“@RoderickCrowley: #Marlins = Chance -1. #ThereISaidIt

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

• Tweet

]]> http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/20/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-20/feed/ 0 http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/18/carlos-zambranos-renaissance/ http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/18/carlos-zambranos-renaissance/#comments Sat, 19 May 2012 02:36:14 +0000 John Ricard http://marlinsnation.com/?p=1385 After a tumultuous career in Chicago with the Cubs, it was another new employee of the Marlins relocating from Chicago that helped Carlos Zambrano. It was Ozzie Guillen and he felt that Zambrano could use a climate change and that this would help him perform better.

So far it is working.

Zambrano entered tonight’s game against the Cleveland Indians with a 1.88 ERA and after another solid 7 inning performance, Big Z walked away with his 2nd win of the season and an ERA at 1.96. Hitters are only hitting .199 against him in 55 IP.

Meanwhile, Chris Volstad, former Marlins frontline prospect and top draft pick, was unpacked to acquire Zambrano this past offseason. Volstad was recently demoted to Iowa after going 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA. The Cubs have been defeated in all 8 of his starts thus far. Zambrano, who is owed about $16M, is still getting his check cashed by the Cubs which must be doubly troubling for the Cubs who realized he would not fit within their organization but may have pinned too many hopes on Volstad to replace him.

The Marlins are getting Zambrano at about a $2M price tag, basically Volstad’s paycheck, and are getting a frontline starter draped in the middle of their rotation without the pressure to succeed which may have hampered him in Chicago. His sinkerball continues to find effective work and Zambrano is pitching with ferocity and confidence on the mound.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

• Tweet

]]> http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/18/carlos-zambranos-renaissance/feed/ 0 http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/13/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-13/ http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/13/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-13/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000 John Ricard http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/13/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-13/

“@LoMoMarlins: @bretthayes9 if u had Dobbs with u I bet u would feel safer. #mostinterestingmaninbaseball

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

• Tweet

]]> http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/13/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-13/feed/ 0 http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/07/andiamo-giancarlo-a-rebirth-at-the-plate-away-from-home/ http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/07/andiamo-giancarlo-a-rebirth-at-the-plate-away-from-home/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 02:08:37 +0000 John Ricard http://marlinsnation.com/?p=1380 A new name, a new game? The artist formerly known as Mike Stanton was struggling. He was putting up Albert Pujols-like numbers – that is the Angels version of Pujols. No home runs in 2012 despite a new ballpark, new manager, new uniforms, higher expectations, new teammates and a future as bright as the Miami sun itself.

Now, after seven games on this road trip, Giancarlo Stanton has 6 home runs. The power has awoken and he is mashing the ball. In fact, so strong is he that the scary thing is he is not even getting all of the ball – and he’s crushing it.

Last night he dropped one into the left field warehouse in San Diego. Tonight, he lifted a lined drive over the wall to left field – a laser that could have gone through anyone crazy enough to stand in the way.

So, what happened? Why is it clicking? Tom D’Angelo put together a very nice piece that discusses how moving his hands back has really helped Stanton stay back on the ball and get his timing right. Now, his swing is crisp and whispers about his health are dissipating.

Stanton had gone a career long 97 at bats without a homer until April 29th, which was at Marlins Park. Now 7 games into a 9 game road trip and he has hit 5 more home runs. He’s ripping the ball and doing it with more confidence. Ozzie Guillen isn’t sold on all the technical talk, but says he is quite simply swinging at strikes now. A 10 game hitting streak with 6 home runs is pretty impressive no matter how it is done.

Whatever is going on, Giancarlo is finally doing his best Mike Stanton imitation. He is hitting the ball and driving in runs and it is no coincidence that the Marlins are starting to win games more regularly again.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

• Tweet

]]> http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/07/andiamo-giancarlo-a-rebirth-at-the-plate-away-from-home/feed/ 0 http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/06/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-06-2/ http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/06/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-06-2/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000 John Ricard http://marlinsnation.com/2012/05/06/twitter-weekly-updates-for-2012-05-06-2/

“@JacoboHakim: @MarlinsNation can you follow me?” I think we can do that. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

With a 5-0 lead and Josh Johnson on the mound, it was looking like an easier win for the Fish as they stretched out their legs on this road trip while hoping to give the bullpen a rest. At the end of this 12 inning marathon, the Marlins had tossed away two leads and used up 6 relievers to get their fourth straight. Truly a Pyrrhic victory.

What emerges are some concerns – is Josh Johnson truly healthy? His command is very much off as he left pitches over the plate and watched his 5-0 lead evaporate in just 2.2 innings when he was pulled from the game.

“You’re up, 5-0, and JJ is on the mound, you feel good about yourself,” Guillen said. “I just wonder if he’s not feeling good. He says he feels good, but command is not there. A lot of bad pitches. With two strikes, keeping the ball up. Right now, what’s killing him is he doesn’t have any command of his pitches.”

Then there is Heath Bell. His season seems to be very bumpy and there are questions circulating about whether or not he will keep the closer role through the weekend, let alone for the rest of the season. His problems also can be attributed to location as he has walked 10 batters already versus only 6 strikeouts. Hitters are hitting .308 from the left side and over .400 from the right side.

But it was Omar Infante who, again, comes up with a big hit to give the Marlins back the lead in the 12th inning which was the eventual game winner. Steve Cishek, also, has emerged as a possible candidate to replace Bell if his struggles continue. Getting the 9-8 win, the Marlins were able to get their 4th straight win, but more questions loom on the horizon about two of their big arms.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

The Marlins have $27M reasons why they should be wondering if they made the right move. With his fourth blown save in seven opportunities, Heath Bell is looking more and more like a mistake. “We gotta do something. We can’t be waiting anymore,” Ozzie Guillen said to the press shortly after last night’s 9-8 12th inning win for the Marlins.

Being 0-3 with 4 saves and an 11.45 ERA is not what the Fish had envisioned when Bell was signed this past offseason. But it gets worse – his numbers, thus far, are in sharp decline.

Bell’s K per 9 innings ratio is down from 11.1 in 2010 to and 7.3 last season to only 5.9 this season. He has only 6 Ks in 8.2 innings but has 10 walks. He is not getting his first batters out and both sides of the plate are mashing him – lefties hit .308 while righties hit an appalling .409 right now.

Scouts are noting that he doesn’t look the same on the mound and that his velocity has begun to dip a bit. His location is off and he is struggling. The question is, can he correct this and emerge out of this funk as a consistent late game closer and will the Marlins be forced to scrap it and go in another direction? Judging by the trends of his numbers, it would seem that his walks are an anomaly or in the least, in direct correlation with control problems. He already has 10 walks while averaging about 26 per season from 2007-2011.

Ozzie’s let’s see and wait approach may only last a few more games – as it should. One of his strengths is his ability to make detached decisions while a manager like Freddie Gonzalez would give too many chances and cost his team games. Expect a short leash and possibly a change in the backend of the bullpen. You might see Heath Bell become one of the more expensive set up men in the league.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

This episode focuses on Ozzie’s return to the Marlins and what kind of reaction awaits him. Watch for yourself:

Check out more Marlins’ videos and coverage on our YouTube channel.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

At that point, it was looking like ugly loss #7 in a row was rearing its ugly head. No one would have predicted what happened next – that Sanchez would retire the next 16 DBacks in a row, striking out 14 of them. Sanchez would become only the third Marlin to ever strike out 14+ batters in a game (Ricky Nolasco with 16 back in 2009 against the Braves, and AJ Burnett would K 14 twice).

All of a sudden, in a blink of an eye, Sanchez became unhittable again.

It was the same with the Marlins’ bats. They couldn’t get anything to get past the infield. Everything was hit right at someone and when they did get a hit, it came with usually 2 outs and no real threat. Ian Kennedy did a great job spreading out the hits and lightening any potential damage. Then Jose Reyes drove in a run followed by a solo shot into the Longball Lagoon from Logan Morrison. All of a sudden, the game was tied 2-2.

It took an open base at 1st, and an intentional walk, but eventually it fell to Hanley Ramirez to try and knock home the game winning run. And in the blink of an eye, Hanley did just that – he drove Mike Stanton home to steal the Marlins’ first win since the Cub series, snapping a 6 game losing streak.

Today the Marlins will go for the series win at 1:00pm against the Diamondbacks.

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

• 

Powered by Twitter Tools

Don't Swim Alone! Share!

•