Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Fredi Fired
In a somewhat stunning move the Marlins fired manager Fredi Gonzalez. The team has scheduled a 4 PM press conference to discuss the matter in full.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Baker Suffers Setback
John Baker, who was expected to make a rehab appearance for single-A Jupiter tonight, suffered a setback as the Miami Herald reports:
Not good news on a day that has the team feeling guardedly optimistic about its offense going forward. Any time a player sees a doctor, surgery usually results, so it looks like the Marlins may need to find a catcher as neither Brett Hayes nor Ronny Paulino are every day players.
JOHN BAKER SETBACK: Gonzalez said catcher John Baker suffered a setback on Monday with his injured right arm and was scheduled to see the team doctor, Dr. Lee Kaplan, in South Florida. Baker was scratched from a scheduled rehab game with Single A Jupiter after complaining of soreness in the right elbow area when he tried to throw. Baker went on the DL on May 15.
Not good news on a day that has the team feeling guardedly optimistic about its offense going forward. Any time a player sees a doctor, surgery usually results, so it looks like the Marlins may need to find a catcher as neither Brett Hayes nor Ronny Paulino are every day players.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Day After: Off Day Musings
Although the roster move hasn't officially been made yet, Mike Stanton will debut tomorrow night against Philadelphia and the Marlins have fired their best, and perhaps last, bullet at remaining in the 2010 race. The 20 year old slugger comes in expected to be the savior, rightly or wrongly, at a time when the Marlins desperately need one.
I've complied a few random thoughts on this off-day, which sees the team awaiting perhaps the most anticipated debut in Marlins history, and certainly since June 20th, 2003, when Miguel Cabrera etched his name into Marlins lore with a walk off homer for his first hit.
(1) What on earth can the Marlins do about the bullpen? I still say the bullpen is "OK." Yes, it's not a strength, but for few teams is it rarely a strength. You can look up and down the rest of the National League, quite frankly, most teams would kill to have a legitimate two deep bullpen like the Marlins. While Clay Hensley and Leo Nunez would not garner much excitement or name recognition, the two have been vital in giving the Marlins a perfect record when leading after the 7th inning.
The problem with the bullpen isn't so much that it lacks talent, let's face it, most bullpens are two or three deep at best, the problem is Fredi Gonzalez manages every game in the 7th inning as if he's preparing for extra innings and tries to squeeze an extra batter, inning, whatever, out of a pitcher that clearly doesn't have "it."
Take Sunday as an example, Tim Wood labored through the 6th inning, yet he went out there for the 7th. Up three runs and with the notoriously impatient (and currently torrid) Jeff Francoeur at the plate, Fredi stuck with Wood despite reliable set-up reliever (and sinkerballer) Clay Henlsey not having pitched since Thursday. As if on cue, Francoeur parked one, tied the game and the Mets never looked back. At some point talent catches up, so the Marlins could surely use another arm, but at the moment Fredi isn't even giving the team the best chance to succeed with the limited talent he has, Sunday as merely the latest example in a long line of allowing the inning to get out of hand before going to get his pitcher.
Which brings us to a less heralded callup from Sunday: Rick Vandenhurk. The "Holland Hammer" has dynamite stuff. A huge curveball, which he's inexplicably gotten away from throwing, and a low to mid 90's fastball with late life. He looked like a middle of the rotation starter on the way up, but something happened on the way to the bigs. In his new 7th inning role, Vandy might have found a spot to thrive.
I like him as a max effort reliever. I think that letting him just air it out for an inning and 20-30 pitches might help him find a new gear and a level of effectiveness he has not enjoyed at the major league level. Since the start of last season, this is the role I had envisioned for him and I hope he thrives. At the very least, after this stint, the Marlins will know exactly what they have in him and can either celebrate an effective reliever or can move on with the roster spot.
(2) Can Stanton really save the season? Even if you don't buy into the hype, he's not being asked to be a savior, he's being asked to replace a .225/.290/.341 (.631 OPS) line. That's Cameron Maybin's 2010 output, something Stanton should easily exceed if for no other reason than his tremendous slugging potential. Maybin set the bar so low that Stanton doesn't even need to be a phenom to make the lineup better.
Maybe we will only go as far as Stanton takes us, but making us better won't take much effort.
(3) What are we going to do about the rotation behind Josh Johnson? Ricky's been inconsistent and very hittable (6.5 K/9 & 9.8 H/9) but beyond that, all of our starters have met or exceeded expectations. Robertson has not been good, but by 5th starter standards, he's been passable (1.53 WHIP).
The name that might factor most into the rotation from this point forward is Sean West. The top prospect who was rushed to the bigs out of necessity this season is back and pitching for AAA New Orleans after dealing with some back issues lingering from spring training. He made his season debut last night and tossed 5 scoreless innings, striking out 4 and walking none. Andrew Miller is probably a non-factor for this year, and outside of Ryan Tucker, the Marlins have no higher level pitchers ready to step in. With West being left-handed, he may take Robertson's spot in the not too distant future.
(4) Do you still think the Marlins are a playoff team?
I do. RIght now, with Hanley having a very slow start (by his standards), with Coghlan just finally awakening from a two month slumber, and with the bullpen incredibly shaky beyond Leo and Hensley, we're 1 game under .500 and 4 games out of the division. We're adding the best hitting prospect in baseball and asking him to better a .630 OPS. We're adding a pitcher who should thrive as a max effort reliever, and, most importantly, we're doing this a full two months before the trade deadline. There's plenty of time, we just need to turn things around. Promoting Stanton sends the message, and we're still within striking distance of the division. At the start of the year I had us pegged at 88 wins and the wild-card, I still believe both of those are very possible.
I've complied a few random thoughts on this off-day, which sees the team awaiting perhaps the most anticipated debut in Marlins history, and certainly since June 20th, 2003, when Miguel Cabrera etched his name into Marlins lore with a walk off homer for his first hit.
(1) What on earth can the Marlins do about the bullpen? I still say the bullpen is "OK." Yes, it's not a strength, but for few teams is it rarely a strength. You can look up and down the rest of the National League, quite frankly, most teams would kill to have a legitimate two deep bullpen like the Marlins. While Clay Hensley and Leo Nunez would not garner much excitement or name recognition, the two have been vital in giving the Marlins a perfect record when leading after the 7th inning.
The problem with the bullpen isn't so much that it lacks talent, let's face it, most bullpens are two or three deep at best, the problem is Fredi Gonzalez manages every game in the 7th inning as if he's preparing for extra innings and tries to squeeze an extra batter, inning, whatever, out of a pitcher that clearly doesn't have "it."
Take Sunday as an example, Tim Wood labored through the 6th inning, yet he went out there for the 7th. Up three runs and with the notoriously impatient (and currently torrid) Jeff Francoeur at the plate, Fredi stuck with Wood despite reliable set-up reliever (and sinkerballer) Clay Henlsey not having pitched since Thursday. As if on cue, Francoeur parked one, tied the game and the Mets never looked back. At some point talent catches up, so the Marlins could surely use another arm, but at the moment Fredi isn't even giving the team the best chance to succeed with the limited talent he has, Sunday as merely the latest example in a long line of allowing the inning to get out of hand before going to get his pitcher.
Which brings us to a less heralded callup from Sunday: Rick Vandenhurk. The "Holland Hammer" has dynamite stuff. A huge curveball, which he's inexplicably gotten away from throwing, and a low to mid 90's fastball with late life. He looked like a middle of the rotation starter on the way up, but something happened on the way to the bigs. In his new 7th inning role, Vandy might have found a spot to thrive.
I like him as a max effort reliever. I think that letting him just air it out for an inning and 20-30 pitches might help him find a new gear and a level of effectiveness he has not enjoyed at the major league level. Since the start of last season, this is the role I had envisioned for him and I hope he thrives. At the very least, after this stint, the Marlins will know exactly what they have in him and can either celebrate an effective reliever or can move on with the roster spot.
(2) Can Stanton really save the season? Even if you don't buy into the hype, he's not being asked to be a savior, he's being asked to replace a .225/.290/.341 (.631 OPS) line. That's Cameron Maybin's 2010 output, something Stanton should easily exceed if for no other reason than his tremendous slugging potential. Maybin set the bar so low that Stanton doesn't even need to be a phenom to make the lineup better.
Maybe we will only go as far as Stanton takes us, but making us better won't take much effort.
(3) What are we going to do about the rotation behind Josh Johnson? Ricky's been inconsistent and very hittable (6.5 K/9 & 9.8 H/9) but beyond that, all of our starters have met or exceeded expectations. Robertson has not been good, but by 5th starter standards, he's been passable (1.53 WHIP).
The name that might factor most into the rotation from this point forward is Sean West. The top prospect who was rushed to the bigs out of necessity this season is back and pitching for AAA New Orleans after dealing with some back issues lingering from spring training. He made his season debut last night and tossed 5 scoreless innings, striking out 4 and walking none. Andrew Miller is probably a non-factor for this year, and outside of Ryan Tucker, the Marlins have no higher level pitchers ready to step in. With West being left-handed, he may take Robertson's spot in the not too distant future.
(4) Do you still think the Marlins are a playoff team?
I do. RIght now, with Hanley having a very slow start (by his standards), with Coghlan just finally awakening from a two month slumber, and with the bullpen incredibly shaky beyond Leo and Hensley, we're 1 game under .500 and 4 games out of the division. We're adding the best hitting prospect in baseball and asking him to better a .630 OPS. We're adding a pitcher who should thrive as a max effort reliever, and, most importantly, we're doing this a full two months before the trade deadline. There's plenty of time, we just need to turn things around. Promoting Stanton sends the message, and we're still within striking distance of the division. At the start of the year I had us pegged at 88 wins and the wild-card, I still believe both of those are very possible.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
It's Official, The Stanton Era Has Begun
Mike Stanton is on his way up to the big leagues. After Sunday's game the Marlins selected the slugging outfielder's contract along with recalling pitcher Rick Vandenhurk and infielder Emilio Bonifacio.
To make room on the roster, the team demoted Tim Wood and Brett Carroll and DFA'd Mike Lamb for the second time this season.
Stanton is expected to be in the starting lineup Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Stanton To Debut Tuesday?
An unconfirmed report circulating the Internet is that Mike Stanton has received the much anticipated call-up and will join the team Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Fueling the flames is that he is not in Jacksonville's lineup today (Sunday).
Again, this is simply a rumor with enough juicy coincidences, but with his debut imminent, Tuesday now appears to be the day.
Fueling the flames is that he is not in Jacksonville's lineup today (Sunday).
Again, this is simply a rumor with enough juicy coincidences, but with his debut imminent, Tuesday now appears to be the day.
Hanley Back At Lead-off
Just a quick update but the Marlins stagnant (and that's kind) offense has prompted a major change, and not the one I've been hoping for.
Instead of promoting wunderkind Mike Stanton to shake things up, the Marlins have instead moved Hanley back to his old lead-off spot. Hanley has a career average of .313 leading off, but this is his first time doing so since September 27th of 2008.
We'll see if it works to get Hanley out of his funk.
Instead of promoting wunderkind Mike Stanton to shake things up, the Marlins have instead moved Hanley back to his old lead-off spot. Hanley has a career average of .313 leading off, but this is his first time doing so since September 27th of 2008.
We'll see if it works to get Hanley out of his funk.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
A Peek Inside The New Stadium
Nothing really substantive to share other than this picture that I scrounged up from our friends at soflamarlins.com
I still don't believe it's happening.
I still don't believe it's happening.
Friday, June 4, 2010
This Just In: Josh Johnson Is Good
ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new column up about the "pitching stock market" premised around which pitchers represent the best chance for favorable returns over the next 10 years. Coming in second place (and the top NL pitcher) is our very own Josh Johnson.
2. RHP Josh Johnson, Marlins (age 26)
Here's a shocker. The great Ubaldo didn't finish second in this race, either. Johnson actually outpolled him, 12 votes to 11, even though they're the same age.
So what's up with that? Well, the Josh Johnson Fan Club loves the chances of this 6-foot-7, 240-pound monster holding up to be "a horse for the next 10 years." Plus, quipped one panelist, "He's already had Tommy John [surgery], so he's got that out of the way."
But beyond the "absolutely overpowering weapons," our panelists kept extolling Johnson's "drive to be special" and his "great desire to be the best." He also has the aura of a star who's on the rise. Since this guy came back from his Tommy John surgery just before the 2008 All-Star break, he's 28-8 and has the best winning percentage (.778) among all big league starters not named Chris Carpenter (24-6, .800).
To me, the only thing keeping Johnson from absolute super-duper stardom is his repertoire of pitches. He has a mid 90's fastball, a tight slider and a changeup. Not very sexy. If he were getting results with a knee-buckling curveball, a splitter or even a gyro-ball, people would be taking more notice of the big guy. I'll gladly watch him be dominant just as is, but it's a shame more people don't realize how unbelievably good this guy is.
The Marlins All-Star Push
In a relatively new marketing venture (but not unique by any means) the Marlins are pushing the players they feel are most merited for all-star consideration on their roster: Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross. Only Hanley (currently 2nd among NL SS) has a legitimate chance to win the fan vote and start, but Uggla and Cantu should be all-stars.
Uggla is having a renaissance of sorts as he has combined his prodigious power stroke - he is tied for 3rd in the NL with 12 homers - with his patient approach we saw unveiled in 2009 (.370 OBP). Among NL second-baseman, Uggla is second in OBP, second in slugging, third in OPS, 1st in homers and 1st in RBI. It's also worth noting that the player Uggla trails in most of those categories is not Chase Utley but instead Arizona's Kelly Johnson.
Cantu started the year with an historic RBi streak and has continued being a primary run producer for the Marlins. While the RBI stat is one part skill and two parts luck, it is not entirely meaningless, and leading the league in RBI - as Cantu currently is doing - is far from a mere footnote. For Cantu, the only incredibly strong selling point is his RBI production, he's middle of the pack among NL thirdbasemen in other categories, so perhaps his all-star candidacy will offer a referendum on the perceived value of RBI.
Uggla is having a renaissance of sorts as he has combined his prodigious power stroke - he is tied for 3rd in the NL with 12 homers - with his patient approach we saw unveiled in 2009 (.370 OBP). Among NL second-baseman, Uggla is second in OBP, second in slugging, third in OPS, 1st in homers and 1st in RBI. It's also worth noting that the player Uggla trails in most of those categories is not Chase Utley but instead Arizona's Kelly Johnson.
Cantu started the year with an historic RBi streak and has continued being a primary run producer for the Marlins. While the RBI stat is one part skill and two parts luck, it is not entirely meaningless, and leading the league in RBI - as Cantu currently is doing - is far from a mere footnote. For Cantu, the only incredibly strong selling point is his RBI production, he's middle of the pack among NL thirdbasemen in other categories, so perhaps his all-star candidacy will offer a referendum on the perceived value of RBI.
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