By one reading of the Derek Jeter meter Patric Hornqvist Jersey , not much has changed with the Miami Marlins since he took over.
They have by far the worst run differential in the National League. Their record has been the NL’s worst for much of the season. They’re a distant last in the majors in attendance.
But within the franchise, optimism is the highest it has been since unpopular owner Jeffrey Loria put the Marlins up for sale in early 2017. Evidence suggests the new ownership group, including CEO Jeter, has the organization headed in the right direction.
Just look at the standings: Thanks to a recent surge, the young Marlins (41-57) are not even last in the NL East. And opponents rave.
”They’re better than their record shows,” Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw said. ”Their lineup is not bad. They’ve got a couple of guys who can throw a little bit. Their bullpen guys are pretty good – guys who will probably get traded here in the next couple of weeks. They’re not just a rollover team.”
OK, so maybe that’s not a rave. But the Marlins started the season 20-39, so not being a rollover represents progress. By beginning to win, they’re beginning to win over skeptics who doubted new ownership’s pledge to turn things around.
”Jeter addressed it in a speech in spring training,” veteran third baseman Martin Prado says. ”Nobody believed it.”
After the Marlins traded Giancarlo Stanton Youth Corey Crawford Jersey , Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon last offseason, there were predictions the team might be historically bad.
Instead, despite a patchwork rotation and lineup, the Marlins have gone 21-18 since June 5. They won their final two series before the All-Star break against first-place teams Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Lately, they’ve showed a knack for comebacks and fared well in close games.
Attendance remains awful, but Saturday’s crowd of 14,793 was the largest at Marlins Park since April 14. Perhaps word is spreading the Marlins are surprisingly entertaining.
”We’ve created an identity as to who we are, how we play, what kind of games we’re in Womens Lamar Jackson Jersey ,” manager Don Mattingly said. ”I like our spirit. Our guys play hard every day, and when we’re in tight games we seem to be getting better and better. The only thing not to like is our record.”
And the record is largely beside the point. For Miami, this season is about finding and developing young players to build around.
”We’re getting better and better every single day, I feel like,” right-hander Dan Straily said. ”You start to see guys relaxing and kind of become themselves as players. Younger guys start to realize, `Man, I really can play here. I really do belong here.’ And that’s when you start to see more wins.”
The offseason trades allowed Jeter to replenish a woeful farm system. The Marlins are now awash in prospects, with predictably mixed results.
Young pitchers Trevor Richards, Pablo Lopez, Jarlin Garcia Womens Deryk Engelland Jersey , Tayron Guerrero and Sandy Alcantara have showed flashes of promise, but rotation turnover has been such that no active starter has more than three wins. While Brian Anderson blossoms in his first full big league season, ranking sixth in the NL with 109 hits, highly touted Lewis Brinson is batting .186 with 94 strikeouts.
Young relievers Kyle Barraclough, Drew Steckenrider and Adam Conley have transformed the bullpen into a strength. But all will draw the attention of contenders as the trade deadline approaches – thus Shaw’s prediction about departing relievers.
All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto is also the subject of trade speculation, and if he departs the 2018 Marlins might yet lose 110 games. Or maybe Realmuto stays to provide a cornerstone for a team out of contention but worth watching.
”We have young players who have never had 500 or 600 at-bats in a season,” Prado said. ”It’s going to be exciting to see the second half from this young core.”
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The Seattle Seahawks released quarterback Trevone Boykin on Tuesday shortly after his girlfriend alleged in a television interview that he physically assaulted her in Texas last week.
The practice squad player was released from the team after WFAA-TV in Dallas posted an interview with Boykin’s girlfriend detailing an assault she alleges happened on March 20 in Mansfield, just southwest of Dallas. The woman said she refused to show Boykin a text message and an argument ensued, and that he broke her jaw and tried to strangle her.
Boykin, 24 http://www.officialsabres.com/authentic-adidas-jack-eichel-jersey , denied the allegations in a statement released Tuesday to NFL Media. He called the allegations false and said he wasn’t involved in a physical fight.
”This woman has lied about me and it has cost me my job,” he wrote. ”I understand the Seahawks decision to release me. The story that was reported casts a bad light on the organization and on me.”
Boykin’s agent, Drew Pittman, also told WFAA that the allegations were false. A call to the agent’s cellphone by The Associated Press went unanswered Tuesday.
Mansfield police spokesman Sgt. Michael Midkiff said the department is investigating the alleged assault. He said no charges had been filed as of Tuesday and that the investigation was in a very early stage.
The assault allegation is the latest off-field issue for Boykin, who has spent his NFL career with Seattle.
He was arrested in Dallas last year when a vehicle he was a passenger in hit several people on a sidewalk. He fled the scene on foot but was later arrested on misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and possession of marijuana.
In 2015, Boykin was arrested for assaulting a police officer and public intoxication shortly before the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio during his senior season at TCU. Boykin, who was the team’s quarterback, was suspended for the bowl game.
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Associated Press Sports Writer Tim Booth contributed to this report from Seattle.
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