Five things South Florida sports fans are talking about
1. BASEBALL
All-Star Game, Home Run Derby on deck: The 86th All-Star Game is Tuesday in Cincinnati, with the Marlins’ Dee Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton selected but both likely out injured. The Home Run Derby is Monday, though diminished without Stanton and Bryce Harper. The danger in Cincy hosting? Pete Rose runs onto field past security and demands an at-bat.
2. HEAT
Miami adds Stoudemire, shines in summer ball: Another strong week for the Heat as Miami signed veteran forward/center Amar’e Stoudemire one day after signing three-point specialist Gerald Green, and both came cheap. Oh, and the Heat’s youth squad finished 5-0 in the Orlando Summer League. Pat Riley hasn’t had a better summer since 2010.
3. MARLINS
Fernandez excels, but Fish sputtering at break: Jose Fernandez improved to 2-0 since his return from Tommy John surgery — and 14-0 all-time at home — but the team slogged into the All-Star break with the second-worst record in MLB. Now there are reports Mat Latos, Dan Haren and others might be traded. Can Fernandez pitch every game, please?
4. TENNIS
It’s Champions Weekend at Wimbledon: Novak Djokovic faces Roger Federer on Sunday in the men’s Wimbledon final, one day after Serena Williams completed the “Serena Slam” by winning her fourth major in a row. She defeated Garbine Muguruza, who evidently is a rising young Venezuelan even though Greg Cote had never heard of her.
5. SOCCER
America still celebrating women’s World Cup win: The symbolic culmination of last week’s third U.S. Women’s World Cup soccer championship and first since 1999 came Friday with a ticker-tape parade along New York’s “Canyon of Heroes.” There are so many great players on the champions’ roster. Hey, maybe they could loan a few to the U.S. men’s team!
This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 6:41 PM.