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Two Months In, Marlins Still In First Place
They started the season badly, but there has been a total reversal of fortune for the Marlins and Mets. Sure, the Mets opened up their season by beating up on the Marlins – I was there Opening Day and watched Mark Hendrickson get schlacked. And yes, the Mets took two of three from the Marlins in this past series, but the Marlins still sit atop the NL East at a very nice 30-22 record.
After 52 games, almost 1/3 of the season, the Marlins are showing some staying power.
By the way, I picked the Marlins to get 87-90 wins this season. Looks like I am on pace to get that from this team as they only have to go 57 - 52 the rest of the way to hit that mark.
This road trip is a 10 game run in 11 days and will prove to be their toughest test of the early part of the season. They dropped the last 2 of the 3 game series with the Mets – Justin Miller’s inability to throw strikes really killed the Marlins’ chances of salvaging a series win. Tonight they will open a three game series with the Philadelphia Phillies, their long-time NL East rivals. Surely Jeff Conine will be watching – wish it was from the bench.
If the Marlins can win this series and the Braves series (which is 4 games) they will have proven themselves the class of the NL East and the team to beat. Yet, they only really need to go 5-5 to maintain their win percentage and keep their +/- at 9 games over .500.
Yet, who would have thunk that 2 months into this, the Marlins will be in first place? Certainly not fans of the Mets or even the Phillies, let alone fans of the Nationals. And here they are.
Nolesmarlin’s Power Rankings
Will 2008 be the year of Florida baseball? Not if Boston or the Cubs have anything to say about it. The Rays, Marlins, and Red Sox are about as close as four teams can be at the top of the rankings this week.
1. Boston Red Sox (LW: 3): I just have to go with experience here. Remember, these guys are the current World Series Champions. The road to the AL Pennant runs through Fenway Park. Sure, Tampa has some great young pitchers, but who would you rather have your rotation: Scott Kazmir and Andy Sonnanstine, or DiceK and Josh Beckett? Thats what I thought.
2. Tampa Bay Rays (LW: 5): They may be currently ahead of the Sox in the standings, but they are mere decimal points behind the Sox in these rankings. However, I am a believer. Tampa’s rotation is completely stocked with young talent. I predict that this team will win the AL Wild Card, if not, the division. The AL Wild Card will almost certainly come out of the East. Sure, its possible that the Rays or the Sox will collapse, but its highly unlikely that both will.
3. Florida Marlins (LW: 7): Dan Uggla. What else is there to say, really. A lot, the rotation seems to be improving, the bullpen is one of the best in the game, they just SWEPT the Dbacks (take that you nay-sayers)… but all of that pales in comparison to the awesomeness that is Dan Uggla’s month of May. But with series upcomming against the Phillies and the Braves, the Marlins will be facing their biggest test of the first half of the season. If they play poorly this week, they could find themselves out of first. Although they battled hard, that series loss at Shea was not helpful. However, if they bounce back this weekend, they will create some much needed breathing room on top of the NL East. The playoffs will become that much more likely. This is one of the most important road trips in franchise history. Stay tuned, fish fans…
4. Chicago Cubs (LW: 2): They also present a strong case to be #1. They do have a better record than the Marlins, for example. But, they cannot escape from one simple fact… they are the Cubs! Haha… in all seriousness, they do play in the NL Central, which, in this writer’s opinion, is a weaker division than both the NL and AL East.
5. St. Louis Cardinals (LW: 4): Yes, they have been relatively hot as of late, and yes, they do have a better record than Florida, but there is something missing here. The lineup is great, and the pitching staff on the whole is one of the best in the NL, but they do lack two important pieces: a true ace in the rotation (which Florida also lacks, this is true), and a legitimate closer (something that Florida doesn’t lack, last night’s result notwithstadning). Jason Isringhausen is not the answer. Look for this team to make a move to bolster their bullpen before the deadline.
6. Chicago White Sox (LW: 13): It has now become obvious to me why they are cruising along in first place. It’s not because of Carlos Quentin (who may be the best pickup of the offseason), nor does it have to do with Ozzie’s unorthodox (to say the least…) but strong leadership, nor does it have to do with the weak starts of the Tigers and Indians. The reason is the rotation. This is largely the same young rotation that lead these Pale Hosers to the title in 2005. They currently are fourth in the AL with a 3.43 ERA. If they can keep it up, it is very likely that they can go on to win this division.
7. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LW: 6): They still are a hot team, but they did drop one point in the rankings. That fall has more to do with the improvement of other teams. Still, the Angels play in a weak division. The pundits on the bigger sites like to point at the Marlins and say that they are unproven because they haven’t faced many tough teams, but the Angels play in a four team division with the likes of the Mariners, baseball’s biggest dissapointment. Still, good teams should be beating up on bad teams, which is exactly what the Halos are doing. Hence, they are #7 out of #30, which is nothing to be ashamed of at all.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (LW: 14): Maybe I was a little harsh when I dropped them to 14th last week. It is starting to become clear that at this point, they are the biggest challengers to the Marlins for first place in the NL East. I must admit… the only team in the NL with the offensive firepower to match Florida plays their home games in Philly. However, Florida’s bullpen is far superior. The Marlins can almost guarantee that if they are leading after the 6th by more than a run that they will win the game. The Phillies… not really. The Philadelphia pitching staff will have all it can handle this weekend against the Marlins. This is the most important series for both teams so far this season.
9. Houston Astros (LW: 9): Ok, fine, they are legit. Their main problem has nothing to do with them, it’s the fact that the Cardinals and the Cubs are just marginally better.
10. Arizona Diamondbacks (LW: 1): I was going to drop them to around fifth after the sweep in Florida, then I was going to move them up to around third after their solid performance in Atlanta… but losing three in a row against the lowly Giants? Oy vey. I’m not going to go as far as to say that this team has been exposed as a fraud, but they have had a very weak May. It is still early, but like i said about the Angels, you have to beat the crappy teams along with the good teams. The Dbacks haven’t beaten either. Despite all of this, I do see this team returning to the top five at least at some point this season; remember, they do play in the NL West.
11. Oakland Athletics (LW: 15): Ok, maybe I was a little harsh on these guys too. It is only fair that I recognize that they have far exceeded expectations to this point in the season. But c’mon. You just can’t take these guys seriously. The Wild Card is almost out of the question now, Tampa and Boston just have too much talent, leaving the division as the only real possible way to make the playoffs. But can you say with any certainty that this team can run with the Angels? I cannot.
12. Toronto Blue Jays (LW: 17): Probably a case of too little, too late… even though it is the end of May… but the Blue Jays have made a solid run in recent weeks and are just waiting in the wings for either Tampa or Boston to fall off.
13. Atlanta Braves (LW: 16): Ok, sure, on the whole they have been playing well recently. Their home record has been excellent, and they do remain in the hunt in the NL East. I also have to say that they are in better shape than the New York Mess. But, they lost two out of three to a team that the Marlins swept the series before, and they have lost 17 straight one run games headed into their series finale against Milwaukee. Let me repeat that because this is very telling: they have lost 17 straight one run games. That is precisely why they will not win this division on their own talent, they need a monumental collapse by both the Marlins and the Phillies.
14. Minnesota Twins (LW: 20): They effectively killed the small chance that Kansas City had, so for that, I’ll show them some love with a six-point boost.
15. New York Mets (LW: 11): They were lucky to take the series the Marlins. It’s not very often that a team blows two saves in a game… especially a team with a bullpen like Florida’s. That being said, I have lost all confidence in Willie Randolph’s ability to manage this team. Unless a miracle occurs, this is a lost year for the Mets, and they would be wise to fire Willie and rebuild around Johan, Wright, and Reyes. Trade the rest of the veterans for whatever they can get. It makes no sense to blow $100 million plus on a .500 at best team. Omar Minaya should take a page out of the Marlins playbook and build around young guys.
16. Los Angeles Dodgers (LW: 12): They are extremely lucky that they play in the NL West. They would have been road kill this year if they had never moved from Brooklyn and eventually were placed in the East. That being said, if they can go on a run against the weaker sides in their division, and if Arizona’s May woes continue, they could find themselves in first. This season is far from over for the Dodgers.
17. Milwaukee Brewers (LW: 23): Milwaukee has had a decent run as of late, and they are giving the Braves all they can handle in Atlanta. But make no mistake, this team isnt even in the same stratosphere as the Cubs, Cards, and Stros. Ben Sheets and Jeff Suppan can use a little help in that rotation… another team that should go out and get themselves a real ace.
18. Baltimore Orioles (LW: 10): Finally starting to play back to their level. This division is just too tough for a team like Baltimore.
19. Texas Rangers (LW: 24): They certainly can hit the ball out there in Arlington, and they will give the A’s and Angels some headaches, but without any pitching this team will go nowhere.
20. New York Yankees (LW: 21): I’ll move them up one because they have been playing slightly better recently. But they still remain in last place. I know, I know, every Yankees fan rattles off like a broken record that this happens every year with them; that they are a second half team. But if they do, would it even matter? They always collapse once the playoffs arrive.
21. Cleveland Indians (LW: 8): Just when you think they are going to snap out of their season long funk, they play like crap for another week. I still believe that they will turn it around pretty soon, but this doesn’t look good.
22. Cincinnati Reds (LW: 19): Say hello to Jay Bruce. Say goodbye to either Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey Jr…
23. Pittsburgh Pirates (LW: 22): If I were a Pirates fan, I would not be paying attention to wins and losses this year. For the first time in a long time, this team has shown signs of eventually breaking out of it’s decade-and-a-half long slump with the development of some key players. Instead, I would be focusing on individual performances and key confidence-building wins. These guys remind me of the 2000 Marlins. All they need to do now is find that young ace, and in a few years, they could make a suprise run to the playoffs. Pittsburgh would go insane if the Pirates started winning again.
24. San Francisco Giants (LW: 29): Barry Zito had to come all the way to Miami to find his first win of the season. Thats a huge monkey off his back; now he can start the long road back to respectability. They also have been giving the Dbacks all they can handle this week. Make no mistake, this is a horrible team, but right now they aren’t playing that bad.
25. Washington Nationals (LW: 28): It must be tough to play in the NL East if you have no talent.
26. Detroit Tigers (LW: 25): Still horrible…
27. Kansas City Royals (LW: 18): Sorry, Royals fans, I hope you don’t think I jinxed you last week… that was a really hard stumble. I’m sure you guys are sick of hearing this, but there is always next year.
28. Colorado Rockies (LW: 26): Normally I come up with a theory as to why a team like Colorado has collapsed, but I’m at a loss here. They have almost the same team… they just aren’t hitting or pitching. Everything has gone wrong for them. I almost feel bad…
29. San Diego Padres (LW: 30): They have to find hitting from somewhere, or else this putrid stretch will last multiple seasons.
30. Seattle Marliners (LW: 27): Ladies and Gentelmen, your biggest dissapointment so far of 2008!
Marlins Take First Game Against Mets; Call Up Relievers
Jose Reyes did his best to show that he is the best SS in the NL, but it wasn’t enough to derail the Marlins who won tonight’s series opener 7-3. With some more clutch hits, the Marlins were able to scrape from a 3-2 deficit to a 6-3 lead in the 3rd inning. The 4 runs scored in that inning came with 2 outs and the main damage was done by Luis Gonzalez’s base-clearing double that bounced over the glove of a diving Carlos Beltran.
Ricky Nolasco, coming off his impressive battle with Brandon Webb, hardly had his best stuff but survived through 5 innings and picked up his 4th win of the season.
Tomorrow we will see Andrew Miller square off for the Marlins against the Mets big offseason acquisition, Johan Santana. For the Marlins, their bullpen tonight locked it down despite what was looking like a long night. They Marlins ran Doug Waechter, Reynel Pinto out to relieve Nolasco and saw the debut of Joe Nelson who was just called up from AAA Alburquerque today.
To make room for Nelson, Eulogio de la Cruz was optioned back to Alburquerque to provide a bit more pitching depth for the Marlins. De la Cruz, part of the Tigers/Marlins deal this offseason, started the 2nd game of the double header against the Giants in order to give more pitching relief. Yet, with a tired bullpen and a 10 game road trip underway, de la Cruz was optioned to bring up Nelson who had shown some ability with 6 saves in spring training.
Marlins Sweep Double Header; MarlinsNation Has 1st Ever Tailgate
Several historical events took place today on a mostly sunny Sunday afternoon:
- Omar Vizquel is now the all-time leader in MLB history for games played as a shortstop.
- Dan Uggla has hit more home runs in a month than any other Marlin in Marlin history (12 – and counting!).
- MarlinsNation has finally had its first ever “tailgate” – although the tailgating part is being used liberally. We finally did meet up at a game, if only there were two members from the site. Still, it was a double header and kind of last minute but we made it a go.
For yours truly, it was kind of full circle since I was able to see the Marlins play in San Francisco and now I got to seem them play the Giants here at home. Very different teams though for both.
Game 1
8-6 Marlins
The Marlins swept the double header and in both games had to mount clutch performances in order to take the games. In the first game, there was the two home runs to start things off – Hermida and Cantu. Then later, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross blasted bombs to help push the Marlins to their 8-6 win. We sat along the first base side near the Marlins bullpen in section 141. Note to Loria – at the new ball park, try and do something about the aisles. It is hard to watch a game when people are constantly walking up and down them during the game.
Oh, and a balk for the Giants scored a Marlin run – another historic event.
Mark Hendrickson had a big time double that basically went nowhere (he was stranded) but must have played an important role in the mind of Fredi – as we shall soon see. He also was able to overcome his own mistakes and keep eating up innings which was crucial for the bullpen on a day like today. Kevin Gregg earned a save and Lindstrom continued to impress by coming in for the 8th and locking it down with upper 90’s heat.
Also, Jacque Jones made his debut and showed he is going to help this team defensively while he gets back in rhythm offensively.
Game 2
5-4 Marlins
Eulogio de la Cruz made his Marlins debut and Jacque Jones got his first start as a Marlin in CF. De la Cruz pitched three innings and demonstrated he has a nice fastball and a solid change, but a 3rd pitch didn’t seem immediately evident. What did look evident is how much he looks like Antonio Alfonseca though.
As for the second game, we have some highlights. It basically all came down to the bottom of the 9th (you can hear me and Nolesmarlins commenting throughout these highlights).
First came Wes Helms, who set the table.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL6QrV55zx8
Then next up came Hanley Ramirez who has been hitting better in the lead off spot. And then Cody Ross.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j7G94G9QKE
With neither hitter getting it done, the Marlins had the game winning run on 2B and 2 outs. Yet none of us really felt that this would end badly. So, up comes Cantu.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a_VOYLALHw
Then Amezaga pinch hits. This is crucial because Mark Hendrickson was used as a pinch hitter earlier in the game. We were all scratching our head about it but Fredi made a bold move opting to keep his bench players around for the later part of the game. Besides, Hendrickson is hitting .343 on the season. Yes, .343. Why not?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlRcYA5WMg4
That brings us to Dan Uggla’s at bat. It would be the last of the game and for the day which was over 7 hours of baseball.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fESn26eM0k
What is amazing is that we had enough batteries and memory to get this stuff. Like most digital camera users, I neglected to clean off all the old pictures which meant my memory was not as vast as it should have been. In fact, the Uggla clip is somewhat short because the memory card ran out – at just the perfect time, I suppose!
Then there was the batteries. We knew it was a sign that the Marlins would win: my girlfriend actually packed extra batteries just in case. Low and behold, the batteries did die out – just as the Giants were changing pitchers! When Bruce Bochy gimped out to make his pitching change, my batteries went dead. We quickly switched them out and were ready to roll. How clutch! Just like Uggla tonight!
Great win for this team who now faces a big test with 10 road games in 11 days against their NL East rivals. We will know more about them after this trip – then again, who says it will be any different than what we know about them now.
A special shout out to Nolesmarlins for coming out today. We had a blast and we look forward to more Marlins games in the future. We were reppin’ MarlinsNation, of course, with the rest of our Marlins fan brethren. We hope to see more join us for the next “tailgate” perhaps in June (6-8) against the Reds.
Bartman Escorted Out of Wrigley
Itching to test out a new program being used on the site, mostly embedding YouTube videos and I was hunting for something to post. Well, I cam across this video that shows Steve Bartman being escorted out of the stadium on that fateful Fall evening back in 2003.
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=JoumAUfwnI8
It amazes me how the Cub fans – and players – immediately made him the scapegoat. It was almost instantly and I recall watching the event and immediately recognizing that we were going to win the series because it almost seemed as if the Cubs entire organization and fanbase was looking for a collapse. They found it right there with Bartman who seemed to materialize all their fears. It is also kind of frightful how much he went through, but also just imagine being in his position coming out to see your favorite team. I think we should still build a memorial to the guy – maybe that is something I will propose for the new Marlins stadium.
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