Fish n’ grits: Miami Marlins morning news

The Miami Marlins split a four game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Returning home with a day off, they’ll look to kick themselves into gear.

The Miami Marlins had a chance to keep their season simmering with some intensity this weekend. After winning the first two games of the series agasint the Pirates, the team failed to secure wins the following two day.

It was a blow for a Marlins team that needs to win in a hurry. After losing the series to the Cubs earlier this month, a sweep would have been just what the doctor ordered. Hope remains alive in well for the 2017 season, though.

The team has a day off on Monday ahead of a two-game series against the A’s. The American League Giancarlo Stanton. And the MLB Draft, which is finally upon us.

It’s the Miami Marlins over breakfast. It’s Fish n’ grits!

Pittsburgh Pirates and beyond

The series sweep the team appeared primed for would have gone a long way. The Marlins fell off the pace to NL relevancy after dropping the series to the Cubs. They bounced back, winning the final game of that series, and the first two in Pittsburgh.

On Saturday, David Phelps allowed John Jaso to double home the deciding run. Yesterday, the team couldn’t overcome an early deficit surrendered by starter Jeff Locke. In both instances, the Marlins found themselves in position to win the game and failed to do so.

In a game where the Marlins left 12 runners on base, missed opportunities abounded. Looking at their lone tally is indicative of a team that failed to execute and capitalize on opportunities. Their only run came on an Ichiro solo blast.

Now two games off of the prescribed pace, all is not lost. But it will take the Miami Marlins longest winning streak of the season to right the ship.

If the Fish are looking to get back into the race, they’ll need to start by winning their next eight games in a row. A tall task against for any Major League schedule. The fact that the Marlins will need to go through the Nationals for three of those games makes it mountainous feat.

The team can’t afford to lose another series this month. This is a make-it-or-break-it stretch for the team against quality opposition. Playoff worthy teams rise to the challenge. We’ll soon see if the Miami Marlins fit that mold.

The American League Giancarlo Stanton

You might have heard about this guy in New York who is hitting a bunch of home runs. His name is Aaron Judge, and he’s the new kid on the block. Possessing the kind of shoulders that make Dwight Howard say “damn!”, he’s become the newest hero in New York.

Lately, Judge has been getting a lot of attention for his mammoth home runs. Thrilling as they are to watch, and they are thrilling, it isn’t anything Marlins fans haven’t seen before.

During Giancarlo Stanton’s first few seasons in the league, the same hype and press followed him wherever he went. People posted videos of his moonshots during batting practice, and lauded his prodigious power. Judge is a dynamic hitter, but he’s also flavor of the month.

Or possibly the next couple of years.

The spotlight shifts from different players around the league. Never does it burn brighter than when a players first full season in the MLB. Judge is currently in line for the American League triple crown, a tremendous accomplishment for anyone, let alone a rookie.

But give it a season or two and a new wunderkind will swoop in and steal the spotlight. It happens every time.

MLB Draft

The day has finally arrived. After months of tirelessly sifting through prospects and weighing the pros and cons of different teenaged pitchers, it ends tonight. Or at least it takes a break for a little while.

The MLB draft pre show coverage will begin at 6pm, streaming on MLBTV and MLB.com. The madness will begin at 7pm, and run through competitive balance rounds one and two.

Next: MLB Draft preview: Miami Marlins

Make sure you check in with everything we’ve written about the Marlins ahead of the draft. There are several prospect spotlights to be combed over. We’ll be all over it whenever the Marlins finally welcome a new member to the family tonight.