Marlins Archives - Jane Heller

Weird series

April 18, 2018

It was just a two-game series against the Marlins, a team the Yankees should have swept easily. Instead, we blew them away in Game 1, thanks to a stellar outing by Severino and a barrage of hitting, and then were blown away in Game 2, thanks to a disastrous outing by Tanaka and a paucity of hitting. How to explain this dichotomy?

The most concerning issue is Tanaka. He’s always been prone to the home run ball, but last night was ridiculous. Obviously, he had nothing on his pitches and the Marlins took advantage. Or is his problem something deeper, as in injury? I see Kaenle is suddenly on the DL with arm tendinitis, not that he was that integral to the team’s success, but arm trouble at this time of the year never bodes well. Maybe Tanaka just had an “off” night as did the offense.

Either way, the Yanks seem to be unable to get on a roll. It’s early. It’s cold. I understand all that. But unless we start reeling off some back-to-back wins, we’ll be in the hole in the division and it’ll be tough to gain ground.

(Sorry to be the voice of doom this morning. I’ll feel better after a few wins in a row.)

It’s Official!

December 11, 2017

I was reluctant to post about this over the weekend just in case Stanton failed the physical or something else went wrong, but….the deal is done! The Yankees announced it this morning! We will now have the pleasure of watching last year’s NL MVP join Judge, Sanchez and the other bombers in what will be a formidable lineup.

Do I mind giving up Castro? I liked him well enough, but he and his salary were expendable with the young, less expensive infielders we have. Do I fear Stanton’s contract? It’s not my money and as long as there’s enough in Hal’s vault for a starting pitcher if we need one (I hear CC’s talking to the Angels) and as long as Stanton doesn’t spend the back end of the contract injured, it is what it is. Superstars have bad contracts. *shrug* And he’s only 28, so it’s not like we’re getting some old war horse.

The only question I have – and it’s been raised by some of the beat writers – is how he’ll handle New York. Not every superstar can. Stanton may love the bright lights of a big market, but, like David Price, he could chafe at having so much media scrutinizing his every move. There were times with the Marlins when he left the clubhouse without talking to the press after a game.

But we’ll find out soon enough. Spring training starts in two months and I’ll be at the first game at Steinbrenner Field….and I will report!

Meanwhile, what a Christmas present!

Not What I Was Hoping for in Boston

August 21, 2017

The fading, struggling, scuffling – pick your adjective – Yankees lost the series at Fenway instead of grabbing the head-to-head opportunity to gain ground. Saturday night was a lift, edging out the Red Sox with a solid starting performance from CC just back from the DL, a Chapman-less pen made of a fired up D-Rob and Betances and clutch hitting. But Friday night and yesterday’s games were a huge letdown.

Where oh where is Judge? All those strikeouts are killing us and yet Girardi, the most stubborn guy ever, won’t drop him out of the third slot in the lineup. Gary Sanchez allowed two passed balls on Saturday night but his spectacular throw to second on the steal attempt redeemed him, and he’s been great on offense. Didi is so clutch and steady. Torreyes is too. But none of it is enough if you can’t beat the team in front of you. As Jeter always said, “You have to win games.” Speaking of the Captain, very happy for him and his wife about their baby girl, Bella Raines Jeter. Also happy he’s about to seal the deal on buying the Marlins. I’ve had so many comments from Yankee fans on Facebook who are pissed off that he’s not buying the Yankees. Here’s a bulletin for them: the Yankees were not for sale. I really don’t understand people who think it’s traitorous for him to own a team other than the Yankees. The man’s stated goal after retirement was to own a team, period. Let him live his dream, for God’s sake.

Back to basics, if the Yanks want to hang on to any Wild Card hopes, they need to start winning series again starting tonight in Detroit. There are lots of teams bunched up in the standings right behind them. No time for letting them jump ahead.

Derek Jeter and Everyone Else

May 15, 2017

The series against Houston wasn’t memorable. The Yankees lost all but one game. Tanaka’s start last night was disastrous, and Chapman is off to the DL. Having had a rotator cuff tear with tendinitis in my shoulder (both shoulders, actually), I don’t expect to see our closer any time soon. Which leaves those duties to Betances. Is he up to the challenge that Randy Levine so publicly declared he wasn’t up to? Will Levine’s words and the bad blood from arbitration get inside Betances’ head? I really hope not. (Andrew Miller, please come back. All is forgiven.)

Early in the weekend, the Yankees offense seemed to have petered out against the Astros’ top-notch pitchers, and while they came alive yesterday, in the lone victory of the doubleheader and in the nightcap in a losing effort, they were facing a better team. Houston is the real deal. It’s now up to the Yanks to bounce back. (A minor gripe: must the players wear pink on Mother’s Day? It’s annoying.)

But baseball games were beside the point. This was Jeter weekend and last night was Jeter Night. All his friends and family members came out to honor Jeet for the ceremony to retire his number and add his plaque to the other greats in Monument Park, even his grandmother. All the Steinbrenners were there too (except Hank; where oh where is Hank these days?). It’s always fun to see Mo, Andy and the gang, and A-Rod knew enough to stay in Miami. Hannah Jeter’s water looked like it was about to break, but she hung in there, managing to look beautiful in full pregnancy mode.

Do the Yankees know how to do ceremonies? You bet they do. They always manage to make them wonderfully, over-the-top cheesy. I’m talking about wheeling Jeter in from centerfield as if the golf cart were a chariot, the presentation of gifts from the Steinbrenners (does he really need another diamond ring?), the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” wafting through the Stadium. Jeter’s speech felt like the only authentic, non-cheesy part of the proceedings. It was off-the-cuff, sincere, plain-spoken, pure Jeter. He was grateful, he was humble, he was on point: he’d always wanted to be a Yankee and he’d loved every minute of his career.

And now he’s moved on, trying to buy the Marlins. For the moment, it looks like MLB prefers the investment group led by Mitt Romney’s son – a head-scratcher. Apparently, Bob Manfred wants his money up front and the Romney group can provide. But I’m sure the Bush-Jeter group can scrounge up enough dough if given a chance. And wouldn’t you want the sport’s greatest ambassador to be an owner, MLB? I would and I do. Sure, I’d rather Jeter buy the Yankees, but the Marlins are for sale. If Jeter has shown us anything, it’s that we should never count him out.

It Really Is About A-Rod Now

June 18, 2015

The Yankees were down and now they’re up again, having won two at home against the same Marlins they lost ugly to in Miami. Why are they up again? Last night the big reason was Pineda, who was superb, and Betances, who held/saved the game in an impressive way. Tonight, A-Rod drew to within one hit of 3,000 and while others made big contributions to the win (CC, Gardner, Beltran, Tex), the story was about whether he would get to 3,000 and how everybody would react, including him.

Unfortunately, the suspense will have to continue. It’s unlikely he won’t reach the magic number this weekend against the Tigers. I think it’ll happen tomorrow night. It’ll be a spectacle of some sort – not the Jeter sort where everything stops and he gives a speech and the Stadium goes wild, but where there’s genuine excitement on the part of the crowd and at the very least a press conference by A-Rod after the game. The Yankees may not want to pay him his bonuses, but they’ll give him the podium. I expect him to say he’s humbled to be among the greats in the sport, that he’s having fun playing again, that he feels fortunate to be healthy, that he’s grateful to the fans and his teammates for their support…..What am I missing?

Suddenly, The Jays Are Contenders

November 13, 2012

What a crazy trade that was reported today. I get that the Marlins wanted to dump payroll, but weren’t they having enough trouble with attendance at their new stadium? Who’s going to show up without marquee players?

And why did the swap have to benefit one of our division rivals?

I know this is a traditionally slow time of year for Brian Cashman – isn’t he usually rappelling down a building or tending bar? – and I don’t anticipate that he’ll make any headlines until next month. But I always go into a bit of a panic when I read about other teams getting stronger and scarier. I mean Mark Buehrle is no slouch, but Josh Johnson is gooood.

The Marlins Are Like Kids In A Candy Store

November 10, 2011

Last winter the Nationals surprised everybody by spending big on Jayson Werth. Are the Marlins this year’s Nats? According to MLB.com, they’re on a spending spree or are about to be.

Pujols to meet with Marlins, possibly Saturday
By Matthew Leach

The wooing of Albert Pujols is about to get under way in earnest.

An industry source told MLB.com on Thursday that Pujols’ camp is scheduled to meet in Miami with the Marlins within the next few days, possibly as early as Saturday. Pujols is a free agent for the first time after he and the Cardinals were unable to reach an agreement last winter.

Pujols, 31, is the biggest-name free agent on the market this offseason, but one of several that Florida (soon to be Miami on Friday) is considering. The Marlins move into a new ballpark next season, and their payroll is expected to increase dramatically.

They have already met with pitcher Mark Buehrle and shortstop Jose Reyes, and a Marlins contingent traveled to the Dominican Republic to see Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes this week as well. The Marlins have Gaby Sanchez at first base, but Pujols is the kind of unique talent who could certainly cause a team to rethink what it has in-house.

Normally, I wouldn’t pay any attention to what an NL team does. But with the Yankees having a quiet off-season so far (yes, it’s early, but still), the entitled fan in me is getting itchy. Aside from locking up CC, all we’re hearing about is how Cashman is placing calls to various agents, acknowledging that he wants to add a starter but reiterating that the Yankees don’t have “a need” for much else.

I admit it. I like when we go shopping. Nothing against any of our guys, but it’s not as much fun when we stand pat while other teams are wheeling and dealing.

Maybe I just need to go buy a pair of shoes or something.