For a team full of young players in their early twenties, and barely any MLB experience, the Marlins from last year still managed to have a good season and had a good look at the future. Two players that have already emerged for the Marlins are Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez.
Both players have had great numbers the past two seasons, and for them they can only go up from here.
With Uggla, he made his first career All-Star appearance, and ended the season hitting 32 homeruns and 92 RBI. That was an improvement from his 2006 (27 HR) and 2007 (31 HR) numbers. You could sure bet on him for a repeat season, and most definitely add him to your fantasy teams.
Hanley Ramirez is one heck of a player and has also improved his numbers in each of the three years he has been with the Marlins. Last year he hit 33 homeruns, compared to seventeen in 2006 and twenty-nine in 2007.
With Uggla and Ramirez in the lineup, they present an explosive duo and can do damage in a hurry. A lot of the games won by the Marlins last year were by how much those two players did. They will once again be expected to shoulder the entire offensive load, because this Marlins team won’t be expected to do much. If Uggla and Ramirez don’t live up to their standards or have an off year, then the whole Marlins team will suffer.
Besides Uggla and Ramirez, the Marlins don’t have anyone else in the lineup they can turn to for a big hit in a game, or expect them to have a big season. In this economic climate, the Marlins will struggle even more because they barely have a fane base, and play in front of sparse crowds in Miami. With that, there is no way the Marlins can build their team around their two young batters Uggla and Ramirez, because they cannot afford anyone.
The Marlins can only hope that Uggla and Ramirez stick around in Florida, but the chances of that happening are slim to none, and those two will bolt for free agency when the opportunity arises.
If the Marlins can some how pull off a miracle season, such as the 1997 and 2003 seasons when they won the World Series, then maybe Uggla and Ramirez will hang around for longer. Remember; in those two seasons no one picked the Marlins to even make the playoffs, because their roster was full of inexperienced players and youth. There is no way the Marlins are making the playoffs this year, you can count on that.
Their batting and pitching are very weak as they are full of plenty of first year players, and virtually, no name players.
Just look at the batting order starting from the catcher’s position. Of the three catchers’ currently on the roster, Mike Rabelo leads with 86 games played over three years. Second best is Jon Baker with 61 games played in one year, and Brett Hayes is a rookie, and he’ll probably get into about 50-60 games this year. Experience in the big leagues is lacking there, and the Marlins will have trouble with offense from the catcher’s spot.
The infield is okay for the Marlins with Jorge Cantu who has experience at third base, Dan Uggla at second and Hanley Ramirez at short. As for the first basemen slot, that is wide open to an array of rookies and sophomores.
In the outfield, there is only one rookie, and the latter is rounded out by sophomores who haven’t yet played one hundred games in their careers, and have two players with five or more years in the MLB, in Alfredo Amezega and Cody Ross.
That right there isn’t the most potent offense in the Major’s and the Marlins will struggle mightily.
The same goes for their pitching, the Marlins again lack in experience.
The only pitcher on the Marlins who is at least known around the Major’s is Anibal Sanchez because of the no hitter he threw last season, and that was the only bright spot for the Marlins.
What the Marlins do have going for them is that the pitching staff and pretty much the whole team is full of young players. Sure it will be distracting for the players to keep their mind on baseball all the time since they will be living on the beaches of Miami. At the same time the team will be loose and never tense, and just want to go out there and play baseball, win or lose.
POSITIVE --> VERY YOUNG TEAM AND MANAGEMENT COULD USE THE SEASON TO SEE WHO WILL BE PART OF THE FUTURE AND WHO CAN BE TRADED FOR IMPORTANT PIECES.
NEGATIVE --> VERY YOUNG TEAM AND THAT IS GOING TO KILL THEM IN THE WIN/LOSS COLUMN.
X-FACTOR --> IT HAS TO BE DAN UGGLA AND HANLEY RAMIREZ, BECAUSE WINNING GAMES OR KEEPING THEM CLOSE WILL DEPEND ON THESE TWO AND THEIR OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION.
SLEEPER PICK --> CAMERON MAYBIN WILL BE GIVEN ALL THE CHANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVE HE IS A YOUNG UP AND COMING PLAYER.
PREDICTION --> DON’T SEE THIS TEAM FINISHING ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED, AND WILL PROBABLY FINISH IN FOURTH OR LAST PLACE IN THE DIVISION WITH 75-85 VICTORIES.
The opinions and thoughts expressed in this or any other article written by 12nadnuk are of his thinking and what he thinks is correct or close to it in the sporting world. If there are any problems by anyone, 12nadnuk is open for rebuttal and what not, and honest criticism. There is also a comments section, so feel free to post what is on your mind about the article. Thank you for reading.
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