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Wuertz, Green, and Kearns Added to Marlins Roster

January 16, 2013 in Offseason

Austin Kearns MiamiThe Marlins made some smaller moves here in January – a far cry from last offseason, but positive moves nonetheless. All three players, Mike Wuertz, Nick Green, and Austin Kearns, signed minor league deals with the Fish.

Kearns made the team out of Spring Training last season and expects to compete for backup OF and a bat off the bench. He hit .245 with 4 home runs in 147 ABs last season with 44 Ks (about 30%) in 87 games last season. If he sticks with the team, look for a similar role for the upcoming season.

Nick Green was promoted from AAA last season, but was only able to appear in 7 games last season due to a thumb injury that shelved him from mid-August through the end of the season. The veteran journey-man is expected to compete as a utility player as only Adeiny Hechavarria and Donovan Solano can play both SS and 2B currently. Green could fill that role if he makes the team out of Spring Training as well as having the ability to play 3B, too.

Of the 3 players, Mike Wuertz offers the most interesting ceiling. Wuertz has a very live slider that was the league’s most unhittable pitch back in 2009. Hitters hit just .188 that season and he amassed 102 Ks in 78 IP. In fact he has a K+ per inning career rating and has a .229 average against hitters. In 2011, he had a bumpy time of it where hitters’ average climbed to .280 against him and his ERA shot up to 6.68. Wuertz also missed the entire 2012 season at the big league level – he signed a minor league deal with the Reds last season but was released on July 5th, 2012. So, if he can find a way to revert back to his pre-2011 days, the Marlins may have added a pretty good arm to the bullpen. If not, they risk little except a hand shake as Wuertz would most likely get the same treatment from the Marlins that he received from the Reds last season.

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Who’s On First? Logan Morrison Still Injured

January 15, 2013 in Injuries, Offseason

logan morrison lomo camp for a cure

Nathan Eovaldi, Juan Pierre, Logan Morrison, Jeff Conine, Christian Yelich, and Justin Nicolino all were present at LoMO’ Camp for a Cure event.

Reports are that Logan Morrison, out since September with surgery on his knee, won’t be able to run for at least a month. Not good considering that Spring Training is only one month away. Most likely though, the Marlins’ young first baseman won’t be ready to take the field on opening day.

Other opinions start to take shape that perhaps the Marlins have just mismanaged LoMo’s injury and this is further evidence. Extending back to last spring training when the Marlins had both Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison in camp, instead of letting LoMo rest, they went ahead and rolled him out in LF, straining his injury further.

So, here we are a year later and LoMo is right back where he was. The difference is, the Fish are all out of depth as Sanchez is now gone. This doesn’t look like a great start to the upcoming season, which is already being labeled a “throw away” by many cynical Marlin fans – those that remain anyway. So, who are some alternatives?

Joe Frisaro has some ideas in mind. Greg Dobbs? Joe Mahoney? Why not Kyle Jensen?

Jensen hit 24 home runs last season in Jacksonville and although is projected as an OF, there is so much depth there it would suit him well to play some 1B. He reportedly impressed in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .330 with 5HRs. So much so that even the Miami Herald took notice. But he does K a lot – I mean, a lot: 162 in 445 ABs. That is 36%.

Spring Training is right around the corner and we have another LoMo injury to deal with. The question remains, can he be a productive MLB hitter like most have projected? Or is his knee injury going to prove too damaging to his long term health in this game? More importantly, the Marlins short term success will definitely take a hit in a lineup without LoMo’s bat there to help protect Giancarlo Stanton.

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Miami Marlins’ Logan Morrison taking cautious route – Miami Marlins – MiamiHerald.com

January 13, 2013 in Injuries, Offseason

On Logan Morrison’s right knee is a crisscross of scars left by a surgeon’s knife, with one noticeably fresher in appearance than the other. The latest operation, a “complete repair” of his patellar tendon, was performed four months ago. If all goes well, Morrison will return to the Marlins’ lineup next season as their first baseman.

But, if not….well, Morrison doesn’t care to think about that.

“There’s always that, ‘Am I ever going to be the same?’ in the back of my mind, so it’s a little scary,” Morrison acknowledged. “I’ll do everything I can to help it out, bust my [butt], and if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”

This much is certain: after forcing the issue and trying to bounce back too quickly from surgery last season, thereby compounding the damage to his delicate right knee, Morrison is taking a more cautious approach this time around. Morrison does not plan to run or even swing a bat until sometime in February, and says it’s possible he might not be ready to go Opening Day.

via Miami Marlins’ Logan Morrison taking cautious route – Miami Marlins – MiamiHerald.com.

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Can Steve Cishek Take the Next Step?

January 12, 2013 in Offseason

Steve+Cishek+Chicago+Cubs+v+Miami+Marlins+-2TcJmedt6vlHe’s a bit unusual. He likens himself to Shrek for some reason, despite his slender frame, relying on the way his last name sounds perhaps (his Twitter handle is @srSHREK31). He’s an unabashed Christian. His delivery looks a bit more like Dan Quisenberry than anything prototypical. Yet in Steve Cishek, the Marlins may have found their answer for the end of the bullpen.

In a season in which everything the Marlins did went haywire, the investment they put into Heath Bell was not returned and the Marlins were, yet again, scratching around for an answer. Cishek brought the Fish relief getting 15 saves in 19 opportunities. He also made 68 appearances, logging 63 frames sporting a 2.69 ERA with 68Ks and 29BBs.

Now, over the course of two solid stints with the Marlins, Cishek has maintained a mid-2.00 ERA and has shown an ability to keep hitters off balance (hitting .221) and getting them out. His submarine delivery has been effective and isn’t just a gimmick as he has the tools to mix up his pitches effectively and get the needed K. But can he take on the closer’s role for a full season and be the “man” for the Marlins?

Reports are he is already in Jupiter working out and getting ready for the upcoming season – about 1 month before pitchers and catchers report. He’s not alone as Tom Koehler is also getting to work, hoping to get that 5th starting spot, but it seems that Cishek may have the skills and the mental wiring necessary to seize this opportunity and run with it. He emerges as the favorite to lock down the job, although AJ Ramos may offer some competition as well. Yet in Cishek you find someone that may come to typify the 2013 Marlins – a hardworking young player just trying to make the most of his opportunity. With his “aw shucks” attitude, he may become a likable personality far beyond Miami as well.

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