After another series win, are Marlins back to square one?

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The Miami Marlins claimed a series win on the road against the San Diego Padres over the weekend with back-to-back 9-3 wins.

The Marlins have gone 10-5 in their last five series, winning four of them. The Padres is the most impressive victory because unlike the Mets and Tigers and Giants, San Diego is above .500.

That hot stretch puts the Marlins at 21-36, which is still the worst record in the National League. However, the 2017 Marlins were 22-31 entering June 3.

Which begs the question of whether or not after all the trades, the fire sale, the rebuilding and stockpiling of the farm system that was practically nonexistent prior to the team sale, are the Marlins back to the level they were before just before Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter took over the team?

The 2017 Marlins were shells of themselves after the tragic death of Jose Fernandez in September 25, 2016. They rode the career years of Dee Gordon, Marcel Ozuna and Giancalo Stanton to reach 77 wins, the same amount at 2014 and two less than 2016.

This is what Jeter points to when he talks about fixing a broken system. To have this team practically the same point as the team that was broken up but in a much better position moving forward, that has to considered to be a major win for the front office.

The first phase of Jeter’s plan was to restock the farm system with pitching talent. As a result, the starting rotation is the bedrock of the team and is currently the only team in baseball to still have used only five starting pitchers this season.

In 2017, Jose Urena was the only Marlins starting pitcher with a sub 4.00 ERA. Adam Conley became a solid reliever after two subpar seasons as a starting pitcher. This year’s Marlins don’t have a single starting pitcher with an ERA at 5.00 or higher. Pablo Lopez is close at 4.99 but much of that is due to an outing at New York that saw him give up 10 runs in three innings.

The Marlins went through the hardest times this year and are now enjoying the best of times. They were in the middle of the pack in terms of runs allowed but were at the very bottom in nearly every offensive category. While the pitching hasn’t changed since Opening Day, the hitting certainly has recently and it only took two subtle but drastic changes to make it happen.

The first was calling up outfielder Harold Ramirez. This came to make up for placing Peter O’Brien on the 10-day IL for a bruised rib. Since his debut on May 11, Ramirez is batting .373 with a .894 OPS. This came off an equally impressive .999 OPS during his fist 31 games in Triple-A.

The second was having outfielder Garrett Cooper return from injury. Cooper was meant to be the everyday right fielder since Opening Day last year, but injuries virtually erased last year and seemed to be endangering this year as well. Cooper was on the Opening Day lineup this season but on the IL after the second day. He returned at the end of April and was hit in the hand by a pitch that very game, causing him to miss more time.

Since he returned on May 11, Cooper had a .274/.352/.435 slash line during the month of May and four home runs and 13 RBI on the season. Even though the trade was a small one at the beginning, both Cooper and Caleb Smith are seen as key cogs in the building of this team under Jeter’s vision. Without the injuries, Cooper finally gets a real chance to show his potential.

The main frustration of the 2018 offseason was reflected in a recent story by the Athletic. After seeing breakout performances by Christian Yellich and Derek Dietrich it seemed like the 2017 team was an All-Star lineup that underachieved at the time. In fact, it was a team in which half of the lineup peaked in order to carry a terrible pitching staff as far as it could. Stanton, Ozuna, Gordon and Justin Bour have yet to replicate the production from that season. JT Realmuto and Jorge Alfaro seem like equals at the plate, which is a win for the Marlins considering the prized pitching prospects that came with that trade.

Yellich and Dietrich’s statistical transformation seems like a product of their new environments. Seeing Chris Paddock and Luis Castillo succeed elsewhere was the product of the previous management, ran by two men that had little regard for their farm system and were desperate to return to the playoffs that they were willing to forsake the crops if it meant getting another team’s cream. That’s how two potential All-Stars and Josh Naylor — who hit his first career home run against the Marlins this weekend — turned into Fernando Rodney, Andrew Cashner and Dan Strailey.

The sins of David Samson should not make Derek Jeter the jest for trying to rectify them. This year’s Marlins are now in the same position as the 2017 Marlins at this time and in better position to ascend because unlike the past, the present is powered by young pitching and the bats are finally starting to keep up.

The question now is where will they go from here?

MLB Draft is put up or shut up time for Marlins brass

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The ensuing weekend is like cramming for the final exam that is the MLB Draft. But from listening to the top people in charge with turning the Miami Marlins around, a lot of preparation was put into what is about to transpire on Monday.

“A lot of discussion, a lot of opinions,” Marlins CEO Derek Jeter said. “Our scouts have done a great job throughout the entire year keeping a close eye at all the guys at the top.”

The MLB Draft doesn’t get the same amount of buzz like the NFL and NBA Draft, mainly because none of the players selected start in the big leagues right away. There are a few exceptions like Mike Leake and Ryan Zimmerman. Even Brandon Finnegan pitched in both the World Series (Royals) and College World Series (TCU) in the same year.

The main purpose of the 40 round draft is to provide annual depth to the minor league farm system. Most of them will start in either the rookie level Pioneer or Appalachian League or the short season Single-A Northwest League or New York-Penn League, which start in mid-June.

“That’s your opportunity to infuse your organization with a lot of talent,” Jeter said. “So a lot of these decisions, we have to make sure we get them right.”

“We pick four, we pick 35 and 46, and our goal heading into the 2019 Draft is we want to get the most impactful pieces available to help our organization as we build towards championships,” Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill said. “I think the biggest thing we’ve seen in the top part of the Draft is there seems to be a lot more college bats available, and not as much college, right-handed pitching. You normally have a lot of college, right-handed pitching. It’s not as deep, from what we can see.”

MLB Pipeline has Oregon State junior catcher Adley Rutschman as the top draft prospect. California junior first baseman Andrew Vaughn is No. 3, Vanderbilt junior outfielder J.J. Bleday is No. 5 and Arizona State junior outfielder Hunter Bishop is No. 7. Jeter made the trip out to the west coast and to the SEC Tournament to personally see some of these guys in action.

Jeter wanted to make it clear to reporters that while he was scouting, he is not a scout and that he doesn’t underestimate what scouts bring to the table. So what was he looking for?

“What I like to get an opportunity to look at is interactions,” Jeter said, “players with their teammates, how hard they play, knowledge of the game. Obviously you can see tools. You can see what guys can hit, they can run, they can throw. But I only saw these guys play for one or two games. You see a lot of video but you really value the opinions of the ones you put in place.”

So basically he’s looking for the next Derek Jeter.

When Jeter came to see Bleday, he had five hits during Vanderbilt’s 11-1 win over Auburn in the second round of the SEC Tournament. He’s a Golden Spikes Award finalist and also claimed the tournament MVP award after the Commodors won it on a walk-off against Ole Miss. He enters the postseason with a nation leading 26 hour runs and 67 RBI.

“I don’t think [Bleday] knew I was there,” Jeter said half-jokingly on Wednesday. “You’ve got to take into consideration the good or bad,” Jeter said. “You can’t put too much stock into one particular game. I saw guys who didn’t get five hits and you realized they were special players. That’s why you have to value the opinions of the scouts that have seen him for more than one game.”

Chief among those opinions is from DJ Svihlik, their director of amateur scouting.

“Of course, I get that question a lot, and it’s expected,” Svihlik said. “We’re familiar with all of these players, whether it’s a high school player, or it’s a college player. Obviously, because of my connection to Vanderbilt, it would make sense.”

Svihlik stated that the Marlins’ amateur staff has been tasked with relationship building with many of the players expected to go high in the first round.

“I would tell you that I trust our scouting department,” Svihlik said. “I trust myself. I trust our entire staff. We have deep relationships with a lot of these players that are at the top of the board, so the relationship in and of itself is important. But it exists with a lot of these different guys, so I wouldn’t single out one player, that it makes more sense with one than another.

“We know all these guys really, really well. That’s part of our process. That’s something we ask our scouts to do. We’ve got to get to know these players at a much deeper level than just batting practice.”

If the Marlins end up selecting a college hitter in the first round, it would be the first since drafting Colin Moran in 2013 out of North Carolina. Since then, they have selected prep phonemes. Two of the previous first round picks (Braxton Garrett and Trevor Rogers) prior to new management’s arrival are currently in Single-A Jupiter.

A prime example for picking the top college bat would be Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who went from bring drafted out of Florida in the second round of the 2016 draft to being their best hitter in 2019 as a rookie. Andrew Benintendi of the Boston Red Sox is another example. He was taken in the first round out of Arkansas in 2015 and made his big league debut in 2016 and became a World Series champion in 2018.

Jeter, however, finds that to be more about the player than the place of origin. The top six draft prospects are split between three college and three high school standouts.

“Depends on how good the college player is and how good the high school player is,” Jeter said. “I don’t have any issue drafting high school or college. I’m not in the mindset of saying that you want to draft a particular player just because their closest to the Major Leagues as opposed to maybe the high school player. I think if you’re good, you’re going to get there quicker.”

Nevertheless, you can expect the Marlins to draft some highly touted position players to fill an area that is clearly lacking. 15 of the Marlins top 30 prospects are hitters. As of now, only three of them are batting above .250. The first phase of the Marlins rebuild plan has already been initiated, which was to fill the farm with talented starting pitching and develop a pipeline similar to the Tampa Bay Rays.

With the top pitching prospects in place at each affiliate and no college pitcher worth reaching for at the top, the Marlins will likely collect polished bats in Day 1 of the draft and find more high school arms in Day 2-3. Jordan Holloway and Will Stewart were both taken in the 20th round out of high school and are now among the Marlins top pitching prospects, so there is gold to be struck in each phase.

“There’s a lot of great Major League players that weren’t taken in the first round,” Jeter said. “I know the focus is on who we’re going to take first but our guys are focused on every single round.”

While there may not be an instant verdict, but the draft is certainly a time for the Marlins to inspire hope for a brighter future, depending on who they pick in their first three selections.

Fantasy Football 2019: Kenyan Drake vs Kalen Ballage

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People play fantasy football for different reasons.

Some, are degenerate gamblers that do it for an opportunity to double or even triple their money.  Others, do it because they love the game of football.  Everyone has their own reason as to why they play.  But no matter what you’re reasoning behind it-  we love fantasy football.  However, sometimes the hardest part about fantasy football, is separating your fandom from what’s best for your money.  I’ve done 11 best ball drafts now and own Tom Brady in over 70%.  That’s not because I love Tom Brady, but his value as a 12th or 13th-round option with very little left in the quarterback sea, is insane.

Now for me, when trying to separate my fandom from fantasy investment.  It has continued to come down to one factor- Kenyan Drake.  See, I own Drake in several keeper and dynasty leagues.  And year after year, he’s either underutilized or pushed deeper down the depth chart because of an aging veteran.  Nevertheless, when given opportunities, Drake has proven more than capable of being a big-time NFL playmaker.  So we should be 100% confident in drafting Drake this fantasy season?  No, not exactly.

via GIPHY

Because in today’s NFL, it takes a tandem or sometimes even a trio, to have success running the football.

Enter, Kalen Ballage.

Ballage was a rookie favorite in last year’s fantasy world.  And during the 2018 season, he was awarded 12 carries only twice throughout the 16-game campaign.  One thing is for certain, Ballage is a playmaker, that is more than deserving of his shares in the offense.  So which Dolphins’ running back should you own in this year’s fantasy season?  And how will the addition of Chad O’Shea and a New England-style mentality on offense, affect the running game.  Let’s take a look.

Tale of the Tape

Kenyan Drake (ADP: 54)

College: Alabama

Height: 6’1

Weight: 211 LBs

2018 Stats: 120 carries, 535 yards, 4 touchdowns. 53 receptions, 477 yards, 5 touchdowns.

Regardless of who you ask, Drake was severely underutilized by Adam Gase over the last three seasons.  But what should not go unnoticed, is just how well Drake has dealt with this over his young NFL career.  He never complained when playing second fiddle to other running backs.  Nevertheless, it appears he will finally have his opportunity to prove he can be a three-down running back in the NFL.  Whether or not he gets that opportunity, has yet to be determined.  What we do know, is Drake averaged only 7.5 carries per game in 2018.  A number that should be significantly higher.  Even in a New England, with several mouths to feed, Michel only had one game where he received less than 7.5 touches.  Otherwise, he was consistently given the bulk of the carriers.

Drake has proven to be equally as valuable as Michel in both aspects of the game. And one area in which he excels is as a receiving threat out of the backfield.  In 2018, Drake was targeted 73 times in the passing game.  His 53 receptions placed him 14th in the NFL and 12th in receiving yards.  Couple that with his production on the ground and Drake makes for the perfect PPR running back.  But don’t let the smooth taste fool you.  He is more than capable of being a HB2 in standard leagues and barring some unforeseen circumstances, should receiving around 20 total touches a game in 2019.

 

Fantasy Football ADP for Kenyan Drake

 

Kalen Ballage (ADP:178)

College: Arizona State

Height: 6’2

Weight: 237 LBs

2018 Stats: 36 carries, 191 yards, 1 touchdown. 9 receptions, 56 yards

Ballage is still a bit of an unknown commodity.   But we all know the mythical story about how he scored eight touchdowns in one football game. And at times last season, he looked like a more than capable NFL running back.  The question now surrounds whether or not he can make an impression on this coaching staff.  And ultimately, how much of Frank Gore’s previous carries will he see opposed to Drake.  Don’t get me wrong, both players are going to get their fair share of touches.  What each player can do with those opportunities will pay dividends.

In 2018, Ballage got the bulk of the carries just two times throughout his rookie season.  One was his week 15 performance vs the Minnesota Vikings, where he rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries.  And then again in week 17 vs Buffalo.  Ballage rushed for 47 yards vs the Bills averaging 3.9 yards per carry.

Fantasy Football ADP for Kalen Ballage

Crowning a Champion

It’s way too early in the offseason to decide the victor of the running back competition.  However, what we do know is that regardless of whether you’re #TeamDrake or #TeamBallage, the two running backs both have a role in O’Shea’s offense.  And whether Ballage is called upon on short yardage and at the goal line.  Or Drake is given 20 carries a game and some targets as a slot wide receiver.  If history repeats itself, both players will be relied upon heavily and could have a teeter-totter affect on your fantasy lineup.  Furthermore, you must consider the remaining running backs, looking to feast off of every opportunity they get.  So whether it’s taser-eluding Mark Walton, Myles Gaskin, Patrick Laird, or Kenneth Farrow, other running backs will get opportunities.

At the end of the day, if you have Drake in fantasy it would be wise to do whatever it takes to get Ballage.  But if you miss out on Drake, don’t hesitate to roll the dice on the younger player with higher upside.  All it takes is a training camp injury or Ballage to get red hot-and the starting job could be his.  But until further notice, draft any Dolphins’ running back with extreme caution.  In the end, the heart always beats the brain.  Which means inevitably, you will follow your heart and draft Drake and Ballage this fantasy season.  Even if the brain is telling you to avoid them like the plague.  Risk < Reward

This article was written by Josh Houtz (@houtz) he is a degenerate that enjoys long walks on the beach, IPAs and fantasy football.  

Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen looks for a receiver during the third week of OTAs. (Craig Davis for Fiveresonssports.com)

Davis: Should Dolphins QB job be open competition or just play Rosen?

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DAVIE – The more you see of the Dolphins in May the less you can be sure of where this quarterback situation will be in September.

Sure, journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick merits the tag of de facto starter if they were lining up to play today. You watch the OTA workouts and Josh Rosen is dutifully following along in the veteran’s shadow from drill to drill.

Coach Brian Flores keeps preaching the mantra of competition. It’s clearly designed to bring out the best, not only in the quarterbacks but an entire roster of upstarts and wannabes.

But here’s what will be interesting to observe later this summer through training camp and exhibitions to the onset of games that count: Will the let-the-most-deserving-play dictum really take precedent over the need to settle the most important issue for the future?

That is, will Rosen get the starting job even if he is outplayed by Fitzpatrick in the preseason?

It’s certainly easy to make a case for that. After investing second- and fifth-round draft picks in Rosen, does it make any sense to not start him from Day 1 and see what they’ve got?

The answer will determine whether drafting another quarterback remains the top priority next year or they can move on to another vital area of need.

In my view, the semblance of a competitive situation, whether a ruse or for real, makes sense. Rosen needs to earn the trust of his new teammates. He’s still finding his way in the league after a less than stellar rookie season.

Is QB competition real or a ruse?

The situation will sort itself out. Unless Rosen performs terribly, he will get the opportunity to play.

How that is determined and when it occurs will be the first revealing look into the Flores regime. It may also reflect the Steve Ross X factor – the owner may not want to wait for return on his investment in Rosen.

The one thing we know, the future isn’t with Fitzgerald.

For now, Flores can tout his fundamental belief that competition is like the tide, it raises all ships in the fleet collectively.

Flores, on Wednesday, portrayed both quarterbacks as motivated by past failings.

“I think they both have chips [on their shoulders],” he said.

Four weeks of spring football, which concludes next week with the mandatory minicamp, isn’t about drawing big-picture conclusions.

Nobody is in pads or getting hit for real. The distinctions are more mental than physical. Watch the quarterbacks and you notice, presumed third-stringer Jake Rudock throws a nice spiral too.

Offense demanding for QBs

What is going on is a lot of mental grinding inside those helmets. With a new coaching staff and many players still getting acquainted, there’s a massive amount of learning being done and still ahead.

On offense, the task is to try to grasp the intricate system offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea brought from New England that the Patriots built a dynasty around.

Considering it is a quarterback-centric system, it is ideal for ultimately determining whether the Dolphins have found what they are looking for in Rosen.

“I think any quarterback in this system, it takes a lot [to master],” Fitzpatrick said. “This system puts a lot on us. We’re all in there working as hard as we can to get it down and figure things out. It’s an offense that as a quarterback you love to be in because there’s a lot on your plate.”

Rosen said it’s not totally foreign to him because there were elements of the system with the Arizona Cardinals where he played under Mike McCoy, who coach with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels when both were in Denver.

“They put a lot on the quarterback operationally,” Rosen said. “You see Tom Brady at the line of scrimmage and he’s orchestrating traffic, he’s doing everything super fluidly because he’s been in the offense for so many years. So you can only hope to get somewhere close to that fluidity in it.

“This offense puts a lot on the quarterback and it’s a challenge that I enjoy. … But the thing is, you’ve got to get it down and I’m in that process. Still a steep learning curve but maybe a little bit softer than if I came in kind of cold feet from college.”

Steep learning curve ahead

As for how that process is progressing, here’s Flores’ perspective on Rosen:

“It’s under three weeks, but he’s smart, he’s got a big arm. He’s talented. He’s got some leadership ability. But he’s got a lot to learn. There’s no doubt about that.

“This offense is not an easy one to learn. There’s something new every day. But he’s getting better every day. I like that. I think that’s the case with a lot of the guys we have on this team.”

This year is unconventional, given the circumstance the Dolphins have created for themselves. It’s not about winning now, it’s a laboratory to assemble pieces that, hopefully, can enable them to win soon.

There is the added intrigue of a coach and some assistants trying to transfer success they experienced in New England to a franchise that hasn’t had any in a long time.

It is difficult to reasonably foresee many winning Sundays in 2019, yet it could be one of the most interesting Dolphins seasons to watch in years.

As for what May tells us, here is what Flores has learned about this group:

“They are tough, they give great effort. It’s a smart group. This is a mentally tough group. We’ll see once the pads come on how physically tough we are. But I imagine we will be that too.

“And I think they don’t back down from challenges. I try to challenge this group on a daily basis, and they respond. It’s not perfect every day. It’s an imperfect game, but they work hard, that’s for sure.”

Good thing, because there is so much work to be done.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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AEW’s Double or Nothing was a masterpiece

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For weeks, I was torn on whether or not I should buy All Elite Wrestling’s first ever PPV, Double or Nothing.  After all, what was the probability it would live up to the hype it has created?  In today’s professional wrestling, very rarely does a card-outside of NXT or New Japan- ever live up to it’s hype?  And yes, there’s usually one or two matches on any given card that saves a show.  But for the most part, wrestling could never be as good as the Attitude Era I enjoyed watching as a child- or could it?

With a card that included some of the world’s top wrestlers, like Kenny Omega, Pentagon Jr, Chris Jericho, Cody, and many others, it had the potential to be good.  But could AEW become Elite? 

Here is my quick and gritty recap of AEW’s Double or Nothing PPV and it DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS! Enjoy and long live Kayfabe!

The Buy In-Pre-Show

21-Man Battle Royal – (Winner gets a AEW Title Shot)

For those that are not absolute die-hard wrestling fans, this battle royal may have left you wondering who a lot of these wrestlers were.  And even though some would steal your heart like Luchasaurus did mine.   There were several big names in this match that could be potential megastars in AEW.  There were also wrestling legends like Tommy Dreamer and Glacier involved in the match.  The final four would come down to Hangman, Luchasaurus, Jimmy Havoc, and MJF.  In the end, Page wins by throwing MJF over the top rope.  And now he will get a title shot vs the winner of Jericho vs Omega at Fight for the Fallen.

Winner- Hangman Page

There was a very strange promo here by two wrestlers in AEW that both consider themselves to be, THE… librarian?  So basically the two wrestlers-Peter Avalon and Leva Bates- shushed one another for a good 45 seconds.

Kip Sabian vs Sammy Guevara

This match looked like two kids in the cafeteria arguing over a box of Dunkaroos.  During the match, Guevara landed a shooting star press to Sabian, who was draped over the barricade at ringside.  He then followed it up with a 620 splash but came crashing down on Sabian’s knees. Lastly, Sabian hit Guevara with his finisher “Deathly Hallows” to solidify the victory.

Winner – Kip Sabian

Double or Nothing – Main Card

SoCal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Scorpio Sky, and Kazarian) vs #StrongHearts ( CIMA, T-Hawk, and El Lindaman)

Another group of superstars that fans may know from other outlets.  This match included Christopher Daniels, Scorpio Sky, CIMA among others.  The match would inevitably end with a moonsault-tombstone piledriver that is known throughout the industry as a variation of the ‘Meltzer Bomb’. 1,2,3. Match.

Winner – SoCal Uncensored

Britt Baker vs Kylie Rae vs Nyla Rose vs Awesome Kong

For some reason, Brandi Rhodes continued to tease as though she was going to be in the match.  Instead, she announced Awesome Kong as the fourth competitor in this bout.  Much like we’ve become accustomed to nowadays in wrestling, these girls can hold their own. Britt Baker ultimately wins the match and becomes the face of AEW’s Women’s division.

Winner – Britt Baker

Best Friends (Trent and Chuckie T)  vs Jack Evans vs Angelica

This was again a beautiful representation of tag-team matches.

Winner – Best Friends

And then they were attacked by these guys. Who we are all praying to the wrestling gods, somehow leads into CM Punk.

Then they formed a human throne for the big guy to sit on.  it was strange, very strange-but in a good way.

Hikaru Shida,  Riho Abe, Ryo Mizunami vs Aja Kong,  Yuka Sakazaki, and Emi Sakura

This match showcased all the ladies talents. However, Shid, Yuka, and Riho proved they were superstars.  But on this day, Shida, Abe, and Mizunami got the last laugh.

Winner – Shida, Abe, Mizunami

Cody vs Dustin Rhodes

This match started with what was essentially Triple H’s thrown waiting at the entrance ramp.  And then Brandi pulled out a sledgehammer from under the ring and everything started to make sense.  Cody said he wanted to “put to rest the Attitude Era” and essentially, he is.  But this style of wrestling felt a lot more like the Attitude Era.  Which is exactly what Cody has now recreated.  After destroying the thrown with corny fireworks, it was time for his old brother Dustin Rhodes to make his way to the ring.  We should have known something was up with the red and black face paint.  Late in the match, after Cody sent Dustin face first into an exposed turnbuckle-blood flowed.  And it flowed.  And it poured out of the 50-year old future Hall of Famer.

He bled all over Cody, all over the ring, and all over everyone in the front row.

Brandi would hit Dustin with a spear that would force Earl Hebner to send her back to the dressing room.  Of course, she was escorted out by none other than DDP.  Truth be told, this may have been the best match of the night.  Dustin looked impressive and altered his move-set to adapt to his younger brother.  (His sunset flip power bomb was a thing of beauty)  In the end, Cody finished his brother off with a “CrossRhodes”.  After the match, Cody said that he agreed to fight the Young Bucks at Fight for Fallen.  But he needed a partner…

Cody gave a speech that could put him in the running for a day-time soap opera.  Dustin Rhodes was crying in the ring, with 95% of his blood stained on the mat.  Cody asked Dustin to join him in the fight, and the two will face the Young Bucks at #F4TF.   It was a perfect finish to a match that shocked everyone.

Winner – Cody Rhodes

Brett Hart showed up to showoff the AEW Championship

The AEW Championship belt is beautiful.

The Young Bucks vs Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix

For as great of a match as the previous one was, the Young Bucks and Pentagon/Fenix stole the show.  And if you consider yourself a fan of professional wrestling, there’s a very good chance you watched some of these wrestlers work before.  Regardless, this was the match of the night and shows you just how beautiful tag-team wrestling can be.  If you like wrestling at all, find a way to see this match.  Because honestly, words can’t describe it.  I promise, it won’t disappoint.

Winner – Young Bucks

Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho

Anyone that has ever watched wrestling knows who Chris Jericho is. But not everyone may be as familiar with Kenny Omega. Omega, is believed to be one of the best wrestlers in the world. Furthermore, he is one of the masterminds behind AEW. This match wasn’t a masterpiece like the two previous. But it showcased a story between the two wrestlers that we rarely see in WWE today.  Omega shows off  why he is often considered the best in the world (sorry, Shane McMahon and Okada).

Somehow, someway, the new MMA superstar Jericho lands a brutal spinning elbow to Omega.  Jericho gets the victory and a shot at the AEW title vs Hangman Page.

Winner – Chris Jericho

But wait! BAHHH Gawd Almighty! It can’t be!!!! Bah Gawd, it’s John Moxley (Dean Ambrose) and he looks mad.

Moxley gives his trademarked double arm DDT to Jericho and the referee.  He then tries to put the finisher on Omega and the two superstars fall outside the ring as carnage ensues.

The ending to All Elite Wrestling was beautiful. And it leaves fans on the edge of their seats, anxiously waiting for their next PPV Fight for the Fallen.

Goodnight

It’s your turn, Vince McMahon.

 

The suddenly shocking sweeping Marlins

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The Miami Marlins managed to sweep the New York Mets and the Detroit Tigers to get six straight wins, and are now creeping on the Washington Nationals.

Before those series, we were going back to the record books to compare and estimate if this team could make history with their terrible record.

I found this article about the ten worst seasons in MLB history and after reading it, I was sure these Marlins were going to make that list.

Now, I am not so sure they will get there.

The 1962 New York Mets had a 40-120 record, the 2003 Detroit Tigers finished with 43 and 119 and the 2018 Baltimore Orioles had 47-115, 61 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.

They all looked very achievable to this poor-production Marlins team.

However, we all know baseball is an unpredictable sport and these Marlins suddenly turned into a clutch and unhittable team.

Heads up, Nationals

With this six wins, the Marlins put their record in 16-31, just one game and a half from the Washington Nationals, their rival for their next four-game series.

Is this team really playing that much better? Let’s check it out.

The starting pitching has been performing at a decent-to-good level all year, right?

Well, it’s been even better during these six games:

The offense is finally coming through to score enough runs to win. As easy as it sounds, that has been the key.

The Marlins haven’t had a very explosive game offensively, but they’re hitting the ball when they need to. They are averaging 5.16 runs per game during this stretch.

Before that, they were only scoring 2.46 runs per game.

Home runs have been a key element of their great run. Garrett Cooper’s go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning on Thursday afternoon was their eight in that six-game span.

Before, in those 41 first games, they had only 24.

Brian Anderson is stepping up again and we’re seeing the first sparks in Harold Ramírez and Garrett Cooper’s swings, and that is comforting.

Garrett Cooper should be the bat that brings that extra pop to the lineup. His first home runs came in this series, and we should expect more opportunities for him there.

Hopefully, Austin Dean joins the party soon, so the Marlins don’t send him down to the minors again.

The Five Reasons input in the Marlins winning streak

Right before all this happened, we planned a special episode of the Five Reasons Flagship to analyze the historical and hysterical Marlins season.

This is what we talked about on Wednesday morning after the Marlins’ fourth win in a row:

I said there that I was expecting more from Brian Anderson, and I think we’re still are, since he should be the third baseman of the future.

He had a good series at Detroit with two very important homers and four RBIs, but is still far away from what we expect from him, hitting .229, with a .309 OBP, four home runs, eight doubles and 16 RBIs.

Way before that, Craig Mish did his part tweeting in Spanish:

How much time should we wait until we plan a special episode about the Marlins’ great present?

We know we are dangerous…

 

Alejandro Villegas likes the shift more than Leandro Soto does. Neither likes Curtis Granderson hitting leadoff, and that’s one of the few things Leandro, Ricardo and Alejandro agree when they talk on Cinco Razones Podcast. Check their coverage of the Miami Marlins and their episodes clicking here.

Chris Grier isn't a perfect general manager, but he does not deserve to be fired.

Miami Dolphins still need to draw the line(s)

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Consider me a bit confused as to what the aim of the 2019 Miami Dolphins season is.

Yes, I understand the mantra of “develop the young guys”, “see the growth from Rosen”, blah blah blah. I am talking more in the order of winning or losing? It is no secret that they have a war chest to be envied for 2020, and I would be lying if I didn’t say that the prospects of the 2020 off-season have me more excited than at any other time in recent Dolphins history, but they are leaving themselves a ton of work to do that will eat into those 2020 assets.

The illustrious Pat Riley famously once said “No rebounds, no rings.”

Well, I have a catchy saying of my own. “No lines, no wins.”

This team’s likely weakness rests on the offensive and defensive lines, and they did little to address either this offseason. In fact, they actually weakened each unit further. Now, I won’t get into all the analysis out there that says the Dolphins will be awful this year, because truth be told, most of the value from it, is as emergency toilet paper if printed out. In the real world, we have hard evaluations of players on either side of the ball, and this Dolphins team is counting on a lot of hopes and wishes.

So let’s get into the two units as presently constituted. The defensive line on the face of it, is not so bad in the interior. You drafted Christian Wilkins at #13 this year, and he figures to be a good performer for years to come. In Godchaux, Taylor and Spence, you have a decent, and professional group. Dare I say, I like that group more than most, and I don’t think it’s crazy to think that the bulk of that unit will be cornerstones of this team going forward.

Then we get to Defensive end. Tank Carradine. Jonathan Woodard. Nate Orchard. Really? What you have there is a series of “Scratch off Tickets” (as was coined on the 3YPC Podcast) and no real solutions. But “Our system won’t rely on too many Ends or D-Linemen for that matter, so the deficiency may be hidden.” Says the optimist. Ok, that’s legitimate, but pass rush pressure is still a thing in this league, and they are seeking to generate it with Charles Harris, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jayrone Elliott. One probable draft bust, one draft scratch off ticket, and a shot in the dark from the AAF. Not good.

It stands to reason however that they did try to mitigate the problem on the Defensive line by making a play for Trey Flowers, were rebuffed due to “the numbers not working out” ( we reported as such) and they quickly moved on to fill the holes with what are essentially a series of low risk, high reward, shots in the dark. I can respect that. But you must understand that the risk as represented here, is losing, A lot of it, and the need to deploy assets that you have hoarded for 2020 to fix the problems you created in 2019.

Which brings us to the Offensive Line. It was pretty evident that it was a rather weak group in 2018, so we all knew that it was a priority in 2019. So what was done to improve this unit? They allowed steady performer at right tackle Ja’Wuan James to walk. Added Michael Dieter at left guard with a 3rd round pick, Isaiah Prince with a late round pick and then picked off some guys off the street to compete elsewhere. Then, with the acquisition of Josh Rosen came the realization that an effort should be made to get a veteran option at Right Tackle, and that brought us former Buffalo Bill Jordan Mills.

If you want an evaluation on Jordan Mills, just type “Jordan Mills is bad” in your search bar on twitter, and you begin to get the picture. To put it mildly, he is not good. So let’s move on to the rest of the line. Jesse Davis is coming off a poor season at Right Guard in 2018. Daniel Kilgore is coming off injury and some poor play, but there is still hope that he can regain the form that made him an attractive acquisition in the first place. Michael Dieter is an unknown out of Wisconsin, but the hopes are that he can slide right in and perform. Chris Reed has some good tape from Jacksonville, but has never been consistent enough to hold a starting job. Laremy Tunsil, we don’t worry about. So on this unit, we are back to wishing and hoping that if this goes right, and if that goes right, then we are gonna be all right ..etc…get the picture?

The “hope” here is that with Offensive Line Coach Pat Flaherty and Analyst Dave DeGuglielmo, “coaching them up’”, improvement is assured. Wishful thinking in my opinion, but it does have merit. This thread by my podcast-mate Chris Kouffman explains:

So what’s the beef overall? My fear is that the War chest of 2020, ($100 million in cap space, 2 picks in each round except the 1st) will be invaded to fix the issues they had every opportunity to fix this off-season. Edge, Defensive End, Offensive Line. This is without stating the obvious, which is that you are not exactly setting up 2nd year QB Josh Rosen up to succeed behind this offensive line. Remember that Josh Rosen succeeding also validates an asset you spent for him (2nd round pick).

Maybe my fears are not founded and they hit “BINGO” on many fronts this season. Then the team is set up for a run at Championships if they use their hoard of assets wisely. If not, you may be looking at the 2020 off-season as a time they are forced to use to make up for the mistakes and gambles taken these last few months.

Let’s root for “BINGO”.

Brian Flores’ first task: reshape Dolphins defense

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DAVIE – The intrigue around the Dolphins is all about the future. Rightfully so, for a franchise trying to break from a pattern of failure with a fresh assembly line.
So the immediate measuring stick will be about how quarterback Josh Rosen and other key components meld or melt under expectations.
But the element that will have the most to do with wins and losses in 2019 will be the question-riddled defense.
Last year’s Dolphins D was one of the most porous in the league. The offseason has been notable more for the subtractions than the additions.
Will they be able to stop anyone?
An ESPN analyst is betting no, forecasting that the Dolphins in phase 1 of a rebuild won’t win a single game this season.
Ludicrous. There certainly are holes, but the cupboard isn’t that bare. And much of the NFL is not all that formidable.
Not that the issue of outside expectations is on coach Brian Flores’ radar.
A test of coaching
“I’m not really worried about anything that’s going on outside our building,” Flores said Tuesday amid the second week of OTAs. “So my focus is on today, it’s on improving today, it’s on helping these players succeed and get better, and try to make some type of impact on these guys.
“I don’t really listen to the rest of it.”
What Flores is trying to answer is how much does coaching matter?
Can Flores, fresh off directing the Super Bowl-winning defense with New England, and some assistants he brought with him from the Patriots, squeeze some wins out of a roster that figures to be at a talent deficit against most opponents?
It won’t take much to improve on the horror show of a defense that then-defensive coordinator Matt Burke directed in 2018, which gave up the most yards in franchise history (6,257) and 433 points, only four fewer than the team record by the 1-15 debacle of 2007.
That was with Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn, two prominent names who have been discarded. But keep in mind, neither of those veterans had a sterling season.
Maximizing assets has sustained the Patriots dynasty (OK, that Brady guy has had something to do with it too).
So Flores is similarly looking to ascend with players like newly signed defensive end Nate Orchard, a second-round pick of the Browns in 2015 who is best known as a personality on “Hard Knocks.”
Orchard is on his fourth team since October. He has 13 career starts and five sacks. He had 18.5 sacks in his second college season at Utah.
“I can rush the passer,” he said Tuesday. “I just need an opportunity. I think it’s here with the Dolphins. I’m grateful for it.”
Counting on competition to elevate all
Flores is counting on that as a motivating factor throughout a largely unproven roster, saying, “I think there’s competition at every position, and if the guys don’t feel that way then we’re going to try to make them feel that way, one way or another.”
There is talent in the secondary, where Xavien Howard is newly anointed as the league’s highest-paid cornerback and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who excelled in a variety of roles, is entering his second year.
Unknown is the future of long-time safety Reshad Jones, who has elected to skip all of the voluntary offseason workouts so far.
There is no shortage of eager replacements with 18 defensive backs forming the largest area of specialization of any unit among the 91 players under contract – offensive line is next with 15.
The challenge for Flores is to make an appetizing chicken salad out of a couple of prime ingredients and an assortment of table scraps.
The coaching ego always believes it can accomplish that. Flores has able support in defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, a product of Yale who worked with Flores with the Patriots and most recently coached with the Packers.
Josh Boyer, the defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach, came from New England with Flores.
The OTA sessions this month are open to the media only one day a week. They are all being conducted with players in shorts and helmets. Flores acknowledges that limits what he can learn about players until they put on pads in training camp.
Mixing it up on D
But Tuesday’s 90-minute session was spirited and the emphasis on conditioning was evident. Players ran from one drill to the next and there were frequent instances of groups dropping for a set of pushups.
That is part of what Flores refers to as “no talent needed” – things that can be accomplished through effort alone.
It will take talent and skill, though, for this team to rise above expectations – and for Flores to succeed outside the shadow of Bill Belichick.
But there is evidence of the Patriot Way in the defense in early stages of construction. There is a mix of 4-3 and 3-4 schemes in the front seven. There are players being utilized in a variety of roles.
Holdover defensive lineman Davon Godchaux said the difference in philosophy is distinct. Whereas last year the mantra was attack the offense, this scheme is read and react. And there is a lot of mixing and matching to create confusion, hopefully confined to the opposition.
“They put guys in position here to be successful,” Orchard said. “The blitz is coming from every angle. You don’t know when it’s coming or what’s going on. Coach Graham is doing a great job to disguise that.”
The challenge of this season will to be disguise the shortcomings of this roster and rise above them.
That, to me, will be every bit as compelling as the quarterback situation.
Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns. Photo by Tony Capobianco. 
More from Dolphin Maven

Chris Grier, Three-eyed GM

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By now, we have all seen the finale of HBO’s insanely popular television series, Game of Thrones. So we all know how it ends.  And whether you agree that a young (crippled) boy that suffered through some heinous stuff, later becomes the most important character in the show, or not, Bran Stark is more than qualified. After all, he can see everything, and the affect it has on the seven kingdoms is clear as day.

So after suffering by the wayside for so many years, Bran becomes the ruler of the six kingdoms. But where have we seen this before?  When has a guy sat back and watched as everything around him burns to the ground- only to reap the benefits?

Bran used his visions to foresee the future, which ultimately led to him sitting atop the Iron Throne.  Which, come to think of it, is exactly what Dolphins’ GM Chris Grier did before being handed the keys to the kingdom.

So is Grier the three-eyed raven?

Let’s take a look.

The Rightful Heir 

There are lots of important signs that may suggest Grier is a three-eyed General Manager, with the ability to see everything in the history of the world. Who stays with one team for twenty years, watching as each prolific name comes and goes. Putting the team further and further away from being competitive. Obviously, he knew his time would eventually come.  And although he watched as coaches tied their fate to Chad Henne and Ryan Tannehill, in addition to overspending on high-priced free agents.  He never lost sight of what was still to come.  Maybe he takes the “safe” route when it comes to his decision making, but he’s done well with his newly assigned power.

Somehow, someway, Grier knew he would eventually be calling the shots in South Florida.  And if this offseason is any indication,  it appears as though he’s the right man for the job.

Laremy Tunsil’s gas mask

Draft day 2016 was a bit surreal.  The consensus #1 pick had a video of him smoking out of a gas mask leaked online, which caused him to fall mercifully into the Dolphins’ lap at #11.  I’m not sure they ever found out who released the video, but my theory is that Grier had something to do with it.  What team benefited most from the announcement?  Certainly not the Tennessee Titans.  Miami now has an All-Pro left tackle because of this video, and it just seems like something a three-eyed GM may have done.  Perhaps he “warged” into Tunsil and consumed some of the Devil’s lettuce, knowing it would cause him to fall.

Nonetheless, the Dolphins and Grier are happy with the way things turned out.

Charles Harris, 3-4 pass rusher

In 2017, the Miami football Dolphins invested the 22nd-overall pick on pass rusher Charles Harris.  And like most of Grier’s moves, it wasn’t a flashy pick.  But it was a selection that raised some eyebrows, and rightfully so.  Harris is best suited for a 3-4 defense and at the time, Miami was running a traditional 4-3 with wide-9 concepts.  For those that don’t know, Matt Burke and his wide-9 failed miserably in Miami.  And although Harris has been non-existent early on throughout his career.  Maybe, just maybe, he can turn it around with better coaching and a scheme that fits his skill-set better.

For a team that let Cameron Wake walk and traded away Robert Quinn, Grier better know what he’s doing.  But again, he probably already knows the outcome of this saga.

Xavien Howard is a very rich man

When the Dolphins traded up to select Baylor’s Xavien Howard with the #38th-pick in the 2016 NFL draft, uncertainty loomed.  Ultimately, Howard was a handsy defensive back that excelled in a division not known for their defense.  And although it wasn’t the most popular decision at the time, Grier knew what type of player he could eventually become.  This offseason, the Dolphins finally rewarded one of their own, making Howard the highest paid defensive back in NFL history.  Miami was able to lock up one of the better press-corners in the game today.  And for a young team in desperate need of an identity, the move makes sense.  Flores had Stephone Gilmore in New England, and now Howard in Miami.

The contract isn’t so bad either.  In fact, when you dig deeper within the contract, it’s a great deal for both sides involved.  Howard’s 5 years, $76.5M may seem like a lot now.  But the way it is structured ($52-million guaranteed over the first three years) is genius.

Josh Rosen, franchise quarterback

I’m not sure whether or not he can see the past, present, and future.  But I do think Grier knew that when the dust settled, Joshua Ballinger Lippincott Rosen would be sitting on the the Iron Throne.  And unless Ryan Fitzpatrick has something to do with it,

And whether or not you liked the trade, he is the team’s best hope at finding a franchise quarterback.  A franchise quarterback that they have not had since Dan Marino himself.  So for seven years the Dolphins drafted Brandon Doughty, and gave Tannehill very little competition.  Sure, David Gerrard had a straight shot to the starting job.  But a swimming pool would prove to be the difference maker.  One by one, quarterbacks would come and go.  But none ever had a chance of becoming the next Right Arm of God.  Until now.

Grier didn’t have to do much to acquire Miami’s newest hope at relevance.  Instead, he waited patiently for the asking price to slowly diminish.  And certainly Grier knew that long-time friend Jeff Ireland would be more than willing to make a trade with his former team.  Grier acquired a 2020 second-round pick and then shipped No.68 to the Cardinals for Rosen.  A great trade for all involved.

It is anyone’s guess as to whether or not Rosen will ever becomes the guy Dolphins’ fans have long yearned for. But give credit to Grier for trying to find “the guy”, no matter the cost.

Conclusion

In the end, Bran Stark sits atop the Iron Throne as a man that can see EVERYTHING.  After reading the tea leaves, new Dolphins’ general manager Chris Grier might not be far off.  He’s made countless moves that would indicate he already knew the outcome.  Furthermore, he’s taken chances on players with troubled pasts and severe uncertainty.  The Dolphins are much better off now than they were a year ago.  And during a three-year rebuild, Grier already has things further along than we expected.  Perhaps, he’s been waiting for his opportunity.  Or maybe, just maybe, he has the ability to see the future.

Maybe, Chris Grier is the Dolphins three-eyed GM.

Josh Houtz (@Houtz) believes in wargs and three-eyed ravens. He also likes the Miami Dolphins.

The Case for LeBron Back in Miami

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I mean, wow.

The Lakers organization has been a horrific mess since the tail end of Kobe Bryant’s career, rightfully being knighted the ‘LOLakers’ for the majority of the past decade. That was overdone, perhaps, especially when the Lakers managed to land LeBron James on a four-year contract, seeming to set themselves up for a return to prominence.

How could they screw that up? Here’s the tutorial.

  • They signed Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Javale McGee, Michael Beasley (the only #good signing, for obvious reasons) and re-signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to complete LeBron, while Lakers castoffs Julius Randle and Brook Lopez were better all season for other teams. Also missed out on signing cheap shooters around LeBron, like a Wayne Ellington.
  • Watched as LeBron suffered a month-long injury for the first time in forever, with it not being clear if he was in any rush to get back.
  • Suffered through some locker room melodrama after the ugly way the Anthony Davis trade discussions spilled into the public sphere. This appeared to affect young players Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and others.
  • Missed the playoffs, which they always do lately, but which wasn’t supposed to happen this season.
  • Had their team president and all-time legend, Magic Johnson, quit without telling anyone, in part at least, because he wanted to tweet more.
  • Magic later gave some of the juicy details of what we’d all heard live on ESPN, that it was about Magic vs. Pelinka. And Pelinka won? Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised Kobe’s agent is somebody this ruthless. Pelinka has absolutely risen up the ranks as an all-time finesser.

 

  • Team was then taken over by the Rambii (“shadow presidents” Kurt and Linda Rambis, who have failed elsewhere) as well as owner Jeanie Buss and former agent/current GM Rob Pelinka (whom Magic Johnson apparently could not stand to be around any longer)

  • Fired their young head coach (Luke Walton).
  • Hired a replacement (Frank Vogel) who hasn’t had success since at least 2014.
  • Hired the notoriously power-hungry (and judging by the Bucks’ success without him, not so competent) Jason Kidd to be Vogel’s lead assistant and scared away Ty Lue, of all people, in the process
  • Are now the subject of rumors/leaks that a LeBron trade is not out of the question, despite the knowledge that Kidd was hired to appease LeBron.

 

 

So…..

What does it mean?

And could it mean something to South Florida?

In recent weeks, the  Miami Heat were named among betting favorites among potential landing spots for LeBron. Of course. He’s been here. He won two titles here. Pat Riley is desperate to change the course of the franchise back to something closer to what it was when LeBron was here.

Could this even be possible?

OK, probably not, but just listen for a second.

In a world where Kevin Durant re-signs with the Warriors, where Jimmy Butler was already on board (whether through some sort of sign & trade with Philly or via free agency), and one where the franchise sells Riley as being in position to move on from basketball, with Erik Spoelstra, Chris Bosh, Shane Battier and D-Wade moving up in the ranks of the organization and serving as the foundation of the front office.

Wouldn’t that be a pretty nice situation to re-join?

I’m Doctor Strange telling you there’s a million different paths this offseason could take.

But the one scenario where LeBron makes his way back to the-soon-to-be Dwyane Wade Boulevard is there.

This scenario would take both LeBron and Jimmy Butler making it clear they want to be in Miami. It would also be complicated to pull off but, with both of those assurances, Andy Elisburg could conceivably get it done. If Goran Dragic & Hassan Whiteside opt in, you can send their expiring contracts attached to some picks in a package for LeBron after pulling off a complicated sign & trade consisting of J-Rich + Olynyk for Jimmy Butler.

So, yeah, it’s a lot.

But considering the chaos in L.A., why wouldn’t LeBron at least consider pushing his way here, using his considerable influence. The organization that gave him everything he wanted (well, until those Mike Miller and Joel Anthony departures that were blamed for so much) with people he considers brothers in positions of power, in a beautiful city that *didn’t* bail on him immediately after he didn’t come through, with another star next to him to help him lead the other young players.

Crazier things have happened.

Remember the Big 3?