The Miami Marlins were swept at home by the Pittsburgh Pirates to open their season, and star outfielder Jazz Chisholm had a rather bizarre excuse for the team’s poor performance.
Chisholm suggested that the decision to leave the LoanDepot Park roof open for three of the four games in the series played a role in the defeats, and that it left Miami hitters unable to see like they usually could.
“That we couldn’t see,” Chisholm said Sunday, via ESPN. “That’s all. I feel like the shadows were really — we’re not used to playing in shadows. We normally play inside every day.
“So, when we get a shadow for three of the four games at home for the first time of the season, it’s kind of hard to adjust to. You know, we’re used to the roof being closed and being able to see every at-bat. It’s kind of tough to see when it’s black out there and you’re facing a guy throwing 101 [mph], you know?”
That may be the reason why Chisholm seemed downright amused to be striking out against Aroldis Chapman in Sunday’s loss.
The Marlins do not usually have their roof open due to the summer weather patterns in Florida. The shadows will definitely be a bit different compared to what players are used to, but it is hard to imagine that excuse accounting for all of Miami’s issues.
The Marlins were outscored 31-17 in the series, so the Pirates evidently did not experience the same issues. The excuse probably won’t fly with fans, either, though Chisholm isn’t the only one to try using things like this as an excuse.
