Marlins-Pirates Recap; LoMo Injury Update

Impressed by: Scott Cousins

Depressed by: Losing LoMo to injury

As I predicted for this series in the preview, the Marlins swept the Pirates. Marlins were able to do this behind strong starts from their ace Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco. In game three, Chris Volstad looked brilliant through the first five innings but really lost control in the sixth. Here are some notes from the series:

•  Josh Johnson provided the Marlins with another strong start. Johnson didn't allow a hit through four innings, which he hasn't all season. In fact, his BAA is .000 in the first four innings this season. JJ ended up going 7 IP allowing just 2 hits, striking out 9 while just walking 1. JJ's been very dominant this season and the Marlins are riding his back in his starts to wins. Johnson also provided the Marlins with two RBI's.
• Ricky Nolasco followed Johnson's start and made an attempt to upstage JJ. He went 7 innings as well. Nolasco allowed 2 hits, 1 walk, and fanned 8.
• Chris Volstad looked strong for the Fish in game three. He fell apart in the sixth and was replaced by Randy Choate, who faced one batter and didn't retire him. Ryan Webb came in and got the Marlins out of the jam.
• The Marlins recorded back-to-back shutouts and now have three on the season. They outscored the Pirates 21-5 all series long.
• Even though the Marlins swept the series, they had a major loss this series. Logan Morrison is out 2-4 weeks with a left foot sprain. This is a major loss as LoMo had been the Marlins best hitter thus far. The Marlins placed Morrison on the DL after yesterday's game and will likely make a corresponding move today. 

Although LoMo is hurt, he had time to make everyone laugh with some tweets and his usual funny antics:

 Breaking news: sprained ligament in my foot out 2 to 4 weeks. Suck on that. Told u fantasy people not to pick me up

@LoMoMarlins 

If you don't already follow Logan Morrison on twitter, you really should. Hilarious guy. Always has some funny tweets.

Florida Marlins-Colorado Rockies Preview

The Marlins are fresh off of sweeping the Pirates and are looking to build momentum. The Marlins will however be without the services of Logan Morrison for 2-4 weeks. Morrison was placed on the DL after yesterday's game and a corresponding move will be made today. My guess for that would be Brian Peterson. Marlins have the Rockies and Dodgers coming into Miami for the next two series. Marlins will start off with a three-game tilt with the Rockies on Friday night.

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	12	6	.667	–
FLA	11	6	.647	.5
WSH	9	9	.500	3.0
ATL	8	12	.400	5.0
NYM	6	13	.316	6.5

Stadium: Sun Life Stadium

Five-year Run PF*: 1.01

Five-year HR PF*: 0.97

Stadium Dimensions:

Left Field: 330 ft.

Left-Center: 361

Center Field: 404

Right-Center: 361

Right Field: 345

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 19: Anibal Sanchez vs Jhoulys Chacin
April 20: Javier Vazquez vs Esmil Rodgers

April 21: Josh Johnson vs Ubaldo Jimenez

Marlins projected lineup:

Coghlan, CF

Infante, 2B

Ramirez, SS

Sanchez, 1B

Dobbs, 3B

Stanton, RF

Cousins/Bonifacio, LF

Buck, C

Murphy, 3B 

Rockies Projected Lineup:

Fowler, CF

Herrera. 2B

Gonzalez, LF

Tulowitzski, SS

Helton, 1B

Smith, RF

Lopez, 3B
Iannetta, C

Marlins will have their first real out of division test this coming weekend and early next week. The Rockies are a dangerous offensive team that also features good pitching. The Rockies have Troy Tulowitzski, whom many regard in the game as the best short stop. He will get to counter the Marlins young superstar in Hanley Ramirez. I like the Marlins chances in games one and three. If Sanchez can improve on his last start and the Marlins offense continues to stay hot, Marlins will have a good shot at winning that game. Saturday, I don't like the matchup of Vazquez going at all. I don't believe he'll allow the Marlins hitters to have a chance to stay in the game.Of course, Easter Sunday provides us with a very interesting matchup. We get to see Josh Johnson go up against Ubaldo Jimenez. Ubaldo has struggled this season but it shouldn't be too long before he gets going again. Hopefully we'll be in for a treat Sunday. Josh Johnson should likely post another strong start for the Fish.

My prediction: Marlins take two of three and move into first place of the NL East for the first time this season.

Marlins-Phillies Recap

Impressed by:Logan Morrison and Anibal Sanchez

Depressed by:Omar Infante and Javier Vazquez

The Marlins came out on top in game 1 of the series with a 4-3 win. Game 2 was PPD due to rain. In game 3, the Marlins blew opportunities to tie the game as well as take the lead. The Phillies came out on top 3-2.

Here are some notes from the series:

• Javier Vazquez was unimpressive again. He lasted all but 5 innings and gave up just 3 earned runs. However he allowed 5 hits and walked 4. Vazquez was only able to strike out 1 hitter. Those numbers are a far cry from what the Marlins expected and need out of him.
• A crucial moment for the Marlins in this game was when Roy Oswalt injured himself on a bunt. He had to come out of the game warming up before the next inning and the Marlins took full advantage.
• The Marlins bullpen came in and did a spectacular job in 4 innings. They didn't allow any runs and gave the Marlins a chance to win the game.
• Another encouraging sign from this series was Anibal. After a struggle in the first, Sanchez settled down and was able to complete 6 innings (throwing 113 pitches). He struck out 8. However it should be noted that Anibal walked 4 and gave up 6 hits. He needs to improve on that.
• Logan Morrison dropped a fly ball in this game that went as an error and later on scored the game winning run for the Phillies Sunday.
• Infante was a major disappointment Sunday as well. He had a chance with runners on 1st and 3rd in the seventh with one out, but he grounded into a double play. A run would have given the Marlins a lead. In the 9th, he had another chance this time with runners on 2nd and 3rd two outs. This time he got out again and the Marlins lost the ball game.

Florida Marlins-Pittsburgh Pirates Preview

The Florida Marlins are 8-6 after coming off of a 5-3 road trip that saw them take 3 of 5 from the Braves and Phillies. The Marlins look to continue that impressive run and are going to be home for a nine-game home stand that includes games against the Pirates, Rockies, and Dodgers. The Marlins will get started with a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 19th.

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	10	4	.714	–
FLA	8	6	.571	2.0
WSH	8	7	.533	2.5
ATL	7	9	.438	4.0
NYM	5	11	.312	6.0

Stadium: Sun Life Stadium

Five-year Run PF*: 1.01

Five-year HR PF*: 0.97

Stadium Dimensions:

Left Field: 330 ft.

Left-Center: 361

Center Field: 404

Right-Center: 361

Right Field: 345

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 19: Josh Johnson vs Paul Maholm
April 20:Ricky Nolasco vs Charlie Morton

April 21: Chris Volstad vs James McDonald

Marlins projected lineup:

Coghlan, CF

Infante, 2B

Ramirez, SS

Stanton, RF 

Morrison, LF

Sanchez, 1B

Buck, C

Murphy, 3B 

Pirates Projected Lineup:

McCutchen, CF

Tabata, LF

Jones, RF

Walker, 2B

Alvarez, 3B

Overbay, 1B

Doumit, C

Cedeno, SS

Marlins will have Josh Johnson to open the series. In all three of Johnson's starts this season, Johnson has gone at least 3 no-hit innings. JJ has gone 6+ no-hit innings in two of his three starts. JJ will be matched up against Maholm, who has been pitching well this season as well.

The second game of the series features Ricky Nolasco matched up against Charlie Morton. Morton is coming off of a complete game effort vs the Reds. Nolasco in his last start was roughed up by the Braves in the first inning. He got a no-decision in that game which the Marlins came back to win.

The series concludes with Chris Volstad taking on James McDonald. Volstad's last start was pushed back due to a postponed game a day earlier. McDonald isn't much of a strong starter either and this game has the potential of being a high scoring affair.

My prediction: Marlins sweep the series and continue playing well. 

Initial UZR rating out now:

The first UZR rating which rate a player defense have come out on Fangraphs. Here's a look at the initial looks of some of the Marlins players. Fangraphs will update this weekly.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6878&position=OF#value

Right now fangraphs has him as a 2.4 UZR. That's quite good. However, Coghlan should regress as he has never played this quality of defense in left, which is a tougher position.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=9205&position=OF#value

Logan Morrison has been tabbed as a 2.5 UZR thus far. Interesting there. I also see LoMo regressing as he was a -7.2 UZR last season.

Here's a look at Hanley's:

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8001&position=SS#value

Not surprising at all as Hanley has a -2.9 UZR.

Lastly I'll look at Infante:

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8001&position=SS#value

Infante comes in as a 1.3 UZR.

I will have Marlins-Pirates preview up later tonight. First, have to celebrate the Miami Heat victory!!

Philadelphia Phillies-Florida Marlins Preview

 The Marlins are ending a 9-game round trip with a series vs the Phillies. So far the Marlins have gone 4-2 on this road trip and would just need one more win to clinch a winning road trip. Marlins started the road trip by beating the Astros 2 out of 3. Then the Marlins went to Turner Field and took 2 of 3 from the Braves. In the last two games, the Marlins offense has begun to come to life again. With Ramirez and Stanton back in the lineup and Morrison and Sanchez switching spots in the order, the Marlins have scored 11 runs in the past two games after just scoring 1 run in the previous two games.

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	9	3	.750	–
FLA	7	5	.583	2.0
WSN	5	7	.417	4.0
ATL	5	8	.385	4.5
NYM	4	9	.308	5.5

Stadium: Citizens Bank Park
Five-year Run PF*: 1.02
Five-year HR PF*: 1.08
Stadium Dimensions:
Left Field: 334 ft.
Left-Center: 374
Center Field: 401
Right-Center: 369
Right Field: 330

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 15th: Javier Vazquez, RHP (1-1, 8.64 ERA) - Roy Oswalt, RHP (2-0, 2.25 ERA)
April 16th:Anibal Sanchez, RHP (0-1, 6.97 ERA) - Cole Hamels, LHP (1-1, 5.59 ERA)
April 17th:Chris Volstad, RHP (0-1, 5.59 ERA) - Joe Blanton, RHP (0-1, 10.45 ERA)

Projected Starting Lineups:

Marlins: 

Chris Coghlan, CF

Omar Infante, 2B

Hanley Ramirez, SS

Mike Stanton, RF

Logan Morrison, LF

Gaby Sanchez

John Buck, C

Donnie Murphy, 3B

Phillies:

Shane Victorino, CF

Placido Polanco, 3B

Jimmy Rollins, SS

Ryan Howard, 1B

Ben Fransisco, RF

Raul Ibanez, LF

Carlos Ruiz, C

Wilson Valdez, 2B

 

Key Positional Matchup: CF

Coghlan vs Victorino

This series is going to be a tough one for the Marlins. They are sending out the bottom three of their order. All of whom which are struggling right now. The Marlins face a tough matchup tonight in Roy Oswalt who's been throwing the ball well in his first two starts. Saturday's matchup is going to be a good one. Anibal Sanchez will look to bounce back after a disappointing start last time out against the Astros with Cole Hamels, who hasn't been steller either, as his counterpart. Sunday's matchup should be a slug fest. Volstad vs Blanton. Neither pitcher is that good and neither has been throwing well. Expect a lot of scoring in that game.

Prediction: The Marlins drop the game on Friday but bounce back to win the final two games in the series to end their first road trip with a 6-3 record.

I will have the Marlins-Braves recap up later tonight or tomorrow. Just wanted to get the series preview up before the series started this time.

Atlanta Braves-Florida Marlins Series Preview

The next 5 games are an early test for the Florida Marlins can contend in  the NL East. The first game was last night and behind an awful performance by Chris Volstad, the Marlins fell to the Braves 5-0. The second game is tonight with Josh Johnson going for the Marlins against Tim Hudson. The Marlins should be able to take 2 of 3 with the pitching matchups, which are previewed later on.

Florida Marlins @ Atlanta Braves (4-6), April 12-14, Games 10-12

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	7	3	.700	–
FLA	5	5	.500	2.0
WSN	5	5	.500	2.0
ATL	5	6	.455	2.5
NYM	4	6	.400	3.0

Stadium: Turner Field
Five-year Run PF*: 0.98
Five-year HR PF*: 0.98
Stadium Dimensions:
Left Field: 335 ft.
Left-Center: 380
Center Field: 401
Right-Center: 390
Right Field: 330

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 12: Chris Volstad vs. Tommy Hanson
April 13: Josh Johnson vs. Tim Hudson
April 14: Ricky Nolasco vs. Brandon Beachy

Projected Starting Lineups:

Marlins: 

Chris Coghlan, CF

Omar Infante, 2B

Hanley Ramirez, SS

Mike Stanton, RF

Gaby Sanchez, 1B

Logan Morrison, LF

John Buck, C

Braves:

Martin Prado, LF

Nate McLouth, CF

Chipper Jones, 3B

Brian McCann, C

Dan Uggla, 2B

Jason Heyward, RF

Alex Gonzalez, SS

Freddie Freeman, 1B

 Key Positional Matchup:

2B.

Uggla vs Infante

Hanley Ramirez is back for the Marlins in this series. He and Stanton will play their 3rd game of the season together tonight.

The first games pitching matchup heavily favored the Braves, the rest of the games, the pitching matchups are about as even as possible. JJ and Nolasco hold a slight advantage over their counterparts respectively, but not by much. This series should be an entertaining one and the Marlins after losing the first game need to show that they can beat the Braves and Phillies or we may be in for a long season,

Marlins-Astros Preview/Hanley Injury Update

I am not going to have a recap of this series because sadly, I didn't watch a single game :(. Had work at the time of the games all week. My internet also went out for a couple of days.

But here's the preview for the rest of the Astros-Marlins series. Marlins won the first game 4-3 behind a strong effort of Ricky Nolasco. There will be more about this game in the series recap.

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	5	2	.714	–
FLA	4	3	.571	1.0
ATL	4	4	.500	1.5
WSH	3	4	.429	2.0
NYM	3	4	.429	2.0

Stadium: Minute Maid Park
Five-year Run PF*: 0.98
Five-year HR PF*: 1.04
Stadium Dimensions:
Left Field: 315 ft.
Left-Center: 362
Deep Left-Center: 404
Center Field: 436
Right-Center: 373
Right Field: 326

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 8: Ricky Nolasco vs Wandy Rodriguez
April 9: Javier Vazquez vs. Bud Norris
April 10: Anibal Sanchez vs. J.A. Happ

Marlins projected lineup:

Coghlan, CF

Infante, 2B

Stanton RF

Sanchez, 1B

Morrison, LF

Buck, C

Murphy, SS

Bonifacio, 3B

Marlins could very well sweep this series. But this will only happen if the Marlins get a bounce back outing from Javier Vazquez. Nolasco's strong start got the bullpen the rest they needed and they should be ready to go tonight in case of Vazquez's struggles.

The Marlins lost Hanley Ramirez to injury on a routine ground ball double play opportunity. The slide by Bill Hall is questionable. Here's the play in question: Hanley day to day with left leg bruise.   It's very unlikely that Hanley will play for the next couple of days. He will be re-evaluated upon his arrival to the stadium today. Let's hope for the best Marlins fans!

Over at MarlinManiac, Michael will be doing his weekly game chat. If you would like to join, it would be great. I missed the first one last Friday, but I am hoping to join him as well on Sunday at 3pm. Go here to check it out: MarlinsManiac.

Here's also a look at how the Marlins rank against the rest of the league when talking about hitting and pitching after 7 games:

Prediction: Marlins will sweep the series going into two big series early on, with the Braves and Phillies.

 2011 REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

Hitting:

RUNS 29 (16th Overall)

BATTING AVERAGE .280 (8th Overall)

ON BASE PERCENTAGE: .345 (9th Overall)

SLUGGING PC: .417 (14th Overall)

Pitching:

ERA: 2.69 (5th Overall)

RUNS

2916th Overall

BATTING AVERAGE

.2808th Overall

ON BASE PERCENTAGE

.3459th Overall

SLUGGING PCT

.41714th Overall

QUALITY STARTS: 4 (5th Overall)

WHIP 1.25 (10th Overall)

BAA 233 (7th Overall)

NL East Standings

Tm	W	L	Win%	GB
PHI	3	0	1.000	–
ATL	3	1	.750	.5
NYM	2	1	.667	1.0
WSH	1	2	.333	2.0
FLA	1	2	.333	2.0

Stadium: Sun Life Stadium

Five-year Run PF*: 1.01

Five-year HR PF*: 0.97

Stadium Dimensions:

Left Field: 330 ft.

Left-Center: 361

Center Field: 404

Right-Center: 361

Right Field: 345

*Five-year regressed park factors provided by Patriot here

Projected Pitching Matchups

April 5: Anibal Sanchez vs Jason Marquis
April 6: Chris Volstad vs Livan Hernandez
April 7: Josh Johnson vs John Lannan

Marlins projected lineup:

Coghlan, CF

Infante, 2B

Ramirez, SS

Stanton, RF *

Sanchez, 1B

Morrison, LF

Buck, C

Murphy, 3B *

*Indicates player may miss game due to injury.

Marlins have the clear pitching advantages on paper. The lineups are about even IMO. Marlins defense is the wild card. If the Marlins defend well, they are clearly a better team then the Nationals. If not, they are about even. The bullpen still needs to settle down and niche their own roles.

My prediction: Marlins sweep the series and get back on track.

Marlins-Mets Recap

Sorry I didn't have time to post a preview or post much over the past 10 days. Been busy with school and work lately. I will have daily recaps of games and series. This post is going to recap the Opening Weekend of 2011 for the Florida Marlins.

Friday:

• The Marlins honored Mike Lowell with a video before the game. He then pitched the ceremonial first pitch. It was an amazing thing to watch as a longtime Marlins fan. Lowell has meant so much to this franchise.
• Josh Johnson started the season on fire. In his first 6 innings, he didn't allow a single hit. He looked to be in mid-season form. He gave up his first hit to Willie Harris to lead off the 6th. JJ didn't make it out of the 7th inning. He allowed 2 runs in 6 2/3.
• Mike Stanton had another minor injury. After pulling his quad early on in spring, Stanton hurt his hamstring and didn't play the rest of the series. He should return to the lineup Tuesday vs the Nationals.
• Mike Dunn made his Marlins debut in relief of Josh Johnson and looked good striking out the only batter he faced. Clay Hensley followed that with an impressive 1-2-3 inning, picking it up where he left off last season. Leo Nunez pitched the 9th.
• Probably the most memorable part of Opening Day however, belonged to Logan Morrison. Morrison hit a solo homerun to right and as he crossed home plate, pointed to his mother and then saluted to the sky, in honor of his father.

Saturday:

• Ricky Nolasco started the Marlins in the right direction by having a nine pitch inning in the first. He then was effective throughout the night. He finished the game beating JJ's 6 2/3's by going 7 strong allowing 2 runs. He was hit pretty hard but his defense was there to make some good plays.
• Chris Coghlan finally got his first real test in center field. The first play, Coghlan looked really awkward. However, he used his speed and athletic ability to make the play. On the second play, the ball was hit to shallow center, Coghlan got a great jump on it and made a diving catch. Jury is still out on how he'll play in center though.
• Emilio Bonifacio showed his worth to the Florida Marlins in this game. He had a key hit in the 9th that allowed the Marlins to tie the game at 4. Bonerface started the game in Right, moved to third when Murphy got hurt, and then later moved to center. He tied the Marlins record for most positions played in a game.
• Leo Nunez and Ryan Webb did their best to ensure a Marlins loss. Leo walked the leadoff man on 4-pitches and that run later came on to score. That gave the Mets a 3-2 lead going into the bottom half of the ninth. Gregg Dobbs tied the game up with a clutch base hit off of K-Rod none the less.
• In the 10th, Ryan Webb came in and wasn't effective at all. He was charged with all 3 runs, giving the Mets a 6-3 lead. The Marlins proved to be resilient again scoring one run in the 10th and putting pressure on the Mets before the Mets ended the game and won 6-4.
• The Marlins offense was anemic on this night. The team had most of their hits in the first, ninth, and tenth. Between the second and the eight, they were held to just one base hit
• Donnie Murphy was hit by a pitch on his right wrist, the same wrist he dislocated last season and needed surgery on. Luckily, Murphy's injury wasn't serious and he's expected to play Tuesday.
• The game featured an interesting moment featuring Scott Cousins. I won't go too much into this, I'll just give you guys the article written by Marlin Maniac Michael Jhong which is a good overview the whole event.  http://marlinmaniac.com/2011/04/04/the-cousins-decision-and-the-vazquez-start/

Sunday:

• Javier Vazquez looked horrendous. And that's probably the nice way to put it. He labored through 2 1/3 innings giving up 7 runs, with 5 being earned. While his fastball seemed to have gained back most of the command that it had lost in New York, his fastball didn't seem to have much life. He walked four hitters unintentionally. Vazquez also left pitched over the plate the entire game. The game truthfully seemed over after the first two batter. Reyes led the game off with a double and then Willie Harris hit a 2-run shot.
• Marlins defense was atrocious. Hanley, Bonifacio, and Choate all made key errors. The errors led to big innings from the Mets.
• The Florida Marlins injury streak was extended to 3. Edward Mujica apparently hurt his knee in the game. He is expected to be okay and pitch if needed on Tuesday.
• Brian Sanches went 4 scoreless and hitless innings. A very impressive outing for him.

Player of the series:Gaby Sanchez (6-14 with 2 doubles and an RBI)

Goat of the series: Javier Vazquez (7 runs in 1 2/3 innings.)

Marlins Roster Coming Together?

Starting Lineup (playing together for the 1st time all season)
Chris Coghlan, CF

Omar Infante, 2B

Hanley Ramirez, SS

Mike Stanton, RF

Gaby Sanchez, 1B

Logan Morrison, LF

John Buck, C

Donnie Murphy, 3B

Josh Johnson, P

JUPITER, Fla. — Aside from Chris Volstad, the Marlins lineup on Saturday could be what takes the field on Opening Night against the Mets.

Against the Cardinals on Saturday, Donnie Murphy is batting eighth and playing third base. For the first time, all three outfielders are in the same lineup — Chris Coghlan in center, Logan Morrison in left and Mike Stanton in right.

The biggest change for the opener, of course, will be Josh Johnson, who will be the Opening Night starter on April 1.

Worth noting from Edwin’s morning meeting with the media:

* A decision on who starts at third base could be made by Monday. As of now, it appears Murphy will start, and Emilio Bonifacio will be in a utility role.

* The rotation, as expected, will be Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Javier Vazquez, Anibal Sanchez and Chris Volstad. Rodriguez said he could have flip-flopped Sanchez and Vazquez, but gave the nod to Vazquez because of his overall experience.

* While Edwin didn’t flat out announce the bench, signs point to it being Wes Helms, Greg Dobbs (lefty bat), Dewayne Wise, Bonifacio and Brett Hayes.

* In recent days, a number of relievers have thrown in Minor League games to get stretched out. Lefty Randy Choate threw a full inning on a back field, and needed just seven pitches.

Joe Frisaro:The Fish Pond


So this is what the Marlins 25-man roster will potentially look like come opening day:

Starting Pitchers:
Josh Johnson
Ricky Nolasco
Javier Vazquez
Anibal Sanchez
Chris Volstad

Long-relief:
Burke Badenhop
Edward Mujica

LHP Specialist:
Randy Choate

Sixth-Seventh Inning:
Ryan Webb
Mike Dunn

Set-Up:
Clay Hensley

Closer:
Leo Nunez

Catchers:
John Buck
Brett Hayes

First Base:
Gaby Sanchez
Wes Helms
 
Second Base:
Omar Infante

Shortstop:
Hanley Ramirez

Third Base:
Donnie Murphy
Gregg Dobbs
Emilio Bonifacio

Left Field:
Logan Morrison

Center Field:
Chris Coghlan
Dewayne Wise

Right Field:
Mike Stanton

Some variables still in play are that Brian Sanches is out of options and would not be likely to clear waivers, so he's a trade option and with more teams making cuts in the coming days, Marlins maybe able to find another 3B option through waivers, trades, or free agent signing.

Marlins 3B Situation Update:Michael Young still a possibility?

Matt Dominguez would need to have a momentous week for the Marlins to consider not demoting him.. I just don't see it happening. He's 2 for his last 30 and is clearly over matched at the plate. His defense has been amazing, like many scouts suspected. Edwin Rodriguez did however mention that he has started pressing on defense now as well.

Marlins options at 3B beyond Dominguez aren't too pretty either. Here are the candidates:
Wes Helms
Gregg Dobbs
Donnie Murphy
Emilio Bonifacio
Omar Infante (Ozzie Martinez to 2nd)
Trade/Cuts?

It would be interesting to give Ozzie or Murphy a shot at starting, but I don't want to see Bonifacio as our starter AT ALL! 

Jayson Stark reported this earlier tonight: 

• The Marlins appear to have concluded that rookie third baseman Matt Dominguez isn't ready, so they're actively exploring outside options. Among names that could fit if they don't make their current clubs: Pedro Feliz (Royals), Felipe Lopez (Rays) and Eric Chavez (Yankees). The just-released Garrett Atkins (Pirates) could be another possibility.
• A bunch of teams (Phillies, Marlins, Cubs, in particular) still appear to be watching the Michael Young developments closely. But none of those teams can take on Young's $16 million a year. And the Rangers have made it clear that if they're going to eat any significant chunk of that money, they still expect a massive return back.
"I like Michael Young," said an official of one team that checked in. "He's got great presence. And he can still hit good pitching. But for what they're asking, you'd think he was King Felix."

Opening Day Lineup Predictions

1.Chris Coghlan CF

2.Omar Infante 2B

3.Hanley Ramirez SS

4.Gaby Sanchez 1B

5.Mike Stanton RF

6.Logan Morrison LF

7.John Buck C

8.Matt Dominguez 3B

9.Josh Johnson

Unfortunately for Marlins fans, Coghlan will most likely be starting the season in CF and Matt Dominguez is going to be rushed to the MLB. I know he's having a really good spring, but my thinking is still that he isn't ready. Mike Stanton was projected as the clean-up hitter, but I don't think he'll be hitting clean-up to begin the season due to the length of time he missed due to his quad injury. John Buck is a good candidate to hit seventh as he provides good pop for that part of the order.

Apologies for taking such a long time to get back to posting. Been really busy with work and school lately. Once the season gets rolling, you can expect daily posts then.

Stanton Injury Update:

Mike Stanton will be out for the next couple of games, if not more for the Florida Marlins. He sustained the injury running out a grounder back to the pitcher. The Florida Marlins will likely be very cautious with Stanton coming back. Gaby Sanchez will be batting cleanup until Stanton is able to comeback.

Stanton Hits Homer and then Injures Himself

Mike Stanton on the first pitch of his first at-bat of Spring Training hit a deep 2-run home run. In his second at-bat, Stanton hit a grounder back to the pitcher and pulled up lame on his way to first. He has since left the game and details of his injury are unknown. Updates will be up when more information is leaked.

Florida Marlins 2011 Starting Rotation Projection

1. Josh Johnson (Ace): 18-7 3.21 ERA 210 IP 6.0 WAR

2. Ricky Nolasco (second ace?):  14-10 3.89 ERA 185 IP 2.9 WAR

3.Javier Vazquez (200 IP):  12-12 4.12 ERA 200 IP 2.0 WAR

4.Anibal Sanchez (breakout candidate): 14-10 3.99 ERA 185 IP 2.8 WAR

5. Chris Volstad (stay in MLB all season?): 10-11 4.25 ERA 175 IP 1.5 WAR

If our starting pitching can deliver this kind of season, the Marlins could be making a very serious playoff push. If not, the team will once again depend on the offense, which will be weaker this go-around.

Hanley Ramirez Maturing?

"I want to know what it feels like,' Ramirez said. "I'm tired of watching it on TV. I want to be in there.'

 This is what Hanley's response was to as if he wanted make the playoffs this season. For the first time, I am sensing a he's starting to take the game seriously and really is aiming for something other then his own personal goals.

"I want to be able to start stealing some bases from the beginning of the season, from opening day so I get in scoring position for those guys hitting behind me. I think that's what good teams do — steal bases,' he said.

A more aggressive Hanley likely equates to a more successful season for the Marlins. That's assuming that Hanley continues stealing bases at his amazing 77% stolen base pace. If he does, a 30-30 season for a more aggressive Ramirez isn't out of the question. Will also open up more RBI opportunities for whom ever bats after Hanley (seems like it will be Stanton). 

  Asked about owner Jeffrey Loria challenging him to win an MVP award, Ramirez said: "I like the challenge that I've got to take the team to the playoffs. That's my goal. I'm going to put them on my back and go all the way to the end.'

I really hope he's serious this season. While I don't think he'll ever be at the Tulowitzski level of defense, I think he can play a capable defense out there as well. He'll put up amazing offensive stats as well, but if they're below Hanley's standards and he plays horrendous defense like he did this past season, look for the Marlins to possibly look into a position switch. Hanley may be a lot more well suited for center field.

Florida Marlins 2011 Lineups Projection

 Sorry for the delay, will be starting my season preview today and will continue this entire week on it. Today we will start out on the Marlins projected 2011 opening day lineup and some projections for the starting 8.

1.Chris Coghlan AVG:.285 OBP:.355 WAR:2.1

2.Omar Infante  AVG:.290 OBP:.340  WAR:2.5

3.Hanley Ramirez  AVG:.321 OBP:.410 WAR:6.5

4.Mike Stanton    AVG: .260 OBP:.325 WAR:2.8

5.Logan Morrison AVG:.279 OBP:.370 WAR:2.2

6.Gaby Sanchez  AVG:.272  OBP:.344  WAR:2.0

7.John Buck        AVG:.240 OBP:310   WAR:1.9

8.Matt Dominguez  AVG:221 OBP:.300 WAR:1.2

15 Questions Surrounding the 2011 Marlins.

Can Javier Vazquez get back to his 2009 form?

-I don't believe that he will return to his 09 form, but he may come pretty damn close and either way his IP total and leadership will definitely help the Marlins young staff.

Can Matt Dominguez handle MLB pitching?

-I very seriously doubt it. I'm hoping that he can at least provide the Marlins with a .250AVG with 15 homers, but that seems like a reach.Can Chris Volstad stay in the MLB all year?

-I think Volstad's 2nd half was a sign that Volstad has found what made him successful in his rookie campaign and I think he'll build on that and be a very solid pitcher for the Fish this upcoming season and for many ahead.

Can JJ, Nolasco, and Anibal stay healthy all season?

-Not too worried about JJ and Nolasco staying healthy, bets are off on Sanchez though. He was healthy all last season. Marlins though have built enough depth that losing one of these pitchers for a start or two wouldn't be the end of the world.Can Coghlan handle center?

-Very highly doubt this. I, like many Marlins fans are against this idea. I do however hope it works out. But my estimation is that the Marlins back off of the idea when Coghlan re aggravates his knee injury.

Is Infante going to come even close enough to replace Uggla's production at second?

-He won't replace the power or the OBP, but if he can field average, thats all the Marlins can ask for. Defense is key for Infante.Can LoMo, Gaby, and Stanton avoid sophomore slumps?

-LoMo and Gaby IMO are professional enough hitters that they avoid a major sophomore slump. Stanton, however I am worried about. I expect his K's to continue to be troublesome, but he will still have his share of homers.Is the Marlins rebuild bullpen really that reliable?

-Bullpen success is a crapshoot IMO. But the Marlins have added some guys with more experience, so that is a plus.Whose the closer and can we cut down on 9th inning blow ups?

-Leo Nunez was very unlucky last season and I think he'll bounce back and have a very strong season.Can Hanley return to his MVP form?

-This is the key to the Marlins season. IMO, Hanley will have his best season and even win a GG.

Is Chris Coghlan the ROY showing up or will he be like Hermida, a one-half wonder?

-Chris Coghlan is NOT Jeremy Hermida. Coghlan rebounded very well from his April slump last season and at the rate he was going, he was likely going to be hitting around .300 at the seasons end if it weren't for his injury.
Whose going to protect Hanley or will he be pitched around?

-This will be up to Stanton, Morrison, and Sanchez. None of these guys are Dan Uggla, who had been Hanley's protection in the past. But these guys are MLB hitters and can hit the ball like crazy. Morrison and Sanchez won't strike out a ton, so this will also open up more running opportunities for Hanley on the base-pads.

Was Buck's last season a fluke or can he repeat that success?

-This will remain to be seen, but Buck never played as much as he did last season. Also, the Marlins have another guy in John Baker who can handle catching everyday if needed. But he won't be ready to catch till May.
Has the defense really improved? 

-Replacing Uggla with Infante does that. If Matt Dominguez makes the team, 3B is finally stabilized. I have already stated I expect a strong season from Hanley defensively. The outfield however is a mess. While Stanton in RF could be a potential GG'er. We have two guys in LF and CF respectively that don't have much OF experience period.
What's the bench production going to be like?

-Helms, Bonifacio, Baker, Murphy, and Hayes is my guess for who'll be on the bench for the Fish to begin the season. The Marlins will need these guys to come up clutch in late game pinch hitting appearances as well as be ready to give the Marlins spot starts at least 1-2 games a week. Versatility will also play a key role. 

Can Hanley win GG in 2011?

Hanley in 2008 and 2009 was about an average fielder. He has already started working out on his defense one month before he's to report to camp. He will also be working with infielder coach guru Perry Hill. Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez has also been raving about Hanley's new work ethic.

We all know that Hanley has the athletic ability to field short and Hill has stressed that he's going to work on Hanley's positioning pre-pitch. Watching a lot of Marlins games, positioning was what hurt the Marlins IMO when it came to fielding.

This all leads me to believe that Hanley can and will win a GG in the upcoming season. Will he be the best fielder at SS? Not a shot in hell, but he will be about average to above average.

This is just my take.

Ozzie out?

If Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria still wants a high-profile manager when the team’s new ballpark opens in 2012, it doesn’t look like Ozzie Guillen will be the guy. The White Sox picked up Guillen’s option for 2012, making it far more likely than ever that he’ll be keeping his managing talents on the South Side instead of taking them to South Beach. Of course, Guillen could still come to Miami. He could get fired, although thats doubtful. Loria, who asked the White Sox for permission to interview Guillen last year, will surely still keep his eye on Ozzie this season. Interesting to see if Bobby Valentine’s name surfaces again. But the bottom line now is that the Marlins owe it to manager Edwin Rodriguez to throw their full support behind him this season and not flirt with anyone else until October. If the Marlins finish with a winning record in 2011, Loria would be hard-pressed not to bring Edwin back in 2012. Then again, the owner nearly fired Fredi Gonzalez after the team finished the 2009 season with the third-best record in franchise history. Stay tuned…

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/marli...iguez-in-2012/

I don't think the Marlins FO has put Edwin in the best position to win though. Matt Dominguez should begin the season in the minors and Coghlan should be playing 2nd base. I also believe the Marlins are a bat short of contending.

I will post later on (probably tomorrow in detail about my Marlins projections for next season)

Marlins Outfield Situation

The Marlins outfield right now the way it lines up, they have 2 guys who before making the MLB, barley had played in the outfield. And now the team is trying to move Chris Coghlan, a player coming off of a knee injury, who also is a below average left fielder to center. Center field its self is a very tough and demanding position, but its especially in a stadium like the Marlins. The Bermuda triangle, the dimensions, the fact the stadium is so huge all go against an inexperienced outfielder trying to play center.

Then in left field the Marlins have Logan Morrison, who is a converted first baseman. Morrison is still learning left field and is a below average defender out there. Last season, he ran into the Marlins center fielders quite often. He's a pretty big player and him running into Coghlan could be very dangerous for the Marlins.

In right field, the Marlins have a primer defender who has already made a name for himself with his defense. His name is Mike Stanton. Stanton's the only reliable guy for the Marlins playing defense in the outfield. He made 10 assists in just 98 games in the majors.

Heres where my suggestion to the Marlins FO comes. Mike Stanton in his minor league career has also racked up time in CF. Something that Coghlan and Morrison can't say that have experience of. Stanton was actually a really good defender out in center in fact. In 46 games in center, Stanton has RF/G of 2.52 (actually higher then what his numbers in right. And his RTZ is pretty good as well. Stanton also has the speed to play center. Mike Stanton could make the perfect center fielder for the Marlins.

Chris Coghlan would then shift over to right field for Stanton. IMO, Coghlan could handle right field. He'd be much better suited there then in center. This would also keep the two inexperienced outfielders on the opposite sides of each other so there would be no collision issues. 

Everyone keeps looking outside of the organization for what the Marlins should do for their CF position. I think the answer could be found within the organization. And it could be the best choice for the Fish.