Good morning, Marlin Maniac readers and welcome to Morning Catch, the daily morning news and notes column from MarlinManiac.com about your Miami Marlins.
More from Marlins News
- Miami Marlins are pursuing Michael Conforto
- Miami Marlins need to spend to win
- Miami Marlins can’t afford to botch this trade
- Miami Marlins news: the New York Mets are a risky threat
- Miami Marlins keep missing out on stars
The Miami Marlins got more bad news on Friday, as they learned starter Mat Latos would be unable to make his start on Saturday due to a foot injury he sustained. In his place, the team has recalled Adam Conley to make his first big league start.
This will be the 11th different starter the team has used in 2015, tied for the most in the majors.
With Latos being on the trade block, the news is not idea, but the good news is that it’s not an arm related injury and that Latos was not sent to the DL.
The hope for the Miami Marlins is that Latos takes the All-Star Break to improve and then possibly makes one or two more starts to prove to other teams he’s healthy, hopefully boosting his trade value with strong starts.
Of course, it’s also possible now that Latos may never pitch in a Marlins uniform again. His last start last Sunday could have been the swan song for Latos as a Marlins.
We’ll find out more as the trade deadline nears.
On the other hand, Adam Conley will be making his first big league start. He has already been up in the majors once, logging one easy 1-2-3 inning in relief.
Conley owns a sparkling 2.33 ERA in Triple-A, but his FIP sits at 4.06. Both marks for the left hander are actually better than teammate Justin Nicolino, the Marlins top prospect.
Digging deeper, Conley had a 3.49 ERA and a 5.27 FIP in his first 7 starts with a lowly 13.5 K% and a 9.8 BB%. But over his last 8 starts, Conley owns a 1.95 ERA and a 3.07 FIP. Much of that is due to an improved 20.4 K% and a 8.4 BB%.
Conley did miss time last season with elbow issues, so maybe the first few starts helped him find his groove and now he’s back to the pitcher that made him a once decently regarded prospect?
We’ll find out tonight and over the rest of the season, as Conley is a candidate to step into the teams rotation if some of the arms in front of him are dealt.
Marlins News Around the Web:
Miami Marlins’ Mat Latos scratched, Adam Conley recalled – Scott Gelman, Fishstripes
Mat Latos is out for at least one start. The veteran right-hander was hit by a line drive in the dugout on Friday night and will be scratched from his scheduled Saturday outing. Adam Conley will make the start against the Reds in his place.
“It’s a right foot contusion,” Manager Dan Jennings said. “Conley will make the start. There was a ball last night that hit the net. Latos had his foot there and the ball struck him in the foot.” (Read More Here)
Jose Fernandez offers happy news in lost Marlins season – David Schoenfield, SweetSpot blogger
It was exactly 14 months ago when Jose Fernandez left his start in San Diego after five innings. In the fourth inning, he had thrown a fastball to Cameron Maybin clocked at 96.8 mph. Maybe that was the pitch that blew out his elbow. Maybe it was one of the next two pitches, sliders that sent Maybin back to the bench. The next inning, Fernandez had trouble getting the fastball over 90 mph. He was pulled from the game.
A week later he underwent Tommy John surgery. It was a crushing blow for the Miami Marlins and to the baseball world. Fernandez was young, he was dynamic, he was dominant, he had it — that rare combo of charisma and results. Sure, pitchers come back from the surgery. But not all do. So we waited, knowing Fernandez, who had taking up biking after his rookie season to get himself in better shape, would absolutely work his tail off to get back on the mound. (Read More Here)
Marlins reunite with Casey McGehee; Jeff Baker placed on DL – Harvey Fialkov, Sun-Sentinel
Casey McGehee’s reward for being named the 2014 National League Comeback Player of the Year with the Marlins was an offseason trade to the Giants once Miami acquired Martin Prado from the Yankees.
On Friday, McGehee made another comeback of sorts — returning to the Marlins — as they claimed him off waivers after batting just .213 with two homers and 11 RBI in 49 games for the defending World Series champion Giants. (Read More Here)
Carter Capps Has Become Baseball’s Most Unhittable Pitcher – Jeff Sullivan, Fangraphs
Carter Capps allowed a three-run single on Tuesday. That’s both pretty bad and pretty weird. Three-run singles might be a post topic of their own, but the most interesting thing didn’t have anything to do with the play result. Before Xander Bogaerts ever swung the bat, Capps threw a fastball, and I’ll excerpt conveniently from an MLB.com entry by Ian Browne:
Bogaerts hung in on a pitch that had a perceived velocity of 105.55 mph, the highest number of any pitch in the Major Leagues this season, according to Statcast™. The pitch looked that fast to Bogaerts, thanks to an extension of 9.5 feet by Capps. (Read More Here)
Follow Marlin Maniac on Twitter @MarlinManiac for all your Miami Marlins news, opinion and analysis!
Next: Marlins Preparing to Sell