Miami Heat Summer League Preview: Who’s got a Shot?

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“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is the famous saying about Sin City. But when we’re talking about Summer League basketball, what happens in Vegas can determine whether or not you have an NBA job next season. Myself and Tony Schwartz will be in the desert to cover the Heat during the Vegas Summer League so stay tuned for more updates this weekend. Here’s a quick look at the Heat’s roster heading into Vegas: 

 

Tier 1: Guaranteed Roster Spots: 

Nikola Jovic – After a slow start, Jovic shined in the Heat’s win over the Warriors on Tuesday. As expected for the 19 year old rookie, the game seemed to fast for him at times. His 25 point (5/7 3PT) and 9 rebound explosion showed the promise that Miami drafted him for. It’s just one game though, so continuing to show growth in Vegas where the competition level will rise is important momentum heading into his first season in Miami. For more on Jovic, check out Brady Hawk’s film breakdown. 

Haywood Highsmith – Highsmith had a solid showing at the California Classic – averaging 10.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.7 SPG. Most importantly, he showed the shooting ability that should keep him on the roster (41.7% on 4 attempts from behind the arc). While I’ve listed him on the “guaranteed” tier, Highsmith’s contract becomes fully guaranteed on July 15th so keep an eye on that date to see if any of the prospects below (or on another team) might impress enough to steal his roster spot. 

Omer Yurtseven – One of the stars of last summer’s team, Omer has yet to appear as he competes with the Turkish National Team. He is expected to be in Las Vegas but may not actually appear in any of the games. If he does suit up, it would provide the Heat an offensive hub and rebounding threat that does not exist on the rest of the roster. Players returning to summer league for the second year usually stand out – so best case scenario is Omer appears to “not belong” in this setting. 

 

Tier 2: Two-Way Contracts: 

Mychal Mulder – After a disappointing California Classic, Mulder will likely need to show shooting progression to maintain his two-way spot. He had the “green light” from Malik Allen to fire from behind the arc, averaging nearly 8 three-point attempts per game. But to be labeled as a “shooter” and only connect on 21.7% over three games is not promising. I believe he will shoot better in Vegas, but at 28 years old, what is his upside beyond shooting? 

Javonte Smart – Smart also was not overly impressive in the California Classic. In the first two games, Smart averaged 12.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 1.5 SPG. While he finished 5th overall in scoring during the showcase, his 27.3% field goal percentage and 21.4% three point percentage leaves plenty to be desired. The Heat’s offense did not break 70 points in either of

Smart’s two games, and without him Tuesday, the offense was much more efficient, powered by Allman Jr. and Bouyea at point guard. 

 

Tier 3: Emerging Prospects To Watch 

Kyle Allman, Jr. – After three games in California, you could argue Allman has been as good as anyone not on a guaranteed contract. With a few good games in Vegas, he could be the favorite to push into the two-way conversation. After going undrafted and spending three seasons overseas, the soon-to-be 25 year old Allman brings a mature game at point guard. His athleticism brings rim pressure that is scarce on the current Heat roster. He averaged a team-best 6 assists per game in California, highlighted by a 10 assist game against the Warriors on Tuesday. While creating for others, he also contributed 9.0 PPG and shot 35.7% on nearly 5 three point attempts per game. 

Jamaree Bouyea – I spoke about Bouyea in my Draft Preview article and he fit the description in the California Classic. Like Allman, they have downhill ability to get into the paint with their athleticism. Bouyea 6-7 wingspan has been on display with craft finishes and as an active defender. Bouyea finished the three game showcase with 13 points and 6 assists against the Warriors. While his shooting leaves plenty to be desired, his all-around point guard skills have emerged as someone who could compete with Smart and Allman Jr. for a two-way roster spot. 

Orlando Robinson – While Allman Jr. and Bouyea have shined at the guard position, Robinson has emerged as the Heat’s best interior player – averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds in California. At 6-11, 244 lbs, with a 7-4 wingspan, his measurables stand out. He’s more Kelly Olynyk than a traditional center, displaying promising passing and perimeter shooting abilities in college. He isn’t an elite athlete like Bryson Williams, but his skill level is much higher. If Omer returns to play in Vegas, it will diminish his minutes significantly but he should still have an opportunity to show his potential to stick around with the Heat on an exhibit 10 or two-way contract. 

Bryson Williams – While I don’t necessarily think Bryson is someone who will steal a two-way spot, I think he’s a strong possibility for an exhibit 10 contract. Physically, Bryson might be the most imposing athlete Miami has outside of Bam Adebayo. At 6-9, 237 lbs, with shoulders that barely fit inside of a standard door frame, he has drawn comparisons to a young Udonis Haslem 

by David Thorpe on the True Hoop podcast. His stats didn’t jump off the page in the California Classic, only 3.5 PPG and 1.5 RPG, but he seemed to display the grit Miami loves. As a developmental prospect, I’d personally love to see him stick around in Sioux Falls this season. 

Marcus Garrett – Last summer, his game-changing defensive abilities earned him a two-way spot on the Heat’s roster until he was replaced after midseason wrist surgery. Garrett is still recovering and his availability in Vegas is still in question. If he suits up, he would immediately be impactful on defense. The question will be whether he’s grown on offense over the past year to compliment his strengths. The Heat obviously saw something in him last summer, so he’s someone to keep an eye on regardless if he’s able to play this week.

 

Tier 4: Sioux Falls or Bust 

Jamal Cain – Only appearing in one game (8 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL) in California, the sample size on Cain is limited. Greg Sylvander reported that Miami had interest in him pre-draft, so he is someone who we should keep tabs on. The athletic scorer will have to show more in Vegas in order to push himself into the conversation of making the real roster. 

Jalen Adaway – Only averaging eight minutes in his two games in California, Adaway has a pretty limited statistical profile. However, his athleticism guarding full court, attacking the glass, and seemingly playing harder than everyone else on the floor could be something to watch in Vegas. He’ll need more minutes in order to make a significant impact and make the roster, but he could be someone to store in Sioux Falls and develop. 

Bryce Hamilton – Another player who has had limited opportunities so far, but Hamilton was solid on Tuesday with 9 points and 7 rebounds. He led the Mountain West in scoring last season, so if he can capitalize in his minutes in Vegas, he could be someone to monitor for Sioux Falls this season. 

Aaron Wheeler – Did not appear during the California Classic.

 

*****

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Inter Miami CF

How Will Inter Miami Line Up With Alejandro Pozuelo?

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Inter Miami has made some noise in the summer transfer window.

According to various reports, 30-year-old attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo will be heading to South Florida in a trade from Toronto FC for $150,000 in allocation money.

What comes as a massive addition to the squad at a critical moment in the playoff race, Inter Miami will have an MVP-caliber player at their disposal. Not only does Pozuelo bring MLS experience, but he also is the progressive passer that Miami’s midfield has been searching for since the club’s inception.

With a potential midfield partnership alongside Jean Mota and Gregore, suddenly, Miami’s playoff hopes are looking a little more likely.

Let’s see how the Herons will line up with the Spaniard.

How Will He Fit In?

Phil Neville lines up Inter Miami in a traditional 4-3-3. While this system normally doesn’t require an out and out number ’10,’ with Inter Miami, at least one central midfielder pushes up into the forward line to work in the half spaces:

Bryce Duke has been the go-to player for Neville in this position. The 21-year-old has steadily shown his quality and playmaking ability as Miami’s main creative presence through the middle.

When Pozuelo dons the pink and black, he will – presumably, take the place of Duke in the midfield three. Playing just in front of the more defensive duo of Mota and Gregore, the Spaniard will have the freedom to roam and combine with the front three of Miami’s attacking trident.

According to FBref, Pozuelo is in the 94th percentile of progressive passes per 90 with 7.05 and also in the 95th percentile of passes into the final third with 5.38.

With players like Ariel Lassiter, Robert Taylor, Indiana Vassilev, and Emerson Rodriguez on the wings, Pozuelo’s slick passing and ball retention will be key to Miami’s offensively expansive, yet defensively disciplined style.

Being able to hit players running the channels on the touchline with his vision and ball skills, will give the South Florida club even more potency on counters:

This season, Miami has oftentimes relinquished the ball in favor of defensive compactness. Though Neville has spoken about wanting to keep more possession, they haven’t quite found a way to be able to do that consistently.

Pozuelo is adept at controlling the rhythm of the game and will look to retain possession instead of forcing a pass or shot that may not be on:
Inter Miami has scored the third least goals in all of MLS. For a team looking to kick that habit, there couldn’t have been a better player to bring into the club than Alejandro Pozuelo. He’s a no-risk, high-reward signing, and gives Miami some much-needed offensive firepower as they sit on the playoff bubble.

Bravo, Chris Henderson.

Miami Hurricanes: Francis Mauigoa commitment is a game-changer

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It has been an incredible week for the Miami Hurricanes in terms of recruiting, and that continued on Monday afternoon. With many celebrating the Fourth of July with fireworks, Miami created some fireworks of their own. They landed 2023 offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.

Mauigoa is the top offensive tackle in the 2023 class, and the third overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports composite rankings. He had several offers on the table, including Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and USC. However, he elected to choose Miami.

What can he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

Measuring in at six-foot-five, 330 pounds, he will be able to bring a physical presence to the offensive line. He is absolutely intimidating for opposing defensive lineman, and he has everything that Miami is looking for at the position.

As soon as the ball is snapped, Mauigoa is able to extend his hands and quickly get the advantage on his man. He is able to finish his blocks, and create lanes for a running back. His ability to finish blocks is particularly helpful for an east-west running back that can bounce to the outside. He stays engaged in the play until it is completely over. Not only does he stay engaged,

This is the type of lineman that the Miami Hurricanes have been looking for. This coaching staff wants physical lineman in the program. Working with offensive line coach Alex Mirabal should help Mauigoa. Mauigoa fits the exact profile that the program has been looking for in a lineman recruit.

Mauigoa is a game-changing recruit for the program, and it puts them firmly inside the top 10. They now have the eighth overall recruiting class in the country per the 247Sports Team Rankings. Miami is now entering the territory that sees them among the elite in all of college football in terms of recruiting for 2023.

Obviously, we want to see the results on the field. However, the 2023 Miami Hurricanes recruiting class is showing a ton of promise. It’s been a wild couple of weeks for the Hurricanes in terms of recruiting. We shall see if there are more surprises along the way.

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes start off ’24 in style with Antione Jackson commitment

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The Miami Hurricanes have been on an absolute tear on the recruiting trail over the past couple of days, and their good fortune continued on Saturday. 2024 four-star safety Antione Jackson committed to the program,  flipping from the Georgia Bulldogs.

Jackson is the 13th overall safety in the 2024 class, and the 31st overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Jackson had a relatively small offer sheet. However the offers he did have really stood out. In addition to Miami, he also had offers from the likes of Georgia and Alabama. Auburn was also in the mix as well.

What can he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

Jackson is a versatile safety, and he would be able to help the Miami Hurricanes defense tremendously. He is a good cover safety, as well as a player who is not afraid to come up and make a big hit. And watching some of his highlights, it is evident that he has good tracking ability. It’s almost as if he plays the corner position. He is not afraid to cover a receiver, and that is a big part of his game.

As soon as the ball is snapped, he is able to use his quick instincts to back the football and make a play. This is very similar to play style of Robert Stafford, a 2023 commit. Much like Stafford, Jackson has that same type of cover corner mentality. If is exactly what the Miami Hurricanes want to do in the secondary, and that will benefit the program immensely. It gives them another type of shutdown corner that quarterbacks will be afraid to throw towards.

This is a massive commitment as Miami is able to land their first quarter stone commitment of the 2024 class. They have been looking for one, and they were able to get it in Jackson. Not only that, this helps Miami beef up their secondary room for the future, and continue the pipeline of productive safeties in the program.

The Hurricanes have been on a tear in terms of recruiting, and Saturday was no different. Mario Cristobal in the coaching staff were able to land their guy yet again.

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Miami Hurricanes continue to roll with Riley Williams commitment

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The Miami Hurricanes added another big playmaker to their tight end room on Friday afternoon. 2023 four-star tight end Riley Williams committed to the Hurricanes on Friday evening.

Williams is the second overall tight end in his class, and the 15th overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He has several offers on the table from big-time schools. In the end, Miami was competing with Alabama and Ohio State. Ultimately, they were able to seal the deal.

Tight ends coach Stephen Feld was his primary recruiter.

What can he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

Measuring in at six-foot-six, 230 pounds, Williams is a force to be reckoned with at the position. His size is evident, especially in the red zone. He is the type of tight end that allows quarterbacks to just throw the football up with confidence. He has tremendous athleticism, and is able to use that size to pull catches in from tough angles.

Williams is not limited to red zone play however. He also has the ability to play well in the open field. As soon as he catches the football, he is able to make things happen after the catch. His speed translates very well for the tight end position, and that will allow him to be a multi-faceted weapon, not just a red zone target.

This is the third tight end in an absolutely loaded 2023 class. The Miami Hurricanes now have three tight ends that could easily get the starting job. The tight end battles during camp are going to be must-see TV.

The Miami 2023 recruiting class is continuing to climb. They now have 11 overall commitments, including five four-star commitments. The class ranks 14th overall per the 247Sorts Team Rankings.

This is an absolutely major get for the Miami Hurricanes, and I would expect this class to continue to grow. We could be looking at a top 10 recruiting class sooner rather than later.

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NBA Free Agency: Evaluating Every Major Signing From Day 1

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Every year, a week after the draft, the NBA free agency period begins. This is always an exciting time for NBA fans, as it provides some excitement during the dull period that is the off-season. While this free agent class isn’t as exciting as some from years prior, there still have been a couple of big names receiving some large deals. Let’s take a look at some of the big transactions from the first day of free agency.

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets (5 years, $264 million)

This one is a no-brainer. The now two-time and reigning MVP got a nice payday today, receiving a supermax deal from the Denver Nuggets. Jokic would have been a free agent after the 2023 season, but after this extension he’ll be a Nugget for the foreseeable future. After willing his team to the playoffs this season, Jokic deserves every penny of the deal that makes him the highest paid player in NBA history.

Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings (2 years, $19 million)

The 24-year old shooting guard will now join the third team in his young career. Monk spent four years with the Hornets before joining the Lakers last year. Malik averaged 13 points per game and now joins a backcourt featuring his former college teammate De’Aaron Fox.

Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat (1 year, $11 million)

Oladipo has had a bit of an up-and-down career, but he seems to have found a home in South Beach. Oladipo was a former All-Star, and there was lots of hype around him at the time he joined Miami. Victor struggled to stay on the court in 2021, but he’ll get a chance to run it back with one of the top teams in the East.

Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards (5 years, $251 million)

Here, we have another star player getting extended with his current team. Beal has been the center of trade rumors in the past week, and those grew louder after he turned down his player option recently. Today, we learned why, as Beal gets a massive extension, one that makes him among the highest players in the league.

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (4 years, $104 million)

The Knicks got their guy. After unloading a ton of cap space in the past week, all signs pointed to the New York choosing Brunson as their point guard of the future. The 25-year old had a breakout season last year, and played very well in the playoffs. Was he worth $104 million? Only time will tell.

Lu Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder (5 years, $87.5 million)

If there’s one guy who just had the best day of his career, it’s Lu Dort. Dort was one of the most underrated players in the league last season, averaging over 17 points and four rebounds. He’s an absolute force on the defensive end, and it will be exciting to watch him grow as a player in Oklahoma.

Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (4 years, $214 million)

Early Thursday morning, it was reported that the Nets would want Devin Booker in return for any trade involving Kevin Durant. It’s clear now that won’t be happening. Booker, one of the elite scorers in the league will now be locked up in Arizona for a long time.

Overall, this was a pretty eventful first day of NBA free agency. For a group that didn’t feature a ton of big names, Thursday was still a whirlwind in the NBA world. There are still some big names remaining on the market, and the next few days should be interesting to watch.

 

***This article was originally published on the ATB Network by Jake Brockhoff***

  Hussam Patel is a Miami Dolphins contributor and Lead NFL Draft analyst at Five Reasons Sports Network, Director of Scouting at PhinManiacs and Editor at Dolphins ATB. Follow him on Twitter at @HussamPatel
 
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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Robert Stafford commit adds to banner week

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It has been an incredible recruiting week for the Miami Hurricanes, and that continued on Thursday as they landed four-star athlete Robert Stafford.

Stafford is the 12th overall athlete in the 2023 recruiting class, and the 34th overall player in the class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He had a sizable offer sheet, as he landed 44 in total. Some of the bigger offers included Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas A&M.

He was recruited to the Hurricanes by defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae.

What can he bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Stafford will be able to bring a physical playstyle to the Miami Hurricanes. Watching some of his highlights, it’s evident that one of his strengths is his closing speed. He is able to get to a receiver quickly and break up a pass. His instincts are extremely strong and his reaction time allows him to have a chance at the football.

Stafford does not seem to go for the big play. He stays square with his man, and that allows him to be able to cover a receiver step- for-step. He gives Miami a lockdown corner who also has the ability to make a big play. He has the type of skills that will allow him to be able to take away one side of the field.

In even simpler terms, this is a guy that Addae is going to love to work with. The combination of player and coach should be a tremendous asset for Miami.

This just adds to what has been a banner week for the Miami Hurricanes. In a span of four days, the program has been able to land three impact players in quarterback Jaden Rashada, wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph, and now Stafford. The 2023 recruiting class ranks number 20 overall per the 247Sports Team Rankings,

This has been a fantastic week for the Miami Hurricanes, and I expect some more good news fairly soon. Right now, this coaching staff can’t be stopped.

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Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes land WR Nathaniel Joseph as Gattis continues to roll

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The Miami Hurricanes continue to make an impact on the recruiting trail and they did so on Tuesday night. They landed a commitment from 2023 four-star wide receiver Nathaniel Joseph.

Joseph is the 16th overall wide receiver in the 2023 class.  He is the 23rd overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247 Sports Composite Rankings and has a numerical rating of 93 from 247Sports. He was initially committed to Clemson, and made his pledge on September 10, 2021. Joseph decommitted from the program on June 14, 2022.

Joseph was recruited to the Miami Hurricanes by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. Gattis has had a string of solid commitments best in the past couple of days. He helped the program land four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada on Sunday and now he has landed Joseph for the wide receiver room. He has had himself quite a week, and it isn’t over yet.

What can Joseph bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Joseph brings a variety of skills to the Miami Hurricanes. For one, he is a solid kick returner. He can use his speed to get upfield quickly as soon as he catches the football. This makes him especially dangerous on the special teams unit.

That speed translates well as a wide receiver. He is on the shorter side at five-foot-eight, 170 pounds. However, that is when his speed really comes into play. He is able to make things happen after the catch. He is one of those players that all you need to do is get the football in his hands. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he can let his natural skill take over.

I could see certain instances where Miami could use him in the backfield in terms of trick plays in certain situations. Again, with these types of speedy playmakers, all you need to do is get them the football and let them go to work. Joseph is a dynamic playmaker that can help the Hurricanes open up their offense and allow them a little flexibility in terms of playcalling.

Currently, the 2023 Miami Hurricanes recruiting class ranks 26th overall nationally. This is a class that now has three four-star commitments. Rashada and athlete Robby Washington are the others.

This is a very talented class for the Miami Hurricanes and it seems like the commitments are continuing to fly. This is he Mario Cristobal effect. Hopefully, it can translate on the field.

 

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5 takeaways from the Marlins’ series loss vs. Mets

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The Miami Marlins have really struggled against the New York Mets this season.

Miami is 2-5 so far against the Mets this season and they are still trying to figure out how to beat them. 

With the sweep against the Colorado Rockies earlier in the week, the Marlins thought that they would have enough momentum to beat the first place Mets on their home turf. But, the Mets are in first place for a reason. Their lineup from top to bottom is as good as anyone in baseball and their pitching staff has really proved that they don’t need Jacob deGrom or Max Scherzer to win games. 

Don’t get me wrong, the Mets are a really good team. But, the Marlins had many opportunities to give themselves wins in Games 1 and 2. Missed spots from pitchers and too many strikeouts from the offense combined with a little bit of bad luck gave the Mets the series victory.

Here are the takeaways from the series.

 

Sandy Alcantara’s rare tough outing

Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara got the start in Game 1 of the series and immediately from the jump, found himself in some trouble. 

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Alcantara gave up a solo home run to Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. It’s not too often that you see Alcantara give up a run so early in the game, but it goes to show that no one’s perfect in professional baseball.

Alcantara would start to settle for the next few innings until Mets left fielder Mark Canha hit a home run to left field that gave New York a 2-1 lead. 

In the sixth inning, with runners on first and second and nobody out, Mets right fielder Starling Marte hit a ground ball towards second baseman Willians Astudillo that should’ve been a routine double play. Instead, because Astudillo picked the ball up with his bare hand, when he tagged the runner, the umpire ruled him safe because Astudillo tagged him with his empty glove. Not only that, Astudillo’s throw to the first baseman was late. So at the end of it all, the Marlins found themselves with the bases loaded and nobody out. And to make matters worse, Lindor was up at the plate. 

Alcantara found himself in a 3-1 count against Lindor and threw a fastball right down the middle. As a result, Lindor hit a double that cleared the bases and gave the Mets a 5-2 lead.

“I think he’s (Lindor) hot right now”, Alcantara said about his struggles against Lindor. “I lost my fight tonight and I’ve gotta get better for myself in the next one.”

Alcantara would end the day with seven innings pitched, four strikeouts, six hits, and four earned runs. 

Don’t worry Marlins fans. Alcantara is still an excellent pitcher. This outing was just a case of some bad luck. What’s even more wild is that after this start, Alcantara’s ERA is at 1.95 which is first in the National League and second in all of baseball.

 

Hitters have figured out Trevor Rogers

I’m afraid that we may never see the Trevor Rogers of last year. I know it sounds like I’m overreacting, but given the numbers from his starts this year, it seems like the opposing teams have figured out how to beat him.

Rogers got the start for Game 2, and after he struck out three consecutive hitters in the first inning, there was a glimmer of hope that this would be a great outing for him. 

I was wrong.

In the second inning, Rogers missed his spot and threw a fastball down the heart of the plate to first baseman Pete Alonso that Alonso hit over the right field wall. 

In the fourth inning, with runners on first and second, Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar hit an RBI-single to give them a 3-0 lead. 

That would end the day for Rogers who had 4.1 innings pitched and gave up seven hits and three earned runs while getting five strikeouts. 

“I made a bad pitch to Alonso so you just tip your cap”, Rogers said after the game. “I made a couple mistakes to Marte and tip your cap there as well, he’s a good hitter. Just little things not going my way.”

So what’s the problem with Rogers? I think that he’s having trouble with his command which is leading to pitches that the hitters can easily hit and has decreased his strikeout percentage. His pitch count is also hurting him and isn’t allowing him to work deep into games.

Rogers’ strikeouts per nine innings this year is 8.29, almost two and a half less than what he had last year which was 10.62. His walks are also up from last year which is also another factor to look at when you’re trying to figure out the struggles that Rogers has dealt with.

 

Anthony Bass continues to be stellar out of the bullpen

Right-handed reliever Anthony Bass has been the best pitcher coming out of the Marlins bullpen this year. After an up-and-down season in 2021 where he logged a 3.82 ERA with zero saves in four opportunities, Bass has really shown another side to him this year. 

Bass’s ERA has gone down to 1.80 and the opponents are batting just .214 against him compared to .241 last year.

Bass was utilized more as a closer last season, especially during the start of that year. It looked like he wasn’t very comfortable in that role and this season, Mattingly noticed that putting Bass in the seventh or eighth inning makes him more effective. A lot of the reason why Bass is having a much better year is because he doesn’t have to deal with the same amount of pressure a closer would have.

In his outing in Game 2, Bass allowed just one hit and got a strikeout in a crucial situation to keep the game tied at three a piece in the seventh inning.

 

Pete Alonso’s two-homer day

Alonso was very effective for the Mets offense, but in Game 2 was when he really propelled them to a win.

The University of Florida alum went 2-for-4 with both of those hits being home runs. Luckily for the Marlins, they were both solo shots. But it still wasn’t enough to contain the scorching Mets lineup.

His first homerun was against Rogers in the second inning and his other was against right-handed reliever Jimmy Yacabonis in the eighth inning to give the Mets a 4-3 lead.

“Thankfully I kind of took a lesson from last night’s at bat (against Yacabonis) and I applied it today”, Alonso said about how he hit his second home run. “I saw the ball a little bit better and I saw the window of where the ball’s coming out of.”

The Marlins did a pretty good job of shutting down Alonso over the series, but his two homeruns in Game 2 was too much for Miami to overcome and win the series. 

Nick Fortes walks it off

After starts in both Games 1 and 2, catcher Jacob Stallings was given a rest day in the series finale which gave way for backup catcher Nick Fortes to get a spot in the lineup.

Fortes has been solid at both catching behind the plate and hitting. 

Over 13 games this season, Fortes has batted .289 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He’s actually been one of the more productive Marlins hitters this season and it showed in Game 3 of this series. 

It’s the bottom of the ninth inning. The score is tied 2-2 with two outs and Fortes is up to bat. The Mets have their right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino on the mound to try and push the game towards extra innings. 

Ottavino throws Fortes a slider that Fortes swings at and misses badly. The next pitch, Ottavino throws another slider and Fortes jumps all over it, sending the ball towards the seats in left field to give the Marlins the win and avoid the sweep.  

Of course, Fortes hits a walk-off home run on the day that his alma mater, Ole Miss, is a win away from winning the College World Series. 

The Marlins head into St. Louis for a three-game series against the Cardinals from Monday to Wednesday.

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes land cornerstone 2023 commitment in Jaden Rashada

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The Miami Hurricanes were able to pick up a major commitment on Sunday afternoon as they landed 2023 quarterback Jaden Rashada.

Rashada is a four-star recruit. He is the seventh overall quarterback in the 2023 class, and the fifth overall player in his class from the state of California per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

He was recruited to the Hurricanes by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

What can he bring to the Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes are getting an extremely solid quarterback. One of the most noticeable traits about Rashada’s game is his pass placement. He does a good job of putting footballs in places where only his receivers can get it.

He is not a scrambling quarterback. A pocket passer would be the perfect term to describe him. That is not a knock on him by any means. With his pocket-passing abilities comes arm strength. The Miami Hurricanes are getting a quarterback with a cannon arm.

He is also a quick-decision-maker. As soon as the ball is snapped, he identifies his target and he gets rid of the ball. Miami wants quarterbacks who can make and identify reads quickly. Rashada can certainly do that. He also does a good job of seeing the field. This helps him when he has to throw the deep ball. He can immediately identify a mismatch and throw it downfield.

The program now has two very good quarterbacks for the 2023 class. Rashada is one of them, while Emory Williams is the other. The class itself ranks 33rd overall nationally per the 247Sports Team rankings.

Rashada has the ability to be a cornerstone recruit for the 2023 class. His arm strength, plus decision-making should be able to keep the Hurricanes on track under center. Not only does he have the potential to make an impact, he also gives Miami some quarterback competition for the future.

The future itself is bright in the quarterback room, and under this coaching staff, it has the potential to get even brighter.

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