Views From The Cheap Seats – September 29th, 2017

The Marlins were unable to win either series in their Western slate of games as Stanton hit number 57. But he has been stuck there with 4 games to go in the final home series against the Braves. The team’s offensive prowess has shined throughout the 6-game road trip but so has the pitching’s utter lack of quality starts with the bullpen getting dinged up in the process. At least the team is effectively free of Jeffrey Loria come Monday.

*Cough* MVP *Cough*#StantonSmash | #LetsGoFish pic.twitter.com/eqPPmVwZ8O

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 24, 2017

In the first game against Arizona, the Marlins bats came alive, leading 9-7 after five frames handedly knocking out ace Zack Greinke. However, the Diamondbacks KO’ed Adam Conley within two innings with a 5-run surge in the sixth tattooing the relief corps badly to retake the lead for good. Despite two homers from Marcell Ozuna and another by Justin Bour, the Marlins fell 11-13.

In the second game Dillion Peters would last 4 frames giving up 5 runs on 6 hits including two homeruns but that’s fine he is a rookie after all with the offense continuing to fire away behind superb performances from Stanton and Bour leading Miami to its only win in the series 12-6. In the series finale the bats went silent as the team took a 2-1 lead late into the game only to watch it surrendered by a pair of singles to Daniel Descalso and J.D. Martinez driving in the tying run and winning run in the eighth and ninth. Dan Straily got the no decision while Brad Ziegler got the blown save. Off to Colorado!

Now in this series I previously said that it was here where we’d find out greatest success. It was not to be. The Marlins did take Game 1 thanks a 4-run fourth by a score of 5-4 but from that point on it was all Rockies as they shutout the Marlins in the second game 6 to nothing despite the best efforts from our own ace, José Ureña. For the second straight start Conley doesn’t even last two innings as he gave up 6 runs. The Marlins came within 3 by the middle of the fourth but the Rockies kept on scoring ultimately winning despite a mini-Marlins rally with a 4-run ninth, the final score was 15-9.

The @Marlins didn’t come away with a win on Wednesday, but @FlashGJr‘s friend James still walked away with some good memories. #MLB #Marlins pic.twitter.com/OkShvQHlA8

— FOX Sports Florida (@FOXSportsFL) September 27, 2017

And with that the Marlins limp home 10 games under .500. They now have a date with the Atlanta Braves to close the season. The only solace the team and its modest fan base has is the freedom granted unanimously by the league in ridding us of a rather widely unpopular owner. Even so, it remains to be seen who stays and who goes with Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez, Mr. Marlin Jeff Conine and Jack McKeon being released by the team. According to the Miami Herald, Marlins president David Samson did this at the behest of Derek Jeter. It’s also worth noting Samson is going bye-bye too as well. The move is puzzling and a bit surprising. Whether this proves to be one of the new ownership’s early mistakes, only time will tell. And then there’s also the persistent chatter that Giancarlo Stanton will be dealt given our financial situation. As one chapter ends and another begins the one constant could very well be, at least in the short term, the team’s woes be it in the Front Office, offseason or during the season.

.@Giancarlo818 is the first National League player with 30+ doubles, 50+ home runs and 125+ RBI in a season since 2001.#MVP | #FishFacts pic.twitter.com/RrCvgEfD0P

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 24, 2017

Jeter is a winner, he loves to win. He is a New York Yankee after all, but as he and his group try to induce a winning culture into a team that for years has been mismanaged a question looms: At what cost? For my final edition to end the season, we will quickly recap the Braves series with the year’s good, bad and ugly. Until next time folks, stay frosty.

Views from the Cheap Seats is a biweekly segment where a Miami raised sports nut recaps, screams and analyses a week’s worth of games giving a toast, or the finger, to his hometown team depending on their performance. A truly hopeful but always realistic fan putting thoughts to pen to paper and always striving to improve. Be bold, be good, be you.

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