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Stat Wrap 6/21: Marlins Lose, Braves H2H Analysis

By Sean Millerick

Jun 4, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher David Phelps (35) throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Marlins Park. The Mets won 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 4, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher David Phelps (35) throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the eighth inning at Marlins Park. The Mets won 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Honestly, I was too disgusted to write last night.

Fish Flash? Had looked up two of the three articles.  Next actual editorial? Had my notes prepped.  This Stat Wrap? Never start those early out of superstition, but was certainly awake enough to get it out.

Then I saw that David Phelps was being brought in to pitch the eighth inning.  And I almost turned it off then.

Using a two-run rally off of Phelps, the Atlanta Braves went on to beat the Miami Marlins in extra-innings by the score of 3-2 Monday night at Marlins Park.

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Two episodes of The Simpsons, a video game, and parts of two different Fast and the Furious movies later, I was ready to write about what happened.  Of course, I was also ready to sleep it off.  So here we are.  I’m trusting you weren’t exactly psyched to read about it either.

Following seven strong innings, Jose Fernandez exited with a 2-0 lead and a one-hit shutout.  He wanted to go back out.  Possibly could have.  But in came Phelps, who has mightily struggled against the Braves this season.  Grant it, it’s in a small sample size.  I guess he did have that one good inning against them in a game the Marlins never lead.  But he’d taken two losses against them already this season, and seemed to be a curious choice; baseball is weird, but sometimes you have to bow to the matchup insanity.

Offensively, little to report beyond the ageless Ichiro moving two hits closer to 3000. Marcell Ozuna had the night off, Giancarlo Stanton might as well have with an 0 for 5 showing, and Jose Fernandez himself knocked in one of Miami’s two runs.  The team fell out of the Wild Card and second place with the loss.

What’s so galling about this is that it is the Braves that keep doing this.  The Marlins have had terrible seasons against them before of course.  In 2012, Miami went 4 -14 against Atlanta.  There was 3-10 mark in 1995.  All-time, the Fish obviously have a losing record against the Braves.  But this is a different Atlanta team from any Miami has ever faced before.  Very different indeed.

2016, merciful heavens willing, will be the fourth time in Marlins franchise history they actually finish with a better overall record than the Braves.  Those other low points in H2H history came against teams that won well over 90 games.  Miami should be beating this team, bolstering their record for what could be a surprising playoff run.

Instead, all signs are pointing towards these being the games we regret the most when the season comes to a close.

And now we Stat Wrap:

  • Ichiro Watch: 2 for 4 night, 18 hits away from 3000.
  • David Phelps has allowed 6 ER in 4 IP against Atlanta this season.
  • That comes out to an 0-2 record and an ERA of 13.50.
  • Jose Fernandez pitched seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball.
  • He even went 1 for 2 with an RBI at the plate.
  • The Marlins went 2 for 12 with RISP; players not named Jose were 1 for 11.
  • The Marlins lost consecutive Fernandez starts for the first time since April 2014.
  • The Marlins are on pace to go 3-16 against Atlanta this season.
  • The Braves are on pace to challenge for their worst record since 1977, if not 1942.*
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