What do you think of this year's Marlins?

[Gregory Pratt]

How bout we just play you guys there this year? BTW, if I am not mistaken we go to your house next year in interleague, which is good as I was looking forward to another trip to US Cellular.

 

I would love it if the Marlins made the World Series this year and won the Wild Card, but I wouldn't put money on it.

[GoodAsGould]

No one's said it yet, but Joe Girardi = NL manager of the year. Without any doubt.

 

actually its been said a lot. Basicly Joe Girardi and Jim leyland are the clear favorites and barring complete collapses they both won.

[whitesoxfan101]

The Marlins are my second-favorite NL team, behind the Braves. My third favorite team overall.

 

I love the way they know exactly who to target in terms of prospects. Weren't a lot of people expecting them to go after Rich Hill, instead of guys like Nolasco?

 

You are correct on part 2. The Cubs really wanted to give them Hill in that deal, but the Marlins didn't fall for the hype of a 26 year old prospect with a bad fastball.

[MarlinFan84]

Garcia and Delgado are both bullpen arms with nice upside. Delgado had TJ surgery, but like any other TJ patient the velocity came back nice and strong. The could both, theoreticially, proges fast.

 

The only bad part of the Boston trade is we lost Big Tex, who is my favorite player.

 

I also liked the Cubs trade(except Mitre, whom I consider one of the worst pitchers to ever make it to MLB). Nolasco has poise and thats nice to see from a young pitcher. And Pinto, off and on, has performed well in long relief with the big club this season.

 

The only trade I personally didn't care for was the Castillo trade. Mostly because of the return we got.

[MarlinFan84]

The dodgers are putting it on us tonight thanks to good ole Matt Herges...and poor fundamentals.

 

Anyone remember when Herges was good? He's shown flashes of it, but cant consistently harness it.

[Sonik22]

I like the marlins and would like for them to win the wild card, but i think 2008 will be their year. Hard to believe a team with a $14 million dollar payroll can play like this.

 

Whitesoxfan101, no mention of the LTP? lol

[Balta1701]

I like the marlins and would like for them to win the wild card, but i think 2008 will be their year. Hard to believe a team with a $14 million dollar payroll can play like this.

 

Whitesoxfan101, no mention of the LTP? lol

Don't underestimate them next year. That may well be the folly of a lot of teams, especially if their young guys stay healthy. Ramirez will probably have a better year, D-Train seems to go up and down, if guys avoid a sophomore slump, and they avoid that skid they started out the year with, they could be really dangerous.

[beautox]

Well since I had to get up at 6 AM and am now wide awake, I looked up some things and found it interesting. Some offseasons Marlin moves....

 

Traded Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett, and Guillermo Mota for Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia, and Jesus Delgado.

 

Now I don't know much about Garcia and Delgado, but of course knowing Florida they are probably 2 top prospects or something. Mota was also a big part of the trade with Cleveland for Crisp, so I won't go there. But looking at the other 4 guys this year.

 

Mike Lowell: .286 BA, .336 OBP, 13 HR, 54 RBI, 1 SB, 51 runs, .486 SLG, .822 OPS, 32 years old (3B)

Josh Beckett: 13-5, 5.00 ERA, 26 years old

 

Hanley Ramirez: .268 BA, .338 OBP, 11 HR, 35 RBI, 31 SB (T-3 in NL), 81 runs (5th in NL), .432 SLG, .769 OPS, 22 years old SS, leadoff hitter

Anibal Sanchez: 4-1, 4.46 ERA, 22 year old SP, 5th in rotation

 

Now Lowell has been solid for the Red Sox (great defender too), and despite the poop ERA, Beckett does have 13 wins and is only 26. But other than the fact the performance in this trade isn't a huge difference, keep in mind how much the Marlins saved. A TON.

 

Then the Delgado for Jacobs lefty 1B swap:

 

Carlos Delgado: .262 BA, .360 OBP, 26 HR, 72 RBI, 60 runs, .530 SLG, .890 OPS, makes 14 million (I think), 34 years old

 

Mike Jacobs: .287 BA, .352 OBP, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 42 runs, .520 SLG, .871 OPS, 25 years old

 

Now that's a good swap in itself, all things considered....but of course, the Marlins also got future stud (despite struggling a bit in a few outings earlier this year) pitcher Yusmeiro Petit in that deal, as well as another young guy Grant Psomos (no idea about him)

 

Alex Gonzalez also went from Boston to Florida as a FA, but wasn't he a type A? Which I believe means 2 first round picks for Florida.

 

Then of course, the Juan Pierre deal:

 

Juan Pierre: .280 BA, .325 OBP, 1 HR, 25 RBI, 38 SB (2nd in NL), 53 runs, .379 SLG, .704 OPS....turns 29 in about a week and a half

 

Ricky Nolasco: 9-7, 4.23 ERA, 23 years old, #4 (I think) in rotation

Renyel Pinto: 0-0, 3.75 ERA, 12 IP out of pen, 24 years old, lefty

Sergio Mitre: Been hurt most of the year, 1-4, 4.89 ERA, 25 years old

 

And of course, Pierre makes 7 million this year AND is a FA after this year.

 

Their closer, veteran Joe Borowski (1-2, 3.27 ERA, 22 saves) is a scrap heap pickup and really the rest of their pen and rotation full of young arms are draft picks (other than Willis of course)

 

Wes Helms (.281 BA, .364 OBP, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 14 runs, .511 SLG, .875 OPS off bench) another scrap heap pickup

 

Miguel Olivo has been another decent scrap heap pickup at catcher (.291 BA, .313 OBP, 12 HR, 40 RBI, 37 runs, .489 SLG, .802 OPS, age 28)

 

Dan Uggla (.291 BA, .350 OBP, 16 HR, 61 RBI, 67 runs, 5 SB, .496 SLG, .846 OPS) as the 2 hitting everyday 2nd basemen. Only 26 and a freaking rule 5 pick

 

And then, a lot of homegrown guys such as Cabrera, Willingham, Hermida, etc.

 

And the scary part is, those are the just the moves made THIS offseason that I could find, and doesn't mention the bad luck they had with the injury to one of their top young arms Carlos Martinez.

 

I know its pretty amazing, the work their FO does, don't forget Chris Resop from the twins, or as like to refer to him "Bobby Jenks 2.0", he hasn't pitched this season i believe hes injured, but he throws gas and has a huge 12-6 curve. Personally i was supprised they didn't trade Borowski + Moheler + Herges to the Reds for the likes of Chris Denorfia before the reds got raped from the nats. There rotation consists of nothing but 1 + 2s. Their BP is stacked, for years to come. The only place they need a blue chip prospect is CF and possibly C, but with Olivo only being 28 (and finally being able to hit a breaking ball), and calling the game for what appears to be the best staff in the NL i can see the marlins wanting to keep him around for awhile. They've got an incredible Farm system, and their goal was to take it all in '08, yet their in the hunt for the WC this year. Amazing, oh and they're my favorite NL team, them and the dodgers.

[MarlinFan84]

We drafted Resop. Your thinking of Bowyer.

 

I really did dislike that trade. Luiy could of brought back more value IMO.

 

As for Olivo, I know he's one of your boys but I really am not that high on him. His offense is an abberation IMO and he makes Piazza look like a gold glover. For a guy that could easily go back to a .200 hitter and plays crap defense, the fact that he might make $3 mil or more in arbitration this offseason makes me think he's too much of a risk to take.

[beautox]

thanks and your right was thinking of Bowyer, my mistake. Well then if you were working in the FO with regards to Olivo what would you do? sell high? him and mitre/vargas/borowski and attempt to get something of worth?

 

and are you for trading Willis? for the better of the team?

[MarlinFan84]

Not for trading Willis.

 

I'd sell high on Olivo, yes. Maybe get a good C prospect from a team in need of a C right now who doesnt want to go with youth.

 

Impossible to sell high on Mitre, since he is quite possibly the worst pitcher ever.

 

Borowski, I'm glad we kept, although I am not sure I'd bring him back. I am in favor of Kensing, Martinez, or Tankersly getting a shot at the closers role next year.

[GoodAsGould]

I wouldnt be so down on Olivo. He has really been good for an entire season now... half with you guys and half with the Padres. Also he always had the talent and never had trouble hitting lefties worse case.

[MarlinFan84]

I just dont think that he will be worth such a high increase in his salary when he is a streaky hitter who is just as likely to go back to being an offensive non factor as he is to being good again, and whom still plays horrible defense.