- 17 hours ago
Marlins radio pregame host Stephen Strom joins the show to discuss the Fish's difficulty winning in Atlanta, season struggles, trade deadline additions, and the team's road to the Wildcard!
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00:00Steven Strong joining us here on the program to talk about this series.
00:03What's going on, dude? How are you?
00:04What's up, everyone? Here we go. Big game tonight.
00:07Big, big game tonight for the Marlins to try to salvage one before we head home.
00:11It's going to be a tough stretch, guys. There's no question about it.
00:14If the Marlins do indeed get to the postseason, it's going to be earned.
00:18But this is an important game tonight for them.
00:21And then we head back to the 3-0-5 for, I think, two winnable series.
00:24One against the Angels that have a worst record in the American League
00:28and one against the Pirates who are just beneath the Miami Marlins right now.
00:32But it focuses on tonight, and hopefully they can get one at just a place
00:36that they really haven't figured out any way to win in Atlanta.
00:41But we shall see tonight.
00:43Yeah, it's a super weird thing. I was just looking curiously.
00:47They're like 30-under since that stupid building has opened.
00:50I don't understand what it is.
00:52But look, the Braves are good.
00:55That's certainly part of it.
00:57But it's just a weird thing.
00:58You would think some would bounce their way over the time.
01:02But what do you think, Steven?
01:03We were talking about this early on.
01:05They've been so Jekyll and Hyde basically right before the All-Star break.
01:09We know all about the losing streak, the bounce back.
01:12You've got to be feeling like these nights.
01:14I know you've got to do Steve's guarantees every night,
01:16and you're just like, I hope this is a guarantee.
01:18Because you don't know.
01:19They could go rip the pitcher, or they could just go meekly.
01:23So what are you expecting?
01:25So it's funny.
01:26On Sunday when we were in New York, I opened the show by saying, like,
01:29put your hands and feet inside the roller coaster, and off we go.
01:33Because that's...
01:39Did we just lose him?
01:40Did he get potted up?
01:41Hold on a second, Steve.
01:42I think we lost your audio there for a second.
01:44I don't know if you muted yourself.
01:45Leroy, we hear you?
01:46Yeah.
01:47Yeah, I hear Leroy.
01:49Steve, you go give us a little mic check.
01:50Yeah, I don't know.
01:51Your audio cut out there all of a sudden, buddy.
01:54Maybe log back in.
01:55We'll log back in, and then we'll see if that'll get you back on the run there.
02:00That was weird.
02:01It was...
02:01We were cooking good, and then all of a sudden it was...
02:04Timo Apple kicked in.
02:06There's no such thing as Timo Apple.
02:08Is that a thing?
02:09Yeah.
02:10It's our station.
02:11No.
02:12With our computers.
02:14Hey, I don't think it was us, because you're on the same pot as him.
02:17Yeah, you're on the same pot.
02:18It had nothing to do with our...
02:19Okay, I take it back.
02:21Yeah, don't point fingers.
02:22He's always skeptical on that stuff.
02:24That's always crazy.
02:24All right, we got him back.
02:25Let's see if the audience...
02:27Better?
02:27Yes, got me.
02:28Yes, yes, yes.
02:29We got you, buddy.
02:30We got you.
02:30No, okay.
02:31So did you hear what I said about when I opened up the show on Sunday about the roller coaster
02:34analogy?
02:35You like that?
02:36I like that.
02:37I like it.
02:38So, yeah.
02:38So that's...
02:39I mean, honestly, again, we'll see what happens tonight, but it's been one of those years,
02:45I think, for the Marlins, and tonight, Jansen Junk has pitched better as of late, but I
02:50don't know.
02:51This is an Atlanta Braves team.
02:52Like, let's call it spades.
02:53This is one of the best teams in baseball, and there's a reason why they're 69 and 45,
02:59and they've really had a tough stretch just once this year, but they've been able to get
03:05it back on track.
03:06I don't know.
03:07There are certain teams, like, I grew up a Twins fan.
03:09They couldn't beat the Yankees.
03:11I heard Leroy talk about the Steelers every time they played them.
03:14They did.
03:15I don't...
03:15And it's not, like, a mental thing, I don't think, at this point, because these guys haven't
03:19played, like, in Atlanta, like, five years ago, six years ago.
03:22I just think it's one of those teams that they just tend to struggle with.
03:28Is it...
03:29You think it has anything to do with how they play?
03:32Because, I'll tell you, I watched the last two games, and Atlanta didn't really care
03:37if they hit home runs.
03:38They were going opposite field, just hitting it over the second baseman.
03:42You really watched yesterday.
03:43Yeah, and then pitching, the Marlins were trying to pull everything.
03:48They were throwing them outside.
03:50Balls weren't getting hit really hard.
03:52And I heard Rod Allen say, why don't they just go opposite field?
03:56That's what the...
03:57You know, and, like, yeah.
04:00And it's like, wow, sometimes you got to win the game that's played and not necessarily,
04:04you know, win with your methods, because we have a lot of guys who don't strike out
04:09but make contact, but the contact wasn't very good.
04:13It's a great point, because yesterday, like, Bryce Elder had reverse splits.
04:17So, for people that aren't huge baseball fans, Bryce Elder, he's a right-handed pitcher.
04:22If you have reverse splits, that means you're better against left-handed hitters.
04:27And in this case, Bryce Elder had reverse splits.
04:30So, he struggled as a right-handed pitcher with right-handed bats.
04:34But the Marlins still went with six of their nine offensively from the left side.
04:38On the other side, Gary Perez also has reverse splits.
04:42So, what does Walt Weiss do?
04:43He puts out five or six righties in the lineup.
04:46And it's funny, Dubon, Riley, those are the guys that actually had success against Gary.
04:51So, yeah, they have this, like, really good blend right now, Atlanta, with, of course, talent.
04:58And then they've just got guys that have had awesome years.
05:01Michael Harris Jr. has had an awesome year.
05:04And what they did yesterday, yes, was just go opposite field.
05:07Look, you're not going to clip Uri Perez throwing 99 miles per hour with two different fastballs.
05:11So, what do you do?
05:12You've got to try to have that one big inning, not from a runs perspective, but just from a pitch
05:17perspective.
05:17And I think he threw 30-plus in the second inning, which obviously is going to limit how far he
05:23gets into the game.
05:24And Perez actually battled.
05:25I mean, he muscled up for five innings.
05:27They needed that, you know, specifically with Junk tonight, who's been better, but he's not a guy that's going to
05:32go six or seven.
05:34But, yeah, I mean, Atlanta's a great team.
05:37They take what the defense gives you, quote-unquote, which we all can relate to in all sports.
05:42And I think for the Marlins, again, Rod also made this point.
05:46Like, we've been good against Skeens.
05:48We've been good against, you know, Otani, guys that have high velo.
05:52We've struggled against guys that throw, like, 91, 92 miles per hour.
05:56And let me tell you something, guys.
05:57We're going to get the same thing tonight.
05:58Martin Perez is, like, 91, 92 miles per hour from the left side.
06:02It's not overpowering stuff.
06:04But I guess it's the pitchers versus the throwers that we have struggled against.
06:09Pitchers being guys that can just kind of paint and dot here, there, everywhere.
06:13And then the throwers that can throw 98, 99, we've actually, like, done better against, which I just can't compute
06:20or comprehend.
06:21Isn't that an Atlanta thing?
06:23Atlanta always has, like, pitchers.
06:26They don't have guys who just go out there and throw heat.
06:30Well, I mean, Sale, Sale's nasty.
06:32Sale's like a pitcher and thrower.
06:34Like, I know Strider hasn't had, like, he hasn't captured whatever he had a couple years ago.
06:39But, yeah, I guess maybe you're right.
06:40Like, Bryce Elder, again, like, Martin Perez.
06:43Who else did we see earlier in the year?
06:45I forgot who we see earlier in the year.
06:46But, yeah, I guess they don't have, like, those traditional 98, 99 mile per hour guys.
06:52But, again, this is a franchise that has won at every level.
06:56It feels like they're just the most consistent team in baseball next to, you know, teams like the Los Angeles
07:03Dodgers and the New York Yankees.
07:05But, you know, we'll see them again.
07:07They actually will come back to Miami.
07:09That will be our last series.
07:10But don't get it twisted.
07:11I think we're all excited to not come back here, hopefully, until possibly October.
07:18What have you made of Uri's season?
07:20Because, like, he was getting hit hard early on.
07:22But he seems like he's really matured for such a young guy and locked in, you know, as the months
07:28have gone on.
07:29So, what have you just made of his year as a whole as he's maturing as a pitcher?
07:32Man, his last eight, Tobin, I mean, he's – this is what we thought with Uri.
07:37And I know yesterday, like, whatever, you look at the line and it is what it is.
07:39But if that's a clunker for Uri, like, sign me up.
07:42Like, he still was really good.
07:44Last seven for Uri has been awesome.
07:46And here's why.
07:47For Uri, it's always been about the fastball, right?
07:50It's been about this four-seam fastball that carries.
07:52He gets really good carry on his fastball.
07:55But the league adjusts.
07:56And that's just – it doesn't matter how talented you are.
07:59Guys get in the video room.
08:00The league is too good.
08:01And they adjusted to that fastball.
08:03So, you started to see Uri get behind in counts.
08:06He was getting clipped a little bit.
08:08And when I say clipped, I mean start to suffer and surrender some home runs.
08:11He started to walk guys.
08:12So, what happened?
08:13He gets together with Daniel Moskis in this excellent pitching group.
08:17And I know we'll probably talk about the deadline, but I'm excited about a couple of these guys.
08:21And they said, all right, you need another fastball.
08:24So, they decide to go with this sinker.
08:27In the middle of the season, he actually started throwing it in Tampa Bay.
08:29And this was when he was going through that rut.
08:31And that second fastball, man, has opened up the entire arsenal.
08:35He's not only getting the punch outs.
08:37I think he struck out nine yesterday.
08:39But he's also starting to get the ground ball.
08:42The ground ball percentage is up 8% from last year, which is an indication that the sinker is working.
08:48If he's able to locate it, he's able to get these easy outs.
08:52And then he's got the wipeout slider and the sweeper.
08:56Yeah, Uri has come together.
08:58Sandy is going to break the all-time innings franchise record when we come home.
09:04But as Sandy is breaking all of these records, the guy in the dugout should break all of them in
09:10the next 5 to 10 years.
09:11And that's Uri Paris.
09:12I'm very excited for it no longer to be Ricky Nolasco.
09:15Not that I didn't like Ricky Nolasco.
09:16It's so random, right?
09:18Yeah.
09:18But it's just like he's one of the most confounding pitchers in Marlins history, Ricky Nolasco.
09:24Because he'd be the quintessential, like, yeah, he might go get you 12 strikeouts.
09:28But also, Ryan Howard's going to light him up for a couple of hours.
09:31That was the experience.
09:33If you want to talk about roller coasters, that was Ricky Nolasco.
09:35But he was never not solid enough to have in your rotation.
09:39So, like, Sandy being atop the leaderboards, I just think it's a much more appropriate look for a friend of
09:45Sandy.
09:45Yes.
09:46No, totally.
09:46And I know the Marlins have been doing this Marlins Legend Hall of Fame.
09:49If there was any exception to the rule to, like, retire someone that is still actively playing, like, it's Sandy.
09:55Like, and I think when it's all said and done, like, Sandy Alcantara is the greatest Marlins pitcher in franchise
10:01history.
10:02I know some people will come back with, you know, some of the playoff runs that they had.
10:06But if you look at just over a period of time, when you think of the Marlins, like, who do
10:10you think of in this present day?
10:12You think of Sandy Alcantara.
10:13So, it's awesome.
10:14I know that there were some suitors for him over the deadline.
10:17But, like, I think Peter's priority not only is to, like, make this franchise sustainable and to win 90-plus
10:24games,
10:24but I also think he's respecting the fans in the sense that they love Sandy.
10:28And for Peter Bendix, he grew up a Cleveland Indian fan at the time.
10:32And he spoke to that in one of his first media availabilities when he took this job.
10:36Like, I know that this fan base doesn't trust, like, that we're not going to trade these guys.
10:42But I want you to know, like, Sandy's our guy.
10:44And I think it's huge that they kept him last year.
10:46And it was awesome that, like, there was really no chatter that we were going to trade Sandy this year.
10:51So, I'm so excited and so happy that, you know, we get to see just a guy that is so
10:58consistent and so stable in Sandy Alcantara.
11:02So, you mentioned the deadline.
11:03Let's – the big headliner was obviously Hicks because, I mean, he was their best player for the first couple
11:08of months of the season.
11:09And he hit a grand slam?
11:10That didn't hurt.
11:11That didn't help.
11:12Of course.
11:13I was just like – I was watching that all unfold.
11:14I'm like, yeah, of course.
11:15That's, like, quintessential post-deadline day is, like, when you see your guy that just went out.
11:20And you, oh, now you're hitting home runs.
11:21Of course.
11:22But what did you make of it?
11:23Like, was it – because I understand both sides of it.
11:25It's like, Joe Mack's been awesome.
11:27I get it.
11:28But you kind of feel like it got to there.
11:30But also, you're in a hunt.
11:32Don't you want as many good players as possible?
11:35Did that one surprise you, not surprise you?
11:38And what did you make of that decision?
11:40So, it didn't surprise me.
11:43This is a – there's a lot of factors here because I think for number one, you drafted Liam Hicks
11:51in the Rule 5 draft.
11:52This guy has never played professional baseball at the major league level.
11:57You develop him.
11:58You identify someone that doesn't punch out, that makes a lot of contact, but he didn't have, like, a ton
12:04of power.
12:04He was okay defensively.
12:07And you go in this offseason and say two simple things.
12:11Eat more, gain some weight, and swing the bat harder.
12:13And we saw early on, like, Liam Hicks had, like, eight or nine home runs in the first two months
12:17of the season.
12:18He was a RBI leader.
12:20But then, you know, Joe Mack comes up.
12:22And Joe Mack, I don't have statistical information to tell you guys, like, the impact of, like – there's no
12:31question why the Marlins went on that run when Joe Mack came up here.
12:37His ability to control the run game and now his, like, bat – like, if Joe Mack hits us, like,
12:42double-digit home runs, that is such a – like, something that, like, we didn't account for if he's able
12:50to do that from that position.
12:51But I think it just became really crowded.
12:53Like, Griffin Conine performing made it easier to sell Hicks.
12:57And this is a guy in Liam Hicks that, like, this is your prototypical develop and then sell at a
13:05really high value.
13:06You know, that's just what it is.
13:07You bring back three prospects in Kissing, Santana, and Taylor.
13:11But it's not like they compromise the entire season by trading Liam Hicks because you need right-handed bats in
13:19the lineup.
13:19And, like, it was hard to find playing time for Hicks.
13:21Like, you're not going to sit Kyle Stowers.
13:23You're not going to sit Griffin Conine.
13:25Like, Conine's been great.
13:27Owen Casey just came off the IL.
13:29The Marlins have struggled against what?
13:32Left-handed pitching because they have not been able to really have a right-handed bat that's consistent enough.
13:37They just brought up Augustine Ramirez.
13:39We got to figure out what Augustine Ramirez is.
13:41And I think down in AAA, they got to have a bat.
13:45They got to have more of an offensive power bat from the right side.
13:49And I think all of those things cultivated into trading Liam Hicks.
13:55Hicks was awesome.
13:57Hicks is great.
13:57They're going to miss him because he's always given a quality at bat.
14:01He gets on base.
14:02But I think he was just kind of like the odd man out, and they were able to sell high
14:06on him.
14:07Do you feel like these next two series – all right, obviously we're hoping for the salvage tonight, but like
14:12–
14:13Loser leaves town.
14:14Yeah.
14:15Is this like three games back in the wild card?
14:17It's dicey territory if they don't go four and two at home with both of these – with these –
14:22do you feel the same way?
14:23All right, so I got my napkin out because I wanted to come prepared here.
14:28No, I just write down.
14:29I just like – I'm like a – I don't like writing – I don't like typing on the computer.
14:34I'm an old school newspaper.
14:35When we were in Houston, I read the Houston Chronicle.
14:38So I wrote this down here.
14:40So the Marlins are 58-57.
14:42We will go back home tonight.
14:44And by the way, another reason I hate Atlanta, 7-15 getaway night.
14:48Are you kidding me?
14:49We're going to get home at 4 in the morning.
14:51We got a game tomorrow.
14:5458-57, go back to play the Angels, who are 43-71.
14:58That team is 28 games under .500, but I don't like it because they still have some decent guys.
15:03Have to win two out of three.
15:05Pirates, two under.
15:07They're a game-and-a-half back behind the Marlins.
15:09Have to win two out of three.
15:11Then they go play the Reds.
15:12Then they go play the Phillies.
15:13So 23 games left in August.
15:15I think the Marlins have to go 12-11.
15:20I don't think that's asking for too much.
15:22To go into September, 70-68, two over going into the month of September.
15:28I think that puts them in a position to give them a chance because I don't want to talk about
15:33September.
15:34That September schedule, and I told you this in the open, if they get there, they will earn it.
15:39They have to play the Cubs twice.
15:40They have to play the Dodgers.
15:41They have to play Arizona, San Diego.
15:43Everyone in that wild card race in the National League, we will see.
15:47So, again, take it day by day.
15:49Take it series by series.
15:50But I'm with you, Tobin.
15:51They have to take care of business just like they did against the Mets.
15:55They won three out of four in Queens.
15:56Great.
15:57On to the next.
15:57They've got to take care of business at home.
15:59They've been awesome at home.
16:01What are they, 34-23?
16:02One of the best records at home.
16:04I think they've got to take care of business.
16:06Angels and Pirates, they should get Sandy, and I think Uri as well in both of those series.
16:12Steven Schramm, you guys can catch him tonight.
16:14Marlins on deck.
16:14It's going at 6.30 here on WQAM.
16:17And get on out to the ballpark.
16:18They've got the Angels this week.
16:20You can see Mike Trout.
16:21God, I tried to lure him here, but you know what?
16:22It was a losing streak.
16:24I don't think he was going to wave the no trade clause for that.
16:26It is Pokemon Go night tomorrow, but I see that all those jerseys are sold out.
16:30Are you a Pokemon Go guy?
16:30You ever dabbled?
16:32I'm not, man.
16:33I'm such a sports junkie.
16:34You're writing on napkins.
16:35Of course you're not.
16:36No.
16:37Are you?
16:37Do you want me to get you something?
16:39Are you guys into that?
16:40Well, if you can get one for the son, he might like it.
16:42My son likes Pokemon Go.
16:43All right.
16:44Let me see what I can do tomorrow.
16:47Much appreciated.
16:48JP, you're a Pokemon Go guy?
16:50No, but me and my cousin grew up on it, so I feel like I would score that.
16:55You want that, JP?
16:56I got you.
16:56I'll get you and Tobin.
16:57Do people still do that?
16:59I think, well, obviously, if it's sold out and they're doing it at the ballpark.
17:02No, but I'm saying because there was a time where it was everywhere.
17:09Yeah.
17:09No, it's making a resurgence.
17:10There were people trespassing on Pokemon Go, but that's the good thing about Pokemon Go
17:14now.
17:14You don't have to trespass.
17:15It's all at the ballpark.
17:16You could walk around and you could catch your Pikachu's.
17:19But the physical cards are making a resurgence, guys.
17:21Oh, no.
17:21Those are crazy.
17:21Yeah.
17:22You can't even.
17:23You want to talk about baseball cards, dude.
17:25I was at a card show for my son.
17:27He was into Pokemon cards.
17:28There were more Pokemon cards than there were sports cards.
17:31It was crazy.
17:31Is there like a player that's the best in the league?
17:34Or who's like the, who's the Otani of cards?
17:39Mewtwo.
17:39Oh, like the card players?
17:41I don't know.
17:41Pokemon?
17:41I think Mewtwo.
17:42No, no.
17:43Like the actual cards.
17:44Like, don't you, don't you like, you know, like baseball cards.
17:45You open it up and you go, whoa, this.
17:47I think it's a Charizard.
17:48I think it's the number one.
17:49Now that I think about it.
17:50It also has like different, like, there's generations.
17:52There's holograms.
17:53There's like different things to it.
17:54I know Logan Paul got like a, he wore a Charizard when he fought Floyd Mayweather around his neck.
17:59And it was like $3 million or something like that.
18:01What about Yu-Gi-Oh?
18:02Is that the same thing or is that different?
18:04No.
18:05It came afterwards.
18:06But it's sort of the same thing.
18:08It's in the same family?
18:09Bootleg?
18:11It's not bootleg.
18:12It's a little late.
18:12It's semi-different.
18:14I just, I just shut up.
18:16I realized that, yeah, I'm out.
18:19I'm out.
18:20Steve, appreciate the time, man.
18:21Yeah, of course, guys.
18:22Thank you again.
18:23Thanks to you.
18:23Enjoy the action tonight.
18:25We appreciate you joining us.
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