Fresh Fish

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Or for the Florida Marlins: Accumulate talent. Gut the Team. Repeat.

After their surprise World Series triumph in 1997, the Florida Marlins offended the sensibilities of most baseball purists (and offended most of their fans) by quickly dismantling their championship ball club. A few years of losing ensued.

After their 2003 upset of the favored Yankees in the World Series, the Marlins once again did heavy surgery on their squad and started over.

After posting a surprise winning record in 2008, the Marlins unloaded a great deal of their proven big-league talent. Mike Jacobs was shipped to Kansas City. Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen got moved to Washington. Kevin Gregg is now a Cub.

However, unlike the aftermath of previous player sell-offs, the reality facing the Marlins in 2009 is that they are still a team laden with talent in a National League which has proven to be very wide open. Despite their being in the most talent crowded division in their Legaue, the Marlins are in as good of a position to post a winning record as any Marlin squad in recent memory. Last year’s 84-77 mark is definitely within reach.


On the Field

Dan Uggla ain’t much with a glove on his left hand. The All-Star game debacle at second base should have driven that point home to most of America. But Uggla sure can hit the baseball. His 32 homers last season were a new career high. His double play partner, Hanley Ramirez, may be the next great MLB superstar. He joined the 30-30 club last season and if a tender left shoulder stays intact this season, a 40-40 season may not be entirely out of the question.

The infield corner slots are likely to go to Jorge Cantu, who resurrected his once prmiosing career last season. His 29 homer and 95 RBI performance will be enough to guarantee Cantu playing time at either 1st or 3rd this season. Gaby Sanchez, a 1st baseman with some pop and Emilio Bonifacio, acquired from the Nationals in the Willingham/Olsen deal, will vie for playing time in the infield as well.

The outfield will feature Cody Ross, Jeremy “I hit a Grand Slam in my first MLB at-bat” Hermida, and the extremely promising Cameron Maybin. Small sample sizes often lead to disappointment, but, Maybin gave a tantalizing preview of his abilities during a September call-up last season. He hit a cool .500 in his brief appearance in the majors. He’s fast. He hits for occasional power. And his outfield defense has very great potential.

John Baker will start the season at the Marlins’s everyday catcher. He has proven the ability to hit for a good average during his minor league career and hit an acceptable .299 in 233 plate appearances last season for the Fish. He won’t put up monster pwer numbers but he will provide above average batsmanship for a catcher.

Wes Helms and Alfredo Amezaga return as pinch hitters and all-around reserves.


On the Mound

Health permitting, 2009 will be the first full season in which Marlin fans get to see a 1-2 combo of Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. Each has a staff ace level arsenal of pitches and each has had to deal with the injury bug since promising debuts in 2006. Nolasco posted a 1.10 WHIP in 2008 while throwing 212 innings. If he holds up for a second straight year, look for him at the All-Star game in July.

Youngster Chris Volstad will pitch behind Johnson and Nolasco. His 2.88 ERA in half a season in the bigs last year is way beyond promising. Anibal “No-Hitter” Sanchez has won the 4th spot in the rotation. This could be the year he finally delivers on the expectations created (for better or worse) from his 10 win effort as a 22 year old in 2006. Andrew Miller had a difficult first season in south Florida. He’s still only 24, 2009 may be his long-awaited coming out party.

Matt Lindstrom will take over for the departed Kevin Gregg as the Marlins’ late-inning stopper. His ERAs in the low 3.00s over the past two seasons are not cause for panic, but, he has yet to show the ability to be truly “lights out.” Ageless lefty Arthur Rhodes has departed for Cincinnati, leaving lefty set-up duty to Taylor Tankersley and Reynel Pinto. Youngster Logan Kensing. After 1 ½ stellar seasons in KC’s bullpen, Leo Nunez arrives in Miami in 2009 as Lindstrom’s primary setup man. His ERA was under 3.00 last year.

Say what you will about the way the Marlins do business. But when they start trading away talent, they tend to get loads (Nunez, Maybin, Ramirez)back in return.

Predictions:

If the top of the rotation stays healthy and the offense is able to come close to repeating its 5th in the NL runs per game effort of a season ago, the Marlins could be a nightmare for the rest of the NL East. They could easily be this year’s Tampa Bay Rays.

87-75 2nd Place NL East.