Disqualification in the Derby

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It was another glorious first Saturday in May in Louisville, as the women dressed up to the nines, and the men wore their very best Seersucker suits.  The Kentucky Derby over the years, has become more of a Fashion, and beautiful people exposition, than the premier event for 3 year old thoroughbreds. But this writer happens to be a big fan of the sport year round, and not just when it’s time to spring for a $200 dollar hat for your wife that she will only wear once in her lifetime.  I’m a fan in November, when the Breeders Cup has come and gone, and next to nobody pays attention to Horse Racing.  So with everybody’s eyes on Churchill Downs on Saturday, I believe a great travesty was perpetrated.

Full Disclosure: I stood to gain (financially) from Maximum Security (#7) staying up as the winner of the 145th Kentucky Derby.
What happened on Saturday afternoon in the 145th Kentucky Derby was an outrage, and I should be upset by it, but the emotion that comes to mind is annoyance. The disqualification of Maximum Security (#7) and the elevation of Country House (#20) as the champion, was on it’s face, stupid. Country House was NOT interfered with, and was never impeded. He was out run to the wire. He lost. The only horse that had a rightful claim of Foul was War of Will (#1). Jockey Tyler Gaffalione did not claim a foul. War of Will’s trainer Mark Casse, said that he did not think that it was worth claiming a foul since his horse finished in 8th place. So a horse/jockey/trainer that had no business claiming a foul, in essence claimed it for somebody else, and then benefited from it. Congratulations to Country House/Flavien Prat/Bill Mott, I guess.

So, what do we have now? The owner of Maximum Security Gary West, is seeking to appeal the ruling, and after being denied (Kentucky law says the Stewards decision is final and cannot be challenged) is now contemplating going to Federal Court to address his grievance. We also got a declaration from Bill Mott (Country House’s trainer) that he will be shooting for the Belmont and will skip the Preakness Stakes, as will Maximum Security. So great, no rematch either. How could this get any worse? Well, it did, with blatant lies from jockey Flavien Prat and Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott. I mean, these two guys are great at what they do, but they evidently don’t understand the wonders of replay video. Too many Horse Racing analysts are waxing poetically about “safety”, “the rules”, the “spirit of the law” to justify the disqualification, and to be quite honest, it’s just not legitimate.

Here are the FACTS: The Stewards never posted the inquiry sign at the Race’s conclusion, so they themselves are saying that they saw nothing wrong. The one horse that had a real complaint (War of Will) never lodged an objection. A horse that was never interfered with and did not cross the wire first, got elevated to be the winner because they were just savvy enough to lodge a complaint for somebody else, and the Stewards were stupid enough to fall for it. So we have the first disqualification from first in the 145 year history of the Kentucky Derby.

Anyway, the money is gone. So where do we go from here? Easy. Country House has to win the Belmont Stakes, and probably another championship for 3 year olds to prove he is not a total fraud. Maximum Security just has to come back and be equal with the rest, and will likely win the Eclipse for best 3 year old in the land (after all, he “should” still be undefeated). In the end, We have an illegitimate Kentucky Derby champion, and the Triple Crown season is lost. To the casual fan, See you guys in October for Breeders Cup where we hopefully don’t do THIS again.

Derek Jeter’s actions mean more than hollow words

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When it comes to the state of the Miami Marlins, the words of CEO Derek Jeter mean almost nothing.

Not to say that the second-year chief executive is a liar, but when he makes a decision that’s impactful to the organization and offers no real explanation, then his words are merely hollow.

Chip Bowers was relieved of his duties as president of business operations on Thursday. Which meant Jeter was made available to reporters on Friday to find out why the seemingly sudden change in personnel. Bowers was a former Golden State Warriors marketing officer prior to joining the Marlins 14 months ago. He was tasked with negotiating for a new television deal and ballpark naming rights before his firing.

“It was a decision we didn’t make lightly, or spontaneously,” said Jeter, who also pointed out that the decision was made solely by him. “A lot of thought went into this. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. We have an ownership group that has high expectations, and at times we move at a challenging pace.

“This has to do with our overall business strategy. We felt as though there was a change needed in the leadership group.”

A lot of factors went into this decision, according to Jeter. Factors that he had no interest in divulging despite the dutiful inquiries of the local media. When Local 10’s Will Manso asked Jeter about where the Marlins stands on revenue, he replied, “You keep going, I keep telling you I’m not going to go into details.”

This is more about Jeter than Bowers. As the CEO, everything runs though him. Because of his lack of details, his message usually falls on deaf ears. Even when trying to justify a course of action, there is nothing he’s been willing to say that a press release wouldn’t cover. What truly matters are his actions and the result, a cause and effect, if you will.

His actions produced a Hall of Fame career as a shortstop for the New York Yankees. His actions in Miami have put in place a rebuilding strategy similar to that of the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, and a fresh rebrand. Marlins Park has been revamped with cooler ascetics and cheaper concessions without the sacrifice of quality. An internal effort has been made to cultivate a bilingual organization in Miami from players to staffers.

“Our ownership group has invested a lot of money into giving our team the tools to be successful,” Jeter said. “We have high expectations.”

The results so far is an improved minor league system with pitching prospects stacked from Single-A Jupiter to Triple-A New Orleans. But as of now, the big league club is once again in last place in front of low attendance. Those results are expected to change in due time, which requires patience that he admittedly lacks.

Jeter said he’s, “working hard on gaining the trust of our fan base,” but trust is a two-way street. Currently the fans don’t have enough trust in Jeter’s plan to come to the games and Jeter doesn’t have enough trust in the media to explain any of his moves with substance. He said as much in his Daily Show appearance in South Beach after the 2018 season.

This is the one occasion where you’re better off listening with your eyes than your ears.

AJR’s “Neotheater” transcends Pop Music

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AJR’s “Neotheater” is what you get when you mix the lyrical introspection of twenty one pilots, with the absurd production chops of Jon Bellion, and add a splash of Jack Antonoff’s knack to make make a record tell a complete story.

This album, as its title would suggest, is a new form of theater. The AJR brothers (Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met) made a record that could just as easily be turned into a Broadway musical as it is streamed on Spotify because of the themes it represents, its hidden reprises, and even its refusal to follow a single tempo for any given song. Whether that comes from a string section playing the chorus of an earlier song in the background of another track, or a lyric being brought back in a small sample, the album connects from top to bottom. (SPOILER ALERT: Check “Break My Face” for a piece of “Birthday Party”). “Neotheater” is a tale of twenty-somethings using simple questions combined with overarching themes of life to address the time and space in which the songwriters are in their lives, and that authenticity shines through every lyric, orchestral melody, and funky hip-hop beat.

From the top, “Neotheater” pays homage to a time where records accomplished the previously stated goal they set out for of completing a narrative. The use of 1920’s sounding harmonies off the top of “Next Up Forever,” the first track, straight into an electric sounding beat lets you know AJR is not going to stay within the confines of a traditional pop record.

Their previous album, “The Click,” explored some new territory in both lyrics and production, but this album felt like a conscious effort to take a risk and explore a new space. That’s something I admire in an artist or group.

Often times, an artist’s sense of comfort or fear of failure can lead them to attempt to duplicate success. It’s easy to make a carbon copy what you’ve done before and know your fans will like it. For example, the Plain White T’s did their best to duplicate the success of their hit, “Hey There Delilah,” with the knock off, “1234.” While “1234” was a fine song and it worked in part, what did it really accomplish in terms of artistry? (We’ll get back to “Hey There Delilah” in a bit…).

It’s the great ones who make every record unique to themselves but different from any of their previous work. It is actually something I greatly admire about Bruce Springsteen. Every Springsteen song certainly sounds like Springsteen, but each record takes on a new domain. When Bruce had smashing success with “Born to Run,” it would have been easy to pump out another 8-track record duplicating the folksiness of Thunder Road, attitude of Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, anthem sound of Born to Run, and ballad of Jungleland falling 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th on the new album. Instead, he took 3 years and addressed his conflict with his record company and the negativity swirling around him while writing nearly 40 songs (10 of which made the cut) for “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and he’s used that same process ever since.

AJR takes a similar path with this record in that they refuse to just write the same style of bops that came from the record before. Yes, there are a few “bangers” on this record, but lyrically, they almost feel accidental. Each song captures an emotion and the band makes a brilliant production choice in using an almost over-abundance of strings and horns. Similar to when you hear a piano melody in your favorite TV show that indicates a moment where you’re about to cry, the band taps into your subconscious. With the strings, you know it’s a moment of feeling the dramatic or deeper thoughts on the record, while with horns, you feel happy. There’s even a school bell ringing buried in production, but I’ll let you find that yourself. Nonetheless, each these choices tap into a specific feeling the band wants you to have while listening to a given song — whether that’s nostalgia, love, or hope.

Before I wrap up this long-winded way of saying, “This album was good and you should listen,” I do want to add a few quick notes about some individual songs’ lyrics concepts:

  • “Next Up Forever” — The concept of wanting to always be on the chase is relevant to any young person searching for the next step. In this case, in literal terms, it’s about the album, but it can be true to relationships, jobs, etc.
  • “Don’t Throw Out My Legos” — Anyone who has reached the moment of moving out of their parents house will cry listening to this song. There. I said it.
  • “Turning Out, Part ii” — I’m not sure I’ve heard a love song tackle this subject in this way. The overall concept is loving the idea of another person rather than actually having been in love with them and the tolls that can take on a person.
  • “Karma” — What happens when you feel you’ve been doing everything right but you haven’t quite found what you’re searching for quite yet? This song, set as a visit to the therapist’s office, delves into that.
  • “Dear Winter” — The one acoustic song on the record…if this doesn’t become the “Hey There Delilah” of this generation’s angsty teenagers, we riot. (See. I told you I’d bring it back)

AJR tackled a new domain with this album. They pushed the boundaries of pop music and quite literally told a story. I believe more artists should write this way. In the era of streams, many artists pump out a 2-minute song with a catchy hook to get you to listen as much as possible. AJR put out a complete record.

This is (technically) a sports site, so I’ll put it into sports terms. Mosts artists like Chris Davis — every once in a while they’ll avoid the strikeout and hit a homer, and they just have to live with those results because of the payoff. AJR made a Mike Trout-level record — it does all the little things well *and* consistently hits home runs.

So, anyway. Stream the album. Listen from it front to end. Pay respect to a group who made some music the right way. Cool? Cool.

(If you want more detail from the men themselves and are a music nerd like me, you’ll enjoy this breakdown in the link they tweet here.)

The Heat’s 2018-19: Making Sense of an Odd Season

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Just about any way you want to evaluate success, you have to come to the same conclusion regarding the 2018-19 season: it was not a success.

The Heat finished the season 39-43, which was short of the season total of 41.5 that was at the WestGate in Las Vegas prior to the start of the season. They failed to make the playoffs, which by Pat Riley’s own admission is the primary goal for his franchise every single season. Despite the overall sour note that the season ended on, there were still quite a few areas that should leave fans hopeful going into the off-season. Before we get into that, let’s touch on the brightest aspect of the team this season, which was the wonderful distraction that helped alleviate the more long-term concerns surrounding the franchise: Dwyane Wade’s final season.

#OneLastDance

The main plot line for the Heat season: Dwyane Wade’s #OneLastDance. With the team struggling to assert itself in a relatively open Eastern Conference, Dwyane became the focus of the Heat’s marketing efforts, especially once the Heat began falling out of the playoff race. Before I get into the statistics of a surprisingly effective year for the greatest player in Heat history, I’ll state that I was personally blown away by how effective he was this season. For a player with his history of injuries and physical contact, and his adjustment to a reserve role, it was remarkable that Wade could turn in his best season since his initial divorce with the Heat back in 2016. Let’s go through some of the areas that Dwyane really showed out and compare them to the last time he was that effective in those categories:

Games Played: 72 (Most since 2015-16)

Assists per 36 Minutes: 5.7 (Most since 2009-10)

3-Pointers Made: 86 (Most since his career high of 88 in 2008-09)

3-Pointers Attempted: 261 (Most since his career high of 278 in 2008-09)

3-Point Percentage: 33.0% (CAREER HIGH)

Assist to Turnover Ratio: 1.81 (Highest mark since he had a 1.81 AST/TO back in 2012-13)

Double Doubles: 4 (Most since 2013-14)

Dwyane (Benjamin) Button via Christian’s photoshop library

When you take a peek at Dwyane’s Synergy numbers, you see that he was still a productive and serviceable player on a team that competed all season trying to make the playoffs. Wade was in the 43rd percentile in isolation plays plus passes, 49th percentile in pick and rolls plus passes, and 44th percentile on post ups plus passes. Ranking right around league average in every major offensive play type shows that 37-year old Dwyane was still a useful player (and bolsters the argument that he could’ve kept playing). That argument gets even stronger when you see that Dwyane held opponents to 0.92 points per possessions in man defense, which was in the 55th percentile league wide.

Of course, what made Dwyane the truly dynamic player that he was was his ability to come up big in the most important moments. When the Heat were with in a game within 5 points with a minute or less remaining in regulation, Dwyane led the team in points scored, 3-pointers made, rebounds, assists, steals, AND blocks. He truly became the legend we all know and love in those final moments even in his final season.

While it’s somewhat disappointing that Wade didn’t get one last playoff appearance to ride into the sunset, I would argue that his career ending triple-double in Brooklyn was only possible because the Heat were eliminated from contention. Dwyane to Udonis for the jumper to complete Dwyane’s triple double will go down as one of the great plays in franchise history purely on nostalgia alone.

Farewell G.O.A.T. May you ride into the Valhalla of retirement and get to crushing bottles of wine on the golf course.

Dwyane catches eyes with the Basketball Gods looking down on him

#JustiseBetter

Nobody on the roster had a more significant season than Justise Winslow when it comes to a career prospective. He showed his first real signs that he could be a useful offensive player. His first two seasons in the league were mired with injuries and an inability to shoot with any consistency. Teams had left him open and dared him to beat them. Those days are officially behind him as he has expanded and grown his game in a variety of areas. Here are some the metrics that Justise improved in from 2017-18 to 2018-19:

As you can see, Justise improved his game in many ways, from finishing around the rim, to establishing his mid-range jumper, to expanding his use of his floater, to reaffirming that 2017-18’s 3-point improvement wasn’t an anomaly. Justise increased his 3-point rate by 22% this season and kept the same efficiency from behind the arc, which is a great sign for his future development. Having the confidence in his shot will enable him to work on other aspects of his game that he needs to improve, such as free throw shooting, finishing in the pick and roll, and finishing more reliably in transition. However, the most significant development for Justise was his leap as a floor general.

When Goran Dragic went down with a knee injury in December, Justise was called on to take the mantle of heading the Heat’s offense, and the team responded by winning 8 of their next 10 leading Spoelstra to declare Winslow the starting point guard moving forward. Even before this season, Winslow had showed flashes of being a capable playmaker, but getting thrust into the lead role gave him an opportunity to show off his facilitating instincts.

Part of what helped open things up for Justise is that last season he established himself as reliable 3-pointer shooter (38% on 129 attempts). That forces defenses to stay closer to him at the three-point line which opens up his ability initiate the drive and kick game. He also has the initial burst to beat his man and take it all the way to the rim, which is why it’s huge that he continues to improve his touch around the basket. Here is one of my favorite examples of how Justise’s established range allowed him to take a premier defender off the dribble and get to the rim.

Of course, often when you see an increase of a role on one end, sometimes things can slip a bit on the other end. Winslow had already established himself as a staunch defender heading into this season saw his defensive play slip a bit as he began exerting more effort and attention to the offensive end of the court. Justise was only in the 49th percentile in overall defense this season, which was down from the 65th percentile last season, and his peak in the 81st percentile his rookie season. Part of that though has to do with the positions he is being asked to defend, and moving forward, it would make more sense from a structural standpoint to treat him as a guard on both sides of the ball.

Analysis of Winslow’s Defense using NBA Stats Matchup Data and Basketball-Reference Position Estimate Data

As seen above, Winslow fared much better both in his ability to keep opponents from scoring (FG% & FT%) and in his ability to make plays defensively (TOV & BLK) when he defended guards and small wings (1-2.5) versus wings and bigs (3-5). While Winslow’s flexibility is one of his strengths, after 4 years in the league we are getting a very clear picture of who he is as a player and where his advantages are. Put the ball in his hands and stick him on the opposing team’s guards and build around him as such.

The Rise of BAM

This season brought the changing of the guard that the center position, as Bam Adebayo supplanted Hassan Whiteside as the team’s starter near the midway point. The irony of it all, and I supposed speaks to the upside that Bam has, is that Hassan might have had his best season as a NBA player in 2018-19. While I won’t be getting too deep into Hassan’s season in this article (I’ll have some words on him later this summer once he decides on his player option), part of his success this season was due to his strong play once he was demoted to a bench role, after Bam excelled while Whiteside was injured. In past seasons, Hassan did not react well to reduction in his playing time or getting benched in 4th quarters, but it seems he has put a lot of that behind him. That maturity I believe will help him prolong his career as he enters his 30’s.

Back to Adebayo, who in his age-21 season showed a lot of growth as the season progressed.

(stats above are per/36 minutes played; via NBA Stats)

As you can see above, Bam showed gradual improvement in almost every area of importance from the beginning of the season to the end. Post All-Star stats are especially revealing because that data set only includes Adebayo as a starter, and shows the he really embraced the role and continued to grow. To put Adebayo’s sophomore campaign into historical perspective…. he averaged better than 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block per 36 minutes , which has only ever been met by ONE player in NBA HISTORY who was age 21 or younger: Nikola Jokic. Jokic actually did it TWICE, at ages 20 and 21, and had been alone in that historical benchmark before Bam’s emergence this season.

While that is clearly a great sign for the young man, I’m not sure it’s realistic or fair to expect him to become a star floor general to the extent that Jokic is making a name for himself. Nekias Duncan, someone much smarter than me, mentioned in our Miami Heat Beat group chat that while Bam probably doesn’t have the ceiling from a play-making perspective to run an offense like Nikola does, he certainly has the ability to have an offense run through him. The big thing that’s missing? Reps.

Data via Synergy Sports

Bam’s role in his first two seasons has been fairly limited in terms of the variety of things the Heat require him to do, compared to his actual versatility. We won’t get a real idea of Bam’s true offensive ceiling until he gets the chance for a heavier share of the offense’s possessions. However, as you can see above, he already is proving himself worthy of offense running through him in the post, as his post possessions including passes had the Heat scoring 1.04 PPP this season. It is also fascinating to see that the Heat scored on every single possession where Bam was operating as the pick and roll handler. But again, it’s only 5 reps. That’s an area that I would like to see explored more next season.

Let’s also not forget that Bam is turning himself into an elite defensive big for the modern era of the NBA. His ability to defend all positions on the court improves the Heat’s ability to switch in pick and roll situations without getting themselves into a mismatch. Bam finished the season defending the 3rd most possessions on the team and holding opponents to 0.876 points per possession via Synergy Sports, which placed him in the 77th percentile league wide. He was second on the Heat in defensive percentile, only trailing Hassan Whiteside (86th percentile). At this stage the sky is the limit for the Kentucky product and, in my opinion, has the highest chance of reaching star potential of the players currently on the Heat’s roster.

SEASON’S END MAILBAG

I decided to ask the wonderful people on Twitter for some ideas on what topics to cover in this season ending long-form, so I compiled the best questions.

(Aside: Got to see Tone [pronounced Tony] at Wade’s final home game for a fleeting moment because the halftime breaks are too damn short, so it’s kinda fitting that he asked a handful of important questions that I will now answer.)

How efficient was Bam at jump shots?

24 of 74 (32.5%) before the All-Star Break

18 of 53 (34.0%) after the All-Star Break

Last season, Bam shot 27 of 90 (30% FG) on jumpers, so he definitely showed improvement over his rookie season. He has a good form and always looks comfortable despite the results. He’s also developing into a very reliable free throw shooter, as he shot 77% from the line after the all-star break. Free throw shooting is one of the best predictors when identifying talented shooters, so that makes you optimistic that Bam will continue improving his efficiency.

Where did Justise/Josh/Derrick/Bam lineups rank per 36 among the roster?

Last season, the Heat had 121 4-man combinations that played at least 50 minutes together. Winslow-Richardson-Jones Jr.-Adebayo lineups ranked 94th out of those 121 combos as the Heat were outscored by 11 points in those 57 minutes. When you run the search in terms of plus/minus per 36 minutes, this lineup then ranks 104th out of 121 combos at -8.2/36 minutes.

This still falls very much in the realm of small sample theater. In these 57 minutes, Justise had 18 points and 9 assists, though that was on 24 FGA along with 5 turnovers. McGruder and Waiters combined to go 0 for 6 from behind the arc in these minutes. What should give you some optimism is that the group was +11 in 24 minutes with Dwyane on the court. Maybe sharing the court with a veteran presence like Goran, which only happened for 1 minute all season, would help them succeed.

Was Goran actually good off the bench?

It shouldn’t be a big surprise that Goran was actually a more efficient player coming off the bench (44 FG%, 42.6 3P%) than when he was a starter (40.1 FG%, 31.4 3P%) in 2018-19. The bench role by default has players going up against reserves more often than not, which should make things a little easier, considering he plays the position with the most talent in the league. Despite that, there is still always a bit of uncertainty when you are asking an established player (that was an All-Star last season) to take a secondary role. Dragic has always been a consummate professional, and in exit interviews in April he was very open about the growth that Justise had showed and was not concerned about their fit or his role moving forward. If Spoelstra decides to use Goran as a 6th man going into next season, assuming he opts into his player option, you can expect him to excel against opposing B squads.

Has Josh Richardson peaked?

One of my biggest regrets to this day is that I still cannot see into the future. However, Josh is entering his age-26 season which means that he right in the middle of his physical prime. I would still have optimism that Josh will be able to improve parts of his game (finishing around the rim, refine shooting), but more than anything I believe he just needs a true #1 to take the attention off him. Josh did not show much in his one on one game (17th percentile in isolation plays via Synergy), but really broke through this season in his ability to operate in the pick and roll (67th percentile in pick and roll plays including passes via Synergy; 40th percentile in 17-18, 21st percentile in 16-17).

Josh has already established himself a premier 3-and-D player, so in that respect, he probably has peaked because I’m not sure he’ll ever take his game to an All-Star level. On the flip side, there were rumors that Josh was already playing through injuries before the groin injury that cost him the end of his season, so it’s also possible we have yet to see the best of JRich. Miami’s ability to support him with high end talent will also impact his ability to take his game to a higher level.

How much wood would a woo… nvm

It could be a lot. It could be a little. It really depends on the chuck-capable woodchuck. Could go either way.

Let’s go right to the source at Basketball-Reference and see how Josh Richardson compared to Jimmy Butler this season:

It’s fitting that these two players were almost traded for each other because there are a lot of similarities in their games and how they help their teams, as you can see by their similarities above in scoring, play-making, limiting turnovers, and efficient shooting at the wing position. Both players are fully capable secondary play-makers that can coordinate offense in stretches when needed, but really excel in situations where they can attack off-ball, as well as in the pick and roll.

Jimmy benefited from the attention that Embiid and Simmons (and now Harris) attract on the offensive end, and it resulted in being the more efficient scorer out of the two. You could even argue Embiid and Simmons’ presence on the defensive end helped Jimmy be more bold defensively, as he had the highest steal and block rates of his career this season. It’s important to keep that into consideration when so often Josh was left with large duties on both the offensive and defensive end on heavy minute loads on a regular basis. I suspect if Josh was in a more favorable environment like Jimmy, those comparables would be even closer.

An Ode to Airplane Mode

Since I didn’t get to mention Derrick at all despite his promising 2nd year with the Heat, I will provide you with a supercut of his most vicious and straight diabolical dunks from this season. Enjoy!

 

Christian Hernandez (@TheMapleRick of @MiaHeatBeat) has peaked, if you were wondering. We just can’t statistically prove it like he could. 

Marlins arms shine at times, but first month a struggle

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The Miami Marlins were the worst team in baseball the first month of the season.

As so many expected.

They scored only 82 runs up to May 1st, prior to the second game of the series against the Cleveland Indians, hitting just .225 as a team, with a .285 OBP and just 23 home runs.

The Marlins’ loss in the first game of the series meant they finished the month with a 8-21 record, eight games behind the East Division leaders, the Philadelphia Phillies.

For most of us who have to follow the team, it has been a very painful month of baseball.

Pitching is supposedly the name of the game, but it can’t do it all.

So let’s look at what has worked, and what hasn’t.

 

The positive for the Marlins in April

Caleb Smith has been the best of the five in the starting rotation, acting as the ace.

Sandy Alcántara sparked in his first outing of the year, but then has struggled to get back to that level.

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Pablo López and Trevor Richards have also shown what they can do at this level when they are on, but there’s still some inconsistency. They are still struggling to get out of big innings. The talent is there, though, and Marlins fans should be encouraged by their development.

In fact, Pablo is the Cy Young of the majors when he faces a lineup for the first time.

He hasn’t allowed runs in 10.1 IP, with 10 K, no walks and a hit by pitch.

Now he must figure out how to be effective for the second and third time facing major league baseball lineups.

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Down in the pen

Some arms in the bullpen have also impressed in the first month of the season.

Colombian pitcher Tyron Guerrero has mad adjustments in his mechanics and it’s now one of the most trusted arms in the bullpen. Picture by Tony Capobianco

Colombian fire thrower Tyron Guerrero worked on his mechanics and has allowed just two runs in 13.0 IP, with 15 Ks and 10 walks.

He’s been getting more and more opportunities in late and or close situations and for now has gotten the job done.

Nick Anderson is a special story, making his debut in the majors with the Marlins this year and has struck out 27 hitters in 13 innings, and opposing hitters are hitting just .188 against him so far (up to April 30th).

Nick Anderson, one of the great stories for the Marlins during the first month of the season. Picture by Tony Capobianco

He’s probably the best arm in that bullpen, and a weapon we didn’t foresee coming when we talked about the depth of before the season started.

 

What can’t get worse. Or can it?

Now that I brought your hopes a little up, it’s time to come back down.

This team needs to score more runs or risk setting a record for losses in a season.

Right now, this is looking like the 2018 Baltimore Orioles.

That team ended up with 47 wins and 115 losses, scoring 3.84 runs per game.

These 2019 Miami Marlins were averaging 2.82 before Wednesday’s game against Corey Kluber and the Indians.

Dominican infielder Starlin Castro is in the last season of his contract with the Marlins. Picture by Tony Capobianco

Guys like Starlin Castro (.248), Brian Anderson (.243) and Curtis Granderson (.188) are some of those who must be more productive for this franchise to win more games.

Jorge Alfaro, one of the best hitters of the team with a .286 average, with 5 homers and 9 RBIs, promised to our Leandro Soto on Wednesday that hitting was going to get better.

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And it can only get better, I guess.

But how? They don’t reach base enough, they don’t hit with power, and they don’t hit well with runners in scoring position.

Besides, they have not been able to hit then they do get those runners in scoring position.

It’s been a little better at times of late, so hopefully that continues.

Besides, May is here, as Jeremy Tache (The Five Reasons Sports Network’s resident Justin Timberlake) predicted, and it will probably be the time for some prospects (or just players with good starts in the minors) to start coming up.

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Harold Ramírez, Magneuris Sierra and Monte Harrison look like very interesting names, besides Austin Dean, who shouldn’t be sent down again so quick.

And, of course, pitcher Zac Gallen, but that requires an entire article of its own.

For now, just patience and more patience, Marlins fans.

And not enough offense.

 

Alejandro Villegas is one of the hosts of Cinco Razones Podcast. 

The Chosen Quarterback for the Dolphins

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In a galaxy, far, far, away, the Miami Dolphins once had the greatest quarterback of all-time.

As we all know, his name was Dan Marino.  And since the G.O.A.T retired shortly after the 1999 season, it has been anything but sunshine and roses for the once prestigious franchise in South Florida.

And as they waited patiently for the draft board to fall their way Thursday night, a seemingly impossible prospect mercifully fell into Miami’s lap.  After all, no one expected Dwayne Haskins to be available when the Dolphins were on the clock at 13.  And when he was, Chris Grier was faced with a tough decision.  In the end, Miami decided to draft Christian Wilkins.  A safe pick at an area of great need.

But what would Miami do to address the quarterback position?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flash forward –Day two of the draft.

All day, rumors were swirling surrounding a trade for Josh Rosen.  Many reports suggested that Miami did not want to part with pick #42.  Others led us to believe that Arizona would part with nothing less.  When the dust settled a trade was finally reached, but it wasn’t before a masterful haul from Chris Grier and his cronies with longtime friend Jeff Ireland.

Miami would continue to stash draft capital for the epic 2020 quarterback class.

However, the trade that would come next, has the potential to set the team up for long-term success at the most important position in football.

That’s right, folks.

The Miami Dolphins traded the 62nd-overall pick in 2019 and a 2020 fifth-round pick for the 22-year old quarterback from California, Josh Rosen.

Here’s a little background on Miami’s newest quarterback.

Biography

Full Name: Joshua Ballinger Lippincott Rosen

Date of Birth: February 10th, 1997

Height: 6’4

Weight: 218 LBS

College: UCLA

Hometown: Manhattan Beach, California

 

Want to see Josh Rosen’s YouTube page?

Here are five reasons why Josh Rosen is the Dolphins quarterback of the future.

Face of the Franchise

Over the last eighteen months, we have heard the #FakeNews surrounding Rosen’s mysterious ‘character concerns’.  However, very little evidence has ever actually been revealed.  In fact, everything that has been showcased over the last several months, suggest the complete opposite surrounding these concerns.  Nevertheless, the “get off my lawn” beat writers insist he has personality issues.

Here’s one example.

I am here to tell you there are no character concerns with Rosen.  None.  Zero. Zilch.

Honestly, very few professional athletes would have been able to stand by the wayside and watch as a franchise so eagerly moved on.  But Rosen did.

And while teams, anonymous sources, and other media outlets slandered his good name, he remained cool, calm and collected.

When Arizona watched the clock slowly drain, as they debated whether or not to go Kyler Murray or Nick Bosa, Rosen had an entirely different mindset.

And again on Monday, during his introductory press conference, nothing about Rosen looked the part of the monster he was perceived to be.

Truth is, Rosen possesses all of the traits you would desire in a franchise quarterback.

And he knows it.

When asked if he believes he can be a franchise-type quarterback, Rosen replied:

“Yes.  Because I think I am a good quarterback and I think I’m a good leader”

The Rookie Quarterback Model 

At just 22-years old, Rosen has a lot of football left to be played.  And anyone that believes this is just a ‘one-year audition’ is solely mistaken.  After all, the Dolphins just invested a second and fifth-round draft pick in the young quarterback.  He’s also only slated to make $6.5-million over the next three years, with a fourth-year option if they deem worthy.  As others have said, this is “pennies to the dollar”, and well worth the investment for a potential franchise quarterback.

Every year NFL teams begin to lay down the foundation, on how to successfully build an NFL roster.  The most popular as of late, is the rookie quarterback model.  This theory is simple, and needs a young-promising quarterback on a reasonably small contract to work.  This allows the team to use the “quarterback money” in other areas of need.  This plan works great now, but if the quarterback is good, it won’t be long before they’re rewarded handsomely with a new contract.

Case in point, the 2020 Dolphins have  $120-million and a plethora of draft picks at their disposal. If Rosen turns out to be a franchise quarterback, the Dolphins will have a ton of assets to build a sustainable winner.

Did you know Josh Rosen scored a 29 on his wonderlic?

‘FitzMagic’ to mentor ‘The Chosen One’

Must I remind everyone that the Dolphins still have 36-year old Ryan Fitzpatrick on the roster?  Anyone?  I didn’t think so. How could you forget that fur?

After the Dolphins were spurned by Teddy Bridgewater, one of the men known as ‘FitzMagic’ signed a 2-year deal worth $11-million with Miami this offseason.  It almost seemed like a forgone conclusion that he would be leading the team towards the first-overall pick in 2020, with his furry beard and flurry of interceptions.  Not.  So.  Fast.

With the Dolphins recent trade for Rosen, Fitzpatrick’s odds of starting have decreased substantially.  And unless Brian Flores and his coaching staff plan to prolong the inevitable, Rosen will be the week one starter vs Baltimore.  But that doesn’t have to mean the end for Fitzpatrick.  His 16-years of NFL experience will definitely be of value to a young quarterback that has had to adjust to six coordinators in the last five seasons. He’s been everywhere, including two of the teams in the AFC East.

When it comes to Rosen, Jim Caldwell and Chad O’Shea will have a blank slate.  Along with Fitzpatrick and Marino, they will look to turn Rosen into the elite franchise quarterback the franchise has long yearned for.

Tale of the Tape

And best of all, it’s risk free.

Yes, there may have been better players available when the Dolphins were on the clock at #48.  And maybe even again at #62.  But NONE of those players have the potential to be franchise-altering quarterbacks.  Not one of those players, possess the skill-set to succeed at the most important position on the 53-man roster.  Through all of the ups and downs of his short lived stint in Arizona, Rosen is a better man because of it.

When asked if it feels like a one-year tryout for the starting quarterback position, Rosen responded:

Yeah. I think regardless of (the) situation, I think you have to have the mentality that you’re trying (to do that) every single day. I think you hear quotes from the G.O.A.Ts like Tom (Brady) and Peyton (Manning) and all of them, and they’re saying that every year someone is trying to come in (and) replace them. Even if they’re not, they try to act like they are. Every single day they try to earn the respect of their teammates, which they already have. Every single day they try to earn the praise of their coaches, which they already have. I think whether that’s true or not, I’m going to have that kind of mindset like it’s my job every day, every hour and every minute to prove that I’m the guy.

After twenty long, excruciating years spent searching for the next great Dolphins quarterback.  A little bit of luck and perfect timing, has led the franchise to Marino’s heir apparent. The Chosen One.

Dragon Layers: What happens to the Heat’s Dragic?

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By finishing in 10th place in the East, this year marks the third season out of five since LeBron James’s departure in Summer ’14 that the Heat not only missed out on the playoffs, but did so by such a tiny margin as to land on the wrong end of the draft lottery ledger.  The overwhelming mediocrity of the roster that’s lingered over the past couple years, covered up briefly by the tropical blanket of Dwyane Wade’s final season, has not gone away.

Although there’s optimism surrounding with #TheKids, (especially with us at HeatBeat), the overriding fan perception is that the Miami Heat is a collection of unwanted, middling contracts for so-so players plus close-to-B-level prospects, with another potentially being added in this draft, unless the Heat move up from No. 13.

And this is for a team with the highest payroll in the NBA.

 

Reviewing Goran Dragic

Given all of this, perhaps the best symbol of their mediocre-to-weirdly okay situation going forward is Goran Dragic. He was never supposed to be their best player when the franchise traded for him in 2015, but it turned out that way after Bosh’s medical misfortunes and Dwyane’s departure. Yet that ended up being his role during most of his time here, with Hassan Whiteside (when engaged) as his second best player for most of that tenure, while the likes of Dion Waiters and James Johnson declined significantly after signing their contracts and never fully recovering from injuries. Although most of us appreciate his contributions and steadiness as Miami’s most reliable scorer over the past few seasons, Dragic has been on a decline of his own over that time as well.

Whether you’re going by his per-game numbers, his advanced stats or his efficiency from virtually every spot on the floor, it’s become clear that the man whose 33rd birthday is coming up next Monday has begun to play his age. The Heat know this, as was evident from their willingness to keep Justise Winslow as starting point guard for a significant period of time this season amid reports that it might remain that way going forward following Pat Riley’s season-end individual meetings with Dragic and Whiteside. This will surely be weighing on Goran and his agent’s mind with the 1-year, $19.2m player option he’s got coming up this summer, (June 29th, to be clear).

Summer Decisions

“I didn’t decide (anything) yet,” Dragic said after surprising fans and Chick Fil A customers in Doral last week during a ‘Random Acts of Heat’ appearance. “I didn’t think about it. I was just at home, having a good time with my kids, so still. I had a meeting with Pat and uh, that was it. I told him I’m going to make my decision when that comes, you know. So I still need to talk to my family, the agent. Right now, I just want to have two weeks to one month completely off to enjoy my vacation and then it’s gonna be time for business, and we will sit down and talk.”

 

 

The reality is this: although Dragic almost definitely wouldn’t get equal value or more somewhere else on a yearly basis, the opt-in might not actually be the best choice for him. Taking into account the aforementioned decline in his effectiveness and shift in future role, along with his age, his decline in drives/layups, the accompanying increase in threes and recently injured knee (he said it’s feeling better after his procedure and rest), Dragic’s best option may be to opt out and aim for a 3-4 year deal at a lower annual rate. That could project somewhere between $27-44 million, whether it be with the Heat or another team, even if Dragic hasn’t wavered at any point from speaking his love for Miami.

There’s a good argument that the Heat are best off if both Dragic and Whiteside opt-in for one more year if they won’t outright walk away and give the Heat cap room this summer. That would actually turn both of them into valuable expiring contracts that contenders would theoretically want, rather than having one or both of them cut into the team’s future money, even if they come at a more reasonable rate. The franchise has too many middling contracts that add up to a middling team as it is.

 

Option Options

However, I doubt Dragic opts out either way without more or less knowing where he’d end up and with what type of deal. It’s notable that the opt-in deadline is right before free agency will be key, with Dragic ranking as the relatively cheaper third option compared to the likes of Charlotte unrestricted free agent All-Star Kemba Walker and Memphis trade candidate Mike Conley. And if you envisioned Dragic as a sixth man for a team that signs a star in the summer, think again. The Heat would have to work some (pick-dealing) magic to create that kind of space, which doesn’t feel prudent.

Some options that come to mind for Dragic’s camp to leverage against the Heat with a long-term deal:

-The Dallas Mavericks have the Luka Doncic connection. Dragic played for years with Luka, including when they won the last Euro Cup tourney. That could be a free agency destination, and possibly a trade partner.

-The Utah Jazz, having lost out on dealing for Mike Conley, reportedly circled back with the Heat on a potential trade centered around Dragic for Ricky Rubio and Jae Crowder before talks died down when the Jazz asked for additional pick compensation.

-The Indiana Pacers will also have money to spend and have been reported to covet an upgrade at point guard, next to the returning Victor Oladipo.

-The Detroit Pistons, who were also in talks with the Grizzlies on Conley before the trade deadline, could also be looking for improvement he position. Perhaps the Heat take Reggie Jackson if the Pistons throw in enough draft compensation and/or young players.

Although most Heat fans (myself included) may prefer the cap space with two opt-outs, I’d bet that Dragic opts in. I’m not sure the Heat want to cut into future cap space with a long-term deal, unless of course he takes exception money, (of which the Heat can offer their room exception that starts at around $4.7 million per season). That doesn’t seem likely, as Pat Riley hinted towards at the same season’s-end presser where he called Justise Winslow “our primary ball handler to get us into offense.”

“Now you’re getting to a discussion I haven’t had with his agent or Goran,” Riley responded after being asked about a potential long-term deal with the option players. “You have to give the player time to think about it. We have to take a look at what our priorities are. If room is going to be one of [our objectives] in 2020, that would stop any longer deal with any one of them.”

If the question going forward is whether or not they are going young with their foundation, Riley helped answer that at his presser as well, and it didn’t exactly sound like he was including Dragic (or Whiteside) in those future plans. It sounds more like he would appreciate the cap room to try and attract other stars, whether it be this summer or the next.

“Justise’s improvement as is Josh’s improvement, and Bam’s, last 19-20 games, is indicative of a nice little core of young players,” Riley said. “We can add Derrick Jones Jr. to that and our pick this year and that will be good on the eyes of some possible free agents who want to come here, that’s all part of being an attractive place.”

The Heat’s chancest at acquiring an All-Star this summer are reliant on guys like Jimmy Butler and Kyrie Irving, who both have shown prior interest in the Heat and are both unrestricted free agents whose future with their current teams hinges on their playoff success and, more importantly, whether or not those teams offer them their 5-year max deals.

If the Heat feels they’ve got a real shot at one of them, they would need both of their own opt-outs as well as stretching out Ryan Anderson’s 1-year, $15.6m deal over three years to the tune of $5.2 million instead. This would give them about $25 million in cap space, which is still not enough for a full max slot. From there, they’d most likely have to turn to giving up a pick (whether this year’s or a future pick) to get another team to take on a contract like James Johnson’s, who is the oldest of the hefty contract bunch and the one with the largest contract left.

I’m expecting Dragic to opt-in unless he gets a lucrative long-term offer from a Playoff team. It could go either way, one might say.

 

But seriously, if we have seen the last of him in a Heat uniform, I sure as shit will miss his “adorable” smile and iron shoulder, the constant attack mode he’s in when the Heat get out in transition and his steadiness as someone who did the best they could in circumstances that could and should have been better.

But things don’t ever really go as they should, huh?

 

Alex Toledo (@TropicalBlanket) is known on Miami Heat Beat as a professional screwup, which makes him the opposite of Goran Dragic. Both have adorable faces to varying degrees.

Everything That Sucked About Avengers: Endgame (SPOILERS)

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SPOILER ALERT

******************

Stop reading if you don’t want the movie spoiled. This is your last warning. I’m not kidding. I’m gonna spoil the shit outta this movie. Okay, there, I warned you.

Before we even see the title screen, I’m crying. Hawkeye is in an open field, teaching his daughter to shoot a bow and arrow. His sons are playing catch. His wife is making dinner. I know what’s about to happen and I’m silently, futilely pleading with the screen to not do it. By the time the ash hits the sky, I’m a mess. Thank god the theater is dark. We’re only like two minutes into the movie. A few minutes later, Thor takes an axe to Thanos’ neck, sending his ginormous head tumbling to the ground. My jaw is on the floor. My emotions are all over the fucking place. HOW IS THIS ONLY THE FIRST 5% OF THE MOVIE?!????

And then it kinda just falls flat.

Okay, now let me get this outta the way before anyone gets super mad at the title of this post: Avengers: Endgame is a fine movie. It’s sufficiently good. At times, it straddles the border of great. Its best moments are exceptional. But even those can’t escape some of its worst moments. And those are the ones I wanna talk about.

Ok, let’s get to it then…

Fat Thor

After failing to stop Thanos and then chopping the titan’s head off in a futile act of frustration, Thor spends the next five years dealing with his feelings of inadequacy by living in a shack with his loser friends. Okay, fine, it’s a silly premise, but the rest of the storyline (the death, the destruction, the coping) is heavy enough that it can use a little humor here and there. The writers weren’t done, though, because apparently Thor has also spent the entire five years drinking enough beer to turn his body from something out of Homer’s Illiad to Homer Simpson.

Yes, Thor, God of Thunder, is played by Chris Hemsworth…wearing a fat suit. What. The. Fuck.

Hemsworth, himself, had made it known to the studio that he was bored with the role and wanted to do something a little different with it, which is understandable. The original Thor and Dark World were largely forgettable as movies, but also as a character. But Ragnarok showed that he could be fun. And Infinity War showed that he can be fucking awesome. So, obviously, the next logical step, riding the momentum of Thor’s dominant role in Infinity War…was to turn him in to Professor Klump.

The gag runs so long and so often through the movie that it makes what should be powerful moments seem entirely too light and stupid. There were many ways to handle Thor’s understandable downward spiral to rock bottom and his eventual comeback. This was literally the worst way.

 

Time Travel Yearbook

When you realized in Ant-Man and the Wasp that the Quantum Realm may hold the key to going back in time and defeating Thanos, it felt like that was opening the door for a truly amazing plot in Endgame. Noooope! Ultimately, what the writers chose to do with their time travel was take you on a tour of all the movies you already saw. Remember Avengers? Remember Winter Soldier?? Remember Thor 2??? (Wait, what, no, why would anyone wanna remember that????)

The most prominent scenes in the Marvel: Remember This? montage obviously, and rightfully, belong to Cap and Iron Man (with a little Ant-Man help). And the elevator scene alone is a perfect nod to a past movie and a huge moment from the Captain America comic book itself. But what could be a fun exploration of time travel and its possibilities quickly becomes one long Ocean’s 11 knock-off with the writers killing an hour of run time winking and nodding at you with all the subtlety of a Hulk smash.

I guess I understand. We all knew Chris Evans was hanging it up. Tony Stark had been trying to get out of the superhero business for the last four movies. This was the end. Give the fans some nostalgia, tie up the loose ends and give the characters their closure. And they did. But it went on entirely too long and came at the expense of making an actual movie with an actual plot, which became noticeable in scenes like…

 

Black Widow’s Death

SPOILER ALERT! Black Widow dies. Don’t worry, it’s not a memorable death at all. See, Hawkeye and Black Widow go to Vormir to retrieve the Soul Stone, but as we all know from Infinity War, you can’t just grab the stone and run. You have to throw something you love over the edge of a cliff first. In Infinity War, there’s a moment where your brain registers the thing Thanos loves juuuuuuust before Gamora does, and your heart breaks a little realizing what’s about to happen. This time, without the element of surprise, knowing that one of them was definitely going to die, the writers needed time to build the weight of the moment and truly establish their bond. They needed an extra 15 minutes for character development. (Hey, if only we hadn’t gone back to meet Iron Man’s dad!)

Instead, what we got was…*checks notes*…a fight scene. Not even a good one. Hawkeye and Black Widow literally tripping over each other to decide who gets to commit suicide first, like we would all joke about doing on Twitter if Trump were re-elected. I was secretly hoping they both fell off the cliff and nobody got the stone.

 

Tha…nope Get it? Like Thanos, but with nope. Never mind.

There was a lot less Thanos in this movie than there should have been. He’s a masterpiece of a villain. Perfectly portrayed. Perfectly acted. I mean, he’s enormous and purple, but still seems entirely human. You never get the feeling that he’s too cheesy or over-the-top. Not using him more when the story is literally about him seems like a huge fucking waste. And when you finally get to the fight between The Mad Titan and the heroes at the end, you’re like “Ohhhhhh, shit, so this is what this movie could have been!”

 

Girl Power

During the large scale fight scene at the end, there’s this moment where all of the female characters come together to kick some ass for about seven seconds before it returns to largely ignoring women altogether. It was incredibly heavy-handed and specifically put in the movie to get #GIRLPOWER trending on Twitter. And it was totally unearned. You killed off most of the cool women in Infinity War, sacrificed Black Widow for a Hawkeye storyline that you probably won’t even pursue, and sent Captain Marvel away for most of this movie to run intergalactic errands. But, sure, girl power!

 

A. THREE. HOUR. MOVIE.

Are you fucking kidding me? I have the bladder of a camel and even I spent the last 45 minutes of the movie crossing my legs to hold my piss so I wouldn’t miss anything.

 

 

Josh Rosen has Character Issues? A Ballscast Investigation
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Over the weekend, the Miami Dolphins made a draft day trade that had DolphinsTwitter losing their collective shit for three-straight days and nights.  The Fins sent a second round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for quarterback Josh Rosen — who was picked 10th overall by the team (who was run by an entirely different front office then) in last year’s draft. So, was it a good trade? Was it a bad trade? Have you ever asked a girl on a date?

Here’s what we do know: Josh Rosen is now a Miami Dolphin and, along with questions about his playing ability, come questions about his character.

People — and by people, we mean FOOTBALLLLLLL People — have questioned whether or not The Hebrew Hammer has the right character to be a franchise quarterback that can lead a FOOTBAAAAAALLLL team. Does he have the DESIRE? Does he EAT, DRINK, SMELL, SHIT, FUCK Football 24/7? Is he a leader of MEN? And, most, importantly, does he love the TROOOOPS?

This kind of shitbaggery analysis from the NFL Network Meatheads of the world has dogged Rosen ever since his days at UCLA because he had the AUDACITY to have a hot tub in his dorm room. COLLEGE IS FOR BOOK LEARNING AND STUDYING GAME FILM ONLY, JOSHUA. But it all came to a head over Draft weekend when the Miami Herald’s own Harbinger of Dog Whistle Hot Takes & Lover of All Things Sarah Palin, Armando Salguero, put out a tweet where he said multiple sources of his told him that Rosen the person was a concern more than Rosen the quarterback.

The immediate response here is to assume that ArMAGA went and made up these so-called sources to try and paint Rosen as a troubled guy, mainly because Rosen once wore a Fuck Trump hat on one of Donald Trump’s golf courses in California. And given Salguero’s well-documented outspoken nature over how much he hates it when players kneel to protest the unjustified murder and violence white cops have perpetrated against black men over the years, and his undaunted love for Sarah Palin, one could be right in assuming he made his sources up and just had a tight asshole about the idea of having  to cover a Trump hatin’ quarterback for a living.

There’s no way to prove any of this. So we won’t speculate or accuse. But, we will rub our chin and squint our eyes and say things like, “Hmmm seems mighty fishy that a MAGA-loving toadface like Salguero would blurt shit out about Rosen’s character for no reason whatsoever except maybe because Rosen hates Trump just as the Dolphins were on the brink of trading for him.”

So does Rosen have a questionable character? Could Arrrrrrrmando be onto something here? TO THE NEWS ARCHIVES, ROBIN!

Here’s what’s been reported about Rosen’s so-called “troubled character” over the years. And please keep in mind that most people who work in, cover, and write about football for a living are Neanderthaloid meatheaded shitsacks of the highest order:

 

Exhibit A: HE ONCE WORE A FUCK TRUMP HAT

Back in April of 2016, Rosen posted a photo of himself on Instagram on a Trump golf course wearing a homemade hat that read Fuck Trump. He eventually ended up deleting the photo, but only because he was scared the word “Fuck” might send the wrong message to kids that looked up to him (not so much because he hates Donald Trump). But the photo had entered the media’s bloodstream by that point and it became a thing. So much so that his then-UCLA coach Jim Mora Jr. compared Rosen wearing a Fuck Trump hat to the kinds shenanigans Johnny Manziel ended up doing, because making a political statement and getting shit-faced every other night are the same thing. “Who do you want to be?” Mora asked Rosen at the time. “Do you want to be Johnny Manziel or do you want to be Tom Brady?”

Mora also added: “So, if you’re going to go out on Donald Trump’s golf course and wear a hat that says ‘F– Trump,’ […] you’re heading towards Johnny Manziel.’ So, let’s head toward Peyton Manning. Let’s head towards Tom Brady.”

That’s right, Josh. Head towards Tom Brady, who would never wear a Fuck Trump hat, but instead only wear an actual hat that openly supports Donald Trump (and is a hat that is associated with racists alt-right shitbags). Head towards Peyton Manning, who never wore a Fuck Trump hat on a Donald Trump golf course but, instead, golfed with the actual Donald Trump during an actual terrorist attack.

A white quarterback that hates Trump? PREPOSTEROUS.

 

Exhibit B: HE HAD A HOT TUB IN HIS DORM

Yes. He had a hot tub in his UCLA dorm room and took a photo with a girl sitting in the hot tub with him. So the Miami Dolphins quarterback is Otter from Animal House rather than fucking Neidermeyer or Marmalard.

Remember when Dan Marino allegedly did all of the cocaine at Pitt? And entered the draft with a reputation of loving to party like they do during the “Push It To The Limit” Scarface montage?

This just in: COLLEGE ATHLETES HAVE WAY MORE SEX THAN YOU WILL EVER HAVE IN YOUR LIFETIME. SO MUCH SEX. SHITLOADS OF SEX. BUCKETS OF SEX. SEX-BUCKETS! YOU CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE ALL OF THE SEX THESE GUYS ARE HAVING RIGHT NOW. LITERALLY, RIGHT NOW AS YOU’RE READING THIS.

Sorry to have to break it to you, but there it is.

 

Exhibit C: HE THINKS COLLEGE PLAYERS SHOULD GET PAID

In May 2016, Rosen put up an Instagram post in reaction to the what was, at the time, the biggest shoe and apparel deal ever signed by the NCAA. The deal was worth $280 million, and Rosen posted the news with this comment: “We’re still amateurs though… Gotta love nonprofits #NCAA”

Here, and in a separate interview, Rosen was making a point about how student athletes are asked to stretch their lives to the brink of insanity, balancing class and sports and life, all while the powers-that-be at the top of the NCAA are diving into piles of money like Scrooge McDuck. Wherever you stand on this issue, Rosen has his opinions, and is outspoken about it. LET US NAIL HIM TO A TREE AND THROW PRODUCE AND HUMAN FECES AT HIM.

 

Exhibit D: HE’S COCKY

Look at that cocky boy cocky shit so cocky.

Fuck that. I don’t want a quarterback with a chip on their shoulder over being snubbed by teams that passed him up. That’s just douchey. And, if history has proven ANYTHING, it’s that douchey quarterbacks with chips on their shoulders don’t win DIDDLYSHIT.

Also, the Patriots looked into trading for Rosen this weekend. That team does NOT like douchey players. Google it!

 

Exhibit E: HE UNFOLLOWED THE CARDINALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

With all the news swirling about how the Cardinals were about to draft Kyler Murray and throw Rosen into the proverbial trash bin like old lumps of cat shit, Rosen acted cool and classy and said all the right things. Then when they actually drafted Murray, Rosen went ahead and unfollowed the team on social media.

This sent Steve Smith into a large hissy about Rosen’s manhood or some such shit.

HOW DARE HE UNFOLLOW THE TEAM WHERE LITERALLY EVERY PHOTO THEY POSTED WAS ABOUT THE GUY WHO REPLACED HIM.

I dunno about you guys, but if you unfollow a girl after she dumps you and then plasters her IG with photos of her new guy, YOU HAVE LOST YOUR TESTICLES. WHERE ARE THEY? THEY HAVE BEEN DELETED.

 

Exhibit F: MAYBE HE’S ACTUALLY A DECENT PERSON

Call us crazy but, based on all evidence above, Josh Rosen is just a human who lives the life of a human. OMG HE IS JUST LIKE US.

He has and likes to express political views. And he likes to have sex, probably in a hot tub.

While both of those things are usually okay for everyday people, it’s evidently VERBOTEN for professional football players who should only live to play football and win games on Sundays, because hands in the dirt, cupcake!

Here’s a pre-draft tweet about Rosen:

YOU CAN ONLY BE A PLAYER OF FOOTBALL. NOTHING ELSE.

Oh and here’s FOOTBALL GUY WHO IS GOOD AT FOOTBALL, JJ Watt, calling bullshit on that sentiment:

OH BUT JJ WATT NEVER PLAYED WITH ROSEN WHAT DOES HE KNOW?

Ok, let’s see what his teammates have said:

Oh.

And then there’s this, where America’s Greatest Ass says of Rosen:

“He’s a delightful person to be around. Anybody that spends any time with him, he’s got a vast array of interests, and he’s a very, very interesting person. I’ve enjoyed my time getting to know him.”

 

The Verdict: JOSH ROSEN IS A PERFECTLY FINE PERSON SO SHUT YOUR GD FACEHOLE ABOUT IT ALREADY

Sifting through the evidence, it’s pretty clear that the only real crime Josh Rosen has committed is that he likes to live life like everyone else. But because football is a Borg-like collective where players are only allowed to live and eat and shit football, talent evaluators (guys who never sleep, have zero humor, and get fired every 3-to-5 years) began to express concerns.

It’s likely that Josh Rosen is disliked by a lot of people because, for the first time in their football lives, a guy doesn’t fit the normal mold of what an NFL quarterback should be. You know, the kind that likes to do things outside of work, like literally every other human on Earth. And their troglodytic brains can’t handle it.

A quarterback who likes girls and hot tubs? UNHEARD OF.

A white quarterback that has political views different from the other white quarterbacks? WHY I NEVER.

A quarterback who is cocky and arrogant about his skills? WHERE IS MY FAINTING CHAIR?

This isn’t the kind of quarterback NFL teams want. They want the archetype.

They want the kind of quarterback that votes for Donald Trump. The kind that spouts cliches about grit to the media. The kind that allegedly rapes women and gets away with it, while winning Super Bowls.

THOSE ARE THE REAL HEROES.

Anyway, Josh Rosen seems like a decent enough dude. Does he come across as douchey sometimes? Meh, I guess. But what quarterback doesn’t have a modicum of douche? It just comes with the position.

Just because he isn’t hip to your definition on how to live his own life, and just because he isn’t a fan of your Racist Serial Sexual Assaulter Orange Bucket of Shit of a President doesn’t make him a bad person.

 

Chris Joseph (@ByChrisJoseph) is a host of Ballscast, and has written for Deadspin, Miami New Times, CBS Sports, and several other outlets.

Why the Marlins have won the J.T. Realmuto trade

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I admit it. I was wrong about Christian Yelich.

I never thought the guy would be much more than someone who hit .290 with 20 homers a year — a great player who you’d love to have on your team, but well worth trading during a rebuild. I still understand why the Marlins made the trade they did with the specific offers they had regardless of the club control. I said it then and I will continue to say they had their reasons and I can respect that.

That said, I never anticipated Yelich would turn into arguably the most dominant hitter in Major League Baseball, and for that, I have to own my mistakes. This hurts. The Pete Davidson lookalike is an absolute superstar, and that trade may end up haunting the Marlins for years to come. I don’t think anyone quite saw THIS coming, but I was pretty bullish he’d come back down to earth, and now, through 28 games, he’s on pace for 81 homers. This is me publicly admitting to all of you — mostly @Dutchbeek, but still, all of you — that I was wrong.

But, as my favorite player of all-time would say…

I’m going to go out on a limb and say it: I believe we can already definitively say the Marlins won the J.T. Realmuto trade regardless of what the rest of J.T.’s career looks like. He could have a Hall of Fame career and win multiple MVP’s (and I, personally, think there’s a chance that could happen because J.T. is a star…), but it wouldn’t affect how I feel. It’s a foolish take that my Swings and Mishes host Craig Mish would likely scold me for, but I have 100% sold myself on it. Sue me.

The reasoning is simple: Jorge Alfaro is a legitimate, every day, Major League ballplayer.

Sixto Sanchez was the “game-changing” prospect you hope to receive in a trade for an All-Star — a guy that jumps to the very top of all your prospects lists and is getting Pedro Martinez comparisons — and, for what it’s worth, I’m a serious Will Stewart truther, but it’ll be a bit before we can judge the two of them.

Alfaro’s play alone is what already has me sold on the success of the swap.

It’s been 27 games of Alfaro in a Marlins uniform, and while that’s technically not enough to tell whether or not a player can be a star, his play has me excited. He was not the headlining piece of the trade, but, as a 26-year-old, he’s playing like he would be.

I know, I know. I’m the perennial optimist. My first article on this site simply told you wins and losses didn’t matter this season and just to enjoy close games. That ludicrous. I am aware. I get why you might be annoyed with the positivity, but get used to it because

Alfaro, who had a pretty solid start to his career in Philadelphia, has been the only player in a lackluster Marlins lineup that’s produced with any form of eye-catching consistency. In fact, after Saturday’s game against the Phillies, the catcher is hitting .297 — that’s 19 points higher Realmuto so far this year and 9 points higher than the next Marlin. Add that to a team leading 5 homers, all of which have been to the opposite field, and it feels like you might cooking with gas.

While those stats might not mean much to you quite yet, this should. According to the MLB statcast leaderboard, Alfaro is among the best in the bigs when it comes to Hard Hit Rate — that’s hitting the ball 95+ mph when the ball is put in play. So, what does that actually mean? To me, it shows while Alfaro is playing at a high level, he still has room for growth.

I don’t know if you all know this, but Marlins Park is…well…it’s large. When you combine that with Alfaro’s Hard Hit Rate, you can make the reasonable assumption that his power numbers *might* look even better if he was playing elsewhere.

The reality is, Alfaro is a legitimate building block. That’s more than you can say at this point for any of the other pieces the Marlins received in the trades for Stanton, Ozuna, and Yelich with 100% confidence.

Of the pieces we’ve seen get legitimate playing time with the big club, Castro is a relative placeholder, Alcantara has shown flashes but has been inconsistent, and we can still hold out hope on Lewis Brinson, but I’ve seen enough know Alfaro is capable of being a piece on this roster for the next decade.

Alfaro is someone with the ability to be a leader on this team going forward, as well. He cares enough about the game to ask to not leave a Spring Training game after colliding with the wall chasing down a pop fly. When I had a conversation with him about Jorge Posada joining the organization, he got emotional while discussing what he can learn from the Yankee great. He has talked about being his pitchers’ “bodyguards.”

With Martin Prado, Curtis Granderson, and Neil Walker likely gone after this season, the Marlins will need someone to step into the primary leadership role, and Alfaro is a likely candidate.

Considering Realmuto was likely to leave Miami after the two remaining years of his contract were up, isn’t this about all you could ask for?

So, regardless of if J.T. Realmuto all of a sudden does that “you’re a moron, Jeremy Tache” thing and hits 40 homers a year for the rest of his career, we can feel good about the net result of this trade. Alfaro is here to stay, and when this season is over, he may be one of the only players in the lineup we can look back on with positivity to have us excited for next year.

Guys, the Marlins made a very good trade for one of their stars. Allow yourself to feel good about it.

(Writer’s note: In 2 years, if J.T. signs somewhere other than Philadelphia and Sixto Sanchez and Jorge Alfaro is the Marlins’ Opening Day battery, you can bet I’ll be here writing a follow up “I told you so” piece.)