Good morning, Marlin Maniac readers and welcome to Morning Catch, the daily morning news and notes column from MarlinManiac.com.
Hammel’s 11 Ks mow down Marlins; Cishek to Double A
For a good part of the day, it appeared the most noteworthy pitching news performance regarding the Miami Marlins would be Jose Fernandez’s rehab outing in Jupiter. Even against minor-league competition, there is something to be said about seven strikeouts in three innings.
Then came Monday night’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Marlins Park, when Chicago right-hander Jason Hammel raised the ante, striking out a career-high 11 in 6 1/3 innings and throwing 80 strikes in his 117 pitches.
But even then there was more from the mound, with manager Dan Jennings announcing after a lengthy postgame delay that struggling former closer Steve Cishek has been optioned to Double-A Jacksonville. (Read More Here)
Miami Marlins buy or sell: May edition
The Miami Marlins just had a rough month of May ahead of the team’s traditionally horrific June, and a number of players had a hand in the bad month. However, how many of those players are probably on their way up, and how many are struggling further downward? Let’s take a look at some names in this month’s Buy or Sell edition!
More from Marlins News
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- Why didn’t the Miami Marlins sign JDM?
- Miami Marlins rejected Boston‘s trade offer
- Miami Marlins are pursuing Michael Conforto
- Miami Marlins need to spend to win
Buy: Giancarlo Stanton
Stanton hit two home runs on Saturday in Miami’s winning effort against the New York Mets, totaling seven homers for the month. Indeed, the power was the only thing that went well in May for him, as he horrible luck on balls in play throughout the month. Stanton hit just .186 on balls in play heading into yesterday’s afternoon finale versus the Mets, a truly horrific mark that stood opposite his .368 average in April. (Read More Here)
Hyde: Perfect time for Marlins to right managerial wrong
OK, let’s start with some blunt honesty, because that’s how Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria delivers it: Now’s the chance to right a wrong by moving Dan Jennings back to general manager and hire an actual manager.
The Marlins beat the Mets on Saturday, 9-5. They’ve won consecutive games. So no matter what happens Sunday Loria has a window of opportunity to scurry out of this mess with some morsel of credibility intact.
It’s bad enough the Marlins have delivered a disappointing spring, one that was supposed to revive them as relevant in baseball but has just continued their walk in the wilderness. (Read More Here)
Giancarlo Stanton Crucial to Miami Marlins’ Hope of Turning Season Around
Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the future was supposedly bright for the Miami Marlins. They already had a young nucleus of players like Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna, and they were also aggressive in the offseason, acquiring the likes of Mat Latos, Dee Gordon and Michael Morse.
During spring training, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale picked the Marlins to represent the National League in the World Series, citing their abundance of young talent and refusal to let high expectations get to their heads as the main reasons for his selection.
After all, it was a very gutsy choice to go with a Marlins squad that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2003 and hasn’t finished a season with a winning record since 2009. And the last time that there was hype surrounding this organization—before the 2012 season when the Marlins signed Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell—it ended with a disastrous 69-93 record. (Read More Here)
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