Bats Go Cold, Miami Marlins Get Shutout | August 16th, 2020

Miami, Florida – In another pitcher’s duel the Miami Marlins were shutout 4-0, getting two-hit by the Atlanta Braves on Sunday’s rubber match. It’s not what the team had in mind celebrating the 100-year history of the Negro Leagues. In honor of the occasion, the Miami Marlins donned the Miami Giants throwbacks. The Giants were a semi-pro team from the 1930s, playing at Dorsey Park. All across the league, teams paid homage to those that came before them in an era of segregation. 

Too many donuts

Elieser Hernandez went out for the Fish, pitching five scoreless innings. The right-hander was locked in, striking out nine batters scattering three hits. The impressive performance was matched by the Braves pitching staff. Going with a bullpen game, Atlanta kept the Marlins completely under control in a repeat performance from last night. 

NINE TIMES?? Niiiiine times. 😳#JuntosMiami pic.twitter.com/yuNznMtz9a

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 17, 2020

The only time Miami truly mounted anything close to building an inning was in the second. Jon Berti got on base with a two-out single, grabbing his fifth steal of the season. However, the effort was wasted when Logan Forsythe popped out to end the inning. The pitching didn’t get any run support, a frustrating characteristic of the weekend series. 

In the sixth, Dansby Swanson hit a two-bagger just beyond Lewis Brinson’s reach with a liner to left. Nick Markakis hit an RBI single off Nick Vincent to mark the first run of the day. Marcell Ozuna drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh before Markakis clinched it with a two-run double.

Have a day, Nick!#CarryTheFreight pic.twitter.com/MGZjnsx7pQ

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 16, 2020

Miami lost last night in a similar fashion. Daniel Castano tossed six innings giving up just one run, a solo shot to Ozuna. The Marlins tied it in the eighth with Monte Harrison’s first big league home run but Atlanta answered in the ninth. Adam Duvall hit the third homer of the game and the Fish were unable to respond. The bright spot was Lewin Díaz getting his first-ever base hit. The Marlins put up way too many zeroes on the board.

Rich history in the 305

We remember and honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues. #NegroLeagues100 pic.twitter.com/s44YmSZKmv

— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2020

Local colored teams have been using the Miami Giants name as early as 1916. Although they played at Tatum Park in 1920, by 1928 they officially called City Park their home, now known as Dorsey Park. By the 1930s the ballclub was renamed the Ethiopian Clowns but also went by the name Miami Clowns, even wearing face paint in a team photo. They hosted a lot of visiting Negro teams including the famed Homestead Grays with their legendary catcher, Josh Gibson.

The Clowns were an independent team formed in 1936 by Hunter Campbell and Johnny Pierce. A famed promoter by the name of Syd Pollock signed on and helped the Clowns become a national squad hyped up as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, combining both player skill and pure entertainment value. In the early 1940s, they moved to Cincinnati but eventually settled in Indianapolis keeping their team name. In 1952 the Indianapolis Clowns sign a young Henry Aaron to his first pro contract. Three months later he went on to play for the Boston Braves. The last Negro League baseballer to make it to the majors was former Clown and beloved Cuban catcher Paul Casanova.

True to their heritage the Indy Clowns played several games at Miami Stadium over the years and continued operating into the 1980s before finally folding.  These little nuggets of local history are unknown to a lot of folks. To be honest, the Marlins should have worn the uniforms for a week or so. If you’re going to go through all the trouble of making beautiful unis, don’t just wear ’em once. If it wasn’t for the name we all know and love and the Giants didn’t already belong to San Francisco (or New York) I’d have settled for the Miami Giants. 

Impressions

Guys like Brinson are going to have a hard time staying on the roster. The series was the Marlins’ chance to be the team to beat in the division. Instead, we saw an offense struggle after a very promising game on Friday. It’s alluded that in an abbreviated season where every game counts, a slumping player is likely to see less playing time. Brinson is batting .118 in 17 at-bats. A small sample size for the year but he’s been in the big show before, making it really difficult to justify him. Another player who will likely suffer a similar fate is Logan Forsythe. A journeyman from the waiver wire,  he’s batting .125 in 24 at-bats with 11 strikeouts. Francisco Cervelli will probably remain on the roster but whenever Jorge Alfaro returns the 34-year-old backstop is looking at becoming the backup. 

The Mets (9-14) are in last place in the NL East. Updated standings ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4d3S1S7qBH

— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) August 16, 2020

If everything goes well those affected by the COVID outbreak will return healthy and ready to go. When that happens, the purpose of several players will have been fulfilled. Some return to the alternate site in Jupiter, Florida, and the rest head to the waivers. These are just three hitters whose time is running out to prove their roster spots and with a ballclub looking to make it to the postseason, their days might very well be numbered.