Bleacher Report - Articles by Deric Markham

Florida Marlin's Speed Hamstrung By Hitting Woes

Deric Markham — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:53:03 -0400

The Florida Marlins possess perhaps one of the best crops of raw talent in the National League. Unfortunately for the "Fish," the team hasn't been able to capitalize on this ability due to the lack of consistency at the plate.

Specifically, the duo of Emilio Bonifacio and Cameron Maybin, and their lack of patience, is costing the Marlins.

These two young players have a natural gift for the game that makes scouts drool. Both have tremendous speed and range. Bonifacio has made fantastic plays at the hot corner seem routine during his brief tenure there, while Maybin has patrolled center field like a veteran.

On the base paths, this pair has showcased tremendous ability flying around the diamond. Only one problem remains...getting them on base.

Bonifacio and Maybin lead the team in strikeouts with 23 and 22 punch outs respectively. Maybin has struggled overall at the plate since the beginning of the season. He is currently posting a meager .190 average.

Bonfacio's incredibly hot start has cooled to a .274 overall average. Too many pop flies and strikeouts have crippled them both.

Time will tell how much longer Fredi Gonzalez can wait for these young players to mature. In the rough and tumble landscape that is the NL East, time may be running out for these talented, but hampered speedsters.

Panthers-Hurricanes: Sunrise Express Brings Hope to Florida

Deric Markham — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:10:52 -0500

The Sunrise Express pulled into the Bank Atlantic Center, and inspired the Panthers to play the single best period of hockey they have participated in this season.

The Express (Nathan Horton, RW; Stephen Weiss, C; David Booth, LW) stepped all over the Carolina Hurricanes in the first period. The team as a whole played with a passion that had been all but nonexistent—fighting for the puck, crashing the net, and in general playing aggressively.

In the end, the Cats netted two goals in the period—mostly due to the fact they spent most of the period in the Carolina zone.

Unfortunately for Florida, sloppy play starting the second period nearly cost them the game. The Hurricanes tied the game with two goals within the first two minutes of the second. Despite this, the Panthers rallied again to score another and take the lead.

In the third, the Panthers bucked yet another negative trend—blowing a late lead. They limited the Hurricanes to only seven shots on goal in the final period to hold onto a win.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Cats can use this win as a springboard to changing the dynamic of their season. With two more games left in this homestand, Florida will have to keep their claws sharp in order to climb their way out of the bottom of the Southeast.

So Far, So Good...What the Heat Need to Do in Order to Compete

Deric Markham — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:27:15 -0500

This NBA season has started in earnest and it looks like the Miami Heat will actually show up for some of it. After last year's injury-plagued disaster, the Heat have landed back on their feet.

In this first edition of So Far, So Good...I will examine some of the positive aspects of the Heat's season thus far. Also, I will look at some major concerns the Heat will have to overcome if rookie coach Erik Spoelstra hopes to make any kind of serious headway into the Southeast Division.

1. Dwayne Wade

So Far, Dwyane Wade has been nothing less than stellar. Coming off of his gold medal in Beijing, D-Wade has carried this Miami team. He's averaging a little over 27 points a game, and is practically winning the Heat's games all by himself. This consistent offense combined with his new found defensive prowess has been the heart and soul of Miami, and the biggest reason why they are still competing in the Southeast.

So Good...Just as the Heat have started the year, so they must end it. For Miami to remain in any sort of contention, Wade must continue to lead. First and foremost, he must remain healthy. Any prolonged absence might as well be fatal for the franchise. He must also continue to score as he has been. Most importantly, he has to help the development of his rookie starters.

2. The Rookies

So far, with not one, but two starting rookies on the floor, coach Spoelstra is trusting the future to a pair of talented, but young and untested stars. Despite their lack of experience, both Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers have shown a great deal of their promise. Beasley currently ranks third among rookies in scoring with 15.4 points per game. Chalmers trails only behind Wade for most assists on the team.

So Good...If the Heat hope to go deep, these rookie have to step up their learning curve. Even though Chalmers is the starting point guard, much of the ball handling down the court is carried out by Wade. Chalmers must improve in this department and quickly in order to take some of the pressure off Wade. As for the other rookie, Beasley must drive to the basket more. Beasley has fantastic ball handling skills, but he shows a reluctance to drive to the hole. More times than not, he opts for a quick jumper. This meekness down low in conjunction with a low field goal percentage is hampering his scoring potential. He must show more aggression to establish a presence down low.

3. Power Down Below

So far, while not a normal center, Udonis Haslem has adapted to the position well. While not as big as the Heat might like him to be, he has made up for it in pure effort. With pure will, Haslem has scratched out 12.9 points per game and 8.7 rebounds. Even so, he has suffered at the hands of some of the game's true big men. In the end, Haslem will be outclassed whenever other teams can challenge him.

So Good...This seems like the one great problem that the Heat will not be able to overcome through effort or experience. The fact of the matter is simply the Heat need a bigger body in the middle. They will either have to go out and get a proper center or hope one of their own can fill the void. There is still the off-chance of an Alonzo Mourning return. But at this point, I would say there is as much a chance of that happening as there is a chance Mark Cuban is not guilty of insider trading.

In the end, the Heat have a long road ahead of them. Even so, continued solid play and some wise acquisitions may yet land them in the playoffs and return to form.

The Cats Need Claws: Lack Of Agressive Play Plaguing Florida Panthers

Deric Markham — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:35:09 -0500

Once again this season, the Florida Panthers lay idling around in doldrums. While not being overly dominated by the competition, the Cats' lack of aggression continue to cost them.

So fart this year, Florida is only averaging 28.7 shots on goals per games. On the other hand, opponents so far this year have launched 33.9 shots against.

Beyond the numbers, the Cats just don't seem to have their hearts into for the whole game. In recent losses to Nashville and Ottawa, Florida led both games heading into the third period. Against Atlanta, who had lost its last six games, the Panthers' soft play in the first period gave the Thrashers a momentum to carry them through the rest of the game.

Overall, rookie coach Peter DeBoer has to be disappointed with the team's effort. The Panther showcase some fine players on both offense and defense. One has to believe that with a little more focus, this team still has a chance to make an impact on the Southeast Division.

Panthers Need To Tap the Power Play To Kindle Playoff Hopes

Deric Markham — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:31:45 -0400

Despite an impressive effort to fend off and defeat the San Jose Sharks, the Cats once again put a glaring weakness in full view: The power play.

Florida ended up squandering all three of their power play opportunities. To make matters worse, the Panthers penalty killing nearly cost them the game. San Jose blasted home three goals in five separate power play chances. The first of these goals landed within the first minute of the contest.

Even so, the news isn't all grim for the Cats. Tomas Vokoun put on an impressive display in keeping San Jose out of the net. Also, they kept the overall pressure on the Sharks with a mounting number of shots on goals, with four of them finding their mark.

Despite these bright spots, the Panthers have revealed a potential season killer. For the present, however, they have shown a great deal of fortitude by standing up to one of the league's best teams and coming away with the win.

Lack Of Timely Hitting Cost Rays Opener

Deric Markham — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:19:57 -0400

October is upon us and the Rays have already felt the ghostly effects of the season as their old phantom came back to haunt them: hitting with runners in scoring position.

Indeed, hitting in general was a rarity for the Rays in this Game One. Tampa Bay was held to only four hits and all of those coming after the seventh inning. Even without early hits the Rays still squandered chances to bring men across the plate. Matsuzaka gave up four walks overall, three of them in the first to walk the bases loaded. Even so, the Rays could not make contact when they needed it most stranding seven base runners.

This stumble with either make or break the Rays' season. They will make the necessary adjustments, fight back, and prove they are a legitimate team with a legitimate right to be where they are. That, or they will cave to the this veteran Boston team and know that it could have been different.

Rays Keep Rolling In First Ever Playoff Game

Deric Markham — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:40:03 -0400

Knock. Knock. Who's there? The last team you'd expect.

The Rays continue to play their game and continue to roll on in this incredible year. Today's defeat of the White Sox is a classic example of how the Rays have been able to compile a francise record 96 wins this year. The formula for their success more or less goes as follows:

Act I

Starting off the show: A strong performance from the starter. In this case "Big Game" James Shields hurled six-and-one-third strong innings. Even after giving up a three runner homer, Shields held his composer and held the line.

Act II

The offensive got moving with timely hitting. Both through manufacturing runs and going deep, the Rays answered all of Chicago's runs and then some. While in the field, the Rays defense backed up their starter with solid play and good execution.

Act III

In the final stage of the game, the bullpen took over. Using the right man for each situation (in this case Balfour and Howell) to counter the White Sox hitters. In the end, Dan Wheeler is brought in to finish the job. Although not Wheeler's finest performance (a high pitch count and giving up a long ball) he stared down the remaining batters and wrapped up the Rays first ever playoff win.

Epilogue

The Rays have earned their place at the playoff table. Maddon's long struggle to change the attitude and culture of the team has paid off tremendous dividends. This is a team with potential to keep telling this story again and again until its told on the World Series stage.

Rays' Pen May Hold Key To Success

Deric Markham — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:43:43 -0400

Now that the Rays have finally wrapped up the AL East, they can look towards the playoffs.

In order for Tampa Bay to keep their impressive run rolling into the postseason, they will need to keep one of their most important components on track: the bullpen. With the Rays propensity for close and late inning games, the pen could be the determining factor between a merely impressive season and a phenomenal finish.

The Rays’ pen can be summed up in two words: consistency and diversity.

Throughout this season of nail-biting finishes and extra inning marathons, the bullpen has stepped up on numerous occasions and kept the Rays with at least a chance to pull off a victory. After having a horrendous ERA of 6.29 last year, the pen has transformed itself into a defensive machine with an ERA of 2.82—through Friday.

Part of the reason for their domination in the late innings comes from the variety of pitchers that Joe Maddon can pull from. No matter the situation, Maddon has had the right tool for the job.

The lefties—Trevor Miller and JP Howell—have proved themselves capable setup artists. In fact, this year Howell has logged the most innings in relief for the Rays.

The right-handers have been no less impressive. The hard-throwing Aussie, Grant Balfour, has given the Rays a legitimate strikeout threat. The late season acquisition of Chad Bradford and his submarine style pitching has provided many a groundball out.

Dan Wheeler and Troy Percival have dominated the final innings. With 26 holds this year, Dan Wheeler has become a fixture for the Rays in the eighth inning setup role.
Additionally, the Rays have turned to Wheeler more than once to fill Troy Percival’s place as the closer.

Wheeler has racked up 13 saves in 18 attempts.

This scenario may be repeated in the playoffs as Percival continues to struggle with injuries.

Overall, the biggest obstacle that will undoubtedly follow the bullpen into the postseason will be fatigue. The Rays habit of playing several tight contests in a row will take its toll.

Also, many of the starters have not been going deep into games. A string of these kinds of games could seriously damage the Rays’ playoff run. In these cases it will likely fall to Howell and Jason Hammel—they have been the long men for the Rays this year.

The pen will also get fresh arms from recent call-ups David Price and Mitch Talbot. Even with their aid, the relievers will be hoping that starters like James Shields, who has logged 214 innings and three complete games, will go deep and eat up innings for them.

Ultimately, the Rays’ bullpen has looked solid all year. If the Rays persevere through the tough road that is the playoffs, it will be due largely to the consistency and tenacity of the relievers.

Tampa Bay Rays May Take Cinderella All the Way

Deric Markham — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:32:19 -0400

This season of unprecedented baseball rolls on as the Rays find themselves in the unfamiliar territory of the playoffs. Will this year of firsts for the Rays include an American League title or even a World Series ring?

Neither possibility is out of the question. Their fate lies with their strong pitching staff, and the power of playing at home at Tropicana Field, where they hold a Major League best 57-24 record.

The only American League teams with winning records against Tampa Bay (the Yankees and the Indians) won't be joining the playoff hunt. Moreover, the Rays have demonstrated their knack for taking series after series from even the strongest A.L. opponents.

Following skipper Joe Maddon's Meatloaf policy (as in two out of three ain't bad), the Rays have wrested away fourteen series while only losing three and splitting two.

The next ingredient the Rays with need for playoff success will be continued solid pitching. After giving the bullpen a complete overhaul during the off season, the Rays now have the ability to hold on to tight games.

Even with closer Troy Percival on and off of the disabled list, the 'pen has held opponents in check through closer by committee.

Not to be outdone, the starting notation has also stepped up their game. Even with ace Scott Kazmir having a less than stellar year, all five starters boast at least 10 wins.

To boost optimism even higher, blue chip prospect David Price has proved to have some serious Major League potential after two impressive relief appearances and a five-and-one-third inning start in which he only allowed one earned run while striking out three.

Finally, the magic of the Trop might be the final component for ultimate glory. With the American League's win in this year's All-Star Game, if the Rays can overcome their AL rivals, they will have home field advantage in the World Series.

The magic of the cowbells at The Trop might be enough to rally the Rays to a championship even in seven games.

The biggest possible stumbling block for the Rays is their lack of hitting with men in scoring position. Overall, the Rays have not been a high scoring team. Therefore, getting hits with men on, especially with less than two outs, becomes a critical need for Tampa Bay.

Offensive producers like Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria will have to perform when the opportunity presents itself or the Rays might find themselves falling short of their story book ending.

All in all though, Cinderella may just win it all this year.