Fly Fish Fly! The 2010 Florida Marlins

[Edley]

Because no one cba to talk about sports round here, I will make an effort to report in on a team near and dear to my heart. That's right, this thread will be a one stop shop for all things Florida Marlins.

But Ed, no one gives a damn.

Well yeah, but there's something to be said for a franchise that year after year remains competitive while ownership makes every effort to slash payroll and generally ignore what few fans it has by playing home games in a cavernous characterless football stadium. Plus they've won two world series in 17 years while the god damn Braves, my childhood instrument of self-torture barely managed one despite lording over the National League from 1991-2005.

Seriously dude, no one cares.

Yeah well, Dolphin/Land Shark/Pro Player Stadium is in BFE and it friggin' rains a lot in Florida during the summer. They are building a new stadium in downtown Miami over the old Orange Bowl site, so providing the team remains competitive we'll see more crowds like this.

So what's this season looking like?

From all accounts, the Marlins perpetual youth movement has solidified them as a contender for the National League Wild Card, right behind those overpriced bums in Philadelphia. Here are some of the names and faces expected to shine in 2010.

#2 Shortstop Hanley Ramirez
2009: .342 BA 24 HR 106 RBI 24 SB

Hanley was the big get in the deal that sent ace pitcher Josh Beckett to Boston in 2005. He's more than met the lavish expectations pressed upon him as a prospect, winning his first batting title in '09 and earning all star honors for the second time. He's been known to carry the offense through long stretches and has the speed and athleticism to make difficult plays at shortstop look routine. In the second year of a 70 million dollar contract, Ramirez looks to spearhead the fish attack for years to come.

Han-Ram's watch doesn't just tell time, it can hail passing aircraft.

#55 Starting Pitcher Josh Johnson
2009: 15-5 3.23 ERA 191 SO 209 IP

Josh rebounded from a elbow injury that claimed most of '07 and '08 to post career highs in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched. He throws a 95 mph fastball, a 80 mph changeup, and a slider that dives out of the strike zone with stunning consistency. He joined Ramirez on the all-star team for the first time last year and signed a four year deal to remain the ace of the rotation. If Johnson can put together another year like '09 he will enter the upper echelon of Major league pitchers.

Josh with wife Heidi and son Cash. Look how bad ass that kid is.

#8 Left Fielder Chris Coghlan
2009: .321 BA 9 HR 47 RBI

Cogs was a may call-up from the minor leagues in 09 and preceded to rake the ball all year setting marlins records for consecutive multi-hit games with 8 and becoming the first rookie since Ichiro to record back to back 47+ Hit months in August and September. While his average is likely to dip in 2010 as pitchers avoid his hot zones like the plague, Coghlan has shown batting champion caliber ability in his young career.

That Hurts!

So what's not so solid?

The Marlins pitching rotation behind Johnson is suspect, as Ricky Nolasco faded after a fast start giving up 32 runs and 8 homers in his last 10 starts. Anibal Sánchez will be back in his first full year after arm surgery in 2007. He went 4-8 in the second half of '09, but his ERA was a respectable 3.87. Rick VandenKurk, Andrew Miller, and Chris Volstad will be compete with prospect Sean West for the last two spots, but have yet to distinguish themselves in spring training.

It's okay Andrew, at least the Tar Heels are doing well... err nevermind.

The bullpen was up and down, with Dan Meyer and Renyel Pinto posting good Sub 4 ERAs while Leo Nunez struggled to make a mark in the closers role, blowing 7 saves. Fireballers Seth McClung and Jose Veras should help bolster a young rotation.

Defensively the Marlins might as well be stonefish. They committed 106 errors and allowed 129 stolen bases last year, which lead to several late inning collapses, bad enough for third worst in the NL. Jorge Cantu and Emilio Bonifacio should solidify the corner infield positions, but Dan Uggla will have to improve to hold on to second base.

Spoiler

Dan, what you do on your own time with Chase is none of our business, but please don't bring the boy into it!

Predictions?

The Marlins have consistently exceed expectations the last few years in part because they were able to feast on poor pitching from the Mets, Braves, and Nationals. While those three squads will improve in 10 the Marlins lineup should continue to be potent. Their season will be tied to the starting rotation, which as of now doesn't look ready for a playoff run.

My pick: 84-78 2nd in the NL East, no playoffs.

Projected Starting lineup:

LF Chris Coghlan
RF Cory Ross
SS Hanley Ramirez
3B Jorge Cantu
2B Dan Uggla
1B Gaby Sanchez
C John Baker
CF Cameron Maybin

Projected Rotation

RHP Josh Johnson
RHP Ricky Nolasco
RHP Anibal Sanchez
LHP Andrew Miller
RHP Chris Volstad

Here's where to find the most up to date fish info.

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=fla

 

[Super Mario]

Interesting concept, brethren.

 

[Alex]

Yeah, this is cool and everything. But can you equip them with materia??

 

[ForceStealer]

right behind those overpriced bums in Philadelphia

Ahem.

 

[Edley]

Don't get me wrong, I'd murder to see Utley, Howard, and Halladay on my team. But as Ric Flair always said, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man".

... and Philadelphia. At least it isn't Cleveland.

 

[Ghost X]

Nice story, bro.

 

[Edley]

Crikey, a old meme ate your baby, mate!

 

[ForceStealer]

You also gotta remember our proximity to New York, which by comparison makes the Phillies look dirt cheap.

 

[CK]

Pick a better sport than softba... I mean baseball.

 

[Edley]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=5061097

The Florida Marlins have a knack for unearthing young pitching talent, not to mention a flair for making astute roster changes out of economic necessity. They're overachieving, underfunded masters in the art of baseball guerrilla warfare.
Except for the front office, where president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and several of his lieutenants are signed through 2015, the word "continuity" rarely applies. But the view up the middle is as predictable as thunderstorms during batting practice.
Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and second baseman Dan Uggla have been together since 2005, when disparate circumstances brought them to South Florida in a two-week span around Thanksgiving. Ramirez, a highly regarded prospect in the Boston system, arrived in Miami as part of a seven-player trade that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to the Red Sox. Uggla, 25 years old and still kicking around Double-A ball with the Arizona organization, joined the Marlins shortly thereafter through the Rule 5 draft.
Five Opening Days later, they've combined for four All-Star appearances and have the third-longest-running tenure of any double-play combination in the majors behind New York's Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano and Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Factor in Alex Gonzalez and Luis Castillo, who played in seven straight Opening Days together, and the Marlins have been a monument to stability around the second-base bag since 1999.
MIDDLE MEN

The Yankees' Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano, Philadelphia's Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley and Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla are the three longest-running double play combinations in the major leagues.




Another go-round seemed unlikely last winter, when Uggla sweated out three months of Internet chatter as Florida's resident Human Trade Rumor. Although the Marlins actively shopped him, rumored deals to the Giants and Orioles failed to materialize, and Uggla signed a one-year, $7.8 million contract in January. He'll bat fifth this summer behind Jorge Cantu and steel himself for a new round of speculation in November as he prepares to enter his free-agent "walk" year.
Part of the attraction of returning was playing alongside Ramirez, and perpetuating the mental telepathy they've developed through 561 games together in the Florida infield.
"Hanley's so smart baseball-wise, and we're constantly talking throughout the game," Uggla said. "If we need to switch coverages on a stolen base, we're pretty much on the same page. If I'm going to take the double play [throw] from the pitcher on a comebacker, we pretty much have it locked down. There's not one thing defensively that we don't agree on. We're always on the same page."
That image runs counter to the fallout from a testy clubhouse exchange last September, which created the impression that Uggla and Ramirez were barely on the same planet.
In four years with Florida, Ramirez has evolved from a callow bundle of potential to a one-man Wins Above Replacement factory. He's a two-time All-Star with a Rookie of the Year award, two Silver Sluggers and a batting title in his portfolio. He signed a six-year, $70 million contract in May 2008, assuring he'll be a lineup fixture when the Marlins move into their new ballpark in 2012. And when his teammates assess his skill set, it's with the same sense of reverence that the Cardinals reserve for Albert Pujols.
[+] Enlarge AP Photo/Tom UhlmanKeep the peace: Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla combined for 55 homers, 185 runs and 196 RBIs last season.


But like some other young Latin stars who have to deal with a language barrier and a new culture (Jose Reyes springs to mind), Ramirez was thrust into a leadership vacuum that he was unequipped to handle. He has variously come across as moody, self-centered and content to let his natural ability carry him through a season. Stat worshippers and fantasy devotees have no reason to complain, but when Ramirez's teammates began to perceive him as a diva, it was destined to cause friction in the clubhouse.The emotional disconnect came to a head in September. After Ramirez left a game with Atlanta because of a tight hamstring, Uggla openly questioned his commitment to the cause. "You got your $70 million, and [expletive] winning," Uggla said. The mood deteriorated from there, until manager Fredi Gonzalez cleared the clubhouse for a closed-door meeting.
In one respect, Ramirez found himself in elite company; Tony Gwynn, Ichiro Suzuki and other star players have been derided as selfish for being obsessed with getting their three or four hits a night. "Baseball is an individual game wrapped up in a team concept, so you have to be selfish a little bit," said Marlins outfielder Cody Ross.
The difference, in this case, is that Marlins beat reporters provided a blow-by-blow account of the exchange for public consumption. That raised the perceived tension to red-alert level.
"It happened around the media, so it kind of got blown up," Ross said. "But everybody needs a reality check at some point. I've been through it. Uggla's been through it. We've all been called out at some point, whether it's another player, a coach or somebody holding you accountable.
"We're all like brothers in here. We argue and fight and talk smack to each other, and it happens a lot more than people know, because we hold each other accountable and we want each individual to be the best he can to help the team."
If the confrontation produced any residual animosity, it quickly passed. The Marlins posted a 19-12 record in September and October and finished a surprising second in the National League East with 87 victories. In hindsight, the incident might have been therapeutic for all involved.
"It's over and done with," Uggla said. "Every once in a while everybody needs a kick in the butt. If I need a kick in the butt, I want him to give it to me, too. It was all out of love. It's all behind us, and I think we're better from it.
"People are going to take from it what they read in the paper, on the Internet and magazines, and we can't control that. The bottom line is, we're great friends and we always will be. If Hanley called me up and said, 'I need you to come to the Dominican,' I would be there within a 24-hour period. And if I called him and needed him in Tennessee in the offseason, he would be there in a 24-hour period. That's how you know who your friends are."
Ramirez never made it to Uggla's home in Columbia, Tenn. -- the self-proclaimed "Mule Capital of the World" -- but his offseason was eventful nevertheless. He spent the winter at home in the Dominican Republic overseeing construction of the H2R Ranch, so named in honor of his initials and his jersey number. The complex reportedly includes a five-bedroom house, a swimming pool and a gazebo.

“ We're all like brothers in here. We argue and fight and talk smack to each other, and it happens a lot more than people know, because we hold each other accountable and we want each individual to be the best he can to help the team.
” -- Marlins OF Cody Ross​

Ramirez also concentrated on strengthening his lower body to help him better endure the rigors of a long season at short. He made only 10 errors last year after committing 26, 24 and 22 in the previous three seasons, and a stable base is only going to help him become more consistent and reliable in the field.Beyond that, there are signs that Ramirez took Uggla's criticism and the lack of public support from his teammates to heart. Tony Perez, a special assistant with the Marlins, said Ramirez seemed more vocal this spring and more emotionally invested in the performance of his fellow Marlins.
"I see him come here every day and really share with the guys in the clubhouse and on the bench," Perez said. "He's moving around. He's talking. I see a lot of improvement in everything. He's working on that, and the other players see it. It's different from a couple of years ago."
Veteran infielder Wes Helms, who also reportedly clashed with Ramirez last season, saw a more committed and focused player in the batting cage and the weight room. Ramirez spent more time talking to young players in Florida's spring training camp, and assumed more of a veteran mentor role than he had in the past.
"Hanley's one of those guys who's so good, sometimes they can get by with how good they are," Helms said. "But now I think he's matured a little and it's made him realize, 'Hey, I do need to work and be that team guy so that we can win.'
"I'll never forget what Greg Maddux told me one time in Atlanta. He said, 'The difference between a great player and a good player is, the great player's mind is in every pitch for 162 games. That's what separates the crowd.' I'm starting to see Hanley get that now."
It's a frightening thought -- that Ramirez actually has room to improve. But he doesn't dispute the notion that he's a different player and teammate at age 26 than he was at 23 or 24.
"I just want to have a good relationship with everybody and be me," Ramirez said. "You grow up [in this game] and you mature."
And if harsh words occasionally pass between teammates who know each other almost too well, it sure beats the alternative -- sitting idly by and watching that same teammate leave town because of dollars and cents. Nobody understands that better than the Marlins.

 

[Vendel]

Oh I'm sorry were you saying something?

 

[Edley]