Double Game Thread: 6/15 Marlins vs. Phillies x2

Even for the Marlins, getting swept in two games during the same day is actually going to be pretty difficult. Nevertheless, they will enter the day (if they haven’t already) with a new spring in their step. That’s right, because Elih Villanueva is making his Major League debut! It’s basically a new opportunity, despite Villanueva being unable to feature good stuff or being a prospect, exactly. He hasn’t struck out more than six batters per nine innings since 2008, and has trouble preventing the walks as well. However, he doesn’t give up too many home runs, and with Vazquez or Volstad, it could be worse.

In the second game, Anibal Sanchez looks to continue his superb streak, which, in the eyes of many, has him categorizied in the pool of the better pitchers in the game. You can’t replace Josh Johnson during his absense, but Sanchez has done a fantastic job so far this year, and his success has come against all different types of lineups, even the Phils. Thus the Phillies lineup should expect a bumpy road in the second game regardless if Sanchez isn’t displaying his best stuff. Bad news, though: the Marlins are facing Roy Halladay and the Fish hitters have been vacationing for the past month, so it’s likely to be a pitchers duel, unlike how game one is expected to pan out.

As I mentioned last night, the Marlins have won only one game in their last twelve tries, the worst twelve game streak of any team in baseball this year, but I do feel that once they get back on track they’ll get in a groove. Still, today is an important set of games, and likely a set that the Marlins really can’t afford to drop.