’s not to say he is one-dimensional. Blocking was just something that really popped out on his highlight tape.

Miami has liked having two playmaking tight ends at the position over the years, and that trend continues with this commitment.

With this commitment, the 2023 Miami Hurricanes recruiting class ranks 37th overall nationally. Mikeska’s commitment makes the tight end room that much deeper for Miami.

Time will tell how Mikeska is going to be utilized. Chances are he will be able to make a positive impact in Coral Gables.

 

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What Would Donovan Mitchell’s On-Court Fit with Heat Look Like?

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Is a better world coming? If you read way too far into quotes on hats while sitting next to your team’s franchise player, then maybe so.

But it’s more than just that silly quote.

It feels like the name Donovan Mitchell has come up often when it comes to the Miami Heat searching for the biggest stars around the league with a subtitle of the possibility they could break away from their current organization.

Yet with so much unknown around Mitchell and the Utah Jazz at the moment, it creates an intriguing dynamic.

This should be prefaced by saying that all things must align to initially kick off this process of getting Mitchell out of Utah and onto a team like the Heat. He would have to ask out, say Miami is his preferred landing spot, and Pat Riley and company would need to put together a good enough package that the Jazz would be willing to accept.

So, there are some obstacles. But as Riley once said, there also are none.

Even though it may be a bit early in off-season time, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t prepare for the scenario that this process accelerates quickly. This isn’t about mock trade packages or silly updated Finals odds. Let’s just look into what this may look like on the court if it got done…

The Driving Game: Elite Control/Paint Touches

Finding that three-level scorer seems to be on many minds when it comes to the Miami Heat. Could that be internally? Yes. Could that be through a trade such as Mitchell coming available? Absolutely.

When looking over some Mitchell film a bit more, one thing is blatantly clear: his pick and roll attack and control in those paint touches is simply second to none. Turn-around jumpers, little floaters, physical attacks (which I’ll discuss next), and pure athletic finishes.

But more importantly than that, there’s a certain number that has stuck out on this Heat roster that is a Mitchell strength across his entire career.

The Heat ultimately fell short in the playoffs because the shooting tailed off, but another thing that occurred was that driving numbers were slowly decreasing from Jimmy Butler’s supporting cast, including Tyler Herro having a tough time getting to the rim once that post-season switch was made.

In Mitchell’s five seasons in the NBA, his attempts less than 10 feet from the basket have increased from the regular season to the playoffs. His role is clearly different when it comes to his usage sky-rocketing in general, but it isn’t easy to continually get those paint touches and high efficiency looks when teams lock in on that game-plan to stop you in a specific series.

In the playoffs this year, Mitchell shot 55% from the field off his drives, while averaging the 4th most drives per game in the league.

We had a similar discussion about rim pressure when Kyle Lowry arrived on the scene last off-season, but that was one expectation that didn’t come into fruition since his burst wasn’t at the usual standards for extended pockets of time. He did great as a lead play-maker, but rim pressure was noticeably not a consistent element.

Yet for Mitchell, that’s exactly what this would be for Jimmy Butler, which flows into my next point…

Physicality as a Second Attacker?

If this move was hypothetically made, I think there would be a big expectation for Mitchell to be the first offensive option as an attacker for the majority of the regular season. Emphasis on regular season. The goal would be to give a good chunk of usage to the young blood, so Butler’s skill can be preserved for the long haul, before he picked up the name-tag of primary option once game 82 passed by.

So if that time came, a secondary attacker of Mitchell’s caliber would be scary to say the least. As much as I talked about on-ball control and crafty finishing, he’s just as physical as it gets when talking about straight line drives.

Getting to the second level is one thing, which many guys on the Heat’s current roster possess, but the ability to strongly take it up on that drop defender or help-side guy instead of immediately going for the pull-up is a change of pace.

In the Heat’s system, I’d imagine we’d see a lot of those drive-kick-drive scenarios to maximize personnel and keep the defense totally at bay. Butler drives in the right slot with help at the nail, kick-out to Mitchell on the left wing with the second drive coming and a rotating defense. That type of stuff is tough to beat with two star level players and physical attackers, which would make those offensive wrinkles interesting for Coach Spo and the coaching staff.

The Pull-Up/Self Creation Dynamic 

Now, when people think about Mitchell or any star powered three-level scorer on the market, this is the stuff being imagined. Just a hooper making things happen with the ball in his hands.

Isolation buckets, some flashy cross-overs, and most importantly, a solid pull-up game to fully balance out the previous stuff discussed off the attack.

This past season, Mitchell avergaed the 5th most pull-up threes per game in the NBA, while shooting them at a 36% clip. For some context, Steph Curry attempted the 4th most pull-up triples and shot them at a 37% clip.

Now for even more context, Herro had a great pull-up shooting season as well this past year while shooting 37.5% on pull-up threes, yet he only attempted 3.4 a game in comparison to Mitchell’s 6.2 a night.

Once again, this all feeds into the usage and role thing when it comes to his current position in Utah, but it’s always expected that those numbers would further increase in Miami’s current offensive system next to guys like Butler and Adebayo.

Yet to close off this section, it’s probably more about creation than it is actual pull-up numbers. Being able to make a team pay if Butler gets doubled, while also having counters for doubles himself when that time comes. Simply because he can create off the dribble at a high level mainly through the defensive fear of a strong attack or blow-by being his next move.

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Oh, the Mitchell-Butler Pick and Roll

Finally, I must say when it comes to certain pairings, some of us may be focused on the wrong one. Many immediately think about the Mitchell-Adebayo pick and roll, which does make you think a bit.

Mitchell loves operating out of the high pick and roll because open space is his closest friend, simultaneously thinking about the success Herro and Bam had late in the season with the high PnR pairing.

But for some reason, the Mitchell-Butler sets feel to be the most intriguing.

Two seasons ago, what was the best PnR pairing for Miami? Goran Dragic-Jimmy Butler pick and roll.

What set was run late in games this past season when a fully healthy Heat team was on the floor? Kyle Lowry-Jimmy Butler pick and roll.

Butler has been incredible in every category since joining Miami, but he’s been unlocked as a pretty dominant force on the short roll, since he can bull-doze, turn into a post-up, or make reads as his play-making skills make its way into the picture.

Now add a scorer of Mitchell’s caliber, who just averaged 26 points a game this past season, into that PnR equation. Looking at some of the clips above, we saw Mitchell’s role in the playoffs turn into a roll man feeder to his role players, since Dallas did a fantastic job of trying to stop his one-man game in the half-court.

He continued maximizing the court with 4-on-3’s, which shifts back to my thinking of inserting Butler into those spots: how do teams generally choose to defend that combination in an empty corner?

Giving Erik Spoelstra those type of outlets in the half-court, and more specifically in clutch time, really could be the fix to the Heat’s offense in itself.

Now, I know the other thing everybody’s thinking about is that this is completely offensive centric and there’s another side of the floor. Yes, it’s pretty clear that Mitchell has been a negative defender during his tenure in the NBA so far, but there are two points that must be made.

For 1) surrounding him with a cast of characters like Butler, Tucker, and Adebayo make things look much different, just as they’ve done for so many role players over the last few years by turning them into serviceable defenders. And 2) if he keeps up this offensive success that I discussed in this entire piece, the defensive stuff doesn’t stand out as much.

It has stood out for guys like Herro this past playoff run because the scoring averages weren’t completely transferred over from the regular season to playoffs. If Mitchell does what he does best which is score the basketball at an extremely high level, that topic isn’t even probably being discussed.

Anyway, this is still extremely hypothetical. As I said earlier, things will have to completely fall into place this off-season to even get this thing started. But in this fantasy world of predictions, I would say that this Mitchell fit wouldn’t be half bad for what Miami is trying to do next to Jimmy Butler.

 

 

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes land downfield threat with Colbie Young commitment

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The Miami Hurricanes picked up a commitment on Sunday from JUCO wide receiver Colbie Young.

Young comes to the Hurricanes from Lackawanna Community College as a member of the class of 2022. He is not ranked in the 247Sports Composite or regular rankings.

He was recruited to Miami by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. The wide receiver will join the program at the end of June, and adds to a 2022 class that ranked 16th overall nationally, as noted by InsideTheU’s Gaby Urrutia.

Young recorded 24 catches for 472 yards and nine touchdowns last season, averaging 19 yards per reception. It was enough to garner him offers from the likes of Florida State, Tennessee, and Penn State.

What does he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

This gives Miami another downfield weapon for Tyler Van Dyke. At the conclusion of the spring, many fans were not convinced that Miami had a reliable weapon. They certainly have a lot of depth pieces and players that can be developed. As it stands right now, they don’t have many that can provide instant production.  It’s worth noting that they lost a guy who had that capability in Mike Harley.

Young has the opportunity to be that downfield weapon. He is in a position where he may need to be relied upon heavily. He has enough skills to where it shouldn’t be a problem if his number is called upon  frequently. Young has three years of eligibility, which could help him develop over the next couple of seasons.

This was a big commitment for the Miami Hurricanes, as it gives them production for a number of seasons, as well as a player that fits the offensive style they want to bring to the table. Half of the key to a good offense is surrounding the quarterback with players that fit his style. Miami is doing a good job of building out their class and finding players that fit.

 

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TBT

Team Defeat Diabetes Competing in TBT 2022

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The Basketball Tournament, known by fans these days as TBT, stands as one of the more popular forms of summer basketball to enjoy. This year, the tournament hosts 64 teams playing in a single-elimination bracket for a winner-take-all $1 million. The teams are made up largely of professional and former college stars, some representing their former schools while others play on sponsored teams, like team Defeat Diabetes.

TBT 2022 will be ninth installment of the tournament, with games being played in July and August, aired on ESPN and ESPN2. South Florida basketball fans might recognize the Category 5 team, made up of University of Miami alumni, including the recently graduated Chris Lykes and former Canes stars like Durand Scott. Miami Heat fans might recognize former Heat players Jamario Moon and James Ennis, playing on teams, amongst others.

This event provides players an opportunity to showcase their skills in the States, in an effort for some to make or return to the NBA. This includes former first-round NBA Draft picks and, for the first time, frontline NBA Draft prospects. The Overtime Elite squad features twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, both of whom are projected top-10 picks in the 2023 draft.

But beyond that, many of these teams find themselves playing to support of important causes, like Type-1 diabetes. There are squads representing a variety of foundations, including those for ALS, autism, cancer, mental wellness, and muscular dystrophy.

Team Defeat Diabetes to Debut in TBT 2022

In its first year at TBT, the Defeat Diabetes team hopes to benefit those individuals living with Type-1 diabetes. The squad is sponsored by the JDRF, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. They will donate a portion of their winnings to the foundation.

Former University of North Florida star Jalen Nesbitt co-founded team Defeat Diabetes with his fiancé, Cristina Desemone. Nesbitt, a Spartanburg, SC, native, sports seven years of professional basketball experience in Europe.

Desemone, who has been living with Type-1 diabetes since 2006, is a registered dietitian specializing in performance nutrition. She works with athletes to help them reach their performance goals and prepare them for an elite level of play. The couple felt TBT provided a solid platform from which to advocate for those with diabetes.

The team will play out of the Xavier Region at the Cintas Center, in Cincinnati, Ohio. They have a growing presence on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, as well as YouTube. They continue their funding efforts on GoFundMe.

Defeat Diabetes TBT Team Roster

The Defeat Diabetes roster sports 10 players, headlined by former NBA forward Gary Forbes. The 37-year-old Forbes spent two seasons in the NBA, playing with the Denver Nuggets (as a teammate of former Heat fan-favorite Chris ‘Birdman’ Andersen) and Toronto Raptors. Interestingly, he was part of the trade package that sent current Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry from Houston to the Raptors in 2012.

Forbes played in previous TBT events for the Talladega Knights (2017) and Gael Nation (2018). He played collegiately at both Virginia (2003-05) and UMass (2006-08). Forbes earned Atlantic-10 Player of the Year honors in 2008.

Gary Forbes is one of three players with Type-1 diabetes to play in the NBA. Following his stellar college career, Forbes joined Chris Dudley and Adam Morrison as the only other players in NBA history with Type-1 diabetes. Only one player, Lauren Cox, has played in the WNBA with Type-1 diabetes.

In committing to team Defeat Diabetes for TBT, Forbes said he wants to “represent those living with Type-1 diabetes.”

The team’s co-founder, Jalen Nesbitt, recently played for Almansa in the Spain-LEB Gold league during the 2021-22 season. Nesbitt starred at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, from 2013-15. As a senior, Nesbitt started in all 35 games for UNF while averaging 10.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He helped UNF capture the program’s first Atlantic Sun Conference title and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

Nesbitt says he’s “excited to bring awareness to Type-1 diabetes”. The 28-year-old shooting guard stands “ready to compete and win this million dollars.”

Rest of the Roster

Joining Forbes and Nesbitt on team Defeat Diabetes for TBT are veterans of both NCAA and international professional basketball.

Donovan Donaldson played collegiately at Tusculum University in Tennessee. The 25-year-old guard has played in Germany, North Macedonia, and most recently Hungary with PVSK-Veolia.

Arthur Edwards played at Alabama in the 2015-16 season, starting all 33 games and averaging 9.5 points-per-game. The 29-year-old guard has played in the NBA G League, Bulgaria, and most recently Switzerland.

Demonte Flannigan excelled at Cleveland State. He played under head coach Gary Waters, who also coached former Miami Heat guard Norris Cole. After college, Flannigan has played in the top leagues in the UK, Denmark, and Georgia.

Cameron Forte comes to team Defeat Diabetes as a TBT veteran, including a 39-point/23-rebound performance the 2018 event. At Portland State during the 2015-16 season, he averaged 19.2 points-per-game, earning All-Big Sky Second Team honors. Forte has played professionally in Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, and Iceland.

JJ Frazier averaged 18.8 points-per-game during his senior season at Georgia and earned All-SEC First Team honors. He has played professionally in Italy and Turkey. Frazier’s also played for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League.

Brevin Priztl led the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage during conference play (53.5) as a junior at Wisconsin in the 2018-19 season. He has played professionally in Serbia and Denmark since then.

Zac Seljaas played four years at BYU before playing professionally in Georgia for BC Vera. The 24-year-old averaged 22.1 points-per-game and 12.0 rebounds-per-game during the 2021-22 season.

Emmanuel Wembi finished his college career Lenoir-Rhyne before playing overseas in Croatia and most recently Estonia. This past season he averaged 12.2 points-per-game and 8.2 rebounds-per-game for Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits in Estonia.

Support Team Defeat Diabetes at TBT 2022

To support team Defeat Diabetes at TBT 2022 you can donate on their GoFundMe page. Follow them on their social platforms, including their YouTube channel, their Twitter page, as well as both their Facebook page and on Instagram.

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes in good position for JUCO WR visiting this weekend

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The Miami Hurricanes have another big recruiting weekend, and it may and with at least one commitment. JUCO wide receiver Colbie Young is set to visit the program this Friday, and things are in good standing for the Hurricanes.

Young is not rated in the 247Sports Composite or regular rankings. He does however have an extensive offer sheet. Miami, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech are the three teams that he has shown the most interest in. All of those programs have extended an offer his way. He also has offers from the likes of Florida State and Tennessee.

The Hurricanes could be in a position where they could get a commitment from Young this weekend, per Matt Shodell of CaneSport. He is being recruited to Miami by Josh Gattis.

He had 24 catches for 472 yards and four touchdowns in nine games last season for Lackawanna Community College.

What could he bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Young could bring a little bit of everything to Miami. He is a downfield playmaker, and that allows him to be a matchup nightmare. At six-foot-four, 220 pounds, he is the perfect size for a downfield threat. He is very good at going up and getting footballs, and athleticism is one of his biggest strengths.

Young is not limited to just being able to stretch the field. He can also make things happen after the catch. This allows him to showcase his speed, and he can make things happen when given open space.

This would be a big pick up for Miami, as they continue to add to the 2023 recruiting class.  They already have a wide receiver in the class in Lamar Seymore. The class is ranked 42nd overall in the country right now but I expect that ranking to improve. That ranking could change by the end of this weekend, especially if Young commits. He would give them another playmaker and a class that is full of them.

We’ll just have to wait and see if Miami lands a commitment from Young. Right now, things are looking promising.

 

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Marlins lose a tough series vs. Phillies: 5 Takeaways

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After winning their previous two series, the Miami Marlins hoped to go into Philadelphia and take care of business. 

The Marlins have had success with the Phillies earlier this season, taking three out of four in their series back in April. So there was optimism that Miami would be able to beat them this go around. That was not the case.

Miami ended up losing two of three against Philadelphia and the talk of the series was the bullpen. Of course, it comes as no surprise because that’s been the Marlins’ biggest problem of the season. The starters are doing their jobs, but it seems like every time Miami turns to their bullpen, the game gets away from them. 

A couple of bright spots to take away from the series is that designated hitter Jesus Aguilar has played a great last couple of games. Aguilar went 3-for-9 with a home run and four RBIs. And how about right fielder Avisail Garcia? The Marlins have been hoping that their big free agent signing was going to have the same amount of production as he did in Milwaukee last season when he batted .262 and had 29 home runs. After a slow start this season, it looks like the former all star is starting to get back to that form from last year. In Game 2, Garcia went 2-for-5 with a home run and a couple of RBIs.

At the end of the day, the Marlins weren’t able to get it done and they have a tough road ahead of them as they head to New York to take on the first place Mets.

Here are five takeaways from the series.

 

Why take out Sandy?

Marlins’ starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara had another stellar performance. Alcanatara pitched in the first game of the series and he was lights out, per usual. 

Alcantara gave up an RBI single to designated hitter Bryce Harper in the bottom of the third inning, but after that, Alcantara settled back in and didn’t give up a run in the next few innings. 

Now, we’ve reached the bottom of the eighth inning. Alcantara had given up two leadoff walks to put runners on first and second base with nobody out. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was up to bat and got jammed on an inside sinker by Alcantara that caused him to ground into a double play.

Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius was up to bat and all game long, Gregorius had struggled against Alcantara. Gregorius was 0-for-3 with a strikeout leading up to his at-bat in the eighth inning. Alcantara was ready to throw the pitch and then Marlins manager Don Mattingly came out of the dugout and told Alcantara that his night was done. Left-handed pitcher Steven Okert came out to face Gregorius and on Okert’s first pitch, Gregorius hit the ball down the right field line to tie the game 2-2. I mean, you can’t make this stuff up.

Why did Mattingly take Alcantara out of the game? Maybe it was the pitch count because Alcantara was at 112 pitches. But even then, Alcantara didn’t show signs of slowing down. It was Alcantara’s game to finish and he didn’t get the opportunity to and he showed his frustration when he sat in the dugout after being pulled. 

 

Trevor Rogers continues to struggle

Starting pitcher Trevor Rogers was set to take the mound for Game 2 of the series and from the get go, he wasn’t able to get comfortable.

Rogers logged just 3.2 innings pitched and gave up four earned runs, five hits, and a career-high six walks. What is really mind-boggling is that five of his six walks were to left-handed hitters. Three to left fielder Kyle Schwarber and the other two were to Harper. The walks to Harper were understandable because he has been on a tear as of late and it seemed like the Marlins’ game plan  was to stay away from him as much as possible. But, to let Schwarber walk three times is truly puzzling. Schwarber has been batting just .202 against lefties this season and for Rogers to not get aggressive and throw pitches in the strike zone against him doesn’t make much sense. 

After this start, Rogers’ ERA has shot up to 5.87 and he has given up a total of 28 walks so far this season, the tenth most in the MLB. Marlins fans have been hoping that Rogers would get back to his phenomenal play from last season where he was named an all star with a 2.64 ERA. But, how high is his confidence after this outing?

 

Miami didn’t have an answer for Rhys Hoskins

Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins went absolutely crazy in the three games against Miami. Over the series, Hoskins went 8-for-13 with seven RBIs and a pair of home runs in Game 2.

In Game 1, Hoskins hit a walk-off single to give the Phillies a 3-2 win after a changeup by right-hander Anthony Bass was hit off the end of Hoskins’ bat that fell into no man’s land and gave the runner at second enough time to score. 

It felt like everything the Marlins’ pitchers were throwing weren’t fooling Hoskins at the plate. Hoskins was the life of the Phillies’ offense and Miami couldn’t find a way to get their hottest hitter out. 

 

Daniel Castano shines in his first start 

With the injury to starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, Mattingly and the Marlins had to turn to someone else to make the start in Game 3 as a precautionary move. They didn’t want Lopez to risk hurting his hand even more and decided to give him a couple more days to rest.

So, the Marlins turned to left-hander Daniel Castano. Castano made a few appearances for Miami earlier this season, but as a relief-pitcher. Last season, Castano started games for Miami and had some success. 

In Game 3 of the series, Castano pitched an incredible game. He pitched 6.2 innings and didn’t give up a run to the Phillies. His pitch count of 105 was the most he’s had in his three-year career. It seemed as if every inning, the Phillies would have runners in scoring position and he would find a way to get out of the jams whether it started with two, one, or zero outs in the inning. Castano found ways to stay composed on the mound and take care of business.

 

The bullpen is back to being subpar 

After a great series against the Houston Astros, I thought that the bullpen finally got it together. But sadly, I was wrong. 

Time and time again when it looks like the Marlins are in the driver’s seat for the length of the game, they lose control once the bullpen is called. This series was a prime example of that. 

In Game 1, Alcantara had given up just one run through seven innings and when the bullpen entered the game, Miami lost the lead. They did eventually tie it back up but Hoskins hit the walk-off to give the Phillies the win. 

In Game 2, the bullpen was in early because of Rogers’ rough outing. The score was tied at four by the time Rogers was pulled from the game. Right-handed relief pitcher Dylan Floro entered the game and the Phillies were all over him. Floro gave up four earned runs in just 0.2 innings of work. Fortunately, the Marlins were able to create enough offense to come back from a four-run deficit and win 11-9 in a roller coaster of a game.

And now the worst of all: Game 3. The Marlins had just one run all game that came off of a home run in the top of the fifth inning by shortstop Miguel Rojas. So, there wasn’t much room for error after Castano’s six shutout innings. Right-handers Tommy Nance and Anthony Bass did a good job in keeping the Phillies’ offense shutout. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Miami turned to left-hander Tanner Scott to close out the game and leave Philadelphia with a series win. 

Scott struck out Gregorius, gave up a single to third baseman Alec Bohm, walked Realmuto, and struck out infielder Yairo Munoz. Catcher Garrett Stubbs was the last hope for the Phillies and with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, Scott threw a slider right over the heart of the plate that Stubbs crushed into the seats in right field to give the Phillies the win and the series. That’s now two walk off hits that Miami’s relievers have given up in the past three games. You really can’t make this stuff up.

“I thought he got away from his fastball a little bit,” Mattingly said about Scott’s last outing. “He kind of got predictable.”

Mattingly went on to say, “The guy (Stubbs) had a pretty good swing at his slider and took a couple of sliders. He left that one up.”

It feels as if every time Miami takes one step forward, they then take two steps back. That’s been the theme of the season so far. 

It’ll be interesting to see how the Marlins can regain their confidence as they head into New York for their next series. They need to find a way to move on from these last tough couple of games and get focused for a great baseball team. 

The Marlins play the Mets this weekend for a four-game series from Friday to Monday at Citi Field in New York.

Inter Miami CF

The Three Biggest Storylines Of Inter Miami’s Season So Far.

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Inter Miami is in the playoff hunt.

With a rocky start to the 2022 campaign, many believed that the South Florida club would be wooden spoon material. However, Phil Neville and his squad took that to heart and used the doubt as motivation. Now, they find themselves only a point away from the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

As The Herons head into the halfway point of the season, they’ll look to continue this good run of form in the hopes of making the playoffs.

All that said, let’s look back at some of the season’s biggest storylines of Inter Miami’s season so far.

Higuain’s New Role and the Rise of Campana

Gonzalo Higuain was brought to Inter Miami in the fall of 2020 with high expectations. Coming from a club like Juventus, the Argentinian arrived in South Florida to be the face of the club. For a period of time, he was.

In his first season with The Herons, the then 32-year-old only scored one goal and had two assists in his first nine matches for the team.  Though he underperformed, his physical presence in and around the club made Inter Miami a major talking point for the media both domestically and internationally.

After taking an offseason to get adjusted to the physicality of the league, the former Argentina international exploded in 2021. He carried the team with 12 goals and seven assists on the season.

Fast forward to 2022 and the hope that he could top his 2021 form has come to a halt.

Injuries have hampered the 34-year-old and he’s been relegated to the bench, getting sporadic starts as he returns to full fitness.

In his place has been Ecuadorian international Leonardo Campana.

Since being penciled into the lineup, the 21-year-old has been lights out.

His seven goals in all competitions have been a breath of fresh air in a position that The Herons have struggled with in 2022. The Ecuadorian’s stature, work rate, and silky first touch have been key to Inter Miami’s turnaround. His chemistry with his teammates and ability to play off them seamlessly has given Miami’s attack much more fluidity in the final third.

As the 2023 season begins to creep up, the big question will be: will IMCF be able to keep Campana?

Reading the fine print, there is an option to purchase the 21-year-old at the end of the season.

Surely, Inter Miami’s Sporting Director Chris Henderson will have a firm eye on this.

Drake Callender, GK1?

Drake Callendar has a rough start to 2022. After a few blunders in pre-season that subsequently saw him fall out of favor, the California native rebounded better than ever.

Since taking the spot between the sticks for Miami’s US Open Cup match against Miami FC, Callendar has been a force to be reckoned with.

His 33.3% clean sheet percentage puts him in the 80th percentile of all MLS goalkeepers. For perspective, he’s only three percent below highly touted wonder kid Gabriel Slonina.

As the team gets deeper into the season, having Callendar continue this run of form will huge if The Herons want to push for the playoffs.

The Emergence of Bryce Duke

Though Miami is a town where glitz and glamor reign, David Beckham and Chris Henderson wanted one non-negotiable as the South Florida club went into rebuilding mode: trust the youth.

There’s no other player that exemplifies this new mindset better than Bryce Duke.

Duke’s emergence as one of the key figures in Miami’s midfield comes as no surprise if you watch his game. He’s smart, offensive-minded, and has the stamina to press when needed.

The 21-year-old’s 4.21 shot-creating actions per 90 put him in the 83rd percentile of attacking midfielders in MLS. His progressive passes are even better as he racks up 5.77 a game which, once again, puts his numbers amongst the upper echelon of ‘number 10’s’ within the league.

His tenacity and desire to get forward is one of the reasons Miami’s offense has more bite. Check out this nicely timed through ball to Ariel Lassiter that nearly ends up as another Campana goal:

As Inter Miami continues to get younger as the 2023 season gets closer, expect Duke to be a central player as the club moves forward.

The season is still young, but there were plenty of intriguing headlines to takeaway in the first 15 weeks of the season.

Miami Hurricanes: Wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph will visit Coral Gables

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The Miami Hurricanes will get a visit from wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph later this month.

Joseph decommitted from Clemson this week, as the wide receiver now looks to explore other options. He is set to visit Coral Gables on June 24. He originally committed to Clemson back on September 10, 2021.

Joseph is a four-star recruit. He is the 17th overall wide receiver in the 2023 class, and the 20th overall player in the class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Right now, Louisville, Miami, and Texas A&M are the three programs that he is most focused on. He is being recruited to Miami by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

Joseph would bring variety of skills to Miami Hurricanes

Joseph is a playmaker, and he can do a little bit of everything offensively. He is mostly a slot receiver, but he also has the ability to return kicks. He did so for Miami Edison.

In addition to his kick returning abilities, he is a very solid receiver. He gets out of his breaks quickly, and runs clean routes. Speed is a major element of his game, and it allows him to make things happen. This is something that Miami has certainly paid attention to.

Joseph is a bit on the smaller side at five-foot-eight, 170 pounds. However, his intangibles make up for his height and it allows him to be an effective playmaker in various packages and situations. The Miami Hurricanes would definitely benefit from his playmaking abilities, and Gattis would certainly have a productive weapon to work with.

Currently, the 2023 Miami Hurricanes recruiting class ranks 43rd overall in the country. However, the class has six commitments and will continue to build out. At this point in the summer, the fact that six commitments are already in the class is a good thing. Games have not even been played yet. Games (and wins) may expedite top recruits coming to Coral Gables and subsequently committing later this fall.

 

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