The preseason numbers have been pretty ugly for Miami Dolphins backup quarterbacks Skylar Thompson and Mike White. There’s no way to sugarcoat it.
They’ve been bad enough — each has a passer rating under 60 with a completion percentage under 50 — that there have been calls from Dolphins beat writers for the Dolphins to find another veteran quarterback somewhere else. It could be Ryan Tannehill for some, or it could be just anyone not named Mike White or Skylar Thompson for others.
Head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t focusing on the numbers, though. It says here that the Dolphins will be perfectly fine rolling with either White or Thompson or maybe both.
McDaniel was asked Monday to describe his comfort level with his backup quarterbacks at the moment, and while he didn’t provide a definitive answer, he made one thing clear.
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He’s been looking beyond stats all summer.
“Let’s go back to I have a good amount of history with both quarterbacks, and both quarterbacks have been able to win NFL football games against good opponents in the regular season,” McDaniel began his lengthy answer. “They both have things about their game that I really like and so this whole offseason, we started with acknowledging that and how can we appropriately find some distinction between the two, just because we felt like they’ve both proven in years past to be quality backups.
“So quite honestly, what the approach that I’ve kind of taken is to create super difficult situations for both of them and as that manifests, whether the play-calling choice, the situations that I’m asking maybe them to do certain things specifically to put them in difficult situations, because what are we really trying to evaluate? We’re trying to evaluate who’s best to serve handling a difficult situation. Inherent in being a backup quarterback is that you are in a difficult situation, whether that’s in game or starting a game.
“So we thought it was most appropriate to do that, and how that’s presented itself in practice is I’ve gotten a ton of information. There’s so many different nuances that I’m trying to focus on on a given day and then carrying that message to the game. It’s much broader than do we go down as an offense and score. It’s quite literally handling difficult situations and saying, ‘Hey, you have to go do this. I’m going to call this play, probably against a non-premier coverage. And let’s see what you do.’ I’m going to — you’re going to play a quarter with a receiver playing running back. How do you respond?
“And so from my vantage point, I feel bad, because all that information, whether I was a fan or I was sitting in your guys’ seats, I’m not sure if it totally reflects the entire process and all the information. I’m looking for nuances, resolve, the conviction after a bad play happens, how the offense is coming to the line of scrimmage, how you’re leading them, all sorts of different things on top of what I’ve already learned about them.”
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McDaniel did go on a bit with his answer, summarizing that he’s both White and Thompson in tough situations and would continue to do so this week leading up to the preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Friday night.
He ended by saying all information would be evaluated to determine the most suitable guy to back up Tua Tagovailoa.
The official depth chart, which the Dolphins only produce because it’s a league requirement, lists White as the second-team quarterback behind Tua and ahead of Thompson. However, it’s Thompson who has gotten the first action between the two in the first two preseason games.
The latter could be seen as an indication that Thompson actually could be ahead in the competition. However, McDaniel’s comment might suggest that he’s looking to test White more by having him play with third-string offensive teammates and, as mentioned, finishing the Washington game with rookie wide receiver Je’Quan Burton at running back because Chris Brooks was injured. McDaniel wanted to avoid putting Raheem Mostert or De’Von Achane back in the game.
The Dolphins will have to reduce their active roster to 53 players by next Tuesday at 4:00 PM, and one major question is whether they’ll keep both White and Thompson because of the new emergency third quarterback rule — that player can now be on the practice squad — could make a difference.
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As for who will win the No. 2 job, it still says here it will be Mike White because he’s just a more consistent quarterback, but maybe it wouldn’t be a shocker if it went the other way.
It would be surprising to see the Dolphins go outside the organization for their second quarterback.
For one, there aren’t appealing alternatives out there, and that includes Tannehill. The former Dolphins first-round pick could be a better scheme fit for an offense that calls for quick decision-making in the pocket.
Beyond Tannehill, there aren’t any QBs on the market who remotely move the needle. And as for the idea of scouring the waiver wire after August 27, why would anyone think it would be a better option to bring in somebody whose previous team didn’t deem worthy enough of not only the No. 2 job but even a roster spot — because we don’t see teams cutting a dependable third quarterback. Oh, and that new quarterback would have less than two weeks to learn the offense in time for the start of the regular season.
So, yeah, like it or not, the Dolphins’ backup quarterback will be Mike White or Skylar Thompson. And, yes, it would be nice if either or both had lit it up in the first two games of the preseason, but let’s always remember that preseason games mean only some things in the grand scope.
MIAMI (AP) — Rookie Adrian Del Castillo hit his first career grand slam and drove in six runs to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami Marlins 9-6 on Monday night.
The Miami native homered for the third time since he was brought up from the minors on Aug. 6. Del Castillo, who played collegiately at the University of Miami, also hit a two-run single and had his first career stolen base. He is hitting .333 with 14 RBIs in nine games with Arizona.
Joc Pederson and Jake McCarthy also went deep for the Diamondbacks, who are a major league-best 29-13 since July 1 despite getting swept in a three-game series at Tampa Bay over the weekend.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Pfaadt (8-6) struck out four and walked two.
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On the second pitch of his at-bat against Adam Oller in the third inning, Del Castillo hit a drive that curved foul near the upper-deck stands in right field. Del Castillo then drove a 3-1 fastball over the wall in center for a 4-0 lead.
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases without a hit after Oller (0-1) plunked McCarthy and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and walked Pavin Smith.
Nick Fortes homered in the third for Miami, but Pederson connected for a solo drive in the fifth for his 20th homer.
The Marlins chased Pfaadt on Connor Norby’s RBI fielder’s choice and Kyle Stowers’ run-scoring single that narrowed the deficit to 5-4. Kevin Ginkel relieved Pfaadt and induced a double-play grounder by Fortes, ending the threat.
Del Castillo singled home two more runs for Arizona in the seventh, and McCarthy added a two-run shot in the eighth padded the lead.
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Oller gave up five runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old Oller walked four and struck out two in his Marlins debut.
Before the game, Arizona placed All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list because of a sprained left ankle and recalled Smith from Triple-A Reno.
Miami recalled Norby from Triple-A Jacksonvile and designated infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: 1B Christian Walker (strained left oblique) hit off the tee and soft toss. He also did some light running.
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Marlins: LHP Josh Simpson (left elbow ulnar neuritis) is scheduled to move his rehab schedule to Triple-A this week after two appearances each in Single-A and Double-A.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0, 5.06 ERA) will start the second game of the series on Tuesday. RHP Edward Cabrera (2-4, 5.76 ERA) will go for the Marlins.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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MIAMI SPRINGS, Fla. – A 55-year-old man is facing a felony charge in South Florida for a bizarre impersonation scheme that left pizza customers getting a raw deal, authorities said.
Police said he ran “an elaborate scheme to defraud tourists staying in the hotels of Miami Springs” by pretending to be a well-known local pizza parlor.
According to police, customers who thought they were ordering pies from Roman’s Pizzeria, located at 391 N. Royal Poinciana Blvd., were instead getting subpar slices from Jose Marti-Alvarez.
Marti-Alvarez “distributed fake pizza flyers to hotel rooms” along Northwest 36th Street, near Miami International Airport, advertising “Roman Pizzeria,” misleading visitors, according to Miami Springs police.
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Jesus Roman, the proprietor of the real Roman’s Pizzeria, who’s been cooking up pies for four decades, said Marti-Alvarez’s pizzas were “bad, uncooked, sometimes they (were sent) in a box with a piece of raw dough.”
“They just give it to them and by (the) time they realize it they’re gone anyway,” Roman said.
Police said the fraud had been “ongoing for several years” and has caused “significant hardships” for the real Roman’s, “including complaints to the Better Business Bureau, negative reviews and upset customers.“
“So sometimes they show up upset here to the store claiming ‘Where’s the food?” Roman said. “We have to explain to them that it’s not us.”
After Roman went to police, officers arrested Marti-Alvarez on a charge of organized scheme to defraud and booked him into jail early Monday morning.
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“At least if you’re going to do something, do it right,” Roman said.
Marti-Alvarez is also facing an aggravated battery charge “after fleeing from hotel staff in his vehicle and hitting a staff member” with the vehicle, police said.
In court Monday afternoon, Miami-Dade Judge Mindy Glazer ordered Marti-Alvarez to stay away from the Days Inn at 4767 NW 36th St., where the victim works.
In open court, a lawyer, seeking to have the aggravated battery charge dismissed, read from an arrest report that states that he told officers that he “left the area fast and didn’t think he had hit her with the car because he understood he wasn’t supposed to be passing out the pizza flyers at the hotel.”
Nevertheless, Glazer found probable cause to charge Marti-Alvarez with aggravated battery, giving him a $5,000 bond.
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His bond for the organized scheme to defraud charge was listed in jail records as “to be set.”
Marti-Alvarez was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Monday evening, online records show.
Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
The Baltimore Orioles sent a big package to the Miami Marlins to land left-hander Trevor Rogers. Moving Kyle Stowers and Connor Norby, the deal didn’t seem favorable for the Orioles.
However, starting pitching help was needed, and teams around Major League Baseball understood that. Prices were high during the trade deadline, so much so that a starter with a 4.53 ERA and 4.43 WHIP was traded for two of the better prospects in baseball.
There wasn’t much room for Stowers and Norby, so moving them made sense. However, Baltimore must have some regret in the early stages after the deal, as Rogers has a 7.53 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched since the trade.
While it hasn’t worked out for the Orioles, it’s working out for Norby. According to Isaac Azout of Fish on First, the Marlins are calling him up. He slashed .263/.300/.368 in 13 games with Triple A-Jacksonville.
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The 24-year-old debuted in 2024, playing in nine games for Baltimore. He slashed .188/.188/.406 in 32 at-bats but hit two home runs.
Miami is one of the best teams in baseball for Norby to be on for a few different reasons. While they aren’t expected to compete in the next few seasons, it allows him to play with little pressure.
Factor that in with them taking more of a youth movement over the next few years, and it should work out well for the youngster. The Minnesota native has all the tools to be an above-average player, and now it’s time for him to prove that.
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