Division Rivals 2014: The Miami Marlins

[Edgy MD]

And under-reported angle of the Richie Incognito saga is that Miami already had survived a sports bullying scandal earlier in the year, after Tino Martinez resigned after several Marlins went to management to complain that he was mistaking taunting and brutalizing for coaching instruction.

The players who came to management, of course, are either gone or have been subsequently marginalized. Tino? He's chillin' with Vic Sage and all his Yankee buds at Bronx Bombers.


(And you know, I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that Joe Pepitone was dead.)

The Marlins had a legendarily inept offense last season, so Tino wasn't long for this world anyhow. But the Fish go through batting coaches like (insult pop culture reference here). The current guy? Frank Menechino. You know, it's one thing when a guy who wasn't much of a big league hitter gets a batting coach job --- as long as hitting was his game. You know, minor league stars who don't have the physical skills to execute at the big league level as consistently, but have the science down. Corner infielders and corner outfielders.

But Menechino? A banjo-hitting backup middle infielder? Doesn't give me much hope that the article underscores his "blue collar" traits. But, that's OK. I'm not looking to hope much for the Marlins.

[Ceetar]

The best way the Mets can improve this year is beat the Marlins like they're the Marlins. That's good for a 3-4 game boost over last season.

[TransMonk]

Agreed.

[Edgy MD]

They went 8-11 vs. Miami last year. Certainly that can be upgraded to 12-6 or 13-6. But the world doesn't work that way all the time, does it?

What's the key to beating teams with good pitching and lousy hitting? I would guess it's clean execution/good baserunning. Put yourself in the best position to get/make the one break that can be the difference in a low-scorer.

Don't get Juan Pierre'd to death in 2014!

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: They went 8-11 vs. Miami last year. Certainly that can be upgraded to 12-6 or 13-6. But the world doesn't work that way all the time, does it? What's the key to beating teams with good pitching and lousy hitting? I would guess it's clean execution/good baserunning. Put yourself in the best position to get/make the one break that can be the difference in a low-scorer. Don't get Juan Pierre'd to death in 2014!

Can that be the Mets motto this year?

I agree though, I think the Mets put themselves in a lot of 'one bad break screws you' situations last year based on lack of offense. Having fewer complete (like Ike Davis .141, Quintanilla,etc) holes in your lineup should help you squeeze across insurance runs by bunching more hits together hopefully.

[seawolf17]

19 games, right? Give me four Tom Koehler starts like this one and ten wins in the other fifteen games and I'm good to go.

[Edgy MD]

"OK, guys, here's the strategy. We've got Koehler out there today, and he's pretty good. So what we're going to do is... keep the game utterly scoreless. Just... just do everything perfect until the 12th inning. By that time, I figure they'll be on their sixth pitcher, and we'll be able to grind something out. The way I see it, with two-outs, our .169 hitting catcher can slap a single up the middle, and at that point, we'll wave --- I'm looking at you here, Teufel --- we'll wave Duda home to score him from second."

"It'll be the arm of Justin Ruggiano against the wheels of Lucas Duda. Just stick with that plan, fellas, and we can't lose. Take that, Seawolves."

[Vic Sage]

Trade for Koehler! Go `Wolves!

[seawolf17]

The funny thing about that game is that it's EXACTLY what I said I wanted to happen that morning.

https://twitter.com/cdorso/status/379239092686716928

[bmfc1]

Don't forget that Marlins President David Sampson is in the new cast of Survivor, premiering this Wednesday at 8 PM on CBS.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Um... what?

[bmfc1]

Note his "Personal Claim to Fame":
http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/214786/

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

AAAAnd NOW he's gone.

(This was a nice touch.)

[Lefty Specialist]

Well, now he can get back to running the Port Authority.

[Frayed Knot]

Jose Fernandez to the 15-Day DL "right elbow sprain"

[batmagadanleadoff]

Tommy John surgery. What a shame, too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Seawolf will be heartbroken.

So will hundreds of ignorant twitteramuses who've begun to hammer Mets for picking Nimmo over him in draft.

[seawolf17]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Seawolf will be heartbroken.

Fuck that, Seawolf is THRILLED. That's one less obstacle to Tom Koehler being the Marlins' ASG representative.

Plus, we're WAY more likely to beat Tom Koehler than we are the kid three or four more times this season.

[Frayed Knot]

TJ surgery is official for Fernandez.
To compensate the Marlins picked up 37 y/o (I would have guessed older) Randy Wolf who managed to secure his own release from AAA Reno (DBacks' org).
The Fish wasted no time throwing him into a game, using him in the final three innings of a Miami blow-out on Wednesday night: 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H

[Edgy MD]

So, I can't find the old KTE thread, but last time out, I totally underestimated the Marlins skouting skillz in making a lineup with a retread firstbaseman (Garret Jones, who has been solid), a total retread thirdbaseman (Casey McGehee, solid-plus), and giving out a three year deal to Jarrod Saltalamachia (solid as well).

They've been mostly solid top to bottom, with excellence coming from the now returned Giancarlo Stanton. The only exception has been glovey shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, who has a respectable average but sub-Tejada peripherals. Mets tend to contain (though certainly not shut down) Stanton, but lose anyway.

Stanton vs. Mets
Season: .286 / .423 / .476 //.899
Career: .249 / .338 / .487 // .825

Big shot prospect Andrew Heaney going tonight was a #9 overall pick who has whipped through the minors, going 17-7 in something like the equivelant of a big league season (38 starts, 199 IP), with a 2.31 ERA. He has walked 47 and struck out 198. He's a lefty so expect some sexy Eric Campbell action and maybe the rare Wilmer Flores sighting at second for Daniel Murphy.

[Frayed Knot]

The Marlins even got into the trade business today making a multi-player swap with the Astros which signals that they aren't giving up on a playoff run this season.

To Miami: 24 y/o RHP Jason Cosart, 25 y/o AAA OF Austin Wates, and 22 y/o IF/OF Enrique Hernandez
To Houston: OF Jake Marisnick; 18 y/o P Francis Martes; 2013 1st round (6th overall) draft pick Colin Moran; and the new bit coin of MLB: a competitive balance draft pick

[Edgy MD]

Gian Stanton carted off the field after taking a fastball to the face.

Very next pitch hit Reed Johnson and a brawl ensued.

Jeff Kellogg, strangely enough, called both pitches swinging strikes. Jeff, your body rotates when death is coming at your face. It's not a swing, it's terror.

[Edgy MD]

Casey McGehee attending to Stanton but his mind on something else.

[Zvon]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24705900/giancarlo-stanton-leaves-on-stretcher-after-taking-pitch-to-face

Per the Marlins, Stanton, after being transported to a nearby hospital for X-rays and a CT scan, was found to have facial lacerations (which required stitches), multiple facial fractures and dental damage. He'll remain hospitalized overnight before returning to Miami on Friday for further evaluation.

Shit. ugh, this is awful. I understand the pitcher who hit him was very upset.

Tweeted tonight by Mike Fiers:

@Giancarlo818 I am deeply sorry about what happened tonight. I can't imagine what you and your family are going through. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. I feel horrible and hope for a speedy recovery.

[Edgy MD]

Fiers should have been pulled from the game. Most guys should in that situation, but you could tell that Fiers was too messed up to continue.

McGehee seems like his blood is pure testosterone.

[Frayed Knot]

I heard that Roger Goodell suspended Fiers for just two games after the incident saying that while he saw the result of Stanton being carted off the field he was unable to secure the video of the actual pitch and therefore couldn't be sure how Stanton came to be on the ground.



What ... too soon?!?