Another year, another struggle in Miami? Phillies vs. Marlins series preview

The season isn’t even every week outdated, and lots of Phillies followers are already dropping their minds. Based mostly on the response of social media (and I acknowledge that social media isn’t essentially the most effective barometer for fan opinion) you’d suppose the crew was off to a disastrous begin and there was no hope for the season.

The Phillies are presently 3-3, and that’s principally as a result of the offense – other than just a few sporadic massive innings – hasn’t come out firing like we anticipated. However for those who suppose that guys like Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper are going to bat beneath .200 all season, it is advisable get a grip.

A visit to Miami might be not going to do a lot to appease anybody’s emotions. As everyone knows, the Phillies have had their share of points when enjoying video games in Miami over the previous few seasons. However simply because the Phillies have struggled in a given metropolis previously, it doesn’t imply they may forevermore wrestle in that metropolis.

Miami Marlins

Report: 1-4 (Fifth place in Nationwide League East)

The final time they met

After the Phillies have been eradicated from rivalry by the hands of the Braves, they needed to journey to Miami to wrap up the season. The Phillies gained the opener to clinch their first successful file since 2011, after which quietly misplaced the ultimate two.

West coast blues

The Marlins needed to open the season out West, and it didn’t go too properly for them. They misplaced two of three to the Giants and each video games in opposition to the Angels.

Chilly bats

The nice and cozy SoCal local weather didn’t do a lot to warmth up the Marlins’ bats. They’re presently final within the Nationwide League in runs scored, because of being final in on-base proportion and subsequent to final in slugging proportion. They’ve six gamers batting beneath .200 in the intervening time, and after being one of many lowest scoring groups in 2021, it seems to be just like the Marlins is perhaps in for extra of the identical this 12 months.

Wasted rotation

The Marlins’ awful offense is obscuring the truth that they really have an excellent rotation. Apart from Elieser Hernandez, every of the Marlins’ starters had a superb preliminary – albeit abbreviated as a result of shortened Spring Coaching – begin. Guys like Trevor Rogers and Sandy Alcantara have given the Phillies loads of bother over the previous few years, so it’s potential that the offense nonetheless doesn’t dwell as much as expectations this weekend.

Viering off

Together with his two principal opponents for enjoying time on the injured record, Matt Vierling had a first-rate alternative to grab the beginning centerfielder job for himself. That hasn’t gone too properly as far as Vierling is hitless by the primary six video games.

He hit into some very unhealthy luck within the Oakland collection, however in opposition to the Mets, he appeared to genuinely wrestle at occasions. It’s potential that the unhealthy luck obtained into his head a little bit, resulting in an precise stoop.

In contrast to a few of his teammates, Vierling doesn’t have a profitable observe file to make me assured that he’ll pull out of this, particularly given the struggles that different younger Phillies hitters have endured the previous few seasons. Then again, Vierling is batting within the ninth spot, and if a few of his teammates have been enjoying as much as their capabilities, his points would appear a lot much less pronounced.

Are the struggles in opposition to the Marlins overblown?

TGP’s resident stats guru and truth checker illustrated that the Phillies-Marlins rivalry hasn’t been almost as unhealthy because it might sound within the minds of Phillies followers.

It isn’t just like the Marlins have outright dominated the Phillies. The Phillies have really gotten the higher of the rivalry over the previous decade.

Then again, previous to 2018, Phillies followers typically didn’t count on the crew to beat anybody, Marlins included. Since that point, the Phillis have been projected to be in rivalry, whereas the Marlins have been in rebuild mode, so the shortage of domination on the Phillies’ half appears worse.

Trivia

Final collection’ reply: Aaron Loup was the previous Phillie and Jeurys Familia was the longer term Phillie to play for the Mets in last matchup in 2021. JCDentonEsq obtained it first.

This collection’ query: In honor of the crew’s first street sport of the season: For the reason that begin of the 2012 season, two gamers have hit greater than 40 house runs in street video games as members of the Phillies. Who’re they?

He didn’t deserve it

I’m positive you’ve seen the video of a Mets fan having his cellphone grabbed from his hand and thrown onto the sphere. Possibly there’s extra to the incident than I’ve seen, however I don’t suppose obnoxiously cheering for the opposing crew is justification for grabbing and disposing of somebody’s property.

Closing thought

Successful three out of 4 in Miami would do quite a bit to ease the issues of Phillies followers. Successful three out of 4 because of Schwarber, Harper, and firm hitting plenty of dingers would do much more. Will it occur? Most likely not, however it will actually be good.