Miami Marlins Morning Catch: Stanton one step closer to returning

Good morning, Marlin Maniac readers and welcome to Morning Catch, the daily morning news and notes column from MarlinManiac.com about your Miami Marlins.

While he continues to be sidelined, Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton is one step closer to returning to the playing field.

Yesterday, Stanton was seen in uniform for the first time since his hand injury on June 26th.

ICYMI: All of Stanton’s 2015 homers in one minute

Reporter Ira Winderman noted that despite being sidelined for nearly two months, Stanton went into Saturday’s MLB play fifth in the National League in home runs, at 27. Washington’s Bryce Harper went into Saturday leading the NL, with 31.

“He’s progressing and it’s moving in the right direction,” manager Dan Jennings said. “It’s just a matter of him having those back-to-back days in succession of hitting off that machine and feeling the strength. So certainly being out [stretching] is good.”

ICYMI: 10 milestones possible for Giancarlo Stanton

For a non-competitive team with a struggling offense, the Marlins, and their fans, could use a bit of offensive entertainment. In Miami’s plan to use the rest of this season as a map for 2016, Stanton’s performance following his return stands as yet another thing to watch while the Fish are losing.

ICYMI: Yet another injury hits the Marlins, a list of injuries

From Around the Web:

Marlins celebrate former stars Juan Pierre, Dontrelle Willis — Christina De Nicola, Fox Sports

MIAMI — Before becoming a prospect in big-league camp, Dee Gordon would run along a path at the Los Angeles Dodgers spring training complex to watch Juan Pierre hit every morning.

Gordon, whose old iPad featured videos of the speedster, is now a two-time All-Star second baseman for the Miami Marlins — the same organization that Pierre reached acclaim with.

Like Gordon, Pierre didn’t walk much. Pitchers feared him on the basepaths, so they didn’t want to issue free passes. He was the first to the ballpark and last to leave. (Read More Here)

Conley keeps Marlins in it, but bats stay cold — Joe Frisaro and Steve Wilaj, MLB.com

MIAMI — Promising Philadelphia rookie Aaron Nola threw a career-high eight scoreless innings and catcher Cameron Rupp provided a solo home run as the Phillies beat the Marlins, 2-0, on Sunday at Marlins Park to take three of four games in the series — their first series win at Marlins Park since May 20-22, 2013. With the victory, Philadelphia moves into a tie with Miami at 50-74 at the bottom of the National League East.

The outing was the finest of Nola’s young career. The Phillies’ No. 2 ranked prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com, struck out six, walked two and surrendered just three hits in his seventh career start. Nola (4-1, 3.59 ERA) outdueled Marlins rookie Adam Conley (1-1, 4.88 ERA), who worked a career-high six innings and allowed just one run on three hits and four walks.

“I felt like I was getting ahead of guys and really pounding the strike zone and keeping the ball as low as possible to be a strike,” Nola said. “I felt like I did that for the most part, and it led to ground balls and some pop flies.” (Read More Here)

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