Posted September 5, 200519 yr Basically says what we've all been thinking.. No sense of urgency.. No Killer instinct. Basically, the anti-2003 Marlins Cabs and Delgado can't do it all. I think we know who the spark could be. BERARDINO: Can't have four guys do it all MIAMI GARDENS -- Is it possible for a team to be erratic and predictable at the same time? Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Mets provided more evidence of a disturbing short-term trend that threatens to derail the Marlins' wild-card run before it even begins. If Dontrelle Willis and Todd Jones don't pitch, if Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Delgado don't hit, the Marlins don't win. It's been that simple over the past few weeks. Have you heard of the two-man game in basketball? Well, these Marlins are in danger of becoming a four-man team, and that formula doesn't work in this sport. Sorry, but Marlins manager Jack McKeon isn't interested in narrowing his rotation for the playoff push. Mr. 1,000 would rather see a repeat of September 2003, when it was a different hero every night. Remember when backup catcher Ramon Castro won a late-season game with a walk-off homer in 2003? Sunday, it was Castro chugging all the way around from first on Victor Diaz's double past a sliding Cabrera in the second inning. Different heroes. What a concept. The Marlins? They were just holding on, waiting for one of their Fantastic Four to save them again. Their past seven wins have required a save from Jones, who can't possibly be this good, can he? Three of those seven saves have preserved Willis victories. Sunday brought another shelling for A.J. Burnett, who has now allowed at least one run in 10 of his past 12 innings. It also marked the second straight time Burnett left the clubhouse without speaking to reporters, further evidence of his mounting frustration. It's not just Burnett who has struggled of late, though. Marlins starters have gone 3-6 with a 5.85 ERA and just three quality starts in their past 12 games. Remove Willis from the equation, and those numbers drop to 1-6 with a 7.27 ERA. Since Willis, Josh Beckett and Burnett tossed up 24 straight zeros in a span of three straight shutouts from Aug. 17-19, the Big Three has been reduced to the Monolith. The Marlins have gone 15 games without consecutive quality starts. "We've got to get them rolling again," McKeon said. "We can't just rely on Dontrelle." It's not just the pitching that deserves blame. The complimentary hitters have been AWOL as well. The Marlins have won once in their past 15 games without an RBI or a run from either Cabrera or Delgado. Five of their past eight wins have required RBI from both sluggers, who combined for seven hitless at-bats Sunday. "We just can't depend on Cabrera and Delgado to do it all," McKeon said. Over the past month, they got two home runs from other sources. Those came from Juan Encarnacion and rookie Jeremy Hermida on the same night last week. Alex Gonzalez, his throbbing right elbow making every throw an adventure, hasn't homered since Aug. 5. Mike Lowell is powerless since Aug. 1, Paul Lo Duca since July 15 and Jeff Conine since July 9. Is this any way to chase a playoff spot? And shouldn't Hermida be somewhere in that lineup? There's also the issue of killer instinct. Sunday marked the 11th time this year the Marlins had a chance to sweep a series of three games or more. Six times they have scored two runs or fewer, and their only two wins were against the Devil Rays. Since late June, the Marlins are 0-4 in potential-sweep games. They have lost those series finales by a combined 28-7. Sunday's only run scored on a wild pitch. "It's very tough to sweep anybody," McKeon said. "You got to have everything go your way." Sure, but two sweeps all year? The Devil Rays have five sweeps in the second half. "We set out to get a sweep," leadoff man Juan Pierre said, "but we just haven't been focused enough to do it." Over the past two weeks the Marlins have taken the field seven times standing one game or less out of the wild-card lead. They have lost all but one of those games. In town for a 10-5 Marlins loss last week, ESPN analyst Jeff Brantley unloaded "This is what we've seen from the Florida Marlins from the beginning of spring training all the way until right now," Brantley said on the air. "A club that's loaded down with talent and in my mind is massively underachieving." Brantley said the Marlins' "only weak spot" coming into the year was at closer, but Jones had fixed that. "I think they should be in the driver's seat in the National League East with the talent they've had," Brantley added. "You cannot tell me the Florida Marlins have played to the best of their capabilities. There's no way." He'll get no argument here.
September 5, 200519 yr Great article IMO. Its the story of our season. I hope we just win every game down the stretch with Hermida in the lineup, along with Andino and Willingham in someway.
September 5, 200519 yr That article tells it like it is. Problem is, how does the team fix its problems with roughly 4 weeks left? Does McKeon need to be kidnapped and replaced by an alien clone that will do what the fans tell him to do? Does Lowell need to be benched for a good part of the play-off run? Does Hermida deserve playing time to show that the Braves strategy of playing the kids isn't a fluke? Is it viable to go 4 man rotation soon to give Willis another start (and hopefully not blow his arm out? - which leads me to another vent: McKeon should not be getting CGs out of his starters now - those arms need to be saved when possible!) Lastly, what can be done to kick this team in the ass? I would rather see the offense choking up and just getting hits as opposed to everyone trying to jack one out and popping up. On tonight's ESPN game, Don Mattingly was quoted as telling the Yankees offense: "When you're struggling, go for the small things first (trying to get the ball past the infield), once the small things happen consistently, then the bigger things (like power) will come." Sound advice, eh, Bill Robinson?
September 5, 200519 yr Berardino is 100% on the mark. AJ talks a lot of s***, but then doesn't back it up when it really counts. Lowell needs to be benched. I'm sorry, our offense sucks with his sorry ass bat in there. And Sea Bass is just really struggling defensively... he's not healthy enough to play right now. Please give us this lineup today, Jack: 1. Pierre 2. Castillo 3. Cabrera 4. Delgado 5. Encarnacion 6. Lo Duca 7. Hermida 8. Andino
September 5, 200519 yr Berardino is 100% on the mark. AJ talks a lot of s***, but then doesn't back it up when it really counts. Lowell needs to be benched. I'm sorry, our offense sucks with his sorry ass bat in there. And Sea Bass is just really struggling defensively... he's not healthy enough to play right now. Please give us this lineup today, Jack: 1. Pierre 2. Castillo 3. Cabrera 4. Delgado 5. Encarnacion 6. Lo Duca 7. Hermida 8. Andino 930330[/snapback] That lineup would be awesome! Wish we could see that for 4-5 games- while AGon recovers.
September 5, 200519 yr Usually if something isn't written by Spencer I don't but a lot of credance to it But Berardino's hit the mark on this one. Too bad McKeon doesn't read the papers.
September 5, 200519 yr Berardino's been saying this most of the season. and I can't argue with that lineup.
September 5, 200519 yr the four constants on this team....Jwnz, cabs, delgado, and willis.... without them the rest of the team is inconsistent
September 5, 200519 yr Some mind-bogglingly amazing stats in that article when it comes to what the rest of the team has (or should I say hasn't) done. And I still stick by the fact that they are so close to the playoffs through this all, the combinations will eventually slide into place and click, even if it comes with 2 weeks left in the season.
September 5, 200519 yr This team has no marbles. For those two people who saw Major League 2. 930247[/snapback] I was gonna post the exact same thing yesterday.
September 5, 200519 yr Over the past month, they got two home runs from other sources. Those came from Juan Encarnacion and rookie Jeremy Hermida on the same night last week. damn that hurts.
September 5, 200519 yr He is right again today.. Miggy with the only 2 RBI's And they came in the baseball equivalent of garbage time.
September 5, 200519 yr I don't see why I should continue to care, if the team shows no signs that they care. :banghead
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