Player Spotlight: Sandy Alcantara

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Sandy Alcantara: Elite

There is no doubt in the world that Sandy Alcantara is the ace of the Miami Marlins. Over the course of just a few seasons, Sandy has elevated his game higher and higher with each passing start… and that is not an exaggeration. When looking at every basic and advanced analytic in the book, it is clear that Sandy is evolving at an extremely fast pace. Let’s take a look at what has allowed this progression:

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Changeup Usage

 

Arguably, the best pitch in Sandy Alcantara’s arsenal is his changeup. Between 2017 and 2020, Alcantara threw a changeup on just 12% of his pitches with it maxing out at 13% in 2018. However, in 2021, Sandy has thrown his changeup on 23% of his pitches. The result? Through his first 2 starts of 2021, Sandy is posting career highs in K%, BB%, xBA, xSLG, and xWOBA. With Sandy being in the top 6% of pitchers this season in three of the stats (xBA, xSLG, xWOBA), Sandy is becoming recognized around the league as a dominant force. His trust and confidence in his changeup has allowed quicker progression as a young starter, posting career lows in ERA, xERA, and WHIP in 2020 and to start 2021. 

 

Pitch Location

 

For any power pitcher, location becomes the attribute that differentiates between the deGroms and the rest of the pack. In his young career, Sandy has had opponents get the “sweet spot” of the bat on the ball at a relatively higher clip (Sweet Spot % 2017-2019: 69.6, 32.5, 29.9). His growth as a pitcher is most evident in 2020 and the start of 2021, where batters are getting the sweet spot on the ball just 21% of the time. He was transitioned to working out of the zone, being effectively wild. A high proportion of his pitches are thrown out of the zone inside and low to righties and up and into lefties. This shift in approach has created a career high in chase rate over the past two years, putting him in the top percentiles of Major League Baseball.

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Spin Rate

 

In his 2017 debut season, Sandy’s fastball came out of the gate averaging 98 MPH with a relatively low spin rate for that kind of velocity. In his next few seasons, Sandy lowered his fastball velocity (around 95 MPH in 2018) and focused on raising the spin on his pitches. Now, he has combined an average velocity of 97 MPH (92nd Percentile in 2020) and a spin rate in the 75th Percentile. This change has allowed him to control his elite fastball more effectively, posting dwindling numbers in batters Hard Hit %. With just 28.2% of balls in play hit hard in 2020 and 15.4% in early 2021, these numbers continue to get better as the spin rate and velocity of Sandy’s pitches increase. 

 

Sandy will continue to grow

 

This growth in such a short amount of time in the baseball world is quite rare. The loss of Jose Fernandez a few years ago was demoralizing, but the Marlins have finally found an elite arm to take up the “Ace” duties. Alcantara should be a dark horse for NL Cy Young this season. Regardless, he will be a mainstay on a dangerous Marlins rotation for years to come. The sky’s the limit.

 

Shoutout to Fangraphs, Baseball Savant, and Sports Info Solutions  for the data.

Follow me on Twitter @chasechrisjr for daily Marlins coverage.

Jimmy Butler: Steering the Offense for Miami

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After watching the Miami Heat’s roller coaster of a night against the Los Angeles Lakers, headlined by inconsistent play and an injured Victor Oladipo, the individual performances have basically been pushed aside. But well, they shouldn’t, since although it was obvious that Jimmy Butler played well throughout the game, 28 points in the box score was a bit of a surprise.

So, let’s take a walk through Butler’s performance, while focusing on the offensive side of the ball instead of the recent defensive dives…

– The Foul Line Ease

This article could very well consist of Butler drawing fouls the entire time, but we’re not going to do that. But it is important to note the simplicity it is for him to get to the basket and draw the foul on a consistent basis.

On this play, the first thing that is seen is the amount of spacing given to Butler. Duncan Robinson, Victor Oladipo, and Trevor Ariza lined up on the perimeter on the same side, opening up the driving lane for Butler completely. He drives to the basket as Wesley Matthews defends him closely, and takes it up strong while hanging in the air to get the foul call plus the bucket.

This is nothing new when evaluating his play, but the amount of time that he hangs in the air before actually attempting the shot is a major reason for the amount of and-1’s that he converts.

– The Jumper Evaluation

We don’t see many catch and shoot threes from Butler, since most of his attempts from beyond the arc involve late shot clock jumpers off the dribble, or late-game pull-ups.

On this possession, they run a DHO off the inbound, while it gets denied leading to Butler reversing it right back. This is another one of those three-point attempts late in the shot clock, but the fundamental elements on this play reiterate the reasons for his deep ball struggles.

Although the defender may be in the way with this angle, take a look at the amount of lift he had on this shot. While some shooters on the Heat rely on timing, or others rely on confidence, Butler just needs that consistent lift in his legs, which is why shots were falling so frequently in the post-season last year.

– A Counter Player

A good analogy for Butler’s offensive play is a counter-puncher in boxing, since he constantly just reacts to the defenses initial move.

For example, Dennis Schroder reaches immediately on this play as Butler begins to back him down, and it seems like he instantly knows he’s going up for the layup in a cleared lane. He spins off of him, rolls with the contact, and gets a much needed score for Miami to give them a comfortable lead, which as we all know, the lead is never comfortable.

– A Great Game-Plan: Butler/Adebayo PnR’s

Miami came out of the half looking to make an offensive run, and it seemed like the immediate plan was to run Butler/Adebayo PnR’s, as they usually do to close out games.

It’s a pretty unique combo, since as seen here, the defense has to make a decision as Adebayo floats, due to his ability to play above the rim and find a dead-spot at the free throw line for a jumper. This allows Butler to make his quarterback read, which Andre Drummond’s final step-back led Butler into a fluid mid-range jumper.

Here’s another instance of that Butler/Adebayo PnR to begin the third, except on this play, Adebayo eliminates Matthew completely, which gives Butler all of the room to go one-on-one.

Another interesting element to this is that there aren’t many players like Butler in these situations. Most defenders are used to guys pulling up with all that room, or getting up in the air to float up and under the rim. Not Butler though, since his patience is like no other, as that slight pump-fake gets Drummond into the air, allowing him to score fairly easily.

– More Butler PnR Reads

These two possessions pretty much go hand in hand on this topic, since it refers back to his ability to read defenses so quickly and efficiently.

In this first clip, he almost gets caught in the air as both defenders focus in on him, but Precious Achiuwa quickly rolls and converts the and-1. A little bit later, Butler and Achiuwa run another PnR in the same exact spot, and it seems like Montrezl Harrell had that Achiuwa finish a few minutes prior stuck in his head, since his hesitance led to another Butler mid-range.

Everything runs so smoothly when Butler has the ball in his hands directing traffic, which makes the moments when he fades to the corner a bit to play off the ball in the first half even more apparent. Obviously, he shouldn’t be relied on every single play, but once things begin to slip away a bit with the inconsistency, it’ll be important for him to step in even sooner.

– His Presence Leads to Points

When people associate the word gravity to different NBA players, this play shows the reason why.

The initial thought on this play may be that Goran Dragic made a great cut to the basket as Butler drove, but the second time watching it shows something a bit differently. The amount of eyes on Butler on this possession is the actual reason for it, since Schroder and Morris being so worried about the Butler cut-off led to neither of them picking up Dragic on the cut.

This is only one play that is being shown, but this is a constant thing when Butler is on the floor. It’s the reason that shooters like Duncan Robinson benefit from Butler being on the floor so much, since the defensive worry he creates allows others to roam a bit more freely in the offense.

– Late-Game Butler

There isn’t much to breakdown on this play, but instead it’s the amount of times that things like this are seen. Butler’s ability late in games to basically continue to put it out of reach is like no other, since the reiterated point is that when he wants to turn it on, he can.

Isolation plays at the top of the key isn’t the usual set that Erik Spoelstra runs in these situations, but at times the decision making caters to the star player. And a big man switched onto him and an efficient scoring night are two things that contribute to that choice to basically try and will the team to win.

The best part about discussing Butler in the article like this is that it’s only half the battle, or better yet, it’s probably only 40% of the battle. The things he does on the defensive end should not be taken for granted, which particularly last night, his ability to hit passing lanes was the main reason for Miami coming out with a win.

Positive Takeaways from Struggling Marlins

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Yesterday’s contest between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets ended in quite the unorthodox way. With the game tied at 2 in the bottom of the 9th, the Mets threatened to win the game with the bases loaded and only one out. Michael Conforto stepped into the box against a struggling Anthony Bass, looking to give the Mets a win on their Home Opener. With 2 strikes, Conforto leaned into the pitch drawing, what looked to be, a game winning Hit By Pitch. The pitch, clearly a strike on the inner half of the plate, was ruled to be the end of the game by Home Umpire Ron Kulpa. 

 

As an enraged Don Mattingly and Marlins’ team-leader Miguel Rojas argued the blatantly incorrect call, the umpires walked off the field, unable to correct a “judgment” call. The Fish left the ballpark in defeat, officially starting the season at 1-6. The Mets, on the other hand, improved to 2-2, and still remain much better odds to compete in the National League East according to VW Sports Betting. 

 

It is easy to point towards that moment as the key factor in yesterday’s loss for the Marlins, but doing so overshadows the countless other missed opportunities throughout Thursday’s game for the Marlins. The Marlins “Why not us?” mentality that pushed them through last season looks to have evaporated in early 2021. But rather than dwelling on what could have been through the first week of the season, here are the positives that the “Bottom Feeders” can build on to find their way back to a winning mentality.

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Marlins Starting Pitching

Sandy Alcantara

Sandy Alcantara continues to be the ace that the Marlins need. In his 12 innings of work, he has allowed just 3 runs (2 ER) on 17 strikeouts, 6 hits, and 4 walks. He has been everything that the Marlins could ask for in his first two starts. With only a total of 2-runs of support from his offense in innings which he has pitched, Sandy has simply gotten the short end of the stick. He’s the guy. The Marlins haven’t had anything near this level of production since Jose Fernandez. 

 

Pablo Lopez

In an even better turn of events, Pablo Lopez has continued to surprise the baseball world. He has thrown 11.2 innings this season, only allowing 2-runs off the bat of a Yadier Molina home run. Pablo has been nothing short of brilliant in his outings this season, eliciting a 57.1% groundball rate, the highest of his career. He, much like Sandy, has gotten a grand total of 0 runs of support while he is on the mound.

 

Keeping it close

In the Marlins 6 losses to date, they have only lost by 4 or more runs one time (Wednesday’s 7-0 loss to STL). It is clear that the bats have not woken up yet; however, in a positive twist, when they do wake up, it could be enough to put the Marlins over the top. The Marlins played close baseball all of last season and won close ball games at a higher clip than most teams throughout the league. The bats are performing below expectations at the moment, preventing close games from going in the Marlins favor. It is a long season, and when the bats put the pieces together, things will change.

 

It’s a long season!

Did you know that in last season’s 60 games, there were not one but two sets of 7 games where the Marlins went 1-6? Even with a shorter amount of time, the Marlins managed to finish the season with a 31-29 record. Although a similar record may not make the playoffs this season, all the Marlins are looking to do is grow as a team. There is still plenty of time for the Marlins to go on 6-1 runs to even their record back to .500 and beyond. And there is still plenty of time for the Marlins to go on more 1-6 runs. 

 

In a 162 game season, expect we can expect this to happen multiple times. There is no need to panic. Statistically, this Marlins team is around that of a .500 ballclub. The law of large numbers is a mathematical/statistical fact, and one that will play in the Marlins favor going forward.

 

Overall for Marlins

 

To players, coaches, and fans, this start may feel like rock bottom especially in comparison to last season’s 7-1 start. But this start will not last for long, and the Marlins will find their way back to the team they truly are. They really are the “Bottom Feeders” right now, but as we all know, that hasn’t held them back before. 

 

Getting the Perfect Gear for Golf

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The fresh air, the vast courses, the fierce yet elegant competition… There are only a handful of sports that are as intriguing and refreshing as golf. It’s certainly not for everyone, but it’s enough to captivate a few individuals under an unbreakable love spell. Unfortunately, golf can be quite complicated for the uninitiated. With a plethora of rules and a myriad of equipment (most with a hefty price tag), a beginner may not get their chances to explore the beauty of golf as they deserve. 

 

Luckily for you, we’re here to simplify things for you. You won’t have to break your bank or walk away; here’s a simple and straightforward guide to help you choose the perfect starting golf gear. 

Size Matters

It doesn’t always come back to personal tastes. When it comes to technicalities, especially if you’re a beginner, it’s better to go for a bigger size. This applies to your drivers, irons, and every other club you’re using. As it turns out, larger clubs can cover a greater surface area, and that’s something you can take advantage of to expand the sweet spot effectively. In other words, you won’t get a penalty for hitting the ball off-center. 

You Don’t Need all 14 Clubs

You can carry as many as 14 clubs with you on the golf course but just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. In fact, the fewer clubs you have, the better. However, that’s only true if you keep in mind what Will Shaw at GolfInsiderUK.co.uk has to say: it all comes down to the quality of the driver you’re using. Since all modern drivers are limited in size and ability to transfer energy to the ball, you’ll need to experiment with a few drivers until you find one that speaks to you. 

Try Before You Buy

To choose the right club, you can’t just go blind. You can’t rely on expert recommendations and online reviews either; as these can only direct you in your choice and not make the decision for you. You need to try it out before you buy it, and that holds true for all the clubs, balls, and golf equipment you want to buy. If you’re an absolute beginner, you may want to find a large golf shop and ask for two 6-irons, one with a regular-flex and another with a stiff-flex shaft. Once you try them both, you’ll get a feeling for which one is easier to swing and control, and that’s the shaft flex you’ll want to choose for the rest of your clubs. 

Be Smart in Your Choices

Once you try out a few clubs, you may very well conclude that you need more than one. That is completely normal. However, make sure that each driver carries out a specific role that can’t be done by any other club. For instance, there’s no need to get a 4-iron and a 5-iron if practically, they both go around the same distance. In that case, you’ll do better with choosing the 5-iron as it’s the more forgiving of the two. You should look for a club that can fill the yardage gaps you have with your current clubs. 

Try Other Putters

If you’re going to visit a big-box retailer to pick up your new clubs anyway, you might as well try a few other putters. There’s a high chance that your current putter isn’t perfectly tuned for your stroke, so you might as well go through a putter fitting. Make sure to try a large number of putters, even the ones you’d normally never think of trying. That’s the best way to find the putter that best fits your stroke. 

Choose the Right Ball

The number of balls you’ll need to buy is directly proportional to the number you lose in each round. If you’re just getting started, or in case you’re used to losing around two sleeves per round, you’ll want to buy balls that don’t exceed $20 for a dozen. As you get better in the game, you’ll be able to buy balls that cost around $30 or $40 a dozen. To choose the brand that’s right for you, you can try putting a few different brands to get a real feel of how each one comes off the putter face. 

 

Getting started with playing golf can be overwhelming. One look at the price tag of the average golf equipment is enough to destroy any shred of interest a beginner can have. However, preparing your golf equipment, as a beginner, doesn’t have to be all that daunting. You just need to know the essentials you’ll use until you level up your game. 

 

5 Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Lakers

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The Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, sweeping the season series with them. Although I’ll address five takeaways from this game, all eyes will turn toward the Victor Oladipo injury situation that occurred in the fourth quarter. But, let’s take a look at some takeaways from this game specifically….

#1: The Jimmy Butler experience, a common theme but an interesting element.

Although Jimmy Butler’s first half consisted of only one missed shot, the continued theme showed up once again. He was the leading scorer at the half with 11 points, but the team still thrives off his aggression. As he got some much needed buckets early on, it sparked some scoring runs from Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic, which will always be the case with this team. This isn’t to discuss the drop-off when he exits the floor, but instead the moments in which he slightly fades away into the corner to be an off-ball player. It’s not the ideal situation for Miami to need an ultra-aggressive Butler against a highly depleted Lakers team, but that was the case tonight, especially since they weren’t getting the Bam Adebayo aggression early either.

#2: Tyler Herro making leaps off the ball, which is needed in his role.

Tyler Herro had his moments in the first half, but the real takeaway is what has transpired over the last few games for him. He’s been highly productive on the ball since moving to that sixth man role, but his off the ball fit is the actual essential part due to the guys he is surrounded by. One example is his reads off the ball, since he seems to watch his sole defender’s eyes a bit more, leading to instinctive cuts to the basket for easy points. But getting back to the areas he showcased tonight, it was mostly from beyond the arc as a catch and shoot threat, which is key in those lineups next to Victor Oladipo as the ball-handler. The next part to the development of these two on the floor will be Herro playing as the ball-handler more, while Oladipo can become the threat off the ball who can attack in motion.

#3: Plain and simple, the ups and downs are a normal part of this team. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s no offense, like it’s been for many games this season, or an ineffective defensive game, as portrayed against the Memphis Grizzlies, this Miami Heat roller coaster is just pretty normal at the current stage. When evaluating the overall issue tonight, it’s just the overall sloppiness and lack of consistent play on each end, while throwing in the lack of energy that was much needed in a game that they were supposed to handle easily. Now, Miami has always had trouble competing at that level in these majorly winnable games, but these type of games are very important in a season where the Eastern Conference is as closely packed as it is. If Miami wants to take that next step as a team, aside from the development or fit from individual players, team consistency is the one and only thing that fits that category.

#4: Victor Oladipo finding his offensive fit game by game.

It’s pretty obvious that Victor Oladipo’s offensive fit would progress the more games he played, but the leaps he made tonight were very crucial for the upcoming steps. Other than the simple scheme understanding, the next part of it becomes lineup fits, certain players he bounces off, among other things, which is why Coach Spo was able to experiment with that a bit after some life was shown by him in the third quarter. He was tied as the leading scorer for Miami at the end of the first quarter, and he didn’t attempt a field goal. They need him as an aggressive figure on this team, especially since the aggression levels are up and down with the Heat’s two stars, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The attacking was important for Oladipo early on, but the falling jumpers off the ball will be the area that he’ll find himself in more and more. And the injury that occurred in the fourth quarter will be another thing to monitor, which could change this entire topic of rhythm, as an added obstacle could be given to Oladipo.

#5: Nemanja Bjelica back-up big in first half, Precious Achiuwa back-up big in the second.

Bam Adebayo’s foul trouble forced Miami to look at different options in the big man department, which is pretty limited as Dewayne Dedmon isn’t available to play yet. Nemanja Bjelica obviously had his name called early on, and he gives them a surprising drive and kick ability, with the emphasis on kick since he is more than willing to give the ball up. The issue is that his offense, particularly the shooting, isn’t what many may have expected at this current moment, since the catch and shoot ability should be the easiest part for him to slide into. Precious Achiuwa ended up getting the nod in the second half, since Miami needed more of an interior presence who will at least battle with athleticism. He got into some foul trouble of his own, but he had some flashes that gave Miami what they needed in those minutes, but these exact flashes reiterate the fact that his development in a Summer League or G-League would be so helpful for him right now.

Florida Panthers make deal, clear cap space

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The Florida Panthers have acquired forward Lucas Wallmark and defenseman Lucas Carlsson from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Brett Connolly, Henrik Borgstrom, defenseman Riley Stillman and a seventh-round pick, as reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

 

Wallmark, 25, played in seven regular season games as well as two playoff games for the Cats last season after he was acquired from Carolina as part of the Vincent Trocheck trade. Wallmark appeared in 16 games for Chicago this season, he will be a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) after this year. His current cap hit is $950k.

 

Carlsson, 23, split time between Chicago and their AHL affiliate, Rockford. He will also be an RFA after this season. The Swedish defenseman’s current cap hit is $792,500. 

 

Connolly has been in and out of the Panthers’ lineup all season. He has bounced between the active roster and taxi squad. The trade clears his $3.5 million AAV contract which was set to run through the 2022-2023 season. The 28-year-old had 4 points in 21 games this season with the Panthers.

 

Stillman, 23, played in eight games this season and has only played in 43 total games in his NHL career. The Panthers drafted Stillman 114th overall in the 2016 draft.

 

Borgstrom, also 23, was Florida’s 2016 first-round pick. The Finnish prospect only appeared in 54 games with the Panthers since he was drafted. Borgstrom is currently playing for HIFK in Liiga, Finland’s pro league.

 

With this trade, Florida clears additional cap space for both this season and for the future. Aleksander Barkov’s contract expires after next season, Jonathan Huberdeau’s deal expires after the 2022-2023 season. Capfriendly has Florida’s deadline capspace north of $18 million after these moves. 

 

The NHL trade deadline is April 12.

Marlins/Mets Series Preview

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After a disappointing 1-5 start to the season, the Miami Marlins start their first road trip of the year in New York versus the new look Mets. Throughout the first 6 games, the Marlins have been plagued by an inability to hit with RISP and with 2-outs: both key elements of last year’s playoff run. It will not get any easier in the Big Apple, as the Mets are lined up to pitch Taijuan Walker, Jacob deGrom, and Marcus Stroman. 

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Game 1 (Thursday 1:10 PM EST): Nick Neidert (0-0, / ERA) vs Taijuan Walker (0-0, / ERA)

Keys for Marlins: Neidert, Bats getting back on track

Neidert takes the mound for his first career start for the Marlins. After posting solid numbers throughout his career in the minors, Neidert hopes to continue a positive start for Marlins starting pitchers this season. Every starter, barring Elieser Hernandez’s injury-shortened outing, has been able to keep the bats they have faced at bay. There, however, has been nothing to show for it through 6 games. LoanDepot Park has not been a friendly sight for Marlins hitters, and weirdly enough, there is an expectation that pitchers will get more run support on the road this season. A 24-year-old Neidert is matched up against an extremely potent New York Mets lineup, which serves as a tough obstacle on start 1.

Keys for Mets: Walker having a Quality Start

His counterpart Taijuan Walker was 4-3 last season with a 2.70 ERA pitching for the Mariners and Blue Jays. Walker was injured throughout 2018 and 2019, but in seasons where he was healthy, has been a steady innings eater with a consistent ERA in the high 3s. Walker, although a solid arm, will be the lowest quality starter the Marlins will face in this series. It is important that the bats break out in this game to set the tone for games 2 and 3.

Game 2 (Saturday 1:10 PM EST): Trevor Rogers (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs Jacob deGrom (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Keys for Marlins: Rogers settling in, Late-inning magic

After a shaky first inning in which he allowed 3 runs on Monday versus the Cardinals, Trevor Rogers settled in to throw 3 shutout innings to finish his night. In those 3 innings, his fastball looked electric and he looked much more settled in. In his post game press conference, he mentioned that he was too “amped up.” With the first start with fans out of the way for Rogers, he is looking to continue to grow from his stellar Spring Training this season. The Mets offer another difficult lineup to navigate as a pitcher, but Rogers did just that last year. Two of his better starts came against the Mets last season, both of which resulted in Marlins’ wins. 

Keys for Mets: deGrom doing deGrom things

In his first start of the season, deGrom was stupendous (per usual). He will once again be rightfully in Cy Young talks as his game continues to get better with age. However, over the course of his career, he has struggled somewhat versus the Marlins. The Marlins got a win when he was on the mound last season, but with the bats continuing to struggle, the most likely hope for Miami this season lies in the late innings. Much like the Marlins’ starters, deGrom has had infamously low run support throughout his career. If Rogers can keep it close with deGrom, the Marlins can piece together a win, just like the Phillies did against the Mets on their Opening Day.

Game 3 (Sunday 1:10 PM EST): TBD vs Marcus Stroman (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Keys for Marlins: Bullpen

Don Mattingly mentioned that the Marlins will most likely not start Sandy Alcantara on Sunday, even though technically it is his turn in the rotation. Whoever the Marlins go with, this will be a game decided on their bullpen. With a weak start in comparison to expectations this season, the Marlins’ new-look bullpen will have a chance to get back on track this game and series. With two young arms in Games 1 and 2 and the makings of a bullpen game in game 3, there will be plenty of chances for a bullpen to right the sinking ship in Miami.

Keys for Mets: Stroman

The Mets will counter with Marcus Stroman, a consistently solid starter over the course of his career. Stroman put together 6 masterful innings of 1-run ball in his first outing in route to a Mets win. The former Blue Jay has been the definition of consistent in his time in the MLB as he continues to bounce back after a poor 2018 season. Stroman has ace-quality stuff, and will bring his normal on Sunday.

Overall for Marlins

 

The Marlins starting pitching has been everything Marlins’ fans have asked for. Every other aspect of this team has dwindled in comparison. With an extremely tough task ahead in the Mets, the Marlins need their bats to break out (or at least play small ball in key situations) or they can easily be swept away by a good Mets team. This task becomes even harder when the Marlins aren’t expected to pitch Sandy or Pablo. 

This series is extremely important for the Marlins to bounce back before they head to Atlanta, where they have consistently struggled over the past few years. Sitting at 1-5, the Marlins could easily finish this series at 1-8 if the adequate changes are not made heading in. 

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Miami Heat-Los Angeles Lakers Rematch: Flipping the Script

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The Los Angeles Lakers are up 2-0 in the series. It seems as if the Miami Heat have finally run out of gas after reaching their peak abilities, as two of their three best players are ruled out due to injury, Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic.

The story-lines were pure, but the competitive expectations looked like it wouldn’t live up to the hype. But well, that was before Jimmy Butler happened. Putting up a stat-line of 40 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds against two of the most premier athletes in the NBA, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, leading Miami to a win basically was the start of an incredible battle.

Although Miami ended up losing in 6 games, as the Lakers got their 17th franchise championship while LeBron secured his 4th, the battle that Miami put up basically foreshadowed the way that a Miami Heat team plays when the headliners are aligned, in Butler, Erik Spoelstra, and Pat Riley.

Now, after the Lakers beat a depleted Heat team in the NBA Finals, the script will be flipped on Thursday night. Los Angeles will be without James and Davis once again, as Miami’s finally hitting strides in the health department. This results in Miami being the favorite to win the game, according to the NBA odds at Sports Betting Dime. In a bundled up Eastern Conference, these are the type of games that Miami is aware are crucial to have a shot at the fourth seed.

These two teams may get thrown up against each other in many conversations, but they really aren’t all that different. As teams like the Utah Jazz are grasping the spot light in the West, the Brooklyn Nets are doing so in the East, leaving both the Lakers and Heat in middle tier areas, awaiting that first round match-up before truly turning it on.

Both teams with huge defensive strides, interchanging players with different injuries thrown their way, and of course, much respected franchises who were lucky enough to change up their rosters a bit to complete this second half run.

All of these comparisons being shown just comes right back to the overarching theme: facing adversity. It may be looked at as league wide ordeal, but it’s no surprise that these two teams have had more ups and downs than anybody. Beginning with the immediate turnaround after the Finals, there’s been constant obstacles being thrown their way, and that may mean they’re more prepared for what comes next.

Obviously nobody wants to face a James and Davis led Lakers team in a 7 game series, but there also aren’t many teams that want to face a gritty Miami Heat team with a defensive identity and tons of weapons.

This Thursday night match-up between these two teams will look a lot different than it did a couple months ago, and that basically sums up the entire situation that they’ve both endured. And as they both continue to claw their way back up the standings, there’s a chance an unexpected Finals rematch could occur if things fall into place for each ball club.

What Does Dewayne Dedmon Bring to the Miami Heat?

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It was reported by the Athletic on Tuesday afternoon that the Miami Heat were planning to sign Dewayne Dedmon. The Heat were going to have to sign somebody by Thursday anyway, but a possible back-up big to give Erik Spoelstra some options during the regular season doesn’t seem like the worst choice.

So, let’s take a deep dive into what Dedmon can possibly give Miami off the bench this season…

– A Defensive Relief Big

When talking about the Miami Heat’s defense, the one area that truly sticks out in their personnel is the drop-off with the bench. The numbers clearly plummet when Bam Adebayo exits the floor, but it doesn’t help that Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Nemanja Bjelica are entering together.

So, this is why Dewayne Dedmon can impact some things off the bench for Miami. It’s always discussed that giving Erik Spoelstra options is the most important thing, and allowing him to pick and choose nights to use Bjelica or Dedmon, instead of settling for Precious Achiuwa who he doesn’t seem to trust, may be a huge positive for this team.

On this play, we see Dedmon’s ability to contain a guard in transition, as well as showcase his length to be able to protect the rim. Those attributes are important for a relief big, especially when comparing him to Achiuwa at this stage, since he’s been quite undersized against many bigs.

When Miami looks at certain guys as defensive players, it’s usually about the defensive IQ more than anything. Although Dedmon has a lot of the attributes that make up a good defensive big, he’s very good at finding the right spots on the floor to fill in, even when playing drop coverage on a lot of his past teams.

On this possession, as soon as he sees the ball-handler get a full head of steam, he steps up right into position to take the charge, which are the type of plays that stand out to a Heat organization. If he’s capable of making these plays at this stage of his career coming off an injury, then he can make a big impact during the regular season, which will continually be the point that is harped on.

Here’s another quick example of his ability to contain and block shots. He showed his athletic ability to immediately rise up and swat it, but this once again refers back to his health at the current stage. It’s not really confirmed that he will be as explosive on that end of the floor, but having a track record in that department is a good start.

Another element to this is that they’re adding another one of these experienced players, since although they have some youth mixed in, the way the roster is being built seems to point toward a team looking to make yet another postseason push.

It’s not that Precious Achiuwa should be compared in every aspect, but it is important when balancing the differences in what each can bring. Achiuwa has been known to bring a bit of energy to the floor through his explosiveness, and Dedmon has done that in his career as well, just in a much different and experienced way.

These type of plays are the kind of tellers that showcase an experienced defender, since late game possessions are always important to note. On this play, he’s clearly capable of staying with the versatile Julius Randle, proving that his angles on attackers refers back to the overall defensive IQ.

– A Possible Floor Spacer

I’m not going to dive into the shooting element too much, since the ups and downs have been apparent over his career. He’s had his impressive shooting stretches as he did with the Hawks, but has also had his down moments in other spots, while none of it has been linked to coverages. It just comes down to an inconsistent jumper.

The difference is that it’s widely known that percentages from beyond the arc always increase when joining the Heat, due to both coaching and the motion offense creating different opportunities. On this play, he hits an above the break three in transition, which is usually the shot that proves the capability of a deep threat. He’s also pretty efficient in the pick and pop, which could be quite the balance from Adebayo’s usual quick dives to the rim or mid-range pauses.

– An Interior Presence on the Roll

Now, although many like to immediately look to shooting numbers and abilities when acquiring players like this, that is not the area that I feel he can be the most effective. It’s actually his ability to dive to the rim with his long strides and lengthy wingspan to convert easy opportunities.

On this possession, it’s just a normal PnR against drop coverage, as Dedmon gets an easy bucket due to the quick roll and high spotting of Mitchell Robinson. Miami has a lot of drop coverage beaters, due to Butler’s intriguing offensive aggression moving downhill or Tyler Herro’s quick mid-range pull-up, which is the reason for Dedmon’s possible fit in the offense.

Here’s another example of his play against drop coverage, except this one is a bit more recent.

It shows more of that experienced presence, and an ability to get to the spots on the floor that he feels most comfortable. A floater in a dead spot is one of those things, and could become useful for a reserve tandem with Goran Dragic, since he has always been pretty good at finding the roller in their spots like this. And once again, if he still has the same athletic ability, it’ll make that off the bench duo even more dynamic.

When I say an athletic ability, this is what I mean, since he has a past of playing above the rim at times due to his length. He reads the play as his defender drops to cut-off the ball-handler, leading to another dive and dunk.

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It’s not certain that he will get any significant minutes as a back-up big with this team, but it’s a trusted option if Miami struggles on the defensive end of the floor like they did against Memphis, or possibly when shooters aren’t knocking down shots, so Dedmon has a chance at giving them that spark. That exact evaluation won’t be able to be predicted until he actually sees the floor with this team upon joining them.

– An Energetic Rebounder 

The last part of this is the rebounding addition. The Heat have had their moments this season where they just couldn’t grab a rebound, which would lead to opposing teams having much more shot attempts in the final box score.

Undersized big men, like Achiuwa, and non explosive rebounders, like Kelly Olynyk, will lead to that result. And well, this is yet another thing that Dedmon can bring to this team at his peak and fully healthy moments. On this play, we see a player who isn’t afraid to battle down low, and at times Miami has missed that interior presence.

So, even though a lot of the breakdowns in this article are truly hard to have any real takeaways due to the time gap, it’s by far the best option on the market as a low risk guy due to them needing to fill that roster spot anyway.

Will A New Set Of Golf Clubs Improve Your Game?

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If you are interested in starting off with golf and wondering if an old golf club set-probably your dad’s-is going to be just fine or not, then you have landed on the right post. Maybe you’re thinking about getting a new set instead of utilizing the old beaten-up one. Will the condition of the golf club set make a difference? Let’s find out.

A New Set Of Golf Clubs Can Be Good For Old And New Players

With a new set of golf clubs, you can definitely improve your gameplay, but it can also depend upon your current level of skills and other factors.

For Experienced Players

If you’ve started playing golf and have learned some skills with an old set, you will witness a positive improvement in your abilities. As you would have already practiced playing golf using a used set of clubs, you will have more control over your swing speed with new ones. Old clubs could have lost their balance, which might train a golfer to use more force for a swing or some other technique. A new golf club will have every feature in mint condition to ensure more productivity with a little bit of effort.

For Complete Beginners

If you start your golfing journey or career with a completely new set of clubs, you are given the resources to do reasonably well right from the start. You will be well-suited to swing properly and with style without worrying about correcting your balance due to a damaged or old club. However, the improvement might not be as significant as that of an experienced player.

So, we can say:

A good and experienced golfer who practices with bad clubs, in the beginning, can do wonders with a new set of clubs.

On the other hand, a beginner who uses new clubs from the start of their golfing career can show improvements in a gradual manner.

Factors To Consider To Help You Improve

Several factors can help you improve your game with a new set of golf clubs. These could include the shape, size, and materials used for the grip, shaft, and head of the clubs. You may want to read more about how to select the right golf club to improve your game from the beginning of your golfing career. You will still need to practice your style, swing, and other skills to improve significantly.

Some might consider price a factor, but buying an expensive set of clubs is not going to improve your game overnight. Likewise, you cannot improve your skills if your golf clubs are not properly designed to withstand the swings and hardness of a golf ball.

Now, let’s look at the factors that will govern your ability to improve with a new golf set.

Swing Speed

How fast and efficiently you swing a golf club will give you an idea of how far the ball goes. Swing speed will help you reach an adequate amount of distance to cover the ground and reach the hole with as few swings as possible. However, swing speed does not convert to straight shots because it can be hard to hit the shot straight when you swing the club too quickly.

 

Golf Shaft

You can improve your swing speed when you have a good-quality shaft to support your move. The best golf club shafts come in steel and graphite, which have varying flex options, like regular, senior, and flex. Graphite, being lighter than steel, might be a recommended shaft type for beginners. For players who have a slower swing speed, the graphite club would be better as its lightweight and flexible material lets golfers swing the club faster.

For players who have a faster swing speed, a hybrid shaft, usually steel-based, would be a good option. A regular flex option would be ideal for such players. The most experienced players usually prefer senior flex options, which offer them the speed and bulkiness to obtain the maximum swing speeds.

Golf Club Heads

A golf club for a beginner will usually include an oversized head consisting of a large surface area for the sweet spot. With an oversized head, it’s easier to hit the ball because there is more surface to bring in contact with the ball without ruining the turn. You may also decide between muscle back and cavity back irons for your set of clubs. Muscle backs are capable of allowing a decent power to swing a clean and easy strike, whereas cavity backs are more suitable for players with controlled strikes.

An old set of golf clubs may still be needed in your golfing journey but keep in mind that the set you will use has to be in proper condition to withstand the swings, heavy-hitting, and other wear and tear while playing. If you plan on purchasing a new set of clubs, make sure to do thorough research beforehand. Using information from reliable sources can be a great help in determining the right set to improve your game. Moreover, a new golf club set will stick with you for a longer time, letting you heighten your game even further.