Marlins Sweep

5 Takeaways from the Marlins Sweep in D.C.

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The Miami Marlins ended their seven-day, six-game road trip with a three-game sweep of their NL East rivals, the Washington Nationals, in D.C. Miami used dominant starting pitching and timely hitting to win the series.

It’s clear the Marlins have elite starting pitching at this point, with potentially more on the way in the minors. What’s also clear is that the offense needs more consistent production, especially from the five regulars hitting below .205. But with this three-game sweep, the Marlins showed themselves to be a good team, taking care of business on the road against an inferior opponent.

Miami comes home 10-8, having won five in a row, their longest win streak since 2020. A win on Friday at home against the Seattle Mariners would push the Marlins to three games over .500 for the first time since August 29, 2016.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins sweep in Washington.

Starting Pitching Carries the Marlins During Sweep of the Nats

The Marlins saw the top three pitchers of their rotation get a turn in this three-game series in Washington. The result? Two earned runs allowed over 18 innings pitched. On the road trip, Sandy Alcantara, Pablo López, and Trevor Rodgers combined to toss 38 innings, allowing three runs total. That’s an 0.71 ERA.

 

Alcantara limited the Nationals to one run on six hits and three walks over six innings, although he was helped on Tuesday by a pair of outfield assists. Alcantara’s surrendered just five earned runs through his first four starts of the season. He struck out five Nationals, to run his season total up to 20 over 25.1 innings pitched. His 1.78 ERA for the season sits just outside the MLB top-10.

MLB’s leader in that category is López, who tossed another gem this week. But more on him in a moment.

Rodgers helped the Marlins secure the sweep in D.C. thanks to his best outing of the season. Rodgers went a season-long 6.0 innings in what was his fourth start. He surrendered two hits in the effort, both in the first inning, and only allowed two base runners after that. He helped keep this Nationals offense under wraps, lowering his ERA to 5.09 in the process.

Pablo López Leveling Up

Pablo López’s start to this season has been one of the most impressive things in baseball through the first month. Lopez shut down the Nationals, navigating a third consecutive start without surrendering a run.

The right-hander allowed just three hits over his six innings of work, with six strikeouts to just one walk. Miami picked up a 2-1 victory and López was credited with his third win in a row, matching a career high. He’s has now tossed 18.1 consecutive scoreless innings, which is the longest stretch of his career without allowing a run.

 

“I feel real good,” López said after the game on Wednesday. “I feel really happy with where I am feeling on the mound with the rhythm, the tempo, the way I’m breaking my hands the same time with my legs.”

López continued: “I just feel like I’m in a good spot on the mound.”

In addition to leading the league in ERA (0.39), López leads in WAR for pitchers (1.5) and ranks second in WHIP (0.729). Lopez is the 12th pitcher (13th occurrence, Roger Clemens did it twice) in MLB history to allow one run or less in his first four starts of the season while pitching at least 20.0 innings. His 0.39 ERA is the lowest in club history through the first four starts of the season, bettering Dontrelle Willis’ 0.71 mark to start 2004.

‘Mix and Match’ Bullpen Saves Marlins Sweep

It wasn’t just the Marlins starting pitching that propelled the team to the sweep in Washington. Miami’s bullpen shut the door in each of the three games, registering with key outs in high leverage situations. And with Dylan Floro still on the IL, Marlins manager used the “mix and match” approach throughout the series.

The fact that their starters each pitched six innings in these games allowed Mattingly to approach the final third of these games based on matchups. With the starters covering all but nine innings in the series, relievers came out of the bullpen in different combinations to maximize matchups in those high leverage situations to much success.

Marlins relievers allowed three runs (two earned) during this sweep in Washington. Anthony Bender missed the series win against the Atlanta Braves due to hip soreness, but registered his third and fourth saves of the season in the first two games versus the Nationals.

 

Bender pitched a clean ninth on Tuesday, then registered a four-out save on Wednesday. That 1.1 inning effort was his longest outing of the season. Perhaps the most impressive part was Bender’s ability to keep the Nationals off the board in a high leverage, one-run situation, although Yadiel Hernandez seemed to just miss a grand slam of him.

On Thursday, Cole Sulser picked up his first save with the Marlins. Sulser closed the sweep of the Nationals with a 1.1 inning outing of his own that included keeping Washington’s tying run at third with a strikeout of Josh Bell in the eighth.

On the road trip, Miami’s bullpen went 5-for-5 in save opportunities, with four different relievers (Bender, Sulser, Louis Head, and Tanner Scott) registering a save.

Sanchez Delivers with Key Pinch Hit

The Marlins find themselves in a stretch of 16 games over 16 days, so naturally, Mattingly will work off days into the schedule for many of his regulars. Playing a day game after a night game, and with a lefty starter on the mound, Mattingly opted with a right-handed heavy lineup for the series closer.

But in a key spot in the seventh inning, with the game tied at one, Mattingly tapped Jesus Sanchez to pinch hit for Bryan De La Cruz with Brian Anderson and Miguel Rojas on base. Down 0-1 in the count, Sanchez reach down and shot RHP Victor Arano’s 83.5 MPH slider through the right side of the infield, getting the Marlins the lead. Rojas advanced to third and would score what amounted to the game-winning run on a wild pitch.

 

That hit snapped an 0-for-14 stretch for Sanchez that included seven strikeouts. It was Sanchez’s lone RBI on the trip, one in which he went 3-for-22 overall, lowering his batting average from .356 to .284. Although he struck out in the ninth, it was good to see Sanchez deliver in a clutch spot with a base hit.

Marlins Struggle with RISP (and Bad Luck) During Sweep

Although the Marlins completed the series sweep on Thursday, they did so in large part thanks to their pitching. Miami pitchers limited the Nationals to five runs over the three games. Marlins hitters, meanwhile, did just enough.

Miami’s offense put up 10 runs, half coming in the series opener. The Marlins went 4-for-24 with runners-in-scoring-position. Sanchez came through with the big hit on Thursday, with Joey Wendle’s three-run homer on Tuesday being the difference in that one.

For the season, the Marlins remain in the bottom third of MLB in this metric, hitting just .203 when runners are in scoring position. Miami’s 31-for-153 in that spot. While the team’s 192 plate appearances with RISP ranks eighth so far, Marlins hitters still need more consistency in the clutch. Miami’s even worse (.178) with RISP and two outs.

While some of this is bad execution, some of it is also just plain bad luck.

Jorge Soler went 0-for-4 on Thursday, but he had the two highest exit velocities of the game. Soler rocketed a grounder to third at 106.3 MPH with runners on the corners, but Nationals third baseman Maikel Franco snagged the ball and registered the force out. Later in the game, Soler smashed a pitch 110.9 MPH to left but Nats outfielder Yadiel Hernandez made an excellent sliding catch. The expected batting averages for those Soler strikes were .650 (for the 106.3 grounder) and .870 (for the 110.9 liner).

Avisail Garcia’s flyout in the sixth sported an exit velocity of 98.6 and an expected batting average of .630. Had it dropped, it would have scored Garrett Cooper from second. Garcia has a similar situation unfold in the second inning, with a flyout to right that had a 101.4 exit velocity and a .610 expected batting average.

2022 NFL Draft Rumors

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It’s the largest smokescreens NFL teams put out year after year. Many NFL Teams moves are a mystery as news is intentionally leaked out by the organizations themselves, truth or not.

The odds and news have changed dramatically over the last days as this years NFL Draft is truly the most unpredictable in years.

Here are some of the 2022 NFL Draft rumors and notes:

Deebo Samuel

League source confirms Deebo Samuel is not being traded at this time, which means a draft day move is unlikely for many teams hoping to get an electric player.

Top 10 news

Jacksonville Jaguars

Georgia EDGE rusher Travon Walker is garnering a lot of hype lately and the oddsmakers are betting on the Bulldog product to be taken first overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

I’ve had Aidan Hutchinson in several mock drafts to Jacksonville, but with rumors coming out, it may not be far fetched.

Schematically, it favors Walker than Hutchinson as Walker can play outside linebacker, standup EDGE and as an interior lineman. This help out K’Lavon Chaisson and Foye Olukun, compared to Hutchinson who is a hand in the dirt rusher.

Detroit Lions

A Malik Willis pairing in Detroit is all about the future. Willis can learn behind Goff as he needs the most development of any quarterback in this years 2022 NFL Draft class.

General Manager Brad Holmes is “looking” at the quarterback position and it might not be with the second overall pick.

It may come down to Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker to beef up the defensive trenches.

However, how much longer does Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers have left to play, the same may be said about Kirk Cousins.

The Chicago Bears still need some pieces and Justin Fields is still developing, drafting Willis may pay off in the future.

Houston Texans

Derek Stingley Jr. and the Texans have had connections for a while due to his former DB coach part of the Texans Coaching staff.

If Houston is all in on Davis Mills, building the trenches would be a better option with the third overall pick in the NFL Draft. In the latest mocks and with some news coming out, the Texans do have two offensive tackles in mind: Evan Neal and Ikem Ekonwu.

It’s a deep defensive class towards the backend of the draft, especially for defenders. The 2022 NFL Draft rumors have the trading back from the 13th overall pick.

New York Jets

I’ve heard that Robert Saleh is not a big Travon Walker fan. Also, Kyle Hamilton fourth overall would not fit with what the Jets defense is looking to build.

Ikem Ekonwu is a favorite of Jets General Manager Joe Douglas. Having another offensive lineman fortifies the the line for Zach Wilson and we may see shades of his BYU playing days.

Gang green will look to load up on offense by pairing Wilson arm with a big body wide receiver in the likes of Drake London. Jameson Williams is a possibility with the tenth overall selection.

Head Coach Robert Saleh may want to get better in the trenches on defense. If Kayvon Thibodeaux falls, it may be a tossup between him and Jermaine Johnson.

New York Giants

The 2022 NFL Draft rumor mill has it that the Giants may look to trade back a few spots to gain more value.

While General Manager Joe Schoen has hinted that the offensive line is a priority, they may forgo passing on a lineman for more pressing needs. An EDGE rusher, a deep class overall, is very much in play. Especially the top three in Thibodeaux, Walker, and Johnson.

If the Giants are comfortable at fifth and seventh overall Evan Neal and Charles Cross are targets. Big Blue has a big decision to make after the draft if they want to keep Daniel Jones for a fifth year, which does not seem likely.

Carolina Panthers

Carolina is a weird team this year. Considering the fact that they are heavily interested in a quarterback this year, Sam Darnold is still “the guy”.

They have the sixth pick and their next is in the fourth round. I highgly expect Carolina to select a quarterback with the physical tools of Matt Corral. Kenny Pickett seems like the logical choice– have Matt Rhule and co. made a logical decision recently?

Atlanta Falcons

Expect Terry Fontenet and the Falcons to after several EDGE rushers hard. I’ve heard Kayvon Thibodeaux is a favorite but Jermaine Johnsons skillset is very hard to pass up on.

Atlanta could be a dark horse for Malik Willis if he were to fall to the eighth pick, even if Kayvon Thibodeaux is on the board.

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle just seems so perfect for Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner.

They’ll have to re-build their defense and Sauce brings the moxie and physical play style Carroll wants in his defense.

However, recent draft history has shown that the Seahawks routinely trade back to garner more picks later on to fill needs. Offensive line is another deep position group in this years class.

Notes

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia is on the market for cornerbacks and Trent McDuffie has been mocked routinely. The 2022 NFL Draft rumor mill has Kaiir Elam as the third or fourth corner picked, I would not be shocked if Kaiir Elam is picked up by the Eagles with their second first round pick.

The Eagles are also on the marke for an EDGE rusher, George Karlaftis has been a mainstay in several recent mock drafts. Although, another wide receiver for Jalen Hurts would not hurt, a potential trade up for Jameson Williams may be in play. Garrett Wilson could also be on the board.

Kyle Hamilton

Hamilton seems to be one of the most polarizing players in this draft cycle as he can do it all on the defensive side of the ball.

The range he showed on tape didn’t match the speed he showed in workouts; shockingly, to NFL teams it may matter. However, teams within the top 10 have other pressing needs than a safety.

The Washington Commanders and Houston Texans have been heavily linked to Kyle Hamilton in the 2022 NFL Draft rumors.

Running back in Round 1?

A new saying goes that you do not ever take a running back in the first round, there are differing opinions.

There’s been a recent trend of running backs devalued in the first round; however, it is situationally based.

The 2022 NFL Draft rumors has the Buffalo Bills circling around Iowa State’s Breece Hall as the first running back taken off the board. Pair with a lethal aerial attack in Orchard Park, the Bills may well be on their way back to the AFC Championship game.

Miami Dolphins

It’s quiet in south beach, a bit too quiet. It’s been an aggressive off-season for the Miami Dolphins and General Manager Chris Grier.

Grier talked about finding the right time to be aggressive in the off-season and the NFL Draft is a part of it.

With Miami only having four picks in this years draft a move up to grab a player they really like is a good possibility to complete a piece on either side of the ball.

 

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

 

Use code “FIVE” to receive a matching $100 bonus on Prizepicks

 

5 Poker Bluffs You Should Be Aware Of

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Poker is the game of the trick master. The more things you realize about Poker as the days go by, the more it is easier to understand that the master of bluff breaks through at the end and makes the win.

The ruling king in the game is the one who bluffs his way straight to the top. In that manner, it is efficient that you continue playing and develop a style that is unique to you. However, players should note that rivals are not onto your style of bluffs, and you can manage yourself by being more competent than your opponent.

 

To learn more and get to know the secret trades to the game, all you have to do is practice the game a lot. Online poker games offer a fun and convenient experience in the modern, fast-paced world. Poker is a game that everybody should know as it helps you learn the art of the bluff, which is pretty sneaky and equally effective.

 

However, bluffs are not such a good play to experience on the receiving end. These are some of the sneakiest buffs that might creep onto you if you are not alert enough. 

3-bet light Before the Flop

 

This is quite an easy flop, but top Poker players are not widely known to use it. The play is underrated, which is why it poses a threat to you, as this is the one you would be least aware of when it hits. The play begins when the player makes a re-raise before the flop. The player does this with some hands that are not the proper plays in the game. To be more precise, your hands do not precisely have to be the nuts in Poker to qualify you to play this bluff. Such a play has been termed the light 3-bet.

 

While playing, you should be aggressive because this technique is usually used against the weaker players of the game, so never be vulnerable to your opponent.

Double Barrel Scare Cards

 

This bluffing technique is exceptional at the lower stakes. The player continues to keep on betting turns on the list of the scare cards. The method is underrated and called a double-barrel by the players.

 

The bluff occurs when a flop appears, followed by a turn of Ace. When a player does this sort of bet, the opponent under threat lays down their 88, 99, TT, and further on. The trick here is not to succumb to the pressure if the opponent makes a similar play. This tactic is often used to scare the player and get the best of them, so it’s concrete advice not to fall for such tricks and keep yourself well guarded. 

Double Float

 

The act of double floating is quite tricky, and pros can quite capably manage this. Professionals and regular players can call a bet on the flop and then do the same once again on the turn. Floating is a technique that has been long used to dupe players in the game when the player intends to take the game to the river. 

 

The primary thing that people rely on while playing this kind of Poker is that they should be a master at gauging the player’s tendencies on the other side. In such a case, the player needs to know the ideas that their opponent is leaning toward, whether they want to draw or fold or make any other gestures. Once they get an idea about this, they dive for the strike, which is the moment you should defend. Being aware does not mean you should be defensive all the time. Just take the time to understand the game until you can also make a strike. 

Mississippi Bluff 

 

This specific bluff is hard to make, but somehow players manage to squeeze it in and trick opponents. The bluff requires the jamming of two separate bluffing strategies, making it a spectacular play for the challenger and a nifty one to avoid for the one at the receiving end. The play begins with an advanced deep stack line where the opponent floats-flops and turns with the actual intention of logging over a river barrel.

The possibility of facing this in a game is quite slim as not even professionals dare try this. But anyhow, one should be aware and cautious.

Check Raise on the Turn

 

When faced with this, you have to brace yourself in the best way possible as this will put you under tremendous loads of pressure while you are playing. The players who suffer from this kind of bluff succumb to losing, and the winner wins the pot uncontested.

 

This buff requires total disclosure from the victim, so guarding yourself up and protecting your hand at all costs is necessary. The attacker is only confident enough to do this when he understands the opponent’s hands and can read him perfectly.

 

It is best to be highly confident with your hand to counter the play. No matter what cards you have, you should not be afraid to face the rival or showdown. This is a common feature in beginners that they tend to wait until they have the most substantial hand for the game and then proceed to make the play in their favor.

 

The more bluffs you know, the easier it becomes for you to play the game of Poker. After many practice hours in the game, it is easy to understand that making the best hand does not let you wiggle out of tight spots; instead, a good bluff gets you through the game any day. The sharks of Poker are always looming to make prey off novices in the game, and the best way to beat them in their own game is to earn the tricks of the trade and wall up when the situation calls.

Miami Hurricanes land Maryland transfer DL Darrell Jackson

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The Miami Hurricanes landed transfer defensive lineman Darrell Jackson on Tuesday. He made the announcement in a tweet on Tuesday evening.

Jackson most recently played at Maryland. He played in eight games in 2021, recording 22 total tackles on the year. He had six tackle outings against Illinois on September 17 and Virginia Tech on December 29.

One of the biggest things Jackson can bring to the Miami Hurricanes is size. He measures in at six-foot-six, 274 pounds. There is a common misconception when it comes to defensive lineman that they should be pass-rushers. However, Jackson should be viewed more as a space-filler which will help when it comes to defending the run game.

Jackson also has ties to the Florida area. He played his high school football for Gadsen  County.

When you look at the new additions that the Miami Hurricanes have made just in the last month or so, it is clear that the coaching staff wants to remake the defensive line. They were able to bring in Akheem Mesidor and Mitchell Agude within the last month. It is not as though the Hurricanes do not want to develop players on that side of the football at this time. They want proven impact players. This is exactly what the transfer portal is for, and Mario Cristobal’s  not afraid to use it.

Although Jackson’s statistics do not exactly pop off the page, he does bring ACC experience as well as a bit of playing time to his resume. He has the opportunity to be a force in the trenches for Miami. Jackson may be a bit more raw in comparison to some of the other commitments we have seen over the last month. However, the potential is there, and coaching staff is in place for him to develop and be an impact player.

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Marlins series Braves

Marlins Take First Road Series from Braves

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The Miami Marlins showed some moxie over the weekend with their 2-1 series victory over the defending world champion Atlanta Braves. Although the Marlins absorbed their second shut-out loss of the season in the series opener, Miami rallied to secure a pair of wins and pass the Braves in the NL East standings.

The Marlins weren’t the only team from Miami to have success in Atlanta this weekend, as the Heat took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Hawks in their playoff matchup. Even Inter Miami notched a win versus Atlanta FC.

But for the Marlins, this series win over the Braves remains important, and could be a launching pad for the club this season.

Marlins Bats Get Going in Series vs Braves

The Marlins’ offense has been up-and-down this season, to say the least. Miami’s offense struggled to consistently produce save for one game against the Cardinals prior to this trip to Atlanta. But after a shutout to start, the Marlins bats got going in this series against the Braves.

Following a series in which the team went 2-for-21 with runners-in-scoring-position, stranding 21 on base, the Marlins came through in clutch spots against Atlanta. After an 0-for-4 with RISP on Friday, Miami hitters went a respectable 9-for-33 (.272) with runners-in-scoring-position. The Marlins scored 14 runs over the final two games in the series versus the Braves.

In the back-and-forth contest on Saturday, the Marlins got clutch hits throughout the evening. Avisail Garcia came through with pair of RBI early, while Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jorge Soler helped the Marlins grab the lead in the sixth. Garrett Cooper’s pinch-hit two-run single gave the Marlins the lead for good, and Jesus Aguilar added an insurance run with a sac fly.

Chisholm was particularly good on Saturday, connecting on a lead-off home run and recording a career-high four hits on the night. He drove in three runs, scored three runs, and nabbed two stolen bases.

On Sunday, Garcia got the Marlins on the board once again, this time with an RBI double. Cooper came through with an RBI single after that. Jacob Stallings contributed with a sac fly in the sixth before Cooper drove in another run in the seventh. Joey Wendle’s seventh inning double capped the scoring for the Marlins in this series against the Braves.

Scoring nine runs then five runs in two games stands as Miami’s best run production in consecutive contests this season. And they could’ve done more, considering 33 runners were left stranded by Marlins hitters in this series versus the Braves. Miami now ranks 23rd with RISP this season (.209).

Veteran Marlins Bats Finding Their Stroke in Series vs Braves

The Marlins sunk some money into their lineup this offseason. But after some early season struggles, it seems like Miami’s veteran bats are starting to find their stroke.

Soler received his World Series ring this weekend, and celebrated with his most productive stretch of play since the Fall Classic. Soler registered hits for the Marlins in each of the three games in this series against the Braves. He reached base eight times, scoring two runs and driving in one.

Garcia also got going, notching three RBI, three hits, and one run scored in the series. He picked up his first stolen base of the season. Aguilar also picked up three hits over the weekend, driving in one and getting his batting average up over .205 for the first time this season.

Cooper entered this series 1-for-his-last-11 with just two RBI on the season. But after an 0-for-3 Friday, Cooper came through with one of the biggest hits of the season with his bases loaded, pinch-hit, two-RBI single on Saturday.

Cooper maintained that momentum Sunday, going 3-for-4 with a double and two more RBI. That lifted his batting average to .272 with an on-base percentage of .396. Cooper hit .328 with RISP last season.

Closer-By-Committee Taking Effect

At the end of Spring Training, Marlins manager Don Mattingly said the team would use a closer-by-committee approach early on. Presumptive closer Dylan Floro landed on the 10-day IL to start the season with a rotator cuff injury, so Miami planned to mix and match at the backend of the bullpen.

That said, Anthony Bender proved to be the closer in all but name through the season’s first few weeks. But Bender’s results left something to be desired. While he registered a pair of saves early on, the 27-year-old second-year reliever surrendered the tying or winning run(s) in three of his five outings.

Bender didn’t pitch for the Marlins in this series against the Braves, though, because of hip soreness. He sports an 8.31 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP over his first 4.1 innings of work this season.

On Saturday, Mattingly turned to recently acquired Tanner Scott in a crucial save situation. Scott registered the second save of his MLB career with an 11-pitch outing that finished with a strikeout of Austin Riley. Scott’s stuff plays like that of a traditional closer, but on Sunday, he didn’t have his best. He surrendered a season-high three earned runs, recording just one out.

Mattingly then turned to Louis Head, another new member of the Marlins bullpen, to close out the game. Head surrendered a double to Marcell Ozuna before striking out Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario for his first career save.

Marlins relievers tossed 11.1 innings in this series, allowing five earned runs and striking out 14 Braves hitters. Miami’s bullpen now ranks 16th in ERA (3.33).

Reinforcements should be on their way soon, too, with Floro beginning his rehab stint in Jupiter this week. Floro threw 23 pitches in his first outing and could be back with the team by the next homestand.

Marlins Afloat Following Tough Start to Schedule

13 of the Marlins first 15 games this season came against teams that finished above .500 in 2021. Three of their first five series came against teams that made the postseason a year ago (San Francisco, St Louis, and Atlanta). So far, Miami’s played the third-toughest schedule among NL teams and the seventh-toughest schedule overall.

The Marlins were able to tread water during that tough stretch, going 7-8 with a plus-1 run differential. They’re now second in the NL East and start a three-game road series against a Washington Nationals (6-12) team that’s lost five in a row.

The Marlins grabbing a 2-1 series win over the Braves helped them climb in the NL East standings, but Miami needs to maintain this level of play against their division rivals. The Marlins took five of the first seven matchups versus Atlanta last season, but the Braves dominated the rest of the way. Miami finished 8-11 against Atlanta in 2021.

The Marlins have lost the season series to the Braves for seven straight years. The last time Miami won the season series versus the Braves was 2014. The Marlins have won more than lost against Atlanta only five times in the franchise’s 29 years.

If Miami’s going to make a push for the postseason in 2022, the team needs to capitalize against losing teams like the Nationals. Of the Marlins next 16 games, nine come against losing clubs. Miami also has a home series against the Seattle Mariners and a road series against the San Diego Padres in that stretch, both winnable sets.

Here’s More on the Marlins Series Win Over the Braves

Player Ratings: Inter Miami vs Atlanta United

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Inter Miami is on a roll.

After a tumultuous start to the season that saw them lose four of their first five games, the Herons have made amends by getting their fourth straight win in all competitions by beating Atlanta United 2-1.

It was a difficult match, to say the least. Atlanta has plenty of quality on and off the bench and they fought till the end. Fortunately for Miami, they managed to escape with another 3 points.

Here are the player ratings from Inter Miami’s win against Atlanta.

*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

Nick Marsman – 7.0: His distribution was a bit off on the day, but he had several huge saves in the end that prevented Atlanta from scoring.

Defense

Chris McVey – 6.8: Didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. He was solid and was a willing runner down Miami’s left-hand side despite being right-footed. Ended the game with six clearances and three recoveries.

Aime Mabika – 6.8: Stood tall, was a little shaky at times (hence the yellow) but still put in a good performance to ward off Atlanta’s offense. He ended the match with three recoveries, two-headed clearances, and three interceptions.

Damion Lowe – 6.8:  Similar to Mabika, Lowe did well to stymie off Atlanta’s crisp passing. Was a bit of a struggle at times, but he did just enough to keep them at bay.

DeAndre Yedlin – 8.5: Got the opening assist. His recovery speed and positioning saved Miami’s defense out of tricky situations. The best defender on the field for the majority of the game.

Midfield

Mo Adams – 6.7: Was the ‘muscle’ in Gregore’s absence. Was a snappy tackler that messed up the flow of Atlanta’s passing triangles. Gave Miami some energy in midfield as well.

Jean Mota – 8: Dictated tempo to perfection. Was excellent as Miami’s number six. He sat deeper, screened the defense, and kept the ball moving.

Robert Taylor – 7: With each game, the Finland international grows in confidence. He was active, trying to make things happen (got dispossessed a couple of times), and was a crisp passer of the ball. Once he gets used to the South Florida weather he’ll have even more of an impact for the Herons.

Attack

Robbie Robinson – 6.8: Didn’t play too bad, was himself. Was very active on Miami’s left-hand side. Tried to combine with McVey, but didn’t quite pull it off. Each game, he’s growing in confidence. Against Atlanta, however, it just wasn’t his day. Ended the game with one key pass.

Leonardo Campana – 8.5: Once again, the 21-year-old showed his class. Not only did he score a gorgeous goal that deserved to be put in The Louvre, but he was also unselfish and got the game-winning assist that put the game to bed for Miami.

Ariel Lassiter – 7.3 After being underestimated in pre-season by beat writers and fans alike, Lassiter has slowly found his place in the squad. Against Atlanta, his pace and combination play with Yedlin caused issues for Andrew Gutman and Caleb Wiley. Ended the game with one key pass and one big chance created.

Subs

Bryce Duke – 7.5: Excellent. The perfect substitute appearance. Came off the bench with energy and endless legs. Got the game-winning goal.

Noah Allen – 6: Came on and did well to alleviate some pressure. Was VERY lucky not to have a penalty called against him. He’s still young, so he’ll only grow in confidence.

Emerson Rodriguez – 6.5: Electric. Came on and dazzled the crowd. Pressed well and got into decent positions to try and get Miami another goal.

Victor Ulloa – (n/a): Returned from injury. Only had nine touches.

Gonzalo Higuain – (n/a): Only had eight touches. Did well to draw a foul at the end to milk the clock.

Coaching

Phil Neville – 7.5: Well-coached game from Neville. Stuck with the hotfoot of Campana instead of starting Gonzalo Higuain who’s returning from injury. In the second half, he recognized that Atlanta was attacking with width through their deepest lying midfielder and he switched to a 3-5-2 to deter their progression.

Reasons Why You Should Watch Sports News Online

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A sports fan is likely to be interested in the latest developments in the sport. In the end, you don’t want to miss any sporting events. A few examples of the numerous forms of physical sports available include basketball, cricket, and online casino games from reputable sites such as NetBet Casino, and hand soccer, to mention just a few. 

Discover the advantages of following sports news on the internet by now reading the information provided here! To learn more, continue reading.

In this way, you are free to follow the sports news of your choice, no matter what kind of sport you choose. The good news is that you can watch it on television or on your smartphone as long as you have an internet connection.

Accessing the data is simpler since it is both online and offline. There are several advantages to viewing sports news online. Retired or wounded people might keep their minds occupied by watching the news.

Take a look at some of the most popular advantages of viewing the news on the internet without additional delay: To learn more about this topic, please continue reading below.

It’s crucial to remember that if you’re engaged in sports, you’ll reap the rewards of participating in it. Following this strategy has four advantages, which are described below.

It’s a sports game!

Watching the news on the internet can provide you with information about your favorite sport. You may, for example, check out whether your ideal match is likely to occur. Due to inclement weather or other factors, many cricket matches are postponed. In this way, news viewers may keep up to speed with the most recent information.

Players

As a bonus, you’ll be able to keep up with the newest news on your favorite athletes while you watch the news online. To be honest, it’s the quickest and most convenient approach to learning about your favorite tractors.

Better Coverage

You can catch up on the latest sports news by tuning to your preferred sports channel. This will give you a better understanding of your favorite game. So you won’t have to wait for your relatives or friends to tell you the good news.

Easy to Watch

You may also view it on your mobile phone or laptop without issues, which is a huge plus. If you’re not at home or work, your smartphone can still keep you up to date with the latest information as long as you’re connected to the internet.

You may not be able to keep up with the newest news if you don’t have access to a television or smartphone, for the simple fact that it’s not possible to watch TV when you’re moving about. Because of this, you’ll be forced to return to your house or workplace to get updates.

Bottom Line

In the end, these are four of the most important advantages of watching sports news online. Hope this helps explain why it’s so important to keep up with the news on the internet.

The Top Five eSports Tournaments to Watch in 2022

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eSports is an extremely popular game event throughout the world where most players enjoy competing for prizes and win large amounts. As our business continues its expansion, we have seen people entering our premises and more event hosts. We look forward to all these competitions in 2022. In fact, we picked a handful of best eSports competitions that you should be looking at this year.

 

Most anticipated eSports Tournaments of 2022

eSports continues to grow year after year despite global and unforeseen disasters. The biggest eSport event in 2022 is among the most anticipated video-game tournaments in history! Accommodating all types of gamers, across many platforms eSport tournaments are home to all including online casino players; Speaking of online casinos, $5 deposit online casino Canada offers one of the best casino experiences at a low cost.

 

The biggest eSports tournaments of the year

Leagues are the largest eSport. There has never been another tournament as crucial to a League of Legends World. It was arguably the most popular tournament in the game industry with sponsors such as Mercedes-Benz and Louis Vuitton lining up for it. The world of 2022 is still unknown. It is possible, with a small amount of money, that something like this happens: usually the events happen between late September and early November but the events should not change this calendar. Whether surprise winners Edward Gaming can retain their title will determine the lion’s share of the $22M prize pool.

 

FIDE Candidates Tournament 2022

Chess in eSports? The news is pretty much reality as Grandmaster Hikaru Suko Nakamura draws casually around 100.000 viewers from his Twitch stream, while most big games receive live broadcasts. These events are important to include on our annual list of the biggest eSports events of the year. The candidate’s tournament decides the contenders for the world championships each year. The calendars are slightly disorganized due to pandemics, so it is not an extra year. There’s also an extra element of intrigue about these tournaments, from a couple of years back. Magnus Carlsen said on Twitter today that he’s been in a bad mood.

 

RLCS 2021-22 – World Championships

Rocket League has become one of the most successful eSports. It’s an adventure with rocket cars that play football! This is an excellent game for casual gamers. This action is straightforward and the rules are simple and the player is very competent — an extremely strong combo! Rocket League events increase each year and are no different this year. The season finale in 2031 will spill into the next year with fans having to wait from July 23 to August 31 to pick the eventual winner. The meeting will be held somewhere in the United States. It is still unknown where it lies.

 

Valorant Champions 2022

Riot Gaming invested a huge amount of money into Valorance eSports. They have also begun bearing fruit: the game has now been seen in terms of importance in the space despite the controversies over the game’s development. Valorant was originally created as a team player in “CS: GO” and ” Overwatch ” and has a very reminiscent goal to Counter-Strike formulae. Add Riots extreme micromanagement talents to your game, and you have an important contender. The Valorant Championship deciders saw Ascend win the trophy and become the first Valorant team to win a title.

 

PGL Antwerp CS: GO Major

Counter-Strike is the largest eSport game on the market. Major games are among the most popular events on the game. Its tournament is backed by Valve. Winning the game will guarantee your team being remembered as the best team ever. PGL has announced its intention to host two major tournaments in the series, and the event brings a popular CS: GO tournament to Belgium this year. It is scheduled to take place between the 9th of May and 22nd. A massive $1 million is expected.

 

International 2022

TI is still a unique phenomenon among gaming competitions. The largest event in sports offers incredible money that could change the lives of many. Among the prizes were more than 40m in the eSports event, which had a record for this industry. It was a big gaming surprise and a shock win for Team Spirit. The 2019-2022 season at DPC has resumed with The International and will feature 20 teams instead of the usual 18 this year because of the reintroduction of the X-Fields.

 

2022 ESL Pro League Season 15

This marks our 15th season in CSGO (Counter-Strike Global Offensive). The League consists of a group-based tournament with four single-eliminate matches. Afterward the winner’s groups begin play and the winners of each game advance to the semi-finals before ending with the best four grand finals.

 

Lan Trek 2022

Lan Trek is another planned eSport event. With prizes exceeding $100,000, the competition was the largest in Europe. Moreover, teams will be able to secure their places at the Elisa eSports Masters tournament.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Game Four Win Over Hawks

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The Heat came off a loss in game 3 to go down 2-1 in the series, but bounced back in demanding fashion in game 4.

Big time play from Jimmy Butler, elite level defense, and overall positive flow on both ends.

They now find themselves up 3-1 in the series, so here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Jimmy Butler benefiting early from shifts in the lineups.

There were plenty of shifts in this game overall, from rotations to lineups to schematic sets. But the reason I’d like to start with the shifting lineups was that it impacted the team’s best player in very positive fashion. Other than putting in Victor Oladipo, which I’ll touch on later, they went small with lineups like Vincent-Oladipo-Strus-Butler-Tucker, which changes the shot profile of Butler down low specifically. They wanted to stagger the minutes of Butler and Adebayo anyways without Kyle Lowry playing, but this just furthered that point. Due to the extra space, Butler went to work in that first half with 19 points, even after struggling to begin the game. Interior post work, hunting guards, and pure takeover mode is what we’ve seen Butler lock into in this series, and man it’s pretty promising.

#2: Zero turnovers? Taking care of the basketball without their point guard in.

The Miami Heat went through the first half of basketball without a turnover. Another thing they were without in that first half was their steady point guard, Kyle Lowry, who is mainly responsible for taking care of the basketball. To add onto that, the Heat have never played a half of playoff basketball without a turnover. Well, until now. Simply, that’s not a normal occurrence, and the fact that they can do it without a true set-up guy is special. Some of that means they aren’t making those risky passes that Lowry likes to make, and it’s much more volume of insert passes and cuts, but still a very valid accomplishment. It’s next man up mentality, with a guy like Vincent stepping up into his spot, but the beauty of this team is that the front-court can make up for the lack of a point guard. Referring back to the Butler-Adebayo point.

#3: Can we talk about PJ Tucker again?

Looking back at the half, there were plenty of storylines. Two that I touched on with Butler and the zero turnover mark, the big run in the second quarter, Victor Oladipo minutes, and going through 24 minutes of play with 6 bench points. But you know who stood out to me in that span? PJ Tucker. For starters, he was the second leading scorer behind Butler with 10 points, and those buckets are the relief points that are talked about so often. Defender dips down, corner three. Defenders play high in an action, slip and floater. But let’s forget about the scoring for a second, and even more-so, let’s look away from his defensive presence. Looking back to my point about going smaller, the reason it’s a possibility is due to Tucker rebounding at such a bigger size. He had 8 boards at the half, and he was deep into the double digits in quality box-outs. Spo and Riley always talk about how outstanding he is in that area, but it truly allows for team versatility.

#4: Oh yeah, this Heat defense is legit.

We know what the Heat have done against Trae Young this series. Throwing different bodies at him, doubling high, picking up full court. But the job this team has done as a collective group must be discussed again. Under 2 minutes to go in the second quarter, ball in the hands of Young coming down the floor. Tucker pressuring all the way down, in a fashion that he just crosses the half court line at 17 seconds left on the shot clock. High ball screen comes, and some guy named Bam Adebayo switches onto him. Young immediately eyes his right, calling for yet another screen. His wish is granted, oh and now it’s Jimmy Butler who finds him on the right wing. He kicks under pressure, and Adebayo locks up Bogdanovic at the top for an empty Hawks possession. That is this Heat defense. It’s suffocating, it’s switchy, and it’s as versatile as ever. Spoelstra has some weapons moving forward on this playoff run.

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#5: Victor Oladipo minutes.

Before this game, my idea of the rotation without Lowry was pretty consistent. Gabe Vincent would get the start, Caleb Martin would be next up off the bench, and the Victor Oladipo card is if they’re lacking shot creation or that extra initiation. Well, that’s exactly how that played out. The Heat’s offense was pretty stagnant for moments early, so they quickly transitioned into Dipo over Duncan Robinson. Immediately, it should be noted that his defensive presence was felt. He was switching and guarding isolations pretty well, which was something to keep an eye on when he returned from injury. The offensive side of the ball included a lot of off-ball reps, which is expected when playing his minutes next to Butler or Herro at all times. His best moments always come in the open floor, which makes me think more high PnR reps will be next for him in the half-court. Either way, he played his role well as the filler.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss in Game 3

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The Miami Heat played in a back and forth battle in game 3 in Atlanta, and man was it a back and forth.

Jimmy Butler three to Trae Young three to PJ Tucker three to late Young floater to go up 1.

But here are some takeaways from this one, mostly focused on pre-late-game execution, which I’ll focus on later…

#1: Heat’s offensive first half recap: a little bit of Jimmy Butler, a lotta bit of Tyler Herro.

The Heat scored 54 points in the fourth quarter, yet exactly half of it was scored by Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro. Things weren’t fully going their way for a majority of that first 24, but it really was a transition of those two that I named. Butler came out in attack mode, basically spamming both ends of the PnR. Getting to his spots as the ball-handler, while forcing Trae Young to make a decision as a roller. Both were working, which put Miami in a comfortable spot early. Then as Miami tried to counter the Hawks run, it was solely Herro who kept them afloat. Playing a bit more off the ball and his catch and shoot three ball was falling, but he looked really free-flowing in terms of getting to his spots in the mid-range. After some were questioning his effectiveness a bit, he came out firing in game 3 for 15 first half points.

#2: The Hawks with the game 3, home team boost: collective shooting.

Looking at the first half stat sheet, it felt like the Hawks were shooting the ball from the outside at a much higher clip. The Heat struggled from three, shooting 6 of 23, which is 26%, while the Hawks were 5 of 14. But like I said, it felt like that number should be much higher. The reason was that it wasn’t the three-point shooting that was hurting them. It was a bit of interior play, and a lot of mid-range play. Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and De’Andre Hunter seemed to make it a priority to flow right into that face up jumper. Like most game threes go after trailing 2-0 in the series, that home team tries to make that big push in that first half out of pure desperation. But as I mentioned before this game, it wasn’t Young that was the worry. It was collective shooting, which is exactly what they provided.

#3: It’s clear the Heat do have a reliance on role players.

The way the Heat have gotten to this point as the 1 seed in the Eastern Conference has been through complete contributions from player 1 to player 17. Depth has been killer for this group, and the Heat have had big moments so far from their role guys. The big Duncan Robinson game 1, while PJ Tucker took over that third quarter. Full Gabe Vincent dominance on both ends of the floor in game 2, as Dewayne Dedmon provided a big second half. Yet in game three, that reliance showed a bit. Robinson, Vincent, and Max Strus were shooting 3 of 10 from the field, while almost all of the shots came from deep, which contributed to the poor shooting early that I mentioned. But we saw it begin to turnaround, as Strus caught some fire to begin the second half. The ups and downs of the game had a lot to do with the ups and downs of the role guys.

#4: PJ Tucker: the ultimate impact player being showcased again.

When you hear PJ Tucker, you think of impact. Being trucked in the corner as the close-out guy tries to get to the shooter, setting solid screen after solid screen, and locking up Trae Young as the primary assignment. For one, that needs to be the starting factor, as Young kept trying to throw him around with his maneuvers, and he wouldn’t bite. Not many guys move their feet like that at his size, but he just battles like no other, which was obviously bothersome. Now, on the offensive end, he gave a monstrous third quarter, much like he did in game 1. In that game it consisted of 3 corner triples in a 6 minute span, yet in this one it was just calculated slips for his signature floater in the middle of the floor. Two will fly to the guard each and every possession, and he’s the guy that can swing a run. He’s the ultimate impact player, and you can tell his game is rising.

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#5: Jimmy Butler takes a blow, Kyle Lowry goes out late. Just about getting out, yet they came out down 2-1.

Early in the game, there was a play where Butler drove and converted on the and-1, but there was deeper meaning to that play. Butler was laying on the floor holding his mid-section, which had people probably thinking worst case scenario. He ended up getting up and staying in the game, but that’s one of those things that possibly linger. Now, later in the second half, a report came out that Kyle Lowry would not return to the game due to a left leg injury, which kind of came out of nowhere. As the potential second round opponent Philadelphia 76ers took care of business late in their game 3, they should have a good amount of rest before that series would begin. And as the Heat continue to account for some scratches and bruises, rest themselves would be pretty ideal. But now they find themselves down 2-1 in the series…

 

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