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Marlins Working out Kinks
I was fortunate enough to spend my Saturday watching the Marlins Spring Training game at Ft. Lauderdale Stadium. Despite the 4-2 final score, things were looking good for the Fish.
Ricky Nolasco looked great on the mound today, starting the game off with six strikes. I mean they were hammered in the zone. But after getting Oriole Nick Markakis to pop up, Marlins left fielder Jeremy Hermida got turned around too many times and suddenly Markakis is sliding into second with a double. Add insult to injury, the very next batter did the same to Hermida and before you know it the O’s pull to a 2-0 lead. And the fans let him have it. You wouldn’t believe it was a Spring Training game and the player the fans were booing was learning the position.
“We’ve been getting a lot of work in, shagging and batting practice,” Hermida explained after the game. “Just making sure I’m getting balls off the bat. But there are certain balls that you don’t get sometimes during batting practice that aren’t quite at game speed. Just a work in progress.”
Nolasco shrugged off what could have been an inning-ending pop fly and continued to pitch two more innings and run his pitch count to 54 (40 strikes). “It’s what we’re here for,” Nolasco said. “Work out the kinks. Everybody’s going to get better so you can’t get upset about things that are go during your first game of spring training.”
Then entered Josh Johnson. Both starters are capable of getting the ball on opening day and you got to imagine whoever has the better spring would get it (with an edge going to Nolasco for being lights out last season.) But whatever ground Nolasco earned, Johnson gained the same. Here are their lines:
Nolasco: 3 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 3 K’s
Johnson: 3 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 1 K
Near identical. So if you’re interested in what could be called the “Race To Standing on the mound during the National Anthem of Game One” so is manager Fredi Gonzalez. “ I thought they were outstanding, “Gonzalez said. “JJ was nails and Ricky was good. I think you just have to look at the overall: health. See how we are. It’s Spring Training and we still have a long 29 games left.”
Taylor Tankersley, who is fighting for a spot in the bullpen, struck out the side in the eighth inning. Tank appeared in just 25 games last season just after posting a career high 67 games in 2007. Kiko Calero pitched a scoreless seventh.
On the offensive side of the ball, Cam Maybin had some solid cuts despite going 1 for 4 at the plate. Hermida got a hold of a Radhames Liz pitch for a homer in the fourth inning. Wes Helms was a perfect 3-3 on the day, starting at first while Jorge Cantu played at 3rd. Alfredo Amezaga got the start at 2nd and was recorded an error on a grounder he charged very aggressively (probably would have waited back on it).
Questions Abound Over Leadoff Candidates
The thought in the Marlins organization is to move Hanley Ramirez down to the third spot in the order so as to make him more of a run producer. I have said in the past that Hanley’s best spot in the lineup, the place he will see his value as a player maximized, is at the lead off spot. Hanley can hit home runs, extra base hits plus steal bases and cause general havoc out there. He can draw a pitcher’s attention and allow the second hitter to take advantage of an increased likelihood of mistakes as a result.
Yet, the Marlins brass seems to have amnesia.
Hanley’s move to the third spot in-season last year was disastrous. That said, there is the observation that Hanley has been able to add more muscle mass and seems to be preparing himself to become more of a run producer in this league than a table-setter.
So, this means the Marlins have to find a new lead off guy.
The edict out of spring training is to cut down on strikeouts. Marlins GM, Larry Beinfest, was recently quoted as acknowledging the increased strikeouts with alarm, saying that such at bats were a “finite event”. Good. But who will lead off?
Cameron Maybin is the center fielder of the future, if not right now, and his call up at the end of last season was a huge success. The question is, will he be able to keep up that kind of production for an entire season and can he do it by hitting at the top spot? His strike out numbers in the minors were quite high, so it seems that there is the probability that he will not put the ball in play as much as one would expect for a leadoff hitter. Spring training will serve as a good barometer.
Then there is the other candidate, kind of lurking in the background, Emilio Bonifacio – acquired from the Nationals as part of the Olsen/Willingham deal. Touted as a lead off hitter for the future for the Diamondbacks, Bonifacio puts up pretty good speed numbers (stolen bases) but also has a penchant to strike out quite a bit.
So the question remains, which one of these two guys will get the job of setting up the Marlins offense, and what kind of season can we expect? Don’t you just love spring training?
Marlins Off-Season Deals
A spot in the rotation. A Closer. A backup catcher. A Leftfielder and a first basemen.
If Florida Marlins General Manager Larry Beinfest drew up a shopping list this offseason those would be the main entrees for them to pick up. With 17 players due to get a huge pay raise since playing at the major league level for three seasons, it was going to be an interesting Hot Stove for the Marlins.
For starters you parted ways with a ninth inning pitcher whose contributions were in question. On paper, Kevin Gregg is a proven closer with 32 and 29 saves the last two years, respectively. However, August was a month he was happy to end last season. Gregg lost four games including back-to-back blown saves to the New York Mets during what was turning out to be a close race for first place. A day after giving up a lead changing grand slam to Carlos Beltran with two outs in the ninth, Gregg complained about “inflammation in his left knee” and also learned he wouldn’t be resigned next season. Matt Lindstrom won the September closer audition over set-up man Joe Nelson, who left for greener pastures in Tampa.
Trades were inevitable for the Marlins and none bigger when Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen were shipped to divisional rival Washington. Willingham averaged 20 homers with a .266 batting average but his 100 strikeouts a season was far too much for Beinfest, not to mention missing 60 games last season due to a back injury. As for Olsen, his DUI last season mixed with fights with teammates became too much to bear along with a 31-37 win-loss mark. We’ll be seeing the Nationals 18 times this season.
Here’s a breakdown of the players who won’t be returning to camp this year. Interesting to note it would have cost us 20 million to retain these players.
Mike Jacobs- The power-hitting first baseman was a centerpiece of the Carlos Delgado trade. A converted catcher, Jacobs put up huge numbers last season with 32 homeruns and driving in 93 runs. However 119 strikeouts and just 118 hits was a major flaw in Jacobs. He’s currently battling arbitration with the Royals, whom he was traded to for Leo Nunez.
Expected ’09 Salary -Seeking 3.8 Million ‘08 395,000
Kevin Gregg- Gregg was lights out during his two-year stint with the Marlins. Totaling nearly 30 saves both seasons. However struggles to the bullpen before the September stretch run saw demotion come Gregg’s way who was playing with “Inflammation in left knee.” With the closer role open during September, Matt Lindstrom out-battled Joe Nelson to secure the gig.
Expected ’09 Salary 4.2 Million ’08 2.5 Million
Joe Nelson- Nelson was a very solid reliever for the Marlins and his departure to intrastate rival Tampa Bay will be missed. Nelson appeared in 59 games and allowed just a dozen earned runs all season. However 1 save in 5 opportunities made it clear who the 2009 closer would be.
Expected ’09 Salary 1.3 Million
Scott Olsen- 25 year old southpaw with plenty of potential. Hopefully things pan out for him in the nation’s capital.
Expected ’09 Salary 2.5 Million (Asked for 3.5 but agreed since he would lose arbitration) ‘08 405,000
Josh Willingham- Will have to compete with a crowded outfield in DC with Lastings Milledge, Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena, Elijah Dukes, and Willie Harris.
Expected ’09 Salary Currently taken to Arbitrators (Asking 3.6 million, Received an offer of 2.55 million)
Matt Treanor
Expected ’09 Salary 750,000
Doug Waechter
Expected ’09 Salary 645,000
Mark Hendrickson
Expected ’09 Salary 1.5 million
Justin Miller
Expected ’09 Salary- Invited to Giants camp
Luis Gonzalez
Expected ’09 Salary Currently Unsigned Free Agent
Arthur Rhodes
Expected ’09 Salary- Signed a 2 year, 4 million dollar deal
Paul Lo Duca
Expected ’09 Salary Currently unsigned Free Agent
Jacque Jones
Expected ’09 Salary 650,000 (If he makes the Reds 25 man roster)
Vote on Marlins Stadium Project Delayed
Welcome to the Banana Republic.
So, the city of Miami was expected to vote on the proposed project to build a new ballpark in downtown Miami at the old site of the Orange Bowl. Guess what – it didn’t happen.
With only four commissioners present – of the nine total – the deal was looking for a collapse as support has seemed to, suddenly, wain.
There are several sticking points – the main ones seemed to be focused on cost overruns for the project as well as the funding for the parking garage and the allocation of revenue from the naming rights. The city and county want more revenue paid to them from the naming rights.
The Marlins stance seems to be they are very unlikely to negotiate those three main points of contention without reopening the entire project’s plans and renegotiate the entire deal.
Why a deal that was approved in the past now seems to be sputtering is confusing to say the least, but in light of the current state of the economy, everyone seems to be looking for their “bailout” or golden parachute. The Marlins organization had negotiated their way into one, and now it seems there are holes in the plan which are being exploited for alterior motives.
Mayor Manny Diaz, however, is a supporter of the stadium plan for several reasons. For starters, he views the plan as a means to create jobs as surely construction would require manpower as well as the operation of the stadium would secure jobs in that capacity. As for the funding, Diaz supports the plan as he claims most of the $600 million dollars will be furnished by tourism taxes – and equates the building of the stadium to public investment in parks and performing arts theaters.
One thing is for sure, the Marlins final hope at getting a stadium has hit a snag and unless some questions are answered and compromises made, there will be no future in Miami for the Marlins.
Dan Uggla Wins Arbitration
Lost in the background of the Heat’s big trade, Dan Uggla won his arbitration hearing which rewarded Uggla with $5.35M for this upcoming season. The Marlins were offering a figure of $4.4M.
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