Marlins Rule 5

Marlins Active During Rule 5 Draft

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The Miami Marlins front office has remained largely quiet so far this offseason, but that changed during Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft. The Marlins added five players to the organization but also saw a player plucked from their minor league system.

Miami has a long history of activity in the Rule 5 Draft, with some significant successes. Many of the players who’ve been drafted in this setup don’t make much of a difference. However, 33 All-Stars have been selected during this process over the years, as well as one Hall of Famer (Roberto Clemente).

Marlins Land Two Pitchers in Rule 5 Draft

The Marlins held the No. 13 overall selection in this year’s Rule 5 draft and chose right-handed pitcher Paul Campbell from the Tampa Bay Rays. Miami also added reliever Zach Pop in a draft-day trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Campbell comes to Miami with the potential to make an immediate impact as a long reliever and spot starter. Rated the Rays’ No. 24 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Campbell sports high spin rates on his fastball, curveball and slider. His fastball sits at 92-95 mph with cut action and he has good command.

For his career, Campbell registers a 3.12 ERA with 188 strikeouts, allowing opponents to hit just .231 against him.

The Marlins picked up Pop from Arizona in exchange for the infamous player-to-be-named-later. Pop actually comes from the Baltimore Orioles’ system, as the Diamondbacks selected him with the No. 6 pick in Thursday’s draft. Pop made his way to Baltimore as part of the Manny Machado trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers a few years ago.

Pop underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 but profiles as a potential closer. When healthy, his arsenal includes an upper-90s sinker and a plus slider. His fastball clocked at mid-to-upper 90s prior to his surgery.

In limited opportunities due to injury, Pop piled up 80 strikeouts over 80.1 IP. He’s registered eight saves in 11 opportunities and sports a 1.34 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP.

There’s high upside for both of these pitchers. If they can reach their potential, both will be significant upgrades for the Marlins bullpen. These additions complete Miami’s 40-man roster, but that will not prevent the team from being engaged in both the free agent and trade markets.

Minor League Additions (and Subtraction)

The Marlins remained active during the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft as well, which is set up in a similar way to the MLB phase. If a player is picked from Double-A, they move to Triple-A. Single-A players move to Double-A with their new club.

Miami selected three players during this phase. They nabbed LHP Jake Fishman from the Blue Jays, RHP Dylan Bice from the Rangers and INF Marcus Chiu from the Dodgers.

Fishman might be the best of the three picks. He’s a low-slot lefty reliever with some starting experience. At 6-foot-3, the 25-year-old’s awkward angle and horizontal movement of his fastball make him an interesting prospect. He figures to be a Triple-A reliever in 2021, but could see a promotion during the season.

Bice is a 23-year-old hard-throwing reliever who hasn’t pitched above Single-A. Chiu is a 23-year-old utility infielder with some power but who hit just .215 at High-A in 2019.

The Marlins lost right-handed reliever Brett Graves during the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Interestingly, Oakland picked Graves from the Marlins three years after Miami took him from the A’s in the 2017 Rule 5 draft.

Injury issues stalled Graves’ development with the Fish. He made 21 appearances for the Marlins in 2018. He registered 21 strikeouts over 33.1 innings pitched and notched one win, one loss and one save along the way. Graves spent 2019 between Double-A and Triple-A, and wasn’t part of Miami’s 60-man player pool in 2020.

Marlins Rule 5 History

The Marlins have had some success in the past during the Rule 5 draft. The team nabbed Dan Uggla from Arizona in 2005. Uggla put up some gaudy numbers for the Marlins over his five-year run with the Fish and remains Top-10 in 30 offensive statistical categories for the franchise. He’s No. 2 all-time in home runs (154) and strikeouts (760), and No. 6 in RBI (465).

In 2013, the Marlins selected Justin Bour from the Chicago Cubs during the minor league phase of the draft. Bour went on to parts of play five seasons with the Fish, hitting 83 homers, 63 doubles and driving in 272 runs. In 2017, the Marlins added Elieser Hernandez from the Astros and he pitched very well for the Fish in 2020.

Last year, the Marlins selected RHP Sterling Sharp from the Nationals, but ultimately returned the reliever to Washington after an unsuccessful stint.

Interestingly, the Marlins were also involved in the Rule 5 selection of two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana. In 2000, the Astros left Santana off of their 40-man roster and the Marlins, who held the No. 2 pick that year, selected the future star.

The Marlins then flipped Santana to the Minnesota Twins in what was later deemed a prearranged draft-day deal. The Marlins received minor leaguer in Jared Camp, who the Twins had taken with the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft that year, and $50,000. Camp didn’t make the Marlins Opening Day roster that year and was ultimately returned to the Cleveland Indians. Santana, meanwhile, went one to be a four-time All-Star and won the AL Cy Young in 2004 and 2006.

Miami Heat Preseason: A Youthful Showcase

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The Miami Heat are set to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans in their first preseason game on Monday, and well, it holds more value than you may think.

Something that has been discussed quite a lot lately is that the absence of Summer League, as well as the G-League, will ultimately take a toll on most rookies. Especially with a guy like Precious Achiuwa, since Miami’s developmental program allows guys to evolve rather quickly.

Due to not seeing any of them play in any type of NBA level game speed, the preseason games will be utilized as a type of showcase, especially for Miami.

The Heat’s rotation seems uncertain heading into the season, since not only do they have a lot of depth, but they have a lot of youth who have a chance at making yet another jump.

That starts with Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala, since giving them NBA level reps is the most essential element.

When Erik Spoelstra spoke about KZ, he mentioned that he just needs to put it all together. And the only way to do that is to get some quality minutes so he can get a taste.

Another guy that may benefit from the preseason games is Kendrick Nunn. He’s one of the most interesting names on the roster heading into the season, since on paper he’s probably the 5th guard, but he also is coming off a very impressive rookie season. There is a bit of recency bias after his play in the bubble, but he is still a quality rotaional piece who is still developing.

But as I mentioned, the preseason will be a showcase for the players, as well as an evaluation period for the coaches. If Kendrick shows offensive flashes as he did early in the regular season, there is no doubt that he will be utilized frequently on this Heat team this season.

Most of Miami’s players have pretty much proven themselves, but those three can definitely increase their value in these limited preseason games.

The coaching staff will not be making any rotational decisions that will be set in stone, which means if somebody shows some flashes, they can be inserted at any time.

This is the young guys time to shine. Go prove your worth.

Moe Harkless: “It’s A Brotherhood”

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Moe Harkless spoke with media on Thursday afternoon following training camp, after having the day off on Wednesday.

When asked about being a part of a Miami Heat training camp compared to others, he said, “It’s probably a little bit better than expected. The guys really put their heart and soul into it.”

But when asked a follow up about the exact grittiness in Miami’s camp, he added, “People exaggerate a bit.”

He then talked about the chemistry of this Heat team, saying “I have to give credit to what they’ve created here. It’s a brotherhood.”

He also mentioned that many of the guys have embraced him, which was clear since both Goran Dragic and Duncan Robinson said that they fit right in. Erik Spoelstra discussed that earlier in the week, which he said that they’re the type of players who fit in anywhere.

Moe then got into detail about Pat Riley, saying that he called his mom following the first meeting and told her he reminded him of the Godfather. He added that Pat’s door is always open, and that he doesn’t say much but when he does people listen.

Another person that Moe mentioned is important to listen to is Jimmy Butler, saying that he is the “head of the snake.”

He ended off his session talking about the unique bond of this team, mentioning that it’s all serious when they’re on the floor, but off the floor it is all laughing and smiling. He said, “Kind of like a family.”

Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic each had quick media sessions, but one thing stood out in each.

Goran said that his “foot is fine,” and that he feels great. He mentioned that coaches have urged him to take some reps off to pace him a bit, but today was the first day of 5 on 5.

Duncan briefly mentioned the development of his game, saying that using one or two dribbles into a mid-range can “diversify” his game, which is something I’ve been saying all off-season.

The mutual takeaway from all of today’s zoom calls is the word chemistry, since every player believes it is important with this current Heat team.

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo Top 15 ESPN Rankings

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ESPN has released their top 100 players recently, which 11-50 came out on Wednesday morning.

For the Miami Heat, Duncan Robinson landed at 75, Tyler Herro landed at 59, and Goran Dragic landed at 58.

Those can be debated either way, but the main rankings that people were looking for were where Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo would land.

Well, Jimmy Butler ended up at 12, while Bam Adebayo followed right behind at 13.

Jayson Tatum was at 11 right above each of them, which is questionable after Miami dominated in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Joel Embiid came in at 14, which means that Bam Adebayo will be ranked as the 2nd best Center, only behind Nikola Jokic.

It’s hard to truly break down a list like this, since it is just plainly all over the place, which is expected since it isn’t easy to make these type of lists.

But seeing a guy like Zion Williamson be ranked at number 19 over players like Paul George, Bradley Beal, and many others just doesn’t feel right.

But back to the Miami Heat, it’s great to see Bam Adebayo getting the credit that he deserves. But seeing him at 13 and Zion at 19 makes me think they’re projecting forward, which makes sense.

Jimmy Butler being behind Jayson Tatum can be debated, but other than that it’s a decent ranking for Miami.

After seeing 11-50, that means 1-10 will consist of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, and Luka Doncic.

And by the way, if you asked Jimmy about the rankings, his answer would probably be that Bam Adebayo should be way higher than him. And that right there is why this team had so much success.

Udonis Haslem: “Make Sure Nobody is Slacking”

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Udonis Haslem also got to speak with media, which a good portion was discussion about the coaching staff, in particular Caron Butler.

He said, “Caron was my OG. Although we’re so close in age, he took me under his wing.” He also was asked about many coaches on the Heat’s staff being former players. He responded, “We’ve been able to take Heat culture and apply it to other parts of our life.”

He also mentioned some differences in training camp this season, but said once you step on the court it’s normal. He said, “I make sure nobody is slacking,” which is obvious since that is UD’s main goal.

There was also a lot of talk about Bam Adebayo, since UD took him under his wing when he arrived. He was asked about Bam now trying to take Precious Achiuwa under his wing, and said, “That’s what I’ve been molding Bam for, to be that leader…I hate when people waste my time. And Bam hasn’t wasted my time.”

Udonis then mentioned the comparisons between Bam and Precious, saying “I see so much of Bam in Precious. Precious has a little more skill than Bam had coming in, and shoots a little better.”

That is a very good sign for the development of Precious, since even Erik Spoelstra mentioned today that his work ethic will lead to his success.

Finally, it ended with a question about people calling Miami’s past season a fluke. Udonis responded, “We don’t like people who throw rocks and hide their hands…If you don’t tell us who said it we don’t care.” He followed that saying “Was it some people we probably beat?”

Udonis is continuing to withstand his role on this Heat team, by being the go to guy in the locker room, or in this case training camp. But his ultimate goal is for Bam to end up being the go to guy, and it seems as if that is soon to come.

Avery Bradley: “They Don’t Take Plays Off”

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Avery Bradley spoke with media this afternoon following the third day of training camp.

There were a few things that were mentioned many times throughout this presser, which was the word “intensity.”

He started off by saying, “You can just feel the energy and intensity in practice.” He followed that discussing the reason he thinks Miami is the perfect fit. He mentioned, “The way they approach the defensive end and all play for each other.”

Defense is clearly the main attribute when discussing Avery Bradley, but he isn’t thinking about individual defensive goals. He said, “We have a goal to be one of the top defenses in the league.”

That mostly had to do with playing with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, since he described how they can be successful together on the defensive end.

Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kendrick Nunn came up as well, which Avery said, “They’re great players, but most importantly they’re just great dudes.” He went on to say that he admired them for a while throughout the bubble, but getting to know them was what stood out even more.

Erik Spoelstra mentioned yesterday that Avery Bradley can guard 1-4. When Bradley was asked about guarding opposing 4’s, he responded, “I do think the way the league is going, most 4’s are playing outside…I do like the challenge, my whole life I’ve been guarding guys taller and bigger than me…That’s what made me the defender that I am.”

The overall consensus from the media session is that he truly admires the Miami Heat’s body of work, and has been for a long time, since he said, “My family and friends always said you need to play for the Miami Heat.”

And well, now he’s here. And as he said, he’s ready to get started in that first preseason game.

Dolphins win Bengals

5 Takeaways from Dolphins Win Over the Bengals

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The Miami Dolphins improved to 8-4 with their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. A lackluster first half gave way to a brawling second half. But after managing just six points, the offense came alive in the third quarter.

The win maintained Miami’s position in the AFC playoff race and gave Dolphins fans hope for what’s to come with rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. And while he’ll never admit it, head coach Brian Flores’s heated response to the hit that sparked the brawl also engendered hope and confidence, not only in the fans, but also the players.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Dolphins 19-7 win over the Bengals.

Dolphins-Bengals: Despite Ejection, Xavien Howard Remains Elite

In the first quarter, Xavien Howard intercepted a Brandon Allen pass, giving him a career-high eight interceptions this season. Howard became the first Dolphin since 1998 to intercept eight passes in a season. Both Terrell Buckley and Sam Madison had eight picks that year.

He’s now intercepted a pass in four consecutive games, tied for the second-longest streak in Dolphins history. It’s the second time this season he’s picked of a pass in four straight. The team record remains five consecutive games with an interception, and that’s held by cornerback Dick Westmoreland, who did it in 1967. Westmoreland also set the single-season team record of 10 INTs that year.

Howard’s play this season has propelled him into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. He leads the league in INTs (8), is tied for the league lead in pass breakups (16) and QBs targeting Howard have a passer rating of just 48.9 this season. Great plays in the coming matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs could cement Howard’s DPOY claim.

Up-Tempo Offense Got Going

During Ryan Fitzpatrick’s time at QB this season, the Dolphins called the eighth-most No Huddle plays in the NFL. With Tagovailoa under center, Miami called the seventh-least No Huddle plays. In the second half, though, searching for a spark, the Dolphins offense incorporated the up-tempo style to much success.

According to Three Yards Per Carry podcast host Chris Kouffman, the Dolphins ran 15 No Huddle plays against the Bengals. That’s a major departure from previous games started by Tagovailoa. From Week 8 through the third quarter of Week 11, all with Tagovailoa at QB, the Dolphins ran five No Huddle plays total.

This move to the up tempo helped the Dolphins offense find a much-needed rhythm in the second half. Miami piled up 263 total yards in the second half, more than half of the 406 total yards on the day. Although they only scored 13 points in the second half, the movement and pace provided a tantalizing glimpse at the potential for this group.

Dolphins Defense Dominates (Again) in Win Over Bengals

The Dolphins limited the Bengals to just 196 yards of offense Sunday. It was the fewest yards allowed by a Dolphins defense since Oct. 8, 2017, when Tennessee gained just 188 yards.

Miami’s defense was even more stingy in the second half, surrendering just 25 total yards. It’s the fewest yards allowed in a second half by the Dolphins since at least 2000 and tied for the third-fewest allowed by an NFL team this season.

The Dolphins registered six sacks today, the team’s most in a game since Dec. 23, 2018 vs. Jacksonville. Miami’s 31 sacks this season are tied for 10th in the NFL. It’s the team’s most through its first 12 games of a season since 2014 (33.0).

Kyle Van Noy was particularly disruptive versus the Bengals. He recorded a career-high three sacks, as well as eight solo tackles and three additional QB hits. His tipped pass led to a Nik Needham interception in the fourth.

Interceptions by Howard and Needham pushed the team’s takeaway streak to 18 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. Miami’s 21 takeaways are second-most this season.

Gesicki and Gaskin Came to Play

The Dolphins have struggled at times to find game-breaking skill position players. The lackluster offense bogs down without those difference makers, but on Sunday, a pair of young performers played a pivotal role in this win.

Mike Gesicki nabbed nine of the the 10 targets that came his way and gained 88 yards in the process. His nine catches tied Randy McMichael’s team record for most tight end receptions in a single game. His 537 receiving yards this season are fourth among tight ends and his 13.8 yards-per-catch rank third. Gesicki’s one-handed grab in the second half provided a highlight-reel moment and if he’s able to develop this positive chemistry with Tagovailoa, the Dolphins really have something.

Myles Gaskin returned to the field for the first time in four weeks during this win over the Bengals. He totaled 141 yards from scrimmage, a season-high for a Dolphins player and a new career-high for him. Gaskin gained 90 yards on 21 carries, good for a 4.3 yards-per-carry average. He also ripped off a 26-yard run, though he did fumble. Gaskin caught both his targets for 51 yards, gaining 39 of those after the catch. He’s clearly the best running back on the roster and it helped the offensive to have him back on the field. He played 71 percent of the offensive snaps in this one.

Tagovailoa Shines in Dolphins Win Over the Bengals

Although the first half left some cause for concern regarding Tua Tagovailoa’s performance, the rookie QB excelled in the second half, helping lead the Dolphins to the comeback win over the Bengals.

Tagovailoa had the most productive game of his career, notching career highs in completions (26) and passing yards (296). His 26 completions tied the Dolphins’ rookie record, which was set by Ryan Tannehill on Sept. 30, 2012 at Arizona.

Tagovailoa improved to 4-1 as a starter and has yet to throw an interception. (He had one called back thanks to a penalty.) He tied a team record for most consecutive starts without an interception, regardless of experience (Jay Fiedler, 2000) and he’s now the third QB in the Super Bowl era to not throw an INT in his first five starts (min. 100 attempts).

Tagovailoa was particularly good against the Bengals’ blitz. He completed 12-of-18 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown against the blitz. He sported pocket presence and maneuverability, particularly on one play where he evaded a free rusher and completed a pass to DeVante Parker in a tight window.

Tagovailoa’s ability to move the offense in the second half provided fans with a glimpse of this team’s potential moving forward. Although he made mistakes (questionable throws, misreads on RPOs), he was able to handle the up-tempo element and was largely on target. Had Jakeem Grant not dropped the perfectly placed bomb in the first half, the game might have unfolded very differently.

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If Bam is the Engine, Jimmy is the Steering Wheel

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When Jimmy Butler spoke about Bam Adebayo in his media session, he said, “He’s the engine.”

This has been a statement that Jimmy Butler has been saying since he arrived in Miami, and it clearly is the truth. He’s the heart and soul of this Heat team, which is why he’s the centerpiece of the franchise.

But if Bam is the engine, Jimmy is the steering wheel.

Bam may be the one who “makes this team go,” but he also needs his leader to push him in the right direction. If Jimmy sees something on the floor or even in film, the team rallies behind him since they value his decisions.

Then of course you’ve got the tires, which sometimes could be new, but also could be used. Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and others represent that, since even though they’re going to milk the use out of the used tire, a new tire will ultimately replace it in the long run.

The point is that every part of the car is needed for the thing to run, and that is what the Miami Heat represent. They hold each other accountable for a reason, and it’s because every piece of the team is necessary for the team to win games.

The media sessions with players is a circle effect. The leaders of the team praise the role guys, while the role guys praise the leaders. And that is exactly how it should be, especially since Coach Erik Spoelstra mentions chemistry in the locker room is one of the most essential elements.

And of course you have Pat Riley, who is the mechanic. If there is an issue with the roster going forward, a change will be made for the better, just as the mechanic improves the well being of the car.

And the well being of the car begins with the main elements. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo seem as ready as ever to start this season, since that run to the Finals was not just a “fluke.” It was a product of hard work, which was just a glimpse of what the future holds.

Miami Dolphins: Week 13 Stock Report

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Stock Up & Stock Down

 

Welcome back to another installment of Stock Up & Stock Down. In Week 13 of the NFL season, our Miami Dolphins hosted the Cincinnati Bengals and came out on top with a score of 19-7. A closer game than the score shows, we had to fight both literally and figuratively for our W to get us to 8-4 for the first time since 2003. With so much to dissect let’s dive right in:

Stock Up

Gesicki:

Who would have known that Mike Gesicki was allowed to be a focal point of the offense with Tua at QB? Whether it was a lack of chemistry between Tua and Mike or if it was a lack of calling plays with Gesicki being the number 1 option, the weeks with Tua at QB always made him feel like a distant second option when in reality DVP and him are our best offensive players at the present time. Exacerbated more after Devante got ejected, we fed Gesicki to the tune of 11 targets for a career high 9 catches 88 yards and 1 TD. As I mentioned during our live stream & post game, Mike and DVP are our most impactful offensive weapons and we need to get them involved early and often moving forward to have any chance to beat teams that can score the ball like the Chiefs and Bills.

Myles Gaskins:

Going into the game we were down Breida, Washington, Ahmed, and activating Myles made me feel like we were going to struggle mightily but Myles had different plans. All afternoon Myles was able to gain positive yards before popping a long one for 26 yards that unfortunately ended in a fumble. Myles also was able to show some chemistry with Tua on the first drive of the second half as he scrambled, Myles immediately went up field (as you should) and Tua hit him in stride for 35 yards and a first and goal. The catch ended up being our most explosive play of the day.

 

Kyle Van Noy:

I must admit that by the end of the game I was shocked to see that Kyle had got 3 full sacks by himself. KVN has turned it up in recent weeks after missing a game due to injury. Kyle was everywhere on the field all afternoon as the ultimate chess piece for Flores and the stats definitely back that up. 8 total tackles (all of them solo!), the 3 sacks, 5 TFL, and even 1 PD. KVN was a complete beast and someone we need to play at this level to have any sort of chance against the Chiefs.

Coach Flores:

The first half of the game can probably go down as one of, if not, the sloppiest first half in Coach Flores tenure as the Miami Dolphins Head Coach. The whole team played out of character as Tua was inaccurate, the defense wasn’t its usual dominant self, penalties that never get called and finally an ejection of Xavien Howard, left me concerned heading into half time down 6-7. What I would have paid to have been a fly in the locker room as I’m sure Flores chewed every and anyone out. The results were immediate as the first drive resulted in a TD by the offense and a lead we would not give back. Obviously, the talking point of the game is that Coach Flores ran across the field to let Zac Taylor know how he felt about the second catch interference by the same player that resulted in his return man getting hit with no defending himself. The fire that Coach exhibited for his players (even calling them his kids postgame) really does more than people think because it shows the players that their leader is someone who will go to war for them. Which wall you want me to run through coach?

Tua Tagovailoa:

Skipping right into the final drive of the first half, I believe we finally saw Tua and Gailey get into sync together. Tua really showed a level of comfortability running a more up-tempo brand of football that I struggle to think why it even took so long to get to that. Coach Flores obviously saw the same thing I saw as I’m sure he told Gailey to run more of that tempo because on the first drive we got right back into it and never looked back the rest of the game. Tua spent most of his afternoon targeting Gesicki with 11 and DVP with 8. He also finished 4 yards shy of hist first 300-yard game but who cares, we’re here for wins not stats (lol)

 

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Trust the Flocess

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Stock Down

 

Jakeem Grant:

My biggest disappointment of the game has to be the continued futility in using Jakeem Grant on offense. At some point it begins to feel like square peg into round hole where it just doesn’t fit and doesn’t work. As talented as Jakeem has been with the ball in his hands, the problem has always been actually getting it into his hands. Jakeem also has a couple of young pups snarling for his PT in Lynn Bowden and Antonio Calloway. When do we stop forcing it and just let Jakeem be great at what he is, an elite Return Man with some gadget style plays on offense.

 

RedZone Offense:

Seems kind of ironic that we are talking about RedZone Offense being an issue, but we were able to move the ball fairly well all afternoon long but uncharacteristically couldn’t punch it in. Whether it was 3 straight runs within 5 yards, or a plethora of inaccurate fade throws we need to see more from Gailey and the playbook. Hell, special teams showed more creativity at the goal line than the offense did!

 

Overall, we took a huge step forward on Offense and hopefully is something we can build on. This team is starting to build a certain aura for itself that really makes you root for them as they exhibit a camaraderie that is infectious and shows from the head coach to the last man on the roster. Looking forward, we have the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes coming in to play at 1pm (for now) and for us to have any chance we will need a solid week of practice, a great game plan, and excellent execution. Till next time, Fins Up!

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Butler: “I’m Here To Win”

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Jimmy Butler got to speak with media this afternoon for the first time in quite a while.

He started off by looking back at his performance in the bubble, saying “We play this game to win and we didn’t do that. That’s all that matters…We get another crack at it now.”

He then got asked a follow up question, which was if losing in the Finals made him want it even more. He responded, “I didn’t have to make it to the Finals and lose it to realize how bad I wanted to win it.”

It’s pretty clear that this media session was Jimmy Butler at his finest, which was every answer having to do with winning, since that truly is all he cares about.

When asked about how he feels after the short off-season, he said “Nobody really cares. I have a job to do…Still go out there and compete, still go out there and win.”

He then began talking about specific players, starting with Bam Adebayo. He said, “That guy is what makes us go.” This is a statement he has said since his arrival and he’s sticking to it, especially since it’s even more viable this season.

He also spoke about Precious Achiuwa, mainly about giving him any advice. He said, “I try to give my knowledge to everyone I can, but I also like to ask others questions because I don’t know everything.

Then he finally got into this team as a whole. When asked about the past season being called a “fluke,” he responded, “I don’t pay attention to the outside, they don’t wear the word Heat across their chest…Me of all people, I couldn’t care less about what the outside thinks.”

He closes the session saying, “I hope we all learned that we belong, because we’re one of the best teams in the league.”

And when he says that, he truly means it. He’s as confident as ever with this Heat roster, no matter the uniqueness of this NBA season.