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River Ave. Blues » Miami Marlins » Page 2

8/21 to 8/22 Series Preview: Miami Marlins

August 21, 2018 by Domenic Lanza Leave a Comment

Realmuto. (Scott Taetsch/Getty)

The Yankees are in the midst of a five-series, sixteen-game stretch against well below .500 teams, and it could not have come at a better time. They’ve been banged-up for quite some time, and Didi Gregorius joined the walking wounded over the weekend. Wins and losses should never be taken for granted, but if there was ever a time for players to get a little bit of extra rest, it’d be these two-plus weeks.

The Last Time They Met

The Yankees played host for a two-game set way back in April, which resulted in a split. Both games were blow-outs, with the Yankees taking the first game 12-1, and the Marlins winning the second 9-1. Some other notes:

  • Luis Severino was brilliant in the first game, throwing six scoreless innings and allowing just one hit and one walk, while striking out 8. He picked up fourteen whiffs on 86 pitches, as well.
  • Every Yankees starter reached base at least once in that game, and all but Ronald Torreyes reached at least twice.
  • The now-injured trifecta of Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, and Gary Sanchez went a combined 7-for-12 with 6 runs, 3 home runs, 8 RBI, and 3 BB.
  • Miguel Andujar was the Yankees offense in the loss. He went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run (he was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles in the first game); the rest of the offense went 2-for-26, with both hits being singles.

Check out Katie’s Yankeemetrics post for more information.

Injury Report

Kyle Barraclough, Lewis Brinson, Garrett Cooper, and Martin Prado are all currently on the disabled list. Barraclough is eligible to be activated today, and there’s a chance that he might be back for this series. The other three aren’t expected to be back for at least another few days. Miguel Rojas is banged-up, too, but he’s listed as day-to-day.

Their Story So Far

The Marlins are bad. They’re 50-76, which is the fourth-worst mark in baseball, with a -173 run differential, which checks in at third-worst. They’re 9-19 since the All-Star break, and just ended a six-game losing skid against the weirdly hapless Washington Nationals. And they’re biggest story so far might just be Jose Urena intentionally throwing at 20-year-old wunderkind Ronald Acuna:

I’m still angry about it. There’s nothing justifiable about Urena’s actions, and Major League Baseball needs to reevaluate how it handles head (or elbow) hunting. But I digress.

The Lineup We Might See

Manager and old friend Don Mattingly has utilized over one-hundred different lineups this season, the result of injuries, trades, and a lack of talent. Their only real constant is the pitcher batting ninth. We’ll probably see something like this, though:

  1. Rafael Ortega, RF – .317/.378/.366, 0 HR, 0 SB, 113 OPS+
  2. J.T. Realmuto, C – .293/.351/.507, 16 HR, 1 SB, 140 OPS+
  3. Brian Anderson, 3B – .274/.352/.396, 9 HR, 2 SB, 112 OPS+
  4. Derek Dietrich, 1B – .269/.333/.433, 15 HR, 2 SB, 115 OPS+
  5. Starlin Castro, 2B – .287/.335/.407, 10 HR, 6 SB, 109 OPS+
  6. Austin Dean, LF – .176/.222/.412, 1 HR, 0 SB, 75 OPS+
  7. JT Riddle, SS – .231/.269/.394, 7 HR, 0 SB, 85 OPS+
  8. Magneuris Sierra, CF – .164/.164/.192, 0 HR, 1 SB, 1 OPS+
  9. [Pitcher]

Isaac Galloway (166 OPS+ in 27 PA) might see a start in center, and Miguel Rojas (87 OPS+) will start at short if he’s healthy.

(Getty)

The Starting Pitchers We Will See

Tuesday (7:10 PM EST): RHP Masahiro Tanaka vs. RHP Pablo Lopez

Lopez has rocketed through the Marlins organization since being acquired from the Mariners last summer, finishing 2017 at High-A and reaching the majors on June 30, 2018. He made a good first impression, too, holding the Mets to two runs in six innings, striking out five, and keeping the ball on the ground (55.6% grounders). Lopez has had his ups and downs since then, which isn’t too shocking considering that he’s a 22-year-old that made a total of a dozen starts between Double-A and Triple-A – but the potential’s there for a decent mid-rotation starter.

Lopez is a four-pitch guy, working with a low-90s four-seamer, a low-90s sinker, a mid-80s change-up, and a high-70s curve. He has a 52.1% groundball rate on the season, and a strong 6.2% walk rate, to boot.

Last outing (vs. ATL on 8/13) – 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 5 K

Wednesday (7:10 PM EST): RHP Lance Lynn vs. RHP Trevor Richards

Richards is also a rookie, having made his debut back on April 2. He spent the month of May back in Triple-A, making six starts, but he’s been with the team the rest of the way. He has an average-ish 4.28 ERA (3.97 FIP) in 90.1 IP to go along with average strikeout rates (22.4%), but he walks a lot of batters (10.2%) and gives up a lot of flyballs (36.2% groundball rate).

The 25-year-old Richards is a three-pitch guy, working with a low-90s four-seamer, a low-80s change-up, and a low-80s curve. His change-up is his out pitch, boasting a strong 41% whiffs per swing rate.

Last outing (vs. ATL on 8/14) – 4.1 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3 K

The Bullpen

The Marlins bullpen ranks:

  • 24th in WPA
  • 26th in BB%
  • 28th in fWAR
  • 28th in K%
  • 29th in ERA
  • 30th in meltdowns

Kyle Barraclough had been the closer, and he racks up strikeouts (25.0%) and walks (13.9%), en route to a 3.75 ERA. Their most reliable reliever otherwise is Drew Steckenrider (3.40 ERA, 27.6% strikeouts in 53.0 IP), with Nick Wittgren (3.63 ERA in 22.1 IP) and Drew Rucinski (3.74 ERA in 21.2 IP) being serviceable in limited duty.

Who (Or What) To Watch

Realmuto has emerged as the best catcher in baseball, with superb offense coupled with strong defense behind the dish. He’s a legitimate star. The Marlins are otherwise a team of journeyman and rookies, and none of those rookies have been terribly exciting so far. As such, I’ll be watching (and hoping) for the Yankees to keep rolling over subpar teams.

Filed Under: Series Preview Tagged With: Miami Marlins

2018 Trade Deadline Rumors: Tuesday

July 31, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

A lefty bat worth squeezing between Judge and Stanton. (Rob Carr/Getty)

The 2018 non-waiver trade deadline is 4pm ET today and wow have the Yankees been busy. The busiest team in baseball over the last week or so, right? Feels like it. The Yankees have completed six trades in the last six days, some more impactful than others. A recap:

  • Dillon Tate, Josh Rogers, and Cody Carroll for Zach Britton. (RAB post)
  • Brandon Drury and Billy McKinney for J.A. Happ. (RAB post)
  • Chasen Shreve and Gio Gallegos for Luke Voit and $1M in international bonus money. (RAB post)
  • Caleb Frare for $1.5M in international bonus money. (RAB post)
  • Adam Warren for $1.25M in international bonus money. (RAB post)
  • Tyler Austin and Luis Rijo for Lance Lynn. (RAB post)

Eleven players out, four players and $3.75M worth of international bonus money in. Know what the crazy thing is? I am not at all convinced the Yankees are done. They could still use another outfielder (because Aaron Judge is hurt) as well as a catcher (because Gary Sanchez is hurt). Plus more pitching. I’d rather have too much than not enough.

We’re once again going to keep track of the day’s Yankees-related rumors right here, so make sure you check back for updates. The Yankees have made so many moves already that I can’t promise many rumors today, they might in fact be done, but I am open to being surprised. Chat about all the day’s trade deadline rumors and activity here.

  • 2:28pm ET: The Yankees will not be getting Cameron Maybin. He’s been traded to the Mariners. The Yankees reportedly remain in the hunt for a right-handed outfield bat, however.
  • 11:10am ET: The Yankees want a right-handed outfield bat to help cover for Judge, though they were not in on Tommy Pham, who was traded to the Rays. They want someone comfortable with a bench role. [Joel Sherman]
  • 10:49am ET: The Yankees have “zero interest” in Matt Harvey, and that was even before the Happ and Lynn trades. Not surprised. I couldn’t see the Yankees bringing him back to New York, especially since there’s little reason to believe he can pitch well in Yankee Stadium. [Andy Martino]
  • 10:36am ET: You can stop fantasizing about Harper now. “Bryce is not going anywhere. I believe in this team,” said Nationals GM Mike Rizzo this morning. [Chelsea Janes]
  • 10:21am ET: The Yankees have discussed Brad Ziegler with the Marlins. Unless there would be another deal coming a la Warren/Lynn, I’m not sure where he fits. Maybe they’re trying to drive up the price for the Red Sox, who have been connected to Ziegler. [Feinsand]
  • 10:20am ET: The Yankees are expected to add an outfielder today. Expecting to add an outfielder and actually adding an outfielder are two different things though. [Ken Rosenthal, Feinsand]
  • 10:09am ET: The Yankees have spoken to the Mets about Jose Bautista. The Mets don’t want to give him away though, plus the chances of a Yankees-Mets trade are always small. [Heyman]
  • 9:30am ET: In case you missed it last night, the Nationals have made Bryce Harper available. The Yankees haven’t checked in as far as we know, but still, this is pretty noteworthy. [Mark Feinsand]
  • 9:30am ET: The Yankees are among the teams with interest in impending free agent Andrew McCutchen. The Giants insist they’re not ready to sell even though they’ve fallen out of the race. McCutchen is definitely someone who could be on the move in August. [Jon Morosi]
  • 9:30am ET: The Yankees have also checked in on Curtis Granderson and Cameron Maybin, so they’re casting a wide net for an outfielder in the wake of Judge’s injury. I’d be all for a Granderson reunion. The R2C2 podcast episode alone would make it worth it. [Morosi, Jon Heyman]

Reminder: Your trade proposal sucks.

Filed Under: Open Thread, Trade Deadline Tagged With: Andrew McCutchen, Brad Ziegler, Bryce Harper, Cameron Maybin, Cincinnati Reds, Curtis Granderson, Matt Harvey, Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants, Tommy Pham, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals

Trade Deadline Rumors: Gausman, Britton, Straily, Gray, Abreu

July 23, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

Greg Bird’s high school batterymate. (Scott Taetsch/Getty)

The 2018 non-waiver trade deadline is one week and one day away now. Already Manny Machado, Brad Hand, and Jeurys Familia have been moved. More deals are on the way and I am pretty certain the Yankees will trade for a starting pitcher at some point before next Tuesday. Just don’t ask me which starting pitcher. Anyway, here are the latest rumors.

Yankees have checked in on Gausman

The Yankees have checked in on Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman, reports Roch Kubatko. With Machado gone, the O’s might as well hang a “For Sale” sign on the rest of the roster. No sense in keeping anyone because they probably won’t be around long enough to be part of the next contending Orioles team, including Gausman, who is under team control through 2020. Trade him. Trade them all.

The 27-year-old Gausman is having a very typical Kevin Gausman season, which means a 4.33 ERA (4.48 FIP) with okay-ish enough strikeout (20.0%), walk (5.6%), and grounder (46.7%) rates. We’ve seen enough of Gausman over the years to know that, when he’s on, he can dominate any lineup. A mid-90s fastball that still touches 99 mph combined with a good slider and a nasty splitter is quite the arsenal. I can’t help but feel like Gausman should be so much better than he currently is. Depending on the price, I’m totally on board with him as a change of scenery guy.

Yankees among several teams in on Britton

The Yankees are among several teams with interest in O’s closer Zach Britton, reports Jon Heyman and Jerry Crasnick. Britton is an impending free agent and he’s as good as gone before Tuesday’s deadline. There’s no doubt about that. Did the Familia trade set the market for Britton? Both are impending free agents and Familia has been healthier. The Mets basically salary dumped Familia for two fringe prospects and international bonus money.

Since coming back from his Achilles injury Britton has a 3.45 ERA (4.43 FIP) with a 64.1% ground ball rate in 15.2 innings. He’s been much, much better the last few times out as he continues to shake off the rust following a long layoff. Maybe Aroldis Chapman’s ongoing knee issues and near meltdown Saturday has me spooked, but I am totally cool with going after another high-end reliever. Chasen Shreve is easily replaceable, so even if Chapman stays healthy and effective the rest of the way, there’s still room in the bullpen for a guy like Britton.

Teams scouting Gray

Several teams are scouting — and have interest in — Sonny Gray, and, according to Heyman and Nick Cafardo, there is some belief the Yankees want to move him. Of course, the Yankees still want to add to their rotation, so trading Gray means they’d have to bring in two starters, not just one. Can’t say I’m surprised teams are interested in buying low on Gray, who has a strong track record, is under control next season, and has pitched well outside hitter friendly Yankee Stadium.

So far this season Sonny has a 5.34 ERA (4.41 FIP) and, while he’s pitched better his last two times out, I think we’re still a long way from saying he’s turned the corner. I need to see more. A lot more. If the Yankees can use Gray as part of a package to get a high-end starter with control beyond this season, then by all means do it. I wouldn’t trade him just to trade him though. That’s silly. Getting Sonny to right the ship is probably the single best rotation addition the Yankees can make the rest of the way.

Yankees, Marlins talked Straily

Straily. (Jennifer Stewart/Getty)

According to Heyman, the Yankees briefly spoke to the Marlins about right-hander Dan Straily, though the two sides are not close to a deal. If nothing else, Straily can’t become a free agent until the 2020-21 offseason, so he’s a controllable starter. The Marlins are terrible and presumably willing to trade anyone, including Straily. He’s available. This is a not a “they might not want to move him” situation.

Straily, 29, has a 4.02 ERA (5.27 FIP) with 18.9% strikeouts this season, and he continues to have a skill set poorly suited for Yankee Stadium. That means lots of walks (11.1%) and few ground balls (33.5%). He’s posted a 1.52 HR/9 and 13.5% HR/FB rate the last two seasons despite pitching his home games in spacious Marlins Park. Straily’s worth a phone call because why not? Never hurts to check in. He just seems like a real bad fit for Yankee Stadium and the AL East in general.

Giants have interest in Abreu

The Giants have interest in right-hander Albert Abreu, my No. 4 Yankees prospect, reports Brendan Kuty. Abreu is currently on the High-A Tampa disabled list with an elbow issue but is a midseason top 100 prospect according to MLB.com (60th) and Baseball America (79th). Abreu will be 23 in September and he’s thrown 129.1 total innings since Opening Day 2017 due to a variety of injuries. He is not a prospect worth hugging. Abreu should absolutely be available.

Here’s the thing though: What do the Giants have to offer the Yankees? Forget about Madison Bumgarner. They’re not trading him. It’s not realistic at all. Johnny Cueto? Jeff Samardzija? No and no. Too many injuries and too expensive. Perhaps lefty relievers Tony Watson and Will Smith make sense. The Yankees did try to sign Watson over the winter, remember. Watson and Smith have both been excellent this year and San Francisco needs to dump salary to get under the $197M luxury tax threshold, which is a goal. That’s why Austin Jackson was salary dumped earlier this month. Hmmm. Maybe Abreu for Watson or Smith works?

Yanks offered Drury for Machado; Padres wanted Andujar for Hand

According to Cafardo, the Yankees included Brandon Drury in their offer for Machado before he was traded to the Dodgers. Also, according to Andy Martino, the Padres requested Miguel Andujar during trade talks about Hand. Considering San Diego was able to pry elite prospect Francisco Mejia away from the Indians in the Hand trade, asking for Andujar wasn’t far-fetched at all.

Anyway, the Yankees have two Major League caliber third basemen in Andujar and Drury, so it only makes sense to make at least one of them available. That said, Drury is versatile enough to play elsewhere — the Yankees have started using him at first and second bases recently — so it’s not imperative they clear the logjam. There’s room for both guys on the roster. But, if one can net you a really good pitcher or a dude like Machado, go for it.

Filed Under: Trade Deadline Tagged With: Albert Abreu, Baltimore Orioles, Brad Hand, Brandon Drury, Dan Straily, Kevin Gausman, Manny Machado, Miami Marlins, Miguel Andujar, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Sonny Gray, Zack Britton

Yankeemetrics: Riding the pinstripe rollercoaster (April 16-17)

April 18, 2018 by Katie Sharp Leave a Comment

(Newsday)

The Good …
It’s always nice to beat up on the teams you’re supposed to crush, and that’s exactly what the Yankees did in their 12-1 rout of the Marlins on Monday night. The 11-run win was their second-largest in an Interleague game at Yankee Stadium, trailing only their 15-0 shellacking of the Mets in 2009.

The fireworks started early and didn’t let up, with the Yankees racing out to leads of 5-0 after at the end of the third and 11-0 at the end of the fifth. The Yankees have made a habit out of taking big leads recently. Since the start of last season, it was the 61st game in which they’ve had a lead of at least five runs. That’s four more such games than any other team in MLB through Monday’s slate (Astros were second with 57).

Aaron Judge continued his destruction of baseballs and record books, going deep in the second inning for his 60th career homer. It came in his 197th big-league game, making him the fastest player in major-league history to hit 60 homers, needing five fewer games than Mark McGwire.

Didi Gregorius somehow upstaged Judge by knocking two balls out of the park for his second multi-homer game in 2018. As of Monday, he was the only player in the American League with two multi-homer games this season. It was also his fifth homer of the year — #FunFact alert! — which is the same number that the Tigers and Royals each had as a team entering this week’s schedule.

In terms of piling up two multi-homer games this early into the season, Didi has put himself in some elite company. Only four other Yankees have done it twice in the team’s first 15 games since 1950: Alex Rodriguez (2007), Graig Nettles (1974), Mickey Mantle (1961) and Bill Skowron.

These were not Yankee Stadium cheapies, either, with distances of 411 and 416 feet. As of Monday, only six other guys had a game with two 410-foot-plus homers: Justin Smoak, Khris Davis, Javier Baez, Matt Davidson, Tyler Austin and Giancarlo Stanton.

Luis Severino bounced back from his rough outing at Fenway last week to throw an absolute gem. He gave up just one hit over six scoreless innings, walking one and striking out eight. Amazingly, its his second start this season with at least seven strikeouts and no more than one hit allowed.

  • He’s the first pitcher in franchise history with two such games in a single season. Reminder: it’s the middle of April.
  • The only other major-league pitchers in the last 110 seasons to have two such starts within the team’s first 15 games are Bob Feller (1947) and Sam McDowell (1966).
  • Sevy is the lone pitcher in baseball with three such games since the start of last season (his other came last September against the Rangers)

Or, if you prefer something simpler, there’s this leaderboard (through Monday):

Most Starts with 0 or 1 Runs Allowed Since 2017
Luis Severino 18
Chris Sale 18
Clayton Kershaw 17
Max Scherzer 17
(Getty)

… and The Bad
So who are the real Yankees? One day after posting their most convincing win of the season, the Yankees flopped in epic fashion on Tuesday night as the Marlins pummeled them, 9-1. Three weeks into the season and the Yankees are doing their best to define mediocrity. For example, their record after each of their last 10 games (starting April 5): 4-3, 4-4, 5-4, 5-5, 6-5, 6-6, 7-6, 7-7, 8-7, 8-8.

Masahiro Tanaka followed up last week’s debacle against the Red Sox (5 IP, 6 R, 6 ER, 7 H, 2 HR) with a nearly identical awful line against the Marlins (5 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 8 H, 1 HR). He’s the first Yankee to cough up at least six earned runs in back-to-back starts since … Tanaka did so on May 14 and May 20 last year. #NotTanakaTime

Yes, he was hurt by a couple untimely errors behind him, but he didn’t help himself by allowing a ton of hard contact. Eleven of the 17 balls in play against Tanaka had an exit velocity of at least 96 mph, easily the most such batted balls given up by a Yankee pitcher in a game this season.

Giancarlo Stanton was booed yet again at the Stadium as he went 0-for-4, striking out twice, grounding into a double play and popping out with two men on base. It was his sixth game this season with multiple whiffs and no hits, the most by any Yankee in the team’s first 16 games. It’s a super-small sample size, but the hometown fans have good reason to spread the Bronx jeers when he’s at the plate: Stanton is now 3-for-35 (.086) with 20 strikeouts in eight home games, compared to 10-for-31 (.323) with nine strikeouts in eight road games.

Before we close, let’s end on positive note. Miguel Andujar was the Yankees savior and hitting star, helping the team avoid what would have been its worst shutout loss ever in Interleague play, thanks to his first career big-league homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. Combined with his fifth inning double that broke up Jarlin Garcia’s no-hit bid in the fifth inning, this was his third straight game with multiple extra-base hits, earning the young slugger our Obscure Yankeemetric of the Series:

The 23-year-old Andujar is the youngest Yankee in more than 50 years to put together a streak of back-to-back-to-back games with at least two extra base hits. The last one to do it was a Brooklyn-born, 21-year-old rookie named Joe Pepitone in 1962.

Filed Under: Analysis Tagged With: Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miami Marlins, Miguel Andujar, Yankeemetrics

4/16 to 4/17 Season Preview: Miami Marlins

April 16, 2018 by Domenic Lanza Leave a Comment

Castro and Bour. (Michael Reaves/Getty)

The Yankees were expected to have something of an easy weekend, as they headed to Detroit to face the tanking Tigers. A hard-fought victory on Friday cleansed the palate of the bad taste of the Red Sox series (at least to an extent), and then the Yankees were quite literally able to take the weekend off, as freezing rain postponed the second and third games of the series. Up next on the docket: the Marlins.

The Last Time They Met

It has been nearly three years since these teams squared-off, the last time being a four-game home and home series in June of 2015. The series was split right down the middle, with both teams winning their home games. A couple of notes:

  • Giancarlo Stanton enjoyed facing the Yankees pitching staff, going 5-of-15 with 2 HR and 4 RBI in the series. And one of those two home runs was his first in Yankee Stadium.
  • The Marlins roster is, unsurprisingly, completely different nowadays. Only three of their starting position players from that series remain in the organization, in J.T. Realmuto, Justin Bour, and Derek Dietrich. Interestingly enough, that makes their lineup more recognizable than the Yankees – Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius are the only position players from that series that are still with the team.

Check out Katie’s Yankeemetrics post for more information on the series.

Injury Report

The willingly depleted Marlins are further hindered by injuries, with Wei-Yin Chen, Garrett Cooper, Martin Prado, J.T. Realmuto, and Dan Straily all on the disabled list. That’s two starting pitchers, two starting position players, and a bench player sidelined for the time being, for what it’s worth. Though, both Realmuto and Straily could be back as early as this week (with the former a possibility for this series).

Their Story So Far

Miami is 4-11 (with a -35 run differential), which is good for the fourth-worst record in the game. They opened the season with a surprising four-game split with the Cubs, and followed that up by dropping nine of their next eleven. And that stretch includes a humiliating 20-1 loss at the hands of the Phillies. None of this is particularly surprising, though, given that the Marlins traded four of their top-five players (by WAR) this off-season, and the fifth has yet to play a game due to a back injury. FiveThirtyEight pegged the Marlins as the worst team in baseball heading into 2018, predicting a 67-95 record, and they’re well on their way to that manner of futility.

The Lineup We Might See

Manager Don Mattingly has changed his lineup around quite a bit in this young season, with the only real consistency being Starlin Castro’s presence in the third slot. If their last week or so is any indication of what to expect, we might see something like this:

  1. Derek Dietrich, LF
  2. Miguel Rojas, SS
  3. Starlin Castro, 2B
  4. Justin Bour, 1B
  5. Brian Anderson, 3B
  6. Cameron Maybin, DH
  7. J.B. Shuck, RF
  8. Lewis Brinson, CF
  9. Chad Wallach or Bryan Holaday, C

If Realmuto returns, I expect him to DH and hit somewhere in the first five slots in the lineup.

Jarlin Garcia. (Eric Espada/Getty)

The Starting Pitchers We Will See

Monday (6:35 PM EST): RHP Luis Severino vs. LHP Caleb Smith

It’s only three starts, but Smith has one of the more interesting pitching lines in baseball thus far. Through 13.1 IP he has a 31.2% strikeout rate, 16.4% walk rate, and a 28.1% groundball rate, which all contribute to his 4.73 ERA (77 ERA+). One assumes that this cannot continue but, given the Marlins depth (or lack therefor), there’s a good chance that we’ll find out in time. It’s worth noting that he has struck out better than a batter per inning in each start, so that isn’t buoyed by one lights out performance

Smith is a three-pitch guy featuring a low-90s four-seamer, a mid-80s change-up, and a low-80s slider. He throws that slider about a third of the time, and batters are hitting just .087 against it in 2018.

Last outing (vs. NYM on 4/10) – 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K

Tuesday (6:35 PM EST): RHP Masahiro Tanaka vs. LHP Jarlin Garcia

Garcia pitched exclusively out of the bullpen last season, tossing 53.1 innings in 68 appearances. He was frequently used as a LOOGY, but his stuff allowed him to face righties every so often, as well. Garcia came up as a starter, and the move to the bullpen was always supposed to be temporary, so it’s no surprise to see him in the rotation in 2018. And he was working on a no-hitter against the Mets before being pulled because Mattingly felt he was laboring, so the early returns have been quite good.

I can almost copy and paste Smith’s repertoire here, as Garcia throws a low-90s four-seamer, a mid-80s change-up, and a mid-80s slider. The extra ticks on the slider and the groundball tendencies make a world of difference, though.

Last outing (vs. NYM on 4/11) – 6.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K

The Bullpen

The Marlins bullpen has struggled through fifteen games, with a 4.71 ERA in 70.2 IP. Closer Brad Ziegler has an 8.10 ERA, and has allowed at least one run in three of his six appearances. And, going a step further, he has yet to throw a one-two-three inning. They have three additional relievers with at least 5.0 IP and an ERA above 6, too. Set-up man Kyle Barraclough is next in-line to close, and has been solid thus far, as has former Red Sock Junichi Tazawa.

Yankees Connection

Where should I start?

The Marlins CEO is Derek Jeter who will, unfortunately, not be making the trip to Yankee Stadium. He’s joined in the front office by Vice President of Player Development and Scouting Gary Denbo, who filled the same role for the Yankees as recently as last Fall. And, of course, there’s Donnie Baseball in the dugout.

On the player’s side there’s Starlin Castro, Caleb Smith (lest we forget his 7.71 ERA in 18.2 IP with the Yankees last year), and Tyler Cloyd (who pitched at SWB in 2016), as well as the currently injured Martin Prado and Garrett Cooper.

Who (Or What) To Watch

I’m interested to see how (former?) best friends Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro interact in the opportunity arises, as they were always a great deal of fun together in the Bronx. And, on a more comical note, I’m curious to see how the Yankees announcers handle discussing a lineup and pitching staff full of rookies and journeymen.

If you’re looking for player to watch on the Marlins, Lewis Brinson might be the best bet. He’s struggled mightily thus far, but he’s one of the toolsiest young players in the majors, and was a consensus top-30 prospect for each of the last three years.

Filed Under: Series Preview Tagged With: Miami Marlins

Saturday Links: Jeter, A-Rod, Forbes Franchise Values

April 14, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

2018 is weird, man. (Presswire)

The Yankees and Tigers were rained out today, and there’s a pretty good chance they’ll get rained out tomorrow too. The weather forecast in Detroit doesn’t look good at all. Here, to help you pass the time during this sudden Yankees baseball-less day, are some links and notes to check out.

Jeter skipping Yankees-Marlins series

The rebuilding Miami Marlins will be in the Bronx this week to play a quick two-game series Monday and Tuesday, but minority owner Derek Jeter will not make the trip, according to Joe Frisaro. Jeter told Frisaro he’s not making the trip because going to Yankee Stadium will be awkward. From Frisaro:

“I’m not going. I just want to let everybody know, I’m not going to New York. I went to the Spring Training game when we played New York. But it would be an awkward situation for me to actually go to Yankee Stadium. I’m just being honest with you guys. That’s why I’m not going. I knew it was going to be a story, one way or the other. So, I might as well get out in front of it and say, I’m not going. So, I will not be there.”

The Yankees will make a two-game trip to Miami later this season, and I imagine Jeter will be in the house for that. I wonder how long it’ll be until it’s not awkward for Jeter to come back to Yankee Stadium? Never is a long time. I’m sure it’ll happen at some point. Plenty of others have gone on to other teams and returned for Old Timers’ Day, for example. (Not as an owner though.) Jeter knows the Yankees enhance his personal #brand. I doubt he’ll cut ties completely.

A-Rod talked to Dodgers in 2007

Earlier this week Alex Rodriguez made some headlines when, on an ESPN broadcast, he said he wishes he would’ve signed with the Mets back during the 2000-01 offseason rather than the Rangers. Jon Heyman has a follow up column with a few fun notes. Two stand out in particular:

  • Brian Cashman and Scott Boras were discussing an eight-year extension worth $235M before A-Rod opted out in 2007. That would’ve added five new years on top of his existing contract.
  • After exercising the opt-out, Boras and the Dodgers were discussing a potential $320M contract over an unknown number of years.

After A-Rod opted out in 2007, it was widely reported Cashman wanted the Yankees to walk away, but ownership stepped in and re-signed him to his then record ten-year, $270M deal. That Dodgers deal would’ve been a total disaster given what he know now. A-Rod’s hip broke down and they don’t have a DH spot. Assuming that $320M deal covered ten years, Rodriguez would’ve become the first $30M a year player in history, beating Clayton Kershaw by seven years.

Yankees again ranked as most valuable MLB franchise

Once again, the Yankees are the most valuable franchise in baseball according to Forbes. Forbes has compiling franchise valuations for 21 years now and the Yankees have been atop the list every year. The Yankees are valued at $4 billion, up from $3.7 billion last year. Their revenue is estimated at $619M, but their operating income is a mere $14M. Here are the most valuable franchises:

1. Yankees: $4 billion
2. Dodgers: $3 billion
3. Cubs: $2.9 billion
4. Giants: $2.85 billion
5. Red Sox: $2.8 billion
…
29. Marlins: $1 billion
30. Rays: $900M

The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 is the same as the gap between No. 2 and No. 7. The Yankees are truly in a world of their own among the 30 MLB franchises.

As noted in the Forbes piece, the Yankees generate roughly 20% more revenue than any other team thanks to the YES Network, the still new ballpark, and other side ventures like Legends Hospitality. The average MLB franchise is worth $1.645 billion these days, which is ridiculous. The Marlins sold for $1.2 billion last year. Imagine what a mid-range franchise could go for on the open market.

Filed Under: Hot Stove League, News Tagged With: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Miami Marlins

Cito Culver signs with Marlins on a minor league deal

January 10, 2018 by Joe Pawlikowski Leave a Comment

(Presswire)
(Presswire)

The Yankees drafted Cito Culver on June 7, 2010. I remember the date, because everyone was pissed.

Things were going pretty damn well at that point. Fresh off World Series No. 27, the Yankees were 35-22 heading into that night, 2 games back of the Rays in the East but with the second-best record in the AL. They had no game that night, so all eyes were on the draft.

Although the Yankees were picking 32nd, there were still many intriguing names that should have been available. Keith Law had them taking Gary Brown, Tyrell Jenkins, and Christian Yelich in the various versions of his mock draft. (Neither Brown nor Yelich would be available when the Yankees selected.) Baseball Prospectus had them taking Brown as well, and before that suggested that they could take Jedd Gyorko. I also distinctly remember hearing the name A.J. Cole mentioned.

Let’s go to Mike for the official reaction to the Yankees’ selection:

I remember saying “who in the world is that?” when then-commissioner Bud Selig announced the Yankees had selected New York HS SS Cito Culver with their first round pick, the 32nd overall selection. Culver ranked 168th (!) on Baseball America’s top 200 draft prospects that year and the consensus at the time said he was a third or fourth round talent.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Culver never really worked out. By all accounts he was solid enough in the field, but his batting average topped out at around .250 and his OBP around .320. By 2015 he had completely worn out his welcome as a prospect, hitting .199/.249/.279 in 390 PA for Trenton. He came back with two of his better years in 2016 and 2017, but there was no real value in hanging onto him.

The Marlins signed Culver yesterday to a minor league contract, which is interesting for two reasons. First, that’s one place he might actually get to crack a major league roster at some point. They have no one entrenched at shortstop, and their main gloveman in 2017 is 29 and has 757 career PA. Culver could also fit in at second base in the wake of Dee Gordon’s departure. The second interesting bit is the connection you’d always make between the Yankees and Marlins: Gary Denbo. In 2010 Denbo was a player development consultant for the Yankees, so he’s seen Culver throughout his career.

(And who knows, maybe the plan is to turn him into a pitcher/two-way player.)

The Yankees as an organization won’t miss Culver. They have plenty of up-the-middle talent. Yankees fans won’t miss Culver, either. But we’ll always have that night in June, when everyone as pissed that the Yankees took some kid they’d never even considered.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Cito Culver, Miami Marlins

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