Marlins doubleheader Phillies

5 Takeaways from Marlins Doubleheader Split with Phillies

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The 5-day, 7-game series between the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies stands as the most important series in recent Marlins history. Meaningful baseball in September is not something Marlins Park has witnessed lately. After a rousing walk-off win on Thursday, the Marlins split Friday’s doubleheader with the Phillies, taking Game 2 5-3 after a 11-0 Game 1 loss.

Here’s a look at five takeaways from the Marlins doubleheader split with the Phillies.

Dontrelle Willis in on Trevor Rogers

The Marlins have a bevy of young arms at their disposal. And while most of the headline these days have been reserved for Sixto Sanchez, Trevor Rogers has also impressed. Entering Friday’s doubleheader, Rogers posted a 3.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts over his first three starts at the Major League level.

Rogers, a former first-round pick by the Marlins, outdueled two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom. He then notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in his last outing against Tampa Bay. Perhaps most impressive is Rogers accomplishments come without a single start above Double-A prior to 2020.

Rogers piled up five strikeouts over the first two innings on Friday. Unfortunately, though, the potent Phillies lineup figured him out in the third and fourth innings, putting up nine runs (eight earned) and chasing him from the game. Rogers exited with 26 strikeouts over his first four career starts with the Marlins, matching the franchise record held by Dontrelle Willis.

During the game, Willis voiced his support for Rogers on Twitter.

 

“[Rogers is] a strike thrower with great life but teams can use that to be aggressive (which the Phillies did the second time around) and they swing at everything cause they know it’s going to be in the zone,” Willis said on Twitter. “I was effectively wild so they couldn’t do that to me.”

Rogers will have to make adjustments, like moving the hitters’ feet, which Willis mentioned, if he wants to continue his early-season successes. After Friday’s performance, Rogers’ ERA jumped from 3.00 to 6.50.

Run Differential Doesn’t Mean Much

Entering Saturday’s game, the Marlins team run differential sits at minus-28. That’s the fourth-worst run differential in the National League, but Miami currently sports the sixth-best record in the NL and holds the 7-seed for the playoffs.

Going into their final game in Atlanta earlier this week, the Marlins had an even run differential. What followed over the last four games pushed the run differential to negative-28.

That said, Miami is 2-2 in that span, despite being outscored 45-21.

Wednesday’s historic loss tilted the differential dramatically to the negative. Remove that contest, the Marlins would be minus-8 for the season. Take Friday’s 11-0 game off the ledger and Miami’s plus-3. And that’s just two of the team’s 41 games this season. Even eliminating the Marlins two most lopsided wins of the season (8-0, 8-2) would only move the differential to minus-8.

There’s only one non-playoff team in the NL that sports a better run differential figure at present (Mets, plus-9).

Run differential is often used when judging the likelihood of a team’s sustained success in a season. But with a 60-game sprint, the sample size may be too small. The last time that the team with the best run differential won the World Series was in 2016 (Cubs, plus-252).

Perhaps the most telling part of this might be the fact that Wednesday’s game in Atlanta should not have been such a historic blowout. A seemingly blown call by the umpires in the second inning turned what would’ve been a 2-1 Marlins lead heading into the third into a 11-2 deficit. After that call, and several other borderline ball-and-strike calls in favor of the Braves, the game got out of hand.

What’s more, the Marlins have been better than average in one-run games this season (8-7), after a terrible 2019 (16-28). Miami’s average margin of victory is 2.71, while it’s average margin of defeat is nearly double that at 4.25.

Brinson Breaking Out During Marlins, Phillies Doubleheader

The emergence of Lewis Brinson over the last few weeks has come as a surprise to some, but not to the 26-year-old outfielder.

“It’s not a fluke that I’m here and living out my dream,” Brinson said. “A lot of blood, sweat and tears over the past couple of years. This offseason has been big for me, mentally and physically, being able to trust myself and know that I’m here for a reason.”

Brinson’s third inning home run sparked the Marlins offense in Game 2 of the doubleheader.

“That was big,” Brinson said postgame via Zoom. “Tied the game up against a good lineup. Got momentum on our side a little bit. Obviously after that, we took off a little bit.”

In his last 15 games, Brinson has made strides at the plate. He’s hitting .313 over that stretch with a .989 OPS. In those games, he scored six runs, drove in five and connected on three homers.

“He’s coming along,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “We’ll keep going with him. He’s getting better. We’ll mix and match him a lot of different ways.”

There’s a Competition Brewing at Second Base

The return of Isan Díaz to the lineup this weekend is a welcome one, too. Considered the Marlins second baseman of the future, Diaz opted out for the season in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in July. However, after sitting out nearly two months, Diaz opted back in and has been welcomed with open arms.

Playing in his first games since July, Diaz’s RBI single in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the doubleheader put the Marlins up for good.

Prior to the game, Diaz said he’s “very excited to be here again.” He talked about how his decision to opt out was tough and personal. He went on to say he’s appreciative of both the organization and his teammates for welcoming him back.

His return comes after Jon Berti was placed on the 10-day IL. Jazz Chisholm has manned most of the games at second since.

Diaz called Chisholm “a stud” and said he’s “doing a phenomenal job” at second. Diaz revealed he took grounders at third base in Jupiter, something also seen at Marlins park prior to Friday’s games, and claimed he’s ready to play anywhere he’s needed.

Chisholm has manned both second base and shortstop this season. He’s hitting only .160, but in his last two starts, Chisholm has made strides at the plate. He’s 3-for-8 with a triple, a homer, two RBI and a walk in those most recent starts.

In his return, Diaz went 2-for-5 over the doubleheader, driving in one run.

“It’s a good feeling to come back into the clubhouse and see everyone, and see how focused everyone is,” Díaz said postgame. “It’s exciting. I’m ready to go, and I’m happy to be back.”

Is Yimi the New Closer?

Prior to the Marlins doubleheader with the Phillies on Friday, Yimi Garcia said it doesn’t matter to him when or where he pitches.

“I don’t believe in roles,” Garcia said pregame. “I’m ready to pitch from the first inning. I’m available for whatever Donnie needs me and to just get outs.”

Garcia posted a huge shutdown inning during Thursday night’s walkoff win, and on Friday, with Game 2 on the line, Mattingly turned to him rather than the team’s closer, Brandon Kintzler.

Kintzler wound up pitching in the sixth instead of closing. He started the season 9-for-9 in save opportunities but has blown the last two. That, coupled with a fingernail issue that he was having, which Mattingly revealed postgame, may have led to the backend change.

Prior to last night’s save, Garcia’s only other save in his career came with the Dodgers in 2015. His manager then? Don Mattingly.

Garcia surrendered his first run of the season, but shutdown the Phillies to record the save. He’s tallied 12 strikeouts with a 0.93 WHIP this season over 9.2 innings pitched. He certainly has the stuff to be a full-time closer for the Fish.

5 Comments from Media Session with Spoelstra, Crowder, Adebayo

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The Miami Heat closed out the series with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, and are officially in the Eastern Conference Finals. Erik Spoelstra, Jae Crowder, and Bam Adebayo talked with some media today about the chance of a Finals appearance and more. Here’s what was said…

Post-Practice Comment #1:

Erik Spoelstra talked about the improvements from all of their young guys while in the bubble. He said, “They’ve gotten better every single month…High pressure situations certainly helps their confidence.” When talking about the young guys, a lot is referring to Heat’s rookie Tyler Herro. He also mentioned that a big part of Herro’s improvement have come from the support of their veterans. I’ve mentioned quite a few times in the past that Goran Dragic has been a huge help for Tyler. We continually see more of Goran in Tyler’s game every game he plays.

Post-Practice Comment #2:

Jae Crowder spoke about the chances of this Heat team reaching the NBA finals. He said, “Honestly I feel we have a great chance to do it. But it falls on us. We are the only team that can stop us right now.” This is indeed the truth. As I mentioned before, Miami must totally forget about the last two tough performances, and press the reset button. Since if they get into their own heads, that’s the only way they can be beaten. Jae Crowder knows what it takes to win playoff games, which is why he will be key in this next series.

Post-Practice Comment #3:

Bam Adebayo spoke a little about the thing that Heat fans love to hear about. Heat culture. He said, “You can only understand it if you’re in it. So for the people trying to figure it out, you can only figure it out if you’re in it.” The thing about Heat culture is that they’re not formed into that mindset when they arrive. The guys they acquire have had that mentality their whole lives. That’s a big reason Pat Riley puts so much trust in John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats, since they hold their players to a high standard as well.

Post-Practice Comment #4:

Bam Adebayo was also asked about some of the award voting that he’s been in the conversations of. He said, “I don’t care about Most Improved Player if we win a championship. Because I’ll have a ring.” This answer seemed sort of familiar. When Jimmy Butler was asked about his shooting struggles early in the bubble, he said that they won’t worry about that if he wins a championship. This is another clear indication of that Heat culture. This team shares a mutual mindset, and it’s a winning one.

Post-Practice Comment #5:

Bam Adebayo finishes off the session talking about his main focus heading into the next round. He said that it’s mainly about cutting down the turnovers. This will be an absolute key for the series, since you can’t give a talented team like Boston or Toronto easy points. He also mentioned that they have the capability of getting to a whole other level defensively. He said, “I don’t think we’ve played a whole 48 minutes yet.” And now tonight’s the night Miami finds out their match-up, which Bam mentions he will be watching very closely, since he can see “some of their tendencies.”

Miami Marlins Season Recap (so far)

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Well, here we are. The Marlins are 2/3s of the way through the shortened COVID-19 style 2020 MLB season. They are sitting at 20-19 and are currently in the playoffs as a Wild Card and closing in on a top 2 divisional finish. It’s happening, but how? How have the Marlins gone from one of the worst teams in baseball to this? Can this team win in the playoffs?

 

A (shortened) Marlins season in review

 

From the first pitch of 2020, something seemed different. This team has survived a week off from COVID-19, almost half the roster being sidelined by COVID-19, and 100+ roster moves. And we still sit above .500 through 39 games. Since their early 7-1 start, the Marlins have been performing quite the balancing act around that .500 mark. To make the playoffs this year, they don’t need much more, so that is more than fine in the long run. 

 

Amazing pitching (now and future)

 

The starters, when healthy, can compete with anyone in the league which is something the Marlins haven’t seen in what feels like a decade and a half. The 5-man punch of Sixto Sanchez, Pablo Sanchez, Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, and Elieser Hernandez is scary right now. Just imagine 5 years. The bullpen of wily vets has been able to get the job done minus the exception of a few games in which they had no rest. The team has an ERA of 4.63, but if we exclude the 29 run slugfest in Atlanta, it is much more reasonable, reaching a rank of top 5 in the NL (7th with that game factored in). 

 

2-out hitting

 

The bats aren’t the strongest, and the lack of pop is most likely the main reason this team’s record is not way over the mark of .500. What has allowed this team to thrive, however, is their ability to hit with 2-outs. There are a handful of examples to choose from, but the two that top the list are 1. Starling Marte’s bases-clearing game-tying double in the 8th inning last night and 2. Jorge Alfaro’s walk-off single in the 9th inning last night. The team as a whole has struggled to play small ball and move runners over, especially when there are not 2-outs in the inning which is definitely something to keep an eye on. If the Marlins can start combining stellar pitching, small ball, and clutch 2-out hitting, the possibilities are endless.

 

Speaking of possibilities for Marlins

 

Now, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but… The Marlins have made the playoffs twice. They have won the World Series twice. They were Wild Cards both of those years. We are Wild Cards now. Obviously this is a stretch, but can these Marlins make a deep run give the chance? Yes. I know that this take is extremely premature, and would probably hold validity in 2-3 years, but why couldn’t they? The Marlins have stellar pitching, especially out of the starting rotation. In a 5 game series against those 5 guys aforementioned, I don’t think there is any way the Marlins don’t put up a fight. If they fix some of the minor issues and continue playing like the family they are, there is no reason that an energized young Marlins team led by veterans can’t make it far in the playoffs. This is all speculation, but something to keep in mind. The most important thing is that this Marlins team is young, energetic, and going to be competing for many years to come.

Why not us this year?

 

Christian Chase Jr. (@ChaseChrisJr) attends the University of Florida. His regular columns are sponsored by SafeCubbies.com 

Marlins Walkoff Win the Day After Meltdown

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“Last night took an L, but tonight I bounce back.” – Big Sean, The Marlins

After one of the most embarrassing defeats in baseball history in which the Atlanta Braves slaughtered (that’s probably the best word) the Fish 29-9, the Marlins picked up the pieces and won a close game at home versus Philadelphia. They fell down early and trailed 6-3 late into the game before a 3-run double by Starling Marte tied it up. Jorge Alfaro’s walk-off single in the 9th sealed the 7-6 comeback win. Grit. Determination. Culture. This team is showing their true colors.

Sandy was slightly sloppy but still good

Despite the 6 runs allowed, Sandy actually fought pretty well last night. Only 3 of those 6 were earned and he only walked 2 through 6 innings pitched. Alcantara will be one of the most important pieces the rest of the way, as him getting back to ace shape will push the Marlins to the finish line. Nick Vincent, Richard Bleier, and Yimi Garcia were brilliant in their 3 combined innings, not allowing any runs to keep the marlins in the game. Only 3 earned runs in nine innings feels a lot better than 27. 

Marlins bats are woke

I feel like the Marlins picked up on my constant mentioning of the statistic that said they hadn’t scored 4 or more runs in more than 3 games in a row all season. The streak is now at 7. Continually, we are seeing an increase in the level of quality at-bats the Marlins are putting together. Most notably, they worked deep into counts versus Jake Arrieta last night, forcing him out of the game relatively early in the 6th inning. Starling Marte continues to deliver, as his 3-run double tied the game in the 8th and gave the Marlins a chance to win.

6 more versus the Phils

This is the most important series of the Marlins season. It is as simple as that. Being only .5 GB of the Phillies for the 2nd place spot means that series win means more than ever. The Marlins and Phillies play in a doubleheader today. Game 1’s starters are Trevor Rogers (1-0, 3.00 ERA) and Aaron Nola (4-3, 2.74 ERA). Neither team has announced their game 2 starters.

 

Rings but no Chains: Miami uses 3rd quarter surge to outlast UAB

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The Miami-UAB matchup provided a few things for Canes fans on Thursday night. You have the first official South Florida sports event attended by fans in six months, the long awaited arrival of what was hopefully a competent but electric offense for the Canes, and finally the debut of an explosive quarterback in D’Eriq King.

 

King capped off his 1st win as a Miami quarterback with his 16th straight game of at least 1 TD thrown and 1 TD on the ground. In total, he went 15/23 through the air with 144 yards along with 83 rushing yards on 12 carries to lead the Canes to a 31-14 win over the Blazers of UAB.

 

“It felt pretty good. It was a lot of things that usually happen in the first game,” King said after the game. “We gotta get better on a lot of stuff.”

 

The impact of the former Houston QB was felt throughout the game, as his scrambling ability saved Miami on multiple third downs and helped the Canes finish with 25 first downs.

 

Soon after UAB scored the game’s first touchdown with 2:40 left in the first quarter, the Canes went for it on 4th-and-1 on their own 34, which led to a 66-yard touchdown run by Cam Harris. Harris would be the one to unveil this year’s new touchdown rings, which show “The Crib” in a shiny, diamond-filled finish. Harris would finish with 134 yards on 17 carries and 2 TD’s.

 

“Cam’s work ethic this calendar year has been through the charts,” coach Manny Diaz said on Harris after the game. “…so you always want to see a guy like that rewarded in a game that is worthy.”

 

Harris’ performance was only a figment of the relentless running game by Miami. As a team, the Canes accumulated 337 yards on the ground amongst five players: King, Harris, Jaylan Knighton (59 on 9 carries), Don Chaney (52 yards on 8 carries), and Robert Burns (12 yards on 4 carries).

 

“Once we pound the ball, give the defense time, we’re gonna take shots,” said Harris on Miami’s running attack.

 

The passing game for Miami did not come as easy, as King had a couple of errant overthrows, including a for-sure five-yard throw to an open Jeremiah Payton that was just out of his reach. Leading by only 7 at halftime, King and the entire offense seemed to find their rhythm once he went to Brevin Jordan. Jordan was not targeted in the first half but finished with three catches for a team-leading 51 yards and a touchdown in the third quarter alone while Miami was able to piece together two 7-play, 70+ yard touchdown drives that helped pull them away.

 

UAB quarterback Tyler Johnston III got off to a great start, completing 8 of his first 9 passes but inaccuracy woes started creeping in during the second half as he finished 15 of 23 for 150 yards and one touchdown. Johnston looked often to receiver Myron Mitchell, who led UAB with 117 yards on 8 catches, but both of their performances were not enough to overcome Miami’s overbearing running game.

 

Overall, the Miami defense had results of all sorts. We did not see the new turnover chain, but besides that, the run defense was very stout. The Canes held the Blazers to only 80 rushing yards and 3.1 yards/carry while the pass defense experienced a lot of early woes but seemed to recover as the game progressed. The Blazers were going after corner DJ Ivey for the bulk of the first quarter and he allowed about a handful of catches to Myron Mitchell. Ivey was also beaten on UAB’s first touchdown after his body was turned to the wrong side defending Blazers’ receiver Austin Watkins.

 

The lone Miami sack belonged to Quincy Roche, as the Temple grad transfer finished with four tackles total. Junior DT Nesta Silvera also played a big role in that nasty Miami run defense today as he had five tackles. And although the box score may not exactly give you a clear perspective on his impact in tonight’s game, Jaelan Phillips found himself applying persistent pressure on Johnston throughout the entire game.

 

The Canes played in front of a home crowd of 8,153, which is well under the 13,000 fan limit the stadium will allot.

 

Miami’s next game will be next Saturday on September 19th at Louisville and the game will be broadcasted on ABC with a time TBD.

 

Stay tuned to Five Reasons Sports for the latest in Miami Hurricanes coverage and be sure to look out for next week’s episode of The Sixth Ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marlins Phillies

5 Keys to the Marlins, Phillies Series

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The Miami Marlins need to shrug off last night’s historic drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Braves. And they need to do that quickly, because the Marlins return to Miami to face the waiting Philadelphia Phillies for seven games in five days.

The Marlins’ playoff push stands a stout test in the second-place Phillies. At 19-19, Miami enters with an opportunity to not only solidify its playoff position, but also overtake Philadelphia in the standings.

The Marlins are 5-5 over their last ten games. Philadelphia’s play has improved of late, as they’ve rattled off 12 wins in their last 16 games to vault up the standings, passing the Marlins in the process.

Marlins, Phillies Start Seven-Game Series

The Marlins and Phillies are playing a seven-game series thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak that affected the club back in July. MLB scrambled to rearrange the schedule and settled on this 7-game series (a first in Marlins history) which includes a pair of doubleheaders.

The Phillies will start veteran RHP Jake Arrieta (3-4, 5.67 ERA) on Thursday. Arrieta marks the ninth former Cy Young Award winner to start against the Marlins this season. Miami is 3-5 in those starts, including recent wins against Jacob deGrom and Blake Snell.

But Arrieta has had success in Marlins Park before, going 6-1 in seven career starts with a 3.40 ERA. In his career against the Marlins, Arrieta holds a 8-1 record with a 3.55 ERA in 11 starts.

This season, the Marlins are 2-1 against the Phillies. On Opening Day, RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-1, 3.78 ERA) beat the Phillies 5-2. He allowed three hits, two walks and two runs while striking out seven over 6.2 innings. Alcantara landed on the IL shortly thereafter, but he regained his rhythm in his last start. Against Tampa Bay, Alcantara went six innings and allowing just three hits and one run while striking out eight.

Keys to the Marlins, Phillies Series

The Starters

The Marlins enter this crucial seven games in five days stretch with one of their top pitchers on the mound. In five career starts against the Phillies, Alcantara has been really good, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.51 ERA.

As a staff, Miami’s starters have a 4.11 ERA this season, 11th-best in MLB. They were top-10 in ERA prior to Pablo Lopez‘s struggles last night. Former Philly farmhand Sixto Sánchez has allowed his opponent to score in just three of his 25.0 innings this season. He’s struck out 25 batters combined over his first four starts.

In Marlins franchise history, only Dontrelle Willis (26) has fanned more batters through his first four career starts. That said, Trevor Rogers has 21 strikeouts through his first three starts, so we’ll see.

Phillies starters have posted a 4.01 ERA overall. But if take out Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, the other starters (Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin, Spencer Howard and Vince Velasquez) have a combined 5.34 ERA.

The Bullpen

Where the Marlins have a clear advantage is the bullpen. Prior to last night’s game, Miami had a 4.29 bullpen ERA, which was 13th-best in baseball. After Jordan Yamamoto’s implosion, though, the ERA sits at 5.27 (26th). All told, Marlins relievers coughed up 22 runs (20 earned) in last night’s debacle.

Even so, it’s the Phillies who sport MLB’s worst bullpen this season with a 7.24 ERA. Despite making a number of trades for bullpen arms at the deadline, Philadelphia still struggles in that department.

If the Marlins can post runs against Philly starters, they’ll be in great shape. And comebacks are certainly possible against Philadelphia relievers.

Finding Some Offense at Marlins Park

Miami holds a 17-10 record on the road this season, but they’ve struggled to win at home (2-9). The Phillies are 6-8 on the road this year. For the Marlins, they’ll need to find a way to put up five runs. The team is 11-2 this season when scoring at least five runs.

Miami hits just .234 at home, with a .288 on-base percentage and a .622 OPS. Not great. Jesus Aguilar has reached base safely in 9-of-10 career games at Marlins Park, going 10-for-40 (.250) with five walks, and there are several Marlins players who have performed historically well against Philadelphia.

The Phillies have hit .249 on the road, with a .288 on-base percentage and a .659 OPS. While Rhys Hoskins has been the offensive engine of late, Bryce Harper has struggled. In his last 15 games, Harper is batting .143 and slugging .163 with no homers and a .502 OPS.

Clutch Two-Out Rallies

The Marlins are batting .268 (114-for-426) this season with two outs, the fourth-highest mark in the Majors and second in the NL behind the Padres (.269).

Miami’s .366 on-base percentage with two outs is tops in the Majors in 2020. The Marlins have scored 48.5 percent of their runs this season with two outs (82-of-169), the highest such percentage in the Majors.

Rivalry Bringing Out the Best

The Marlins are 2-1 against the Phillies this year after they went 10-9 against them in 2019. All told, Miami is 12-12 against NL East opponents in 2020, while the Phillies are 17-9 against the division. Winning this series would hurt a division rival and solidify Miami’s playoff position.

And no one has enjoyed playing the Phillies more than Miguel Rojas. He sports a nine-game hit-streak against the Phillies, going 18-for-37 (.486), including a 3-for-4 effort with a home run and four RBIs in his last game against Philly on July 24.

Jorge Alfaro also plays well against the Phillies. He owns .432 (19-for-44) batting average in 13 career games versus Philadelphia, with two doubles, three homers and five RBI. Brian Anderson, meanwhile, has posted a .349 batting average (22-for-63) and a 1.128 OPS (4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 13 RBI) over his last 17 games versus the Phillies.

One player who needs to get going is Starling Marte, who’s managed just a .200 batting average (7-for-35) with two home runs and four RBI in the eight games since the trade deadline.

The Heat’s respect-earning elimination of the Bucks

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Won’t make the playoffs? First round exit? No shooters? Jimmy can’t lead a team?

It only took the Miami Heat 9 games to gain the respect and attention of the national media. The Miami Heat are going to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014 when Lebron, Wade, and Bosh looked to three-peat. Although they were deemed “underdogs” this whole season, those close to the Heat organization and the loyal fan base knew this Heat team had a high ceiling. 

In Game 1, Milwaukee had limited answers to Miami’s versatility, athleticism, and toughness. Jimmy Butler was clearly the best player on the court scoring 14 of his 40 points in the 4th quarter. Veteran point guard Goran Dragic added 27 points on 60% from the field. Bam Adebayo was a monster on the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds and limiting MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to 18 points. Your stars win you games. This was exactly the case in Game 1. 

Game 2 was left to the officiating. Jimmy Butler sealed the game on two free throws after getting fouled on a jump shot as time expired leading to a 116-114 Heat win. This game was pure physicality, 71 foul shots were attempted, including two flagrant fouls and a technical. This was a grind out game and Miami’s versatility was on display with 7 players scoring in double digits. 

Next was the 4th quarter comeback. Miami outscored the Bucks 40-13 in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Miami’s defense was stellar in the closing minutes, forcing the Bucks into a prolonged scoring drought. They shot 0-10 from the three and 6-23 overall in the 4th quarter. Jimmy Butler put the team on his back scoring 17 of his 30 in the 4th. Miami also had great contributions from Bam Adebayo who posted a 20 point double double and Jae (Allen) Crowder who splashed in 5 three pointers. 

Milwaukee rallied without MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 4 after he suffered a right ankle sprain in the 2nd quarter that kept him sidelined the rest of the series. Miami could have taken advantage of this and swept, however, it was obvious they took their foot off the gas. They lost their intensity from the first three games, resulting in their sole loss of the playoffs in overtime. Miami had no struggles scoring the rock, however, their defense slipped. The Bucks shot 49% from the field behind Khris Middleton’s 36 points. This was a nice humbling for Heat fans and a great gut check for Miami. 

Bounce back! The Heat closed out the series against the Giannis-less Bucks. This game was an all-around effort with rookie Tyler Herro shining in their 103-94 win. Miami had 6 players in double digits, a theme that is becoming more and more common for this Heat team. The bench took the reins of this game with stellar performances from Kelly Olynyk and Andre Iguodala, in addition to Herro. 

Miami is not satisfied yet, and the goal is obviously a championship. Miami will play either the Celtics or the Raptors next round. This series proved that Miami is a legit contender for a championship. Between their all stars, sharpshooters, defensive flexibility, bench scoring, and grit, Miami has all the tools needed to compete with the best. 

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes : 2020 season positional preview

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Heading into the Miami Hurricanes 2020 season, the Five Reasons Sports Hurricanes crew put out predictions for each position. In what is sure to be a unique season, the Hurricanes are talented on both sides of the football

Canes fans: it’s officially game day. 

 

Quarterback

By: Jazz Santana

Starter: D’Eriq King

I chose the easy one. There has been absolutely no doubt in anyone’s mind, D’Eriq King has been QB1 since the first day he stepped foot in Coral Gables. King, the transfer from the University of Houston has given this football program new life! He has come and been every bit as good as advertised. Not only is D’Eriq King on the Maxwell Trophy, Davey O’Brien and Heisman watch, but most importantly, he is the leader of the Miami Hurricanes football team. The position is deep with veteran guys like N’Kosi Perry, Tate Martell and evening Tyler Van Dyke, but make no mistake, this is King’s team. King can make plays with his arm and his legs, which makes him a legitimate threat every play. For the first time since the days of Ken Dorsey, I can confidently say that the Canes have a quarterback that not only is extremely talented, but does one thing above all – bring hope. 

 

Running Back

By: Jaccare Givens

Starter: Cam Harris

Bound for a breakout: Jaylan Knighton

 

Looking at the University Of Miami running back position it is by far one the deepest positions on the UM roster, with guys such as Cam Harris, Don Chaney Jr., Jaylan “Rooster” Knighton, and Robert Burns. The top 2 running backs will be Cam Harris and Jaylan Knighton because they’re a good compliment to each other Harris is more of the bruiser back. Knighton is a  home run threat every time he touches it because of his blazing speed that has been displayed throughout camp. I also expect Knighton to be a breakout player and contender for freshman-All American, ACC newcomer, and ACC freshman of the year. 

 

Wide Receiver

By: Paul Austria

Starters: Mark Pope, Dee Wiggins, Mike Harley

Bound for a breakout: Jeremiah Payton

 

Miami’s wide receiver unit in 2020 is poised to be a problem for opposing defenses, considering the speed and athleticism of this unit as well as the integration of OC Rhett Lashlee’s offense. Wiggins has been a steady contributor for the Canes in his first two seasons, making a total of 27 catches and Pope could be in line for a big season as his natural speed and talent are major reasons why he was considered a top recruit in 2018. The senior Harley is also in a great position to show off his speed this season.

 

While the upperclassmen wideouts get most of the spotlight here, don’t be surprised if you see redshirt freshman Jeremiah Payton making some plays this season. Players and scouts raved about Payton while he was a member of the scout team last season and is very quick and strong route runner who has all the tools to become a regular starter by next season.

Tight End

By: Paul Austria

Starters: Brevin Jordan, Will Mallory

Bound for a breakout: Will Mallory

 

Historically speaking, Miami’s had a great legacy of tight ends and you’d be crazy not to include them in any Tight End U conversation. The group Miami will carry in 2020 is in a great position to carry on that tradition, led by first-team All-ACC selection and John Mackey Award finalist Brevin Jordan. The junior is returning for what may be his last season with the Canes as he is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Throw in fellow junior Will Mallory, who has shown glimpses of his talent. He caught 16 passes for 293 yards in 2019 but did struggle with dropped passes at times. With opposing defenses placing a bigger focus on Jordan and the implementation of OC Rhett Lashelee’s Air Raid offense, Mallory should see more balls thrown his way in 2020. 

 

Miami did get thinner at the position as Michael Irvin II decided to grad transfer to FAU but they do have two freshmen sitting in the wings. Coach Diaz was able to preserve the redshirt status of Larry Hodges last season, who saw action in four games and caught a couple of TD passes against Bethune Cookman. 

Offensive Line

By Paul Austria

Starters: LT John Campbell, LG Ousmane Traore, C Corey Gaynor, RG DJ Scaife, RT Jarrid Williams 

Bound for a breakout: LG Ousman Traore

In 2019, the offensive line was one of the most criticized units of the Canes and a lot of factors were to blame but with a new coach in Garin Justice leading the way, things are looking up. Because of limited depth, Miami started a true freshman in LT Zion Nelson against Florida’s nasty pass rush and it did not go that well. Nelson has since added 60 pounds to his frame and is now playing behind John Campbell, but do not be surprised if he steps in if the latter struggles. Miami also added some stability at right tackle with the addition of Jarrid Williams, who transferred from Houston and actually played with D’Eriq King during King’s incredible 2018 season.

This could be a coming out party of sorts for Ousman Traore. Miami’s new starting left guard is only a sophomore but the talent is absolutely there as he did sit on an offer from LSU before choosing the Hurricanes in 2019.

 

Defensive End

By: Paul Austria

Starters: Jaelan Phillips, Quincy Roche

Bound for a breakout: Jahfari Harvey

Greg Rousseau’s departure brought initial worry when you think about the Canes losing a potential top-10 first round pick for this season. But all those worries were quickly followed by reassurance when you consider who’s the next man up. Rousseau was expected to form a very disruptive duo with Temple grad transfer Quincy Roche, who won the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year award with 15 sacks in 2019. This is also the year in which another transfer gets his shot in former UCLA transfer JAelan Phillips. Phillips was hampered with injuries during his tenure with the Bruins but reports out of camp state that he is showing glimpses of why he was considered the top recruit in the nation out of high school in 2017.

My breakout player at defensive end is definitely Jahfari Harvey. Harvey impressed as a member of the scout team in 2019, where he redshirted. But he seems very poised as he will probably be the first guy off the bench once Phillips and Roche have left their impact on opposing offensive lines. 

 

 

Defensive Tackle

By: Paul Austria

Starters: Jon Ford, Nesta Silvera

Breakout: Nesta Silvera

Miami’s depth at the defensive tackle position is probably amongst the best on its roster, although it is on the younger side. Jon Ford is entering his senior season with the Canes and should he stay healthy, he will be a mainstay on Miami’s defensive line. He is a very in-your-face, physical inside lineman who has great size to plug up running lanes. Nesta Silvera will hold down the other defensive tackle spot and is the perfect complement to Ford as he is more of a speedy, finesse runner.

The level of urgency for Silvera to take the next step is at an all-time high this season, especially with the limited amount of experience behind him. Silvera will get his opportunities to make plays when opposing offenses zero in on defensive ends Quincy Roche and Jaelan Phillips

 

Linebacker

By: Danny Jaillet

Starters:  Inside: Bradley Jennings,  Weak-side Zach McCloud

Breakout: Nesta Silvera

The Miami Hurricanes have a bunch of options to play with at linebacker. Although some of the names may be  unproven talent, there is no doubt that the talent is there. It is just about execution and building off of what they learned last year.

Zach McCloud is  the team’s starting week-side linebacker. Waynmon Steen, Avery Huff, and Tirek Austin-Cave fill out the weak side

As a freshman in 2018, Steen recorded two tackles. He missed all of 2019 due to knee surgery. A redshirt freshman, Huff figures to be in the mix as well.

At middle linebacker, you have a bunch of players ready to break out. Bradley Jennings and Sam Brooks would certainly fit that description.

For his part, Jennings recorded eight tackles last year, and now looks to man the middle linebacker position with Brooks. Brooks certainly made an impact in his only start against Louisiana Tech last December. He recorded 12 tackles, and gave Miami Hurricanes fans a preview of potential future play. in total, he recorded 18 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. now, it’s time to see if he can put it all together.

The linebacker unit has a lot of raw talent, and it will be fascinating to watch them develop over the course of the season.

 

Defensive Back/Striker

By: Jaccare Givens

Starters: CB DJ Ivey, CB Al Blades Jr., S Bubba Bolden, S Amari Carter, Striker Gilbert Frierson

Bound for a breakout: Te’Cory Couch, Gilbert Frierson

I am going out on a limb and saying that Carter and Frierson will be with the 1st unit Thursday night. But you will also see Gurvan Hall, Te’Cory Couch, and Keontra Smith getting in the rotation this season. Couch has been very impressive throughout camp and to me he will be season end be the corner opposite of Al Blades. Couch and Frierson are my breakout players to have great seasons and make all ACC teams. Frierson because he had bright spots last year and with this being his 2nd year in the system I expect he will continue to improve and he’s at the right position to maximize his talent. Blades is the best player in this group by far but I do see Couch also building off a strong camp and being UM leader in INTs this year because he has a great nose for the ball.

 

Braves Beat Marlins 29-9…

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On 9/7 and 9/8, the Marlins beat the Braves in Games 1 and 2 of their 3 game series. On 9/9, the Braves proceeded to break the NL-record for runs scored, beating the Marlins 29-9. Yes, 29-9. Pablo Lopez started for the Marlins before quickly falling apart against a strong Braves lineup. The Marlins hitting actually continued to stay relevant, putting up 9 runs, but sadly that was nowhere near close enough.

Pitching? The Marlins barely knew her last night

 

Looking at what happened last night, it is easy to get down on the Marlins pitching. Let’s remember this team has been carried by their pitching throughout the year. In reality, it is better for the pitching to allow 29-runs this game then it is for them to allow 8 over the next 4. Pablo Lopez allowed 7 earned runs, Jordan Yamamoto allowed 12 earned runs, and Alex Vesia and Josh A. Smith both allowed 4 earned to top it off. There really is no silver lining to look at revolving around last night’s pitching. As long as they can get back on track versus the Phillies, this can be considered a blip in a great season.

Hitting? The Marlins kind of know her now

 

I briefly mentioned the statistic that the Marlins longest streak of scoring 4+ runs was 3 games. They have now scored 4+ runs in 6 games. The Fish are starting to heat up, and although they aren’t “keeping up with a 29-run avalanche” hot, there is still progress to be seen. Jazz Chisholm hit his first career home run and is showing more and more promise as a future star. Lewis Brinson continues to swing the bat better, and the rest of the lineup looks the best it has all year.

What’s next? 

 

A good ole’ 7-game series between us and our division rivals? With the Marlins only sitting 3.5 GB of the Braves and 1.5 GB of the Phillies, the Fish can make a splash in the current standings with a solid series. Currently, the Marlins sit in the second Wild Card spot. Sandy Alcantara (2-1, 3.78) takes the mound in game 1 versus Jake Arrieta (3-4, 5.67 ERA) (the game is free to watch today at 6:40 pm on MLB.TV).

 

Marlins Bats Wake up in 8-0 Win

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Sixto Sanchez (2-1, 1.80) and Kyle Wright (0-4, 8.05) took the mound in the second game of a 3-game series in Atlanta between the Marlins and the Braves. The more Sixto pitches, the more comparisons he draws to “the future of Marlins’ baseball.” Tonight was no different, as the Sixto dominated in an 8-0 Marlins’ victory.

Sixto is going to be the guy

Since the tragic death of Jose Fernandez, the Marlins have struggled to find an ace with anything even close to his electrifying stuff. Now, enter Sixto Sanchez, who tops out in triple digits, works the plate well, and has a killer changeup. As the culture for Miami continues to positively change, Sixto looks to be a centerpiece in a handful of future postseason runs. Last night, Sixto went 6 innings on 3 hits and 6 strikeouts, allowing no runs. The bullpen pitched a combined 3 innings of no-run baseball in relief to seal the deal. The pitching continues to thrive, and with the bats looking better over the last few days, anything is possible for this team.

Home run barrage

Alright, “home run barrage” is probably a little exaggeratory, but for this Marlins team (or any Marlins team in recent memory), a 3 home run game is pretty out of the blue. Matt Joyce, Jorge Alfaro, and Garrett Cooper all went deep for the Fish, breaking the game open, and eventually leading the Fish to a clean win. The Marlins still sit at the bottom of the league in home runs this year, which is frightening for a playoff hopeful. As the bats continue to wake up, hopefully, the home run ball will continue to fly.

A look at the division + A look at tonight’s game

The Marlins now sit 1 GB of Philadelphia for 2nd in the division and only 2.5 GB of Atlanta. A win tonight combined with a Philadelphia loss would put the Marlins into an extremely advantageous position going into their 7-game series with the Phillies. The marlins look for the sweep on the Braves tonight, as Pablo Lopez (3-3, 3.05 ERA) takes the mound versus Tommy Milone (1-4, 5.30 ERA).