Division Opponents in 2015: Miami Marlins

[Edgy MD]

The Miami Marlins have the divisions best hitter. At least, he was the best hitter before his face needed to be reconstructed. Now, it's a little bit up in the air. But the likes of Bob F. Nightengale sees them as the real comer in the division � with perhaps as much exciting young pitching as the Mets � and so the Mets may have to push aside the Fish before even thinking about pursuing Washington. No small assignment.

Here's a shot of Giancarlo's last happy moment.

[fimg=600]http://www.trbimg.com/img-54126fcb/turbine/sfl-photos-giancarlo-stanton-beaning-20140911[/fimg]

Let's hope his next happy moment doesn't come at the expense of the Mets. The lineup begins and ends with him, sure, but they're pretty solid anyhow:

1. Dee Gordon, 2b
   
2. Christian Yelich, lf
   
3. Giancarlo Stanton, rf
   
4. Michael Morse, 1b
   
5. Marcell Ozuna, cf
   
6. Martin Prado, 3b
   
7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c
   
8. Adeiny Hechavarria, ss

They did a good job last year stocking a lineup of comers with vets floating around, picking the right floaters. Hechavarria is injured at the present time, but is considered likely for opening day.

The aforementioned pitching rotation is headed by Jos� Fernandez. But he's not due back until mid-June, and who knows what he's got. I like to think the difference between the Mets and Marlins might be Matt Harvey being months ahead of Fernandez in the rehab cycle, but who's to say. Without Fernandez, the still-impressive rotation looks a little like this:

1. Henderson Alvarez (I don't think there's a name in the league that Gary Cohen says with more masculinity)
   
2. Mat Latos
   
3. Jarred Cosart
   
4. Dan Haren
   
5. Stupid Tom Koehler

The Dillon Gee on this team Brad (Mr.) Hand. Closing games is sidewinder Steve Cisek. If you're like me, you think of right-handed sidearmers and you might think, "Gee, I bet Nieuwenhuis hits him well." But then you wonder if that's all wishful thinking. And then you check the stats.

4-for-6, three doubles. .667 / .667 / 1.167 //1.833

File that one away for future reference.

[Ceetar]

I think the Marlins have some talent, but are mostly trash. I don't get why they seem like a trendy pick.

[Frayed Knot]

Ceetar wrote: I don't get why they seem like a trendy pick.

I do. Maybe the best young OF in baseball, decent-to-good players just about everywhere else, and several decent pitchers to go along with Jose Fernandez coming back around mid-season.
Not a great team maybe, but no real holes either.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Must be that scoreboard that ain't got any right angles.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Reports out of Miami tonight suggest Loria could be seeking a replacement for Redmond already. Kicker: It's Wally Backman he wants to replace him.

[Frayed Knot]

I'd let 'em have Backman ... and all it'll cost them is Jose Fernandez.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Jeez, seven games out barely two weeks into the season, the Marlins are practically eliminated.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Jeez, seven games out barely two weeks into the season, the Marlins are practically eliminated.

Serves them right for calling players-only meetings on April 16. No team deserves shit luck like them.

[batmagadanleadoff]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Jeez, seven games out barely two weeks into the season, the Marlins are practically eliminated. Serves them right for calling players-only meetings on April 16. No team deserves shit luck like them.

If Miami and the Mets were reversed, Terry'd be out of a job already.

[Benjamin Grimm]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Jeez, seven games out barely two weeks into the season, the Marlins are practically eliminated.

I don't know. I seem to recall that a seven-game deficit can be overcome in as little as 17 games.

[Edgy MD]

But, as the standings thread teaches us, they're 16.5 games out NET!

At any rate, it's nice to see them in a hole before their Matt Harvey reappears mid-season.

[Edgy MD]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Reports out of Miami tonight suggest Loria could be seeking a replacement for Redmond already. Kicker: It's Wally Backman he wants to replace him.

Looking forward to Miami incurring a big fat tampering fine.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Jeez, seven games out barely two weeks into the season, the Marlins are practically eliminated. Serves them right for calling players-only meetings on April 16. No team deserves shit luck like them.

I'm so onboard with this opinion, I'm bringing a towel and steamer trunk with me.

Maybe it's the Loria thing, and it's definitely got more than a little to do with the Miami thing, but God am I relishing this weekend in retrospect, stoopid injuries and all. (Of COURSE they trashed our figurative health-hotel room on the way out the door.)

[Edgy MD]

The Marlins have twice in their young history seen dramatic fire sale rebuilds turn quicker-than-expected dividends for them, so it would be kind of darkly nice to see this recent one completely blow up in their faces.

Loria has met with Redmond and then the press and presented himself as non-commital with regard to his manager's status.

It's only gracious to allow your employees under contract to talk with other teams who are interested in giving them an opportunity to manage, but still, we're talking about a potential mid-season change on a division rival. That may change things.

And who knows? Maybe if Bobby Valentine doesn't jump ship in 1985, the Mets pull out the division.

[Frayed Knot]

Just in case you missed one of Giancarlo's ABs yesterday, you need to see it.
It's a hard single to left ... until it isn't.


http://m.mlb.com/video/v85871483/miaphi-stantons-laser-shot-takes-the-express-route/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Roids.

[Edgy MD]

That's what McGwire's 62nd looked like. A hard liner with topspin, that just somehow cut through the air and went out in about a second. It was supposed to be a deal, and yet, you couldn't not think that something was very wrong with the scene.

[Frayed Knot]

Mini-KTE

Since we last saw the Marlins (all of 8 days ago):

- Christian Yelich is on the DL meaning that Ichiro has been pressed into everyday work.

- other than that they've had a very stable lineup. Catcher with Salatalamacchi & Realmuto (mostly Realmuto) is the only place they platoon.
But Stanton, Hecchavarria, and Gordon (RF, SS, 2B) have started every game with Ozuna, Morse, and Prado (CF, 1B, CF) starting virtually every one.

- are winners of 5 straight including a 3-game smackdown of the Nats: 3-2, 8-0, 6-2

- we'll see the same starters in this series that we saw in the first three games last week: Cosart, Phelps, Latos.
We smacked Cosart around (5 runs on 7 hits over 5.1). The other two didn't pitch that poorly but also didn't last too long.

- been getting good pitching lately: 1, 1, 2, 0, 2 runs allowed over their last five games.
We managed to not even see closer Pat Cishek in the earlier series while Familia got saves in 3 of the 4

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Catcher with Salatalamacchi & Realmuto (mostly Realmuto) is the only place they platoon.

Whoops, check that, Marlins DFA Saltalamachhia just one year-plus after signing him to a 3-year contract.
Owed $7 mil for 2015 + $8 mil for 2016

[Edgy MD]

And that DFA ends with a big, fat release party.

[Edgy MD]

Mike Redmond: Out of Work.

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

Seems a little unfair, I'm not sure they ever gave him much to work with. That team needs some stability.

[Frayed Knot]

Seems that ex-Met (that's how he's going to be referred to, right?) Jeff Conine is going to be named as the go-to man for the Miami Fish.
That's makes it where both managerial changes this year go to guys without any managing or coaching experience.
Conine has been doing pre & post work for the Marlins broadcasts for several years now, but I don't think he's put on the uni since he died a New York Met in 2007.

[Edgy MD]

Reports are mixed: Is Conine to being appointed as manager or interim manager?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

The timing would hint at him being more than a short-term solution, right? I mean, do they usually wait a day to name an interim manager?

[Edgy MD]

Waitaminute! GM Dan Jennings is now getting the job and not Conine at all.

[Frayed Knot]

Sounds like the folks at ESPN jumped the gun during SNB on their "scoop" about Conine.
Wonder if they'll try to lay the blame on some other outfit that reported it first. They certainly swipe enough items that they claim as their own when they turn out to be correct.

[Edgy MD]

The Marlins called up Jordany Valdespin, and then let him sit around for a few days without activating him, before sending him back.

This is life for Jordany.

[TransMonk]

It can't all be pies in the face.

[Edgy MD]

Is the GM-as-manager thing really supposed to last out the rest of the season?