The problem is that every single time the starting pitching gets on a roll the offense dies, and when the offense is on we're losing 6-4 and stuff. Anyway next post is going to be a long-ish second half preview. Come one guys lets look alive I cant be the ONLY Marlins fan on this site anymore.
Okay so what can we expect in the second half of the year? We start off with the rotation, good and bad up and down all year so far. We have Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco as an extremely solid 1-2 punch the rest of the year. What we really need is for our 3-5 starters to step up and pitch the way they can. Volstad needs to keep the ball low in the zone and stop allowing so many home runs. We play in a pitchers park and he has no excuse for allowing so many homers. I often wonder if its just a lack of concentration. Andrew Miller needs to continue improving his game and put his last start behind him. I'm really confident in his future but I really hope he can start becoming the pitcher I know he can be sooner rather than later. As for our 5th starter who is it? Is West coming back? Are we signing someone? I'm a bit confused here. As for the lineup I'll do a little bit more individual player evaluation. Emilio Bonifacio: We all know he has hurt us a lot at times this season, but I really do believe in his potential. He has great range at third but he rushes his throws and hurts us with the boneheaded play. With the bat he needs to keep up his swing, early in the year it was more of an uppercut but now he's leveled it out some and we are seeing the results. I'd like to see him read pitchers a little bit better on the basepaths and get better jumps, but that will come in time I think. He is someone that can kill us or spark us any day. Chris Coghlan: I like what I've seen in stretches from him. He's young and just needs to be more consistant at times. He has a great eye for the strike zone and is a smart player. He doesnt have the bat of a prototypical corner outfielder but he's being blocked at second base by Uggla at the moment. I'm not worried about him hurting us the rest of the way, he should actually only get better. Hanley Ramirez: Keep it up buddy. Jorge Cantu: He's been consistant hit wise but the power has come and gone. When you're #4 hitter becomes a singles guy you have issues. His power has come back a little as of late but it needs to continue. We need him to hit like he is capable of in the second half to have ANY chance. Dan Uggla: He really needs to raise his average. Sure his on base percentage is good enough, but you cant drive in a runner on a walk. If he could just hit .270 I cant describe how huge that would be for our offense. Jeremy Hermida: Its really make or break time. He's hitting right handed pitchers well, but thats not enough considering his paycheck and talent level. I'm a huge supporter but he needs to turn it around soon. If he could have a good second half it would be HUGE for us. Cody Ross: Keep it up buddy, huge surprise and no real complaints. John Baker/Ronnie Paulino - I dont care if you wont hit but guys PLEASE learn to throw a runner out on occasion. It cant ALWAYS be the pitchers fault. As for the bench I like the makeup with Gload and Helms, they shouldnt hinder us at all. The bullpen should be stronger than ever with the new signings and Calero coming back. We're 4 games back and start a 4 game series tonight, I'd love to see us take 3 of thise games but obviously I'd settle for even a split.
Well I kind of expected to lose that game anyway I'm just glad Cantu got that hit, that would have been EMBARASSING to start the second half by getting no-hit.
Can we please fire our hitting coach? He actually tells our players that they shouldnt change their mindset or approach vs certain pitchers. HE'S AN IDIOT. We wonder why Hermida is underachieving, he's probably listening to our damn staff.
As of this post we are 2.0 games out of the wildcard, and if you take out that TERRIBLE series against the Phils we're 6-1 since the break. The front office needs to bring in a consistant bat, because we have playoff potential.
Which means we have a great chance of winning this series. I have faith in Vandenhurk too. A lot of people don't understand the potential he really has to be a top of the rotation guy, but he also has a lot of bust potential. He just has a GREAT arm but he needs to gain consistant control.
JJ got it done with the bat as well. The next team ahead of us in the WC chase is the Cubs. We sit one game back of them right now, our next series? Three games against the Cubs.
We traded Ugeth Urbina for Adrian so it would be great to get him back. I remember Beinfest saying recently that the organization never imagined that Gonzalez would have that power. Still, it was a good trade. Heath Bell makes sense since they really have no "true" closer. I think Halladay is like our interest in Manny was last year. Hopeful, but will fizzle at the end. My hope is that they get Adrian back into the fold. He would be a great addition and a legitimate 4th batter that can protect Hanley. Cantu 5th, Uggla 6th and Hermida 7th would be a nice line up. Unless, it means parting with Uggla and that is all good to me too.
yeah i saw that in the herald too. to be honest, i'm not that excited about bringing hammer back if that happened. it probably goes without saying, but if we get anybody good for hermida or uggla i'd be absolutely thrilled.
Can't see how anyone wouldn't want the Hammer back. He's sporting .410/.586/996 line (which would be first on our team.) It would but I think something like this would get it done: Center-Piece: Either Stanton or Morrison or Two of Maybin/West/Dominguez Add-On: One of Coghlan/Miller/RVH or Two of Tucker/Sinkbeil/Cousins/Petersen/Winters/Kaminska etc etc
I've just had my fix of him, that's all. it's kind of a been there done that move if you ask me. i'd get more excited about newer blood.
i don't know, but i've had my fill of that guy. a fifth starter would be nice, unless beinfest believes west is getting back on track.
Well he's having a better season swinging the bat than Hanley is. It'd be nice to go with Josh in left, Cogs at 3rd, and Bonifacio into the utility role. He'd be much cheaper to acquire than Adrian Gonzalez and is having a better season (.929 OPS vs. .996)
And I agree that a 5th starter is important. West is not ML-ready and Andrew rolled his ankle today. We absolutely need RVH to keep throwing well, or we're screwed. Not a whole lot of depth in the higher MILB levels to choose from.
did this happen...saw where it may not have.....if it didnt dont feel so bad! Best line was about the Rays GM "Friedman has traded putting his hands in his front pockets to putting them in his back pockets."...hahahaha
It's a lock and the Marlins boned the nationals. all they traded was Aaron Thompson and the nationals have to PAY Johnsons contract for this year. a giveaway. Aaron Thompson is a gonna be...but never has and probably never will be pitching prospect. Two years ago I would have never traded him. Now..Nick Johnson has to shave his hitler mustache.
Aaron Thompson will be a decent swing man in the bigs but losing him wont hurt the fish much. Johnson will slide Cantu to 3rd, Bonifacio to the bench, and will be the perfect two hole hitter to hit in front of Hanley. Perfect low cost move.
hell yes.....low k's high walks......290 avg.....get boner on the bench......cantu back to 3rd, johnson at 1st.....i love this move!!!!
We will not be giving Stanton up at any point. He's projected to be a 30 HR a year hitter at WORST, and the #2 prospect in baseball according to some people. Also theres no way we would have given up two of Maybin/West/Dominguez either, thats why we back off the star players because teams wanted those guys. All that said I'm extremely happy with NJ coming to our team and a win tonight. We improved this year without sacraficing the future.
I'm not saying that we would have or even should have make that deal. I'm just saying if we wanted to get it done, that would do it. And I promise I know what Stanton is capable of but he's far from a sure thing. That was my point. The balance and argument of perspective talent vs actual production.
I get what you're saying now. I personally would NOT trade Stanton under any circumstances unless the guy I'm getting back is named Pujols. So I kind of went OMG NOOOO when I saw his name there I'd hit him in the #3 hole in front of Hanley (who I can only assume will still be here) where he should see plenty of nice fat pitches to hit. Of course this is next season at the very earliest so I have no idea why I even said this....moving on. Like I said though I really like bringing in NJ. I'm not a Bonifacio hater....he has nice range at third, a strong arm and a lot of tools you look for. He just isnt quite there yet, and we just took a huge leap forwards.
He probably will, it's just my personal idea on how to set up a batting order. Stanton isn't really going to be a high average guy, and I think good hitters who don't hit for too much average do better in front of other great hitters because they see more pitches. I think where Uggla is batting this year has a lot to do with his lower than usual average.
I'm not mad at Jeremy Hermida for not coming through there, it never should have gotten that far. Dan Uggla is an automatic out unless we are up 6-0 and then he will hit a meaningless home run. His AB was DISGUSTING. The bat never even left his shoulders. If we dont score in the 9th I'll be upset because the Cubs HANDED this one to us. Oh geez. Way to go Cantu, making Bonifacio look like a gold glover the way he is playing.
HAVE YOURSELF A MOTHER ****ING NIGHT BONIFACIO!!!!!!! Holy crap! Wow Boni played with a chip on his shoulder tonight! Love the fire, tied game! And now I have to cry because we give up the lead....crap.
Great game today and a very important win. PS: I hope everyone in here recently keeps posting. I get lonely in here
