Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Two teams started the 2013 season as the teams that all of Major League Baseball assumed would be worst teams. One of those was the Houston Astros and one was the Miami Marlins. Both have made improvements but the Marlins remain the team with baseball’s worst record. The main reason would seem to be that they still lack in the area of fundamental baseball. They put everything together now and then and win series and games like crazy but they also show their inexperience like in the loss to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday 11 – 3.
Clearly the Braves are a better team but where the problems lay with this one and many were fundamental type things. There was one play where the third baseman was forced to play a wonderful bunt barehanded and throw on the run. The throw went into the runner and not only was he safe but it also nearly hurt Logan Morrison seriously as he landed badly after a collision. There was a ball that was literally kicked around by the pitcher that resulted in a run scored.
Also the worst was a fly ball to the gap that fell between two confused outfielders. Who has the ball? The center fielder Marcell Ozuna has the right of way out there and Juan Pierre knows it. He backed off when he heard Ozuna but Ozuna had also backed off and the ball fell, allowing a run to score. Fundamental baseball is so important. Ozuna is still young but to be at the MLB level means that he doesn’t make those kinds of mistakes.
I think the coaching staff still has a lot of work to do with these guys. They are getting better; I’ll give them that any day of the week. To really maximize on their momentum though they need to get to the park early and work on those key fundamentals that are the backbone of every successful team. Without that, all the talent and momentum in the world means nothing.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
