In any level of sports, a team needs a big-time name for their fanbase to identify with. In Major League baseball, no team has struggled with its identity more than the Miami Marlins. Even with two World Series championships, the franchise has consistently been at the bottom of the league in attendance and to take it even further, relevance.
Right now, there is no “Face of the Marlins” for fans to get excited about. Over the years, the team’s homegrown talent has not resonated with fans and the ownership group has shied away from signing expensive big-name free agents. The only names that commanded attention the last few seasons were in the front office with Derek Jeter, who recently left as CEO, and general manager Kim Ng, who made history as baseball’s highest-ranking female executive and first woman general manager in the four major professional sports leagues.
These are admirable choices, but not enough to fire up a fanbase…until now. His name? Jazz Chisholm Jr., the charismatic and highly skilled baller also known as “The Bahamian Blur.”
Early this season, Chisholm Jr. has started on fire offensively ranking among team leaders in hits, runs, triples and home runs while leading the team in RBI. But it’s his following that has his popularity surging to levels not seen since the late Jose Fernandez, who was the Marlins’ last real superstar. No Marlins player has transcended their on-field exploits to social media or the collective industry like Jazz has.
Recently, Jazz added the video game industry to his resume. The developers of the MLB The Show 22 not only selected Chisholm as their Faces of the Franchises Marlins card but recreated his patented Euro step home run celebration as well.
it will be interesting to see if baseball’s biggest social media MLBbro expands his on-field production as fast as his online popularity. Teammate and clubhouse leader, Miguel Rojas has been working out and counseling Chisholmvia Fox Sports to just be himself.
“He’s already a fan favorite. Young fans, old fans, people who’ve been around baseball, they like the way he plays and everything that he brings to the table,” Rojas said. “What I say to Jazz, though, is that now is your time to focus on your game. Your game will speak for you. The things that you do on the field and off the field, you don’t have to do too much. A lot of people already like you.”
MLBbro.com’s Dante Miles featured Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the latest episode of What’s Poppin.
What’s Poppin’ heads down to South Florida for a bro who has been red hot at the plate.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on a tear right now; looking to lead the Marlins to another series win over the Cardinals.
Lucius “The Swiper” Fox became the ninth Bahamian-born player to reach the Majors after making his debut last weekend. The Island Boy is ready to bring a little flair to the DMV.
On Sunday, Lucius Fox joined Miami Marlins second baseman Jazz “The Bahamian Blur” Chisholm Jr. as the only two current Bahamian-born players in the Majors. No, not the fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. This Lucius Fox is another MLBbro who plays the game with electricity and swag.
Last season we were introduced to the sweet “jazz music” and home plate eurosteps Chisholm brought to South Beach. If Sunday is any preview of what’s to come, the people in the nation’s capital will be receiving a nightly treat seeing “The Swiper” steal the show.
Fox’s Sunday Funday got started early. He introduced himself to Nationals fans with a webgem during the second inning when he dove to his left and fired a one-hop throw from his knees to rob Pete Alonso of a hit.
Went to the Mets-Nats game today. My team didn’t win, but the game was decided by which team took best advantage of bunt tactics. The crowd reaction in BOTH cases was notable. You cannot tell me small ball doesn’t have a roll in the MLB game https://t.co/kMSH4fG3Aw
Later in the game, Fox collected his first Major League RBI in pure, old school MLBbro fashion by successfully executing a suicide squeeze to tie the game in the 8th inning, scoring former Gold Glove winner and two-time All-Star Dee Strange Gordon, putting everyone in the Nats dugout in a dancing mood.
The Nationals would win 4-2. After his showing Sunday, Fox is making a case to be the team’s permanent shortstop for 2022.
Fox’s road to the Majors has been a long one. Born in Nassau, Bahamas, he moved to the United States at the age of 12 for school for two years before moving back to the Bahamas – in order to be considered an international free agent in 2015. He got a $6 million signing bonus from the San Francisco Giants, where he began his minor league career.
Fox has bounced around the Majors. He’s spent time in the Giants, Rays, Royals, and Orioles organizations before being claimed off waivers by the Nationals in November of 2021.
Fox did have a quick cup of coffee with the Royals – although I’m not sure he even had a chance to add any creamer. He was sent back down to the Minors the next day after not getting a chance to enter the game. In five Minor League seasons, Fox has a batting average of .244 with 16 home runs, 18 triples and 142 stolen bases. He’s had four seasons with at least 25 stolen bases – two of those reaching 30 – with a career high 39 steals in 2019.
Fox is part of a Nationals roster that has a few MLBbros serving as key contributors. In addition to Strange-Gordon, first baseman Josh Bell hit 27 home runs last year and former Dodgers top pitching prospect Josiah Gray, acquired by the team last year via trade, is looking to become the team’s Ace.
MLBbro.com covered Black and brown players for 162 games and the playoffs in 2021. Some of these MLBbros have performed with a passion and power that has earned them nicknames that immediately identify them to the MLB community.
According to Google, “A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement…”
Malik Wright is here with the #HIGH5 MLBbro Nicknames For 2021
An exact timetable for Chisholm is unknown but all reports speculate that the speedster could be back from 10 day IL as early as Friday when the Marlins start their homestand vs the @Yankees.
An exact timetable for Chisholm’s return is unknown, but all reports speculate that the speedster could be back from the 10-day Injury List as early as Friday when the Marlins start their homestand vs. the New York Yankees.
The Marlins placed Chisholm on the IL on July 19 after the shortstop suffered what looked to be a severe shoulder injury after attempting to make a miraculous play on a Bryce Harper bloop single out in rightfield during a July 18 matchup vs. the Philadelphia Phillies.
The team and the fan base should be elated by how confident Chisholm regards his injury, as all signs pointed to something more severe as he laid motionless while waiting to be attended to by the teams’ medical staff.
He told the Miami Herald about the injury, “It could have been way worse than it was, easily. The doctor said, especially if I had hit the ground a little bit harder, and that could have been it for the season.”
While taking ground balls last week, Chisholm rejoiced at how he feels like he is ready to get back out on the field as soon as the team doctors clear him to return.
Expectations are for Chisholm to continue rehabbing until July 29, during the teams’ off-day ahead of their homestead, as mentioned earlier.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Chisholm’s speedy recovery is encouraging, especially since he showed so much motion only days after the initial injury.
He told the Miami Herald, “We will see what the trainers say, but him being out there is very encouraging. I know he is excited.”
Mattingly added, “he stopped by my office on the way in. It is good that he is healing quick, but I am sure we will be careful and let medical dictate when he is ready.”
Being on the injury list is nothing new for the bohemian blur who earlier in the season missed 16 games after he suffered a left hamstring strain in early May.
He also missed a few games in late May with a right ankle sprain and some foot discomfort in early June after taking an unavoidable pitch off his right foot.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. appears to be in a great deal of pain after — what looks like — taking a pitch to the ankle.
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) June 6, 2021
As the team continues its search for a spark down the stretch, Mattingly told MLB.com that Chisholm could skip the recommended rehab assignments and continue taking BPs as preparation for reinstatement by July 30.
Mattingly referenced that a few live pitches could be enough to get him back up to speed as the team is hopeful for reinstatement when he first becomes available Friday.
Through 263 at-bats, Chisholm will return to a .251 batting average with 38 runs scored, 34 RBI, 11 bases on balls, and 11 home runs which is a breath of fresh air for a struggling Marlins team who are last in National League East and losers of 10 out of their previous 14 games.
Listen up for the sweet sounds of the Jazzman as he should be Grazing In The Grass-like Hugh Masekela in a nightcap Friday evening against the Bronx Bombers at loanDepot park. First pitch scheduled at 7:10 p.m.
Miami Marlins electrifying shortstop Jazz Chisholm will return to action Tuesday for the Triple-A affiliate Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on rehab assignment.
The game hasn’t been the same since the baseball tornado came up limp with a hammy.
The young phenom returns after sustaining a strained left hamstring in late April. The Marlins say that after a few appearances down in the Minor Leagues, the “Bahamian Blur” could rejoin the team by the end of the week.
General Manager Kim Ng told the Miami Herald that Jazz is “starting to get pushed now.” She added, “the plan is to start the rehab assignments this week with the hopes of a return by the end of the week.”
Over the weekend, the staff of the Marlins tested Chisholm’s’ janky hamstring with base running drills and some live at-bats. The man wearing the yellow shirt in the video examined the usage of his Chisolm’s extremities on the defensive side of the diamond as well, which ultimately led to the rehab assignment for Tuesday.
Manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com, “You want to make sure a guy can play, and he’s going to hold up, and it’s not the next day he’s not feeling it again.” He added, “You don’t want that to happen where it could take another three or four days.”
After placing Chisholm on the 10-day disabled list, fans took note as the Marlins played off-key without their catalyst and emotional sparkplug, losing five out of the next nine games in his absence.
Miami won its first four games to start the homestand, only to lose two straight to the Milwaukee Brewers. They left seven men on base and were 0-6 with runners in scoring position. When facing off-speed pitches of 86 miles per hour or lower, the Marlins are batting 35-221 for a .198 average, ranking 30th in the MLB.
In just 69 at-bats, Chisolm has accounted for 20 hits, 11 runs, seven RBIs, seven stolen bases, and four home runs. He’s batting a fine-tuned .290 with a .375 on-base percentage, and a 551-slugging percentage. His OPS is an impressive .926.
Like a fish out of water, the fins are looking for a breath of fresh air as they begin another three-city, ten-game road trip. So, the smooth sounds of a possible return by the Bahamian Blur is music to the ears of fans.
Listen up for the sweet tunes of Jazz Chisholm as he and the Shrimps take on the Durham Bulls tonight. The first pitch is at 6:35 p.m. EST.
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