Teams that are having a horrible season tend to be out of sight, out of mind at this time of year, but every now and again, one of those teams does something that will make you sit up and take notice. In the case of the Miami Marlins, it is the performance of their offense that is suddenly drawing some attention. They will look to keep the bats hot when they welcome in the Philadelphia Phillies for a 4-game series starting on Thursday as home favorites on MLB lines.
An Inside Scoop on the MLB Odds Report on Seattle Marlins vs Philadelphia Phillies & Game Info
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2015 Time: 7:10PM Venue: Marlins Park Opening Line: Marlins -142
#Marlins aim for a sweep in Milwaukee with @TKREFRESH22 on the hill. http://t.co/CAg8E3nzPu pic.twitter.com/Ruh5PvcpIn
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 19, 2015
Something very strange is happening in Miami, as the Marlins (49-70) are going on an offensive tear that no-one saw coming. Great pitching wins championships, but a powerful offense can help you overcome some major defensive deficiencies, for a while at least. This display of power started back in early August with a 1-3 series loss to the Braves. Despite the poor outcome, Miami was still able to score 17 runs in the 4 games, but that was just the start.
They followed that up with 19 runs in 2 games against Boston, and 9 in 3 games against the Cardinals. They have scored 15 runs in their first 2 games against the Milwaukee Brewers, and as I write, have added another 6 to that total. That has helped Miami go 6-2 in their last 8, giving fans something to cheer about at last. Brad Hand (2-3, 4.74 ERA) will start for the Marlins.
Things are not quite so happy in Philadelphia (46-73) as the losses continue to pile up for the Phillies. They must be looking at what the Marlins are doing right now with a pretty high level of concern, as they have been unable to deliver much in the way of defense this season. The Phillies have dropped 6 of their last 7 games, and have another one against the red hot Toronto Blue Jays before they have to face Miami. This is a team that could very well feel shell-shocked by the end of their bout with the Marlins. You can bet that pitching and team defense are things that are going to be looked at very seriously in the offseason. Jerome Williams (4-8, 5.47 ERA) will be the man in charge of trying to stop the bleeding on Thursday.
