Marlins Ink Top Two Picks in Bleday and Misner

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The Miami Marlins have agreed to terms with their top two draft picks from this year’s draft, JJ Bleday and Kamerson Misner. It was first reported by Jon Heyman (via@JonHeyman) on Wednesday, that Bleday and the Marlins have come to an agreement and a deal was in place. Earlier today, Bleday passed his physical and now the deal is official and he can begin is professional career.

Bleday is the fourth overall pick and he will be receiving a signing bonus of $6,670,000. That’s $3,000 above the pick value. Misner is the Marlins’ competitive balance round pick (35th overall) and will be receiving a bonus of $2,115,000, about $19,000 above the pick value (via @jimcallis). Signing these two picks is huge for the organization, could shape up to be the most talented draft in franchise history.

Let’s get to know our new members of the Marlins family!

JJ Bleday

Previously drafted by the Padres in 2016 out of high school, he decided not to sign and attend Vanderbilt instead. Bleday attended Vanderbilt University for three years before being selected by the Marlins his junior year with the fourth overall pick in the draft.

In 51 games as a freshman for Vanderbilt, Bleday hit for a .251 average with two home runs and 22 RBIs. A rather disappointing season but still room to grow.

He decided to play summer ball in the New England Collegiate Baseball League where he batted for a .232 average with two home runs in 69 at bats. The summer league definitely helped him because in his sophomore season, there was a rise in his numbers.

Sidelined for 22 games with an oblique injury, Bleday appeared in 39 games producing a .368 average with four home runs and 15 RBIs. A very nice increase in average and a slight increase in homers.

His junior year is where things really took off. He played 36 games in the Cape Cod Baseball League before his junior collegiate season, and hit .311 with five home runs and 15 RBIs. He was named the “Top Professional Prospect” because of his performance.

His junior year was an amazing showcase of his talent and hard work to be the player he knows he can be. He accumulated a .347 average with 27 home runs (Led the nation), and 72 RBIs while leading Vanderbilt to winning the D-1 National Title in 71 games.

Bleday was named the Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year after his junior season. Player of the Year and a National Title, not too bad of year for the Marlins fourth overall pick.

Now onto our other signee in Kameron Misner.

Kameron Misner

Perviously drafted out of high school in 2016 by the Kansas City Royals, he decided not to sign and attend the University of Missouri instead. He attended Missouri until the end of his junior year as he is the 35th overall pick in the draft by the Marlins.

Named Freshman All-American by D1Baseball his freshman year at Missouri, after batting .282 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 58 games. A very good start to his college career.

The summer after his freshman year, he played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League where he accumulated a .378 average with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 135 at bats.

His sophomore season is where things began to take off. In 34 games before a foot injury sidelined him for the final 22 games of the season, Misner hit for a .360 average with four home runs and 25 RBIs.

In 56 games during the 2019 collegiate season, Misner hit for a .286 average with ten home runs, 32 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. Very nice season for the Marlins 35th overall pick and a very successful draft for the Marlins.

 

With plenty of injured Marlins rehabbing, who should stay and who should go?

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Martin Prado began his rehab assignment in Jupiter on Wednesday and went 1-3 while playing first base without issue. It’s likely that Prado will return soon and assume his place in the Marlins active roster as a reserve corner infield with veteran presence.

He’s batting .239 in 155 at-bats but is entering the final year of his three-year contract and is one of the leaders of the team. He’s clearly coming back and Yadiel Rivera is most likely the one to go back to Triple-A New Orleans. Rivera is batting .267 with a .353 on-base percentage in his last 15 at-bats but is hitting .184 overall in a utility role.

Prado is not the only one soon coming off the injured list. Relief pitcher Tayron Gurerrero is also in Jupiter for his rehab assignment. The Marlins called up Jeff Brigham in his place at the time of the injury. Brigham is now in New Orleans as well so either Jose Quijada (2.16 WHIP) or one of the three starting pitchers that were called up to fill holes in the rotation caused by injury.

Elieser Hernandez pitched in Caleb Smith’s place and has gone 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. Smith has returned and Hernandez has experience in the bullpen in case he moves over with Gurerrero if he doesn’t go back to Triple-A New Orleans to continue starting.

“It could be either way,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said on June 30. “It’s been something that we talked about and it’s probably going to go back to what’s best for each guy and what’s best for the organization. Is it best for him to be in the bullpen not pitching very often or is it best for him to get the ball every five days and continue to grow? So that’s going to be the question that we talk about within the organization, development and what’s best for that individual’s development.”

Jon Berti was also in the middle of rehab assignment in New Orleans since June 29. He played full-time in the Baby Cakes four-game series going 6-for-15 with a pair of home runs before straining his hamstring and having to halt his rehab.

Catcher Chad Wallach is close to returning from his concussion but lead the Marlins into a roster quagmire with Bryan Holaday . The competition in spring training came a tie in which the tiebreaker went to the player already on the 40-man roster. But now both are on roster but both can not be there together so long as Jorge Alfaro is healthy. Carrying three catchers usually doesn’t make sense when there’s plenty of need everywhere else on the roster.

Before the injury, Wallach was batting .250 with a .708 OPS and a home run in 48 at-bats. Holaday, with three less at-bats, is slashing .311/.404/.489 with two home runs. This might be one where it makes the most sense for the Marlins to leave Wallach in New Orleans after he is cleared to return.

The rest of July will be a period of roster juggling between players returning from injury and possible trades. Every veteran on the team will be on the trade block, even if the return may not be much.

What Should Marlins do With Surplus of Starting Pitchers in MLB?

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The Miami Marlins have one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball. They currently own the 7th best rotation ERA in the league, not just National League, but in all of Major League Baseball. With a 3.92 rotation ERA, they place behind the Rays, Dodgers, Nationals, Reds, Twins, and Astros. 

With the current rotation doing as well as they have, what should the Marlins do when Jose Urena and Pablo Lopez return from the IL?. Personally, I think the Marlins should trade Trevor Richards before/at the deadline. 

Between the staff, Richards has the fourth highest ERA behind Jose Urena, Zac Gallen, and Pablo Lopez. Jose Urena and Pablo Lopez have been on the injured list so they haven’t had a chance to lower their ERAs. Zac Gallen only has twelve major league innings to his name so there’s not much to go off of there. Gallen has shown a lot of promise, just needs to limit his walks.

  • Jose Urena (4.70 ERA)
  • Zac Gallen (4.50 ERA)
  • Pablo Lopez (4.23 ERA) 
  • Trevor Richards (4.18 ERA)

Let’s say Richards has been traded at the deadline, and Urena and Lopez are back from the IL, what should the Marlins do now? Well, there are now seven starting pitchers that could get a rotation spot, but there are only five spots. I say move Urena and Elieser Hernandez to the bullpen.

Urena has the stuff to be in a middle relief type of role and Hernandez already has bullpen experience so I don’t think this is a bad situation

What Could The Rotation Look Like?

Use the rotation that will give the club the best opportunity to win a game, and in my opinion that rotation looks like this:

  • Caleb Smith
  • Sandy Alcantara
  • Jordan Yamamoto
  • Pablo Lopez
  • Zac Gallen

I could make the argument that Yamamoto should be the number one starter or the “Ace” of the staff because of how amazing he has been but he only has 29 innings pitched. As a result, Caleb Smith seemed like the more obvious choice as the front of the rotation pitcher. 

This is a Top 10 in the league rotation, possibly even Top 5. I mean they’re already Top 7 so Top 5 is definitely doable. All the team needs now is some run producing bats and in fact, they’re on their way. A trade for a very highly regarded Cleveland Indian (I won’t say any names) may be possible this offseason if Cleveland decides to sell.

Some impactful free agent bats are also on the Marlins’ radar this offseason as well. Players eligible for free agency this offseason that could be targeted by the Marlins include:

  • Jose Abreu
  • Didi Gregorius 
  • Marcell Ozuna
  • Yasiel Puig
  • Nicholas Castellanos

It’s going to be a fun offseason and the trade deadline is only the beginning. 

The Isan Diaz dilemma: when should he get the call-up?

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Isan Diaz is one of the four players that came to the Miami Marlins in the Christian Yelich trade.

The trade that most of the MLB annalysts call a win for the Brewers, even though we haven’t seen all the parts included to play in the majors.

Jordan Yamamoto was a great surprise for the world of baseball, and even for some Marlins fans, because he was supposed to be the least attractive of the four players that came from the Brewers.

He had to be called up because of the injuries some Marlins pitchers were dealing with, and performed setting new records for rookie starters in MLB.

Lewis Brinson missed his first shot in the majors, but should be back up with the time at some point this year, and Monte Harrison should make his MLB debut this season also.

However, Isan Diaz is the one putting us to think when he will get a call-up.

Starlin Castro is having his worst season as a professional baseball and will probably not be with the team next year, so for our Leandro Soto, it is the right time to bring Díaz to the majors.

Check Leandro’s heated exchange with Joe Frisaro, of MLB.com, about the subject:

And finally, what he and Ricardo Montes de Oca, of Cinco Razones Podcast, discussed during their radio show at 990 ESPN Deportes. 

For them,  Diaz’s call up should be coming soon, since Brian Anderson is injured, and will probably end up in the injury list.

For Leandro, he should come up and play second base, the position he has been playing in the minors this year, and move the Dominican to third base.

 

I feel like Castro should not stop the Marlins from giving Diaz a very deserved shot, especially since he is just a veteran performing under what is expected from him.

It’s the time to move Castro to third, or figure out a way to give Diaz a chance to play four or five days a week.

The Marlins have done it with their young pitchers. Why not do it with their position players too?

What do you think? Is it time now or should the Marlins wait until September?

 

Listen to Cinco Razones Podcast clicking here. We will be back talking about the second part of the season soon, so Tony and Dutch, if you guys are reading this, you better get ready!

¿Dónde jugará Dani Alves esta temporada?

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Dani Alves fue el mejor jugador de la Copa América Brasil 2019 a sus 36 años de edad, para volver a darle un título a Brasil luego de 12 años sin ganar una copa importante.

En 2013 Brasil le ganó a España en un duelo de titantes en la Copa Confederaciones, un torneo que cada vez tiene menos relevancia.

En aquel momento, esa final ante España significó mucho para Brasil, pues la roja venía de dominar el mundo del fútbol desde 2008, ganando dos Eurocopas y una Copa del Mundo.

Sin embargo, Brasil quería su mundial.

Lamentablemente para los brasileños, se volvió a cumplir la maldición del campeón de la Copa Confederaciones, y Brasil se fue eliminado de su mundial tras un aplastante e histórico 1-7 ante Alemania.

Con ese marco histórico, y tras otra eliminación prematura en Rusia 2018, llegaba la Copa América Brasil 2019, y Brasil, como es lógico, llegaba con la presión de ganar a como diera lugar este torneo.

El capitán que llevó a puerto seguro a la nave

Daniel Alves no pudo disputar la Copa del Mundo por una lesión, y fue nombrado por Tite como el capitán de la selección brasileña para el torneo continental.

La lesión de Neymar días antes de comenzar la competición no le quitaba ni el favoritismo ni la presión a Brasil, y fue el capitán Dani Alves el que tomó la batuta del grupo.

Su jugada ante Argentina en la semifinal probablemente sea recordada como la mejor jugada de la Copa América Brasil 2019, abriendo un juego que se le estaba complicando a la canarinha, precisamente en el mismo estadio en el que se había quedado estupefacto sufriendo la derrota mas dolorosa del fútbol brasileño.

 

Gabriel Jesús fue quien anotó ese gol, hizo la jugada del segundo gol ante Argentina, y luego en la final hizo una asistencia tras una serie de dribles interesantes y marcó el segundo gol de la noche, por lo que era un candidato justo a ser el mejor jugador del torneo.

Sin embargo, se fue expulsado en la final por una doble amonestación, y luego, en un acto de malcriadez, golpeó el booth the VAR y se fue llorando hacia los vestuarios, en una actitud similar a la que veríamos en niños preadolescentes.

Eso quizás le quitó el premio de Mejor Jugador del torneo de las manos, y ahí estaba Dani Alves, quien también tuvo una gran copa.

El mejor jugador de la Copa América Brasil 2019 no tiene equipo. Su contrato con el PSG se terminó, y como ya ha hecho Alves anteriormente, simplemente decidió no firmar y quedar libre. Barcelona y Juventus ya habían sufrido algo similar en el pasado.

¿Dónde jugará Dani Alves?

Cuando el mejor jugador de un torneo tan importante está libre, lo primero que uno piensa es: “¿Dónde está Florentino Pérez para llevárselo al Real Madrid?”

Sin embargo, conociendo a Dani Alves, la casa blanca no parece el destino.

En mi opinión, el FC Barcelona debería buscar traer de nuevo a Alves, especialmente si se termina de consumar el regreso de Neymar.

La relación de esta junta directiva con Alves y Neymar no terminó de la mejor manera, pero ya vimos como se está cocinando un regreso del 10 brasileño.

Si perdonan a Neymar, pueden perdonar lo que sea, y un lateral derecho de experiencia y que todavía tiene calidad, no le sobra al Barcelona.

Otra opción muy factible es que Dani Alves regrese a jugar a Brasil, con su amado Bahía Futebol Clube, para regalarle a su afición los últimos años de su carrera.

Alves ya tiene 40 títulos, pero ninguno en el Brasileirao. Quizás ahí esté la clave…

 

Sigue la cobertura del fútbol europeo en Cinco Razones Podcast y en su nuevo podcast 90 + Cinco. El FC Barcelona jugará en Miami el 7 de Agosto y nosotros estaremos ahí. Quizás veamos a Dani Alves, Neymar y compañía vestidos de azulgrana… 

 

How Russell Westbrook is Falling into Miami’s Lap

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Russell Westbrook will likely choose his next team and he likes the Miami Heat.

So how did we get here?

Note: Please correct me if I am wrong

Highly-coveted Free Agent Kawhi Leonard told the L.A Clippers he would join them if they could pair him with another Superstar – preferably another California native, OKC’s Paul George.

 

After a MVP-caliber season, but a first-round playoff exit, Paul George knew he would not win a title as a member of the Thunder, so he ‘demanded’ a trade to the Clippers to join Kawhi. Keep in mind George just committed to a 4-year $136+ million contract with the Thunder last offseason and was praised for being ‘loyal’. Many believe George would have joined the Lakers but stayed in OKC after LeBron stole his thunder (pun-intended).

Stay with me here:

Now that OKC lost one of their superstars with George, the writing was on the wall, their proverbial window just closed on winning, and holding onto a 30-year old Russell Westbrook who is owed $170 million over the next 4-years just seems irresponsible.

 

On Monday 7/8/19 the Thunder traded another one of their quality players in Jerami Grant to the Nuggets for a first round pick. This officially summed up that OKC decided to begin their re-build. Remember, Russell Westbrook was the loyal player that stayed when Kevin Durant left and the franchise owes him for keeping the team relevant. A happy Westbrook is a prerogative as they’ll likely re-visit their relationship when his career is over.

 

This means moving him to a team that he approves of.

Enter Miami:

The Miami Heat are known for targeting ‘disgruntled’ quality players because they can get them at a discount (it’s not a secret).

Example (in no particular order):

Shaq, Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Ray Allen, P.J Brown, Ricky Davis, Anthony Mason, Dan Majerle, Jermaine O’ Neal, Shawn Marion, Clarence Weatherpoon, Jason Williams…

 

…oh and Jimmy Butler, who Miami just won for a 2nd Round Pick (with all respect to Josh Richardson).

 

It seems as though Pat Riley and his staff were simply waiting for the NEXT opportunity to strike…even without the cap space or assets.

 

Miami as a city is naturally fascinating for professional athletes because of it’s nearly perfect weather and night life, but the team’s ‘Culture’ is notably respected league wide. This didn’t happen overnight, it was carefully crafted and branded since Pat Riley came to the franchise.

 

Russell Westbrook to Miami looks to be happening in the coming days and many are mind-boggled as to how Miami is getting another former MVP in his prime to fall into their laps.

 

It’s funny, because the Miami Heat sent a 1st round pick to the Clippers to complete the Jimmy Butler deal, which the Clippers wound of using (with other assets) to purge Paul George from OKC.

 

Did Miami know they were assisting the Clippers to get George with the motive to steal Westbrook? Probably not…unless……….

 

Many have bashed Pat Riley after he lost LeBron James and have called him “washed” for over-paying for the likes of James Johnson, Hassan Whiteside and Dion Waiters. Don’t worry, those tweets are stashed and stored for when Westbrook is stolen from the Thunder. Those fans will have to eat their words and hope to kiss the hands of the Godfather when asking for his forgiveness.

 

Read it and weep:

Per Adrian Wojnarowski: “Miami’s expressed interest, a destination that appeals to Westbrook.”

 

-Ryan Lasner

@ Lasner Sport

 

Russell Westbrook Image Edited and Created by @HeatMedia on Instagram

¿Cuántos juegos será suspendido Lionel Messi?

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Messi podría ser suspendido por rebelarse ante la CONMEBOL.

Lionel Messi fue otra persona durante esta Copa América Brasil 2019.

En lo deportivo, no fue la mejor presentación del argentino con su selección, pero fuera de las líneas, se vio a un Messi diferente, por primera vez enfilando directo hacia la polémica, y no huyendo de ella.

El capitán y referente de la selección albiceleste encaró a los medios de comunicación y mandó un zurdazo a la escuadra diciéndole de todo a la CONMEBOL luego de la eliminación en semifinales ante Brasil y tras su expulsión ante Chile en el juego por el tercer lugar del certamen.

Despertó la rebeldía en Messi. Esa que tanto le habían pedido en Argentina, donde un sector del país nunca se ha sentido identificado con el de Rosario.

El VAR fue el principal causante, mas allá de las actuaciones arbitrales en sí, pues fue evidente que la herramienta no fue utiizada de la manera correcta.

¿Cuántos juegos será suspendido por la CONMEBOL?

Para el argentino, su expulsión en el partido del tercer lugar se debió a las declaraciones tras el partido ante Brasil en las que denunciaba que todo estaba armado para que el anfitrión se consagrase campeón.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltrconkxKw4

Luego, Messi arremetió con mucha mas fuerza, afirmando que la corrupción del organismo estaba detrás del campeonato de Brasil.

Además de los posibles dos juegos de suspensión por la roja directa recibida ante Chile, Messi podría enfrentar una suspensión un poco mas larga por los comentarios realizados en caliente.

Hasta el técnico de Brasil, Tite, tuvo palabras para Messi tras coronarse campeón al vencer a Perú 3 a 1, pidiéndole respeto al astro argentino, quien tendrá que esperar a ver cuántos juegos será suspendido.

En las Eliminatorias rumbo a Rusia 2018, la CONMEBOL le rebajó una suspensión de cuatro a dos juegos cuando Argentina se jugaba su presencia en el mundial.

Ahora, previo al sorteo de las eliminatorias rumbo a Catar 2022 que comienzan en Marzo de 2020, no creemos que sean tan benevolentes.

¿Cuántos juegos se perderá Messi?

 

Disfrute de los episodios de Cinco Razones Podcast haciendo click aquí. Ricardo Montes de Oca y Alejandro Villegas han hecho que Leandro Soto se convierta en un experto de fútbol, y ahora es una gran analista. No se lo pierdan 

Brasil 2019 fue la Copa América de la paridad

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La paridad de los países de la CONMEBOL se vio reflejada en esta Copa América Brasil 2019.

Brasil se terminó coronando en la Copa América tras vencer 3 a 1 a Perú en el Maracaná para terminar un torneo que llamó mas la atención por sus estadios semivacíos y las polémicas por el uso selectivo del VAR.

La selección brasileña fue sin duda la mejor del torneo. Terminó invicta con cuatro victorias y dos empates, ambos a cero con Venezuela en fase de grupos y con Paraguay en cuartos de final, y apenas recibió un gol: el penal bien pitado en contra en la final que convirtió Paolo Guerrero.

Paraguay, por poco, termina arruinando la fiesta del anfitrión, aprovechando la insólita falta de tiempos extra en los cuartos de final de la Copa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM4zGATxSIk

Sin embargo, y a pesar de haber sido el equipo mas dominante, esta Copa América quedará con la mancha indeleble del uso selectivo del VAR de parte de los árbitros.

Argentina se quejó por la falta de uso de esta herramienta en la semifinal, cuando perdía 1 a 0 y su delantero Sergio Aguero recibió una falta de Dani Alves en el área durante un ataque rápido.

En el contraataque de esa misma jugada, Gabriel Jesús dejó a Firmino solo frente al arco para marcar el 2 a 0, destando los reclamos de los jugadores de la albiceleste.

La irregularidad de la Copa América

Brasil fue el equipo más regular y por eso su título es incontestable.

El subcampeón Perú, por ejemplo, se va del torneo con solo dos victorias en seis encuentros, con dos empates a cero, ante Venezuela en fase de grupos y frente a Uruguay en cuartos de final en un partido en el que la celeste mereció ganar, y dos derrotas, ambas ante Brasil (5-0 en fase de grupos y 3-1 en la final).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-hwtZ15eMc

Los semifinalistas eliminados también fueron otra buena muestra de la paridad que dejó este torneo.

El bicampeón defensor Chile fue de mas a menos en la competición. Venció a los dos rivales más débiles del torneo, la selección alternativa de Japón, en un partido que realmente fue mas parejo de lo que su resultado final demuestra, y ante Ecuador.

Luego, perdió contra Uruguay por la mínima y empató a cero con Colombia en cuartos de final, en los dos mejores partidos que jugó en la copa.

Finalmente, tropezó contra Perú en un intenso duelo en la semifinal, y en el juego por el tercer lugar ante Argentina, en una revancha de las finales de 2015 y 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWDqiCXPW30

Argentina, por su parte, fue de menos a mas, perdiendo siendo ampliamente superada ante Colombia en la jornada inaugural y empatando a duras penas contra una dura selección paraguaya, gracias a un dudoso penal y a una atajada fundamental de Armani.

Errores defensivos de sus rivales le abrieron la puerta a la albiceleste ante Catar en el último juego de la fase de grupos, y ante Venezuela, en los cuartos de final.

Argentina fue favorecida por el uso, o no uso, del VAR en la fase de grupos y en los cuartos de final, y luego sufrió ante el anfitrión y en su despedida hacia Chile.

Hasta el arbitraje y el mal uso del VAR fue parejo para todos. Paridad total.

La paridad de la CONMEBOL

Venezuela, Paraguay, Colombia y Uruguay se quedaron con ganas de mas en esta Copa América.

Sobretodo estas dos últimas selecciones, que parecían favoritas para enfrentarse en la semifinal que daría el rival de Brasil en la final de la Copa.

Colombia, la mejor selección de la primera fase del torneo, se fue eliminada de la copa sin recibir ni un solo gol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12mp1-dfjsE

Uruguay se volvió a quedar corta a pesar de ser una de las favoritas, mientras que Venezuela y Paraguay demostraron que van a ser un rival complicado en las eliminatorias de cara al mundial Catar 2022, y en la Copa América 2020.

Sí. Habrá una Copa América el año que viene nuevamente… Aquí pueden leer todos los detalles de ese torneo.

 

En Cinco Razones Podcast seguimos de cerca la Copa América Brasil 2019 y estaremos preparando un resumen de lo mas destacado, con todas sus polémicas, para discutir con ustedes en una transmisión en vivo por Periscope. 

 

Miami Heat fans need a Herro… and a Xanax

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Prefacing this by saying we love you all.

(We need you, anyway.)

But Miami Heat fans can be a little neurotic at times.

Maybe it was the insanity of the Big 3 years, which raised expectations to an unreasonable level. But lately, it seems like Heat fans are always on edge, and always extreme.

The latest example is the Tyler Herro situation.

When Pat Riley and the Heat made the Herro pick a couple of weeks ago, the majority of Heat fans freaked out. The entire crew of Miami Heat Beat threatened to quit. The poll I posted on @5ReasonsSports ran 70-30 or more against the selection. You all were comparing Herro to Jimmer Fredette and creating new “washed” memes for Riley.

You weren’t very nice.

And now, after a few impressive summer league games — and yes, they’ve been impressive — now I’m being bombarded with questions about why the Heat haven’t signed Herro yet.

Enough that I felt compelled, from out here in Las Vegas, to address it.

Of course, this is why most of you are doing it.

If Herro remains unsigned, he can be traded without waiting out the 30-day window.

Now, I understand the differing opinions about Westbrook. For me, everything should be on the table for Westbrook other than Bam Adebayo, who was out here watching from the Heat bench yesterday — and then wasn’t allowed back in the building right away by security because he wasn’t wearing a name badge (I’m serious; he’s 7-feet tall; and he was polite, of course). I like Justise Winslow a lot, and I’m intrigued by Herro, but Adebayo is the unique piece on the Heat roster, a big who fits the modern game perfectly and is also a perfect Heat culture fit.

But even if you’re against the Westbrook deal under most circumstances (and I get the reasons for that too), let’s have some perspective. I watched Herro struggle to shoot early against a Chinese team that wouldn’t get much run at the local JCC. I’m enamored by his shooting form (high and quick), and I’ve been impressed by his aggressiveness, especially in transition. He appears to be more than a shooter.

Heat officials have told me that Herro is further along than they expected. They’re telling me, not the league, so I don’t think they’re just trying to pump his value. They like him.

But come on.

This is summer league we’re talking about.

And this is an All-Star we’re talking about, in Westbrook.

Let’s let it play out.

And stop freaking out.

 

Most Pleasant Surprise of Marlins’ First Half? Jordan Yamamoto.

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Through all the disappointments and hard times of the Marlins’ first half there were a few bright spots to be excited about. I’m only going to be talking about one exciting bright spot in Jordan Yamamoto.

Acquired in the Christian Yelich trade, Yamamoto was thought of as the least regarded prospect in the trade. Yet, he has outperformed his fellow trade pieces, who have performed very well at the minor league level. He has made his way onto the big league scene before Monte Harrison and Isan Diaz have. *Lewis Brinson is progressing very well.*

Both Harrison and Diaz have had great seasons thus far for Triple-A New Orleans but an immediate need in the rotation due to injury opened the door for Yamamoto to make the big league club out of Double-A Jacksonville.

In five starts for the Marlins, Yamamoto holds a 3-0 record with a 1.24 ERA, yes a 1.24 ERA… I don’t think that’s too bad for a “throw in” piece. In 29 innings pitched, he has allowed 11 hits and he hasn’t allowed more than THREE hits in any of his outings. That makes him only the THIRD pitcher since 1900 to have five straight starts without allowing more than three hits. He also hasn’t allowed a home run this season. (via @DuseReport)

His slider has been his best pitch and it’s un-hittable, literally. Batters are 0-31 with 19 strikeouts against his slider, yes 19 strikeouts. Hitters are having trouble hitting his other pitches also. Batters are only hitting for a .117 average and only have 11 hits against him.

An impressive stat for Jordan Yamamoto is that he holds the longest streak of allowing no more than three earned runs and three hits or less while pitching four innings or more to start a career with five straight starts that meet that criteria. (via @MaxSportsStudio)

He shut down a very hot Atlanta Brave’s lineup in probably his best outing of the season in my opinion, based on who he faced. Video below of his dominance against Atlanta. (via @Marlins)

I think he could be a possible NL Rookie of the Year candidate this year, he would have to beat Mets’ Pete Alonso to win it but he could definitely be a candidate if he keeps pitching the way he has been.