Series Review: Fish on a Roll

Overview: The Marlins took two of three from the San Diego Padres to improve to 5-2 after the first week.
Positives: Giancarlo Stanton (notoriously a slow starter) has already bested the best April of his career in the first week alone. He has two home runs and 12 RBI (two of which came in March, but whatevs). Miami leads MLB in runs per game, doubly shocking considering how bad last year's squad was at simply getting on base. Even the Godfather has taken notice of the Marlins:

GODS. pic.twitter.com/bdA0lKvwpW
— Washed up Frank (@SubstitutePapi) April 5, 2014

This will only lead to more calls for Micky Arison to buy the Marlins, but we still believe that won't happen anytime soon.
Negatives: We're not going to spoil our fun with some #SmallSampleSizeTheater observations (though we will probably write a post all about it later this week). Let's enjoy this good fortune while it's still early April.
Line of the Series: We were planning to give the nod to Nate Eovaldi for his 8-strikeout day on Sunday, until he gave up a decisive pinch-hit three-run home run to Alexi Amarista in the seventh inning. Instead, we'll give the nod to Jose Fernandez' excellent Saturday outing:

6.2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 8 K, 2 BB, 0.386 WPA

Highlight of the Series:

If you thought we would choose anything else, you don't know us. Our reaction at the time:

WE HAVE EXPLOSION IN OUR PANTS
— Marlins Diehards (@MarlinsDiehards) April 4, 2014

It was the longest home run in the brief history of Marlins Park. Just monumental.
Looking Ahead: The Marlins have Monday off, then face their first real test of the season with a three-game set at Washington.

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Series Recap: ALL OF THE L's

Overview: The Marlins lost three of four in Cincinnati.
Positives: The Miami Heat playoff run starts in two hours.
Negatives: It's hard to overstate how poor the Fish have been this year. They've yet to win back to back games and less than a month into the campaign, they're already eleven games under .500. And you know what the worst part of all is? I never learned to read. We still has no MONSTERDONGZ. :(
Line of the Week: [vacant]
Highlight of the Week: Placido Polanco made a nifty scoop and throw to end a Reds threat. 
Looking Ahead: The team takes a brief trip to Minnesota for two against the Twins.

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Series Recap: Offense Awakens (One Night Only)

Overview: The Marlins dropped two of three games to the Washington Nationals.
Positives: Miami exploded for 8 runs on Tuesday, they can score! And Alex Sanabia pitched well! For one night, everything was okay. Giancarlo Stanton missed the entire series, but he is set to return Thursday.
Negatives: Sure the Marlins combined for four runs during the other two games, but at least they won one game, right?
Line of the Series: Speaking of Sanabia, here's his line from Tuesday:

6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 0.231 WPA

Highlight of the Series: Adeiny Hechevarria lit up the home run sculpture for the first time this season.
Up Next: Miami hosts Cincinnati for four games beginning Thursday night.

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Series Recap: Phillies

Overview: The Marlins lost two of three to the Phillies at home.
Positives: They won a game, something they've only done one other time this year. Jose Fernandez once again dazzled on the mound and even gave himself the lead withi an RBI single
Negatives: The Fish are still woeful at the plate. They've scored one or zero runs in seven of their twelve games and could only muster four in this three game set. The team also blew chances in each of the losses. Giving up the lead in a tie game in the last inning.
Line of the Week: Fernandez's six shutout innings.

ND, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5K, 0.353 WPA

Highlight of the Week: Should celebrate each win like it's the last, because it may be. Chris Coghlan's walk-off single.


Looking Ahead: The Marlins stay home for three with the Nationals then head to Cincinnati for four.

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Series Recap: Are We Having Fun Yet?

Overview: The Marlins were swept by Atlanta in the first home series of the season, dropping their record to 1-8.
Positives: ????
Negatives: The Marlins were shutout twice, bringing them up to four shutouts in the first nine games; apparently there's an attendance problem?
Line of the Series: Kevin Slowey pitched a good game on Monday, but since his teammates could only muster 2 hits, he got charged with a 2-0 loss:

7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0.438 WPA

Highlight of the Series: Kudos to the fan that snuck a raccoon into Marlins Park.

Did a Marlins fan bring a raccoon into the ballpark tonight? PIC (via @mike_cugno) twitter.com/AKuperstein/st…
— Adam Kuperstein (@AKuperstein) April 11, 2013

Looking Ahead: The Marlins are off Thursday, then host the Phillies over the weekend.

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Series Recap: The Squeakquel

Overview: The Marlins won on Friday, then drop Saturday and Sunday against the Mets.
Positives: The Marlins can in fact score 7 runs in one game, and Alex Sanabia can in fact throw 6 scoreless innings.
Negatives: Two days after notching an Alfonseca save, Steve Cishek went full Kevin Gregg on Sunday (WPA of .820 in his blown save), Hermida's Island lives (Marlins stranded 12 runners on Sunday, going 2-14 with RISP), still no first #Monsterdong of the year :(.
Line of the Series: Before Cishek ruined the day, 21-year-old rookie Jose Fernandez did something no Marlin rookie had ever done in his first start: strike out 8.

5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Highlight of the Series:

Looking Ahead: The Marlins' home opener is Monday, starting a three-game set against the Braves.

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Series Recap: #MarlinsStreak 3

Overview: The Marlins were swept in DC, losing 2-0, 3-0 and 6-1 to the Nationals
Positives: The starting pitching wasn't too bad. Ricky Nolasco and Kevin Slowey had decent outings despite the low inning total. LeBlanc wasn't awful. Despite all the jokes, the Fish were in every game and just need to string a few hits together and perhaps they may take a lead sometime soon. 
Negatives: Where do we begin? The first two days at the plate were awful (0 R, 7 H). In the finale they managed eight hits, but also stranded eight and scored just a run. Have your pick of the lot of which hitter is struggling, they all look pretty uncomfortable. As mentioned earlier, the team pitching was good (3.38 ERA) but they allowed Bryce Harper to go off. And the defense fell apart in game three. There's also the matter that the club doesn't have a first baseman. The win column seems like an unreachable enchanted land.
Line of the Series: Error 404 Not Found
Highlight of the Series: Placido Polanco made a nice catch in foul territory reaching into the seats.
Looking Ahead: The Fish visit New York for three against the Mets.

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