Stat Wrap 6/29: Marlins Crushed By Ex-Marlins. Worried?

On the plus side, we only have to play the Tigers again this season if we make it to the World Series.

The Miami Marlins lost their second game in a row and fourth of the season to the Detroit Tigers Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park, losing 10-3 in complete blowout fashion. Best of all, they get to follow it up with a four game set against the only team that’s embarrassed them more in 2016: the Atlanta Braves.

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Adding to the cruel and unusual nature of this loss would be the fact that the Tigers got to use both the superstar we traded to them, as well as the scrub they traded to us, to great effect. Both Cabrera and Maybin had huge days for Detroit, with Maybin continuing to enjoy the best season of his career. Prior to 2016, his highest BA in a season he played in more than eight games was .267; he’s hitting .348 with the Tigers.

Putting to rest for all time any doubts that Brad Ausmus can be a bit sadistic, Anibal Sanchez was brought into to pitch the ninth inning, and promptly shut his former team down with just five pitches.

It was a bizarre series. The Marlins recorded 30 hits, but somehow managed to be outscored 17-8. Tom Koehler had his second 4 ER first inning in his last two starts, and the Fish just collapsed down the stretch after a short-lived second inning rally cut the deficit to two runs. The one bright spot? Much like yesterday, well exactly like yesterday, that’d be Ichiro Suzuki. Two more hits, and just twelve hits away. My first weekend of August prediction for hit # 3000 is starting to look a little shaky.

The big question is, is this enough of a gut punch to clubhouse confidence to change the dynamic from feel-good to feeling worried? Detroit is a very talented team, and there would have been no shame in a split there, even with two very mediocre pitchers squaring off against Miami. But the failure to pick up even one win at Comerica rings as ominous given what lies ahead. Atlanta has been trouble all season, and the Marlins will be trotting out an inconsistent Wei-Yin Chen and Bob the Pitcher (or whoever the fifth starter is these days) in two of those games.

The Marlins need to put the Braves mystique to bed in a hurry, and would do well to not rely on needing to win Sunday’s series finale, as the emotional momentum will no doubt be in Atlanta’s favor for the Ft. Bragg holiday tribute. It’s a game bigger than the game to be sure, but it counts the same as all the rest. Fingers crossed Miami can play it with the pressure off.

And now we Stat Wrap:

Ichiro Watch: Two more hits. Twelve away from 3000.
The Marlins had 30 hits in the series, 14 of them yesterday.
Unfortunately, the Marlins also had 24 runners LOB in the series.
Everyone but Giancarlo Stanton had at least one hit.
If it wasn’t for Jose Iglesias, that would have included the Tigers.
Tom Koehler’s 3.0 IP made for his shortest start since May 1st.
Anibal Sanchez pitched a scoreless ninth in a relief appearance.
Ex-Marlins went 8 for 12 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI.
On an unrelated note, I have a Jarrod Saltalamacchia autographed baseball I won’t be using for anything constructive. Takers?*

*I kid, was very nice of him to sign. But I’ll also be very happy when he’s playing in Japan next season.

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Stat Wrap 6/29: Marlins Crushed By Ex-Marlins. Time To Panic?

By Sean Millerick | Jun 30, 2016

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