Image of Reyes taken from Google Images

It makes some sort of ironic sense that the biggest splash of baseball’s offseason signing season so far is made by the Fish. The newly crowned Miami Marlins made a big move in reshaping the image of their franchise by stepping up to the plate and landing shortstop Jose Reyes on Sunday night. The Marlins have been no stranger to the headlines this offseason, as they are in the process of reshaping everything from the structure to the look of their club this offseason.

The deal they struck with the National League’s 2011 batting champion was a major statement in a variety of ways. It showed that the annually frugal Marlins are serious about erasing their image as a cost hindered, bottom feeder in a big money NL East. It also shows that no contemporary in place will get in the way of their efforts to rebuild this team, as Reyes bumps their land standing franchise player, Hanley Ramirez, to third base. Finally, it’s the type of power move that shows that the idea of them being full of talk, but not high on action, in their all-inclusive pursuit of nearly every premier name on the market, is indeed legit.

However, there is a second level to this method that has to be observed as well. While Miami’s management has been aggressive in restricting the team and point it in a clear direction to become a competitor, the road to the quick fix could lead for some long-term woes as well, especially in the case of Reyes. For as dynamic as he was this past summer (.337 average, 16 triples, 39 steals), the dark side of the moon that’s followed him for years was still there. He missed time with yet another leg injury, the same issues that have kept him from reaching the 135 game mark since 2008. That’s over a month lost in the best case scenario each year. Not exactly the type of benchmark that you want leading a franchise revival. For a player who’s biggest gift is speed, repeated leg injuries, with also becoming a factor during the course of this deal, there’s a lot of people that say that revisionist history may be set in Miami before October greatness is reached.

This episode has played out many times before. The Chicago Cubs and the boulder that is Alfonso Soriano is a booming example. In the midst of trying to buy their way into a big run into October, the Cubs threw around all sorts of money in a major “win now” scenario, and capped it off with a $136 million pact over eight years with Soriano. But he sunk like a stone, yet still tops the Cubs payroll years after his time as an impact player ended.

There are a ton more cases like this (Adam Dunn, Jayson Werth and Vernon Wells) that show that dropping big checks for big names isn’t always the smart path to becoming relevant. Reyes’ upside is clear; he’s easily one of the top three shortstops in the game…now. But a six year investment goes a lot further than the now and for a team that is looking to become a perennial contender, living in the now could come back to haunt them much later if some strategy isn’t shown in their push to see their name in bright lights on the Major’s marquee.

With 72 losses already, their ace out for the season (Josh Johnson=Gimpy?), and their best hitter taking it easy (Hanley Ramirez Exposed!!, more on that next time), the Marlins have nothing to lose. But we can all see that Ole Man McKeon is playing every game like it’s his last (which each game very well might be, bless his leathery soul) and he doesn’t care about the Marlins future, just wins for his smokey gravestone.

I miss the Marlins of the late 1990′s and early 00′s, years when we entered spring training hoping to win 80 games, and we knew the team was just going to trot out possible talent and hope they’d grow into superstars, with no expectations of playoffs, wins or respectability. These days, probably due to the new stadium, it seems we are trotting out has-beens with no future and no chance at winning in order to stay “respectable”, which leaves me with nothing to root for (or watch).

Marlins fans are a funny breed. For years our team has conditioned us to live our lives with an “All or None” attitude, either win it all, or save our strength and plan for next chance. But the past few seasons brought Marlins fans into September with possibilities they weren’t regularly used to, and maybe made us a little more like Yankee fans and a little less like Cubs Fans. But the Yankee fan’s life is just full of disappointment, and I don’t like what I’m becoming. Deep down, I miss those old bottom of the market Marlins, and watching a team grow before my eyes as different pieces matured and came into place. I loved it when friends laughed at our chances and I laughed at their bloated payrolls + aging lineups = long term ineptitude (U know who u are).

It could be we are seeing it today, with Stanton, JoJo, LoMo, Gaby and H2R, but it just doesn’t feel the same. It feels like we hit our apex last year, and the dismantling is coming. Maybe that is just injuries, bad luck, or an older me. But it doesn’t hurt to remember those low payroll years, and hope that the team is planning on building on our core with new young talent, instead of trying to get by with our current middle of the pack team. Just because we can’t pay $20+ million (per season) for a Prince Fielder doesn’t mean we should pay $18 million for a John Buck (for three seasons, but u get the point). Let’s invest in some more youth, and use our new stadium money to keep our young talent. Let’s lose 100 this year, so that we can make better decisions on our young question marks, and move forward more confidently next year. Let’s figure out next year’s options for CF and 3B now.

On that note, I shall rant.

I wish they would stop wasting games with Mike Cameron in centerfield when Bryan Petersen should be playing center-field everyday. Remember that Traitor Jack (can’t help it; I love the guy, but his nickname is too easy) told the Condor on July 2nd, “You’re not going to impress me if you go 5-for-5 or if you 0-for-5. I just want you to relax, have fun and do whatever it takes to help us win a game.” That is exactly what the good ‘ole Marlins would tell a youngold prospect when he came up, especially when they were 16 games back. But four days later we picked up Jack’s old buddy Mike Cameron (who according to Clark Spencer we aren’t paying for, thank G-d), and “McKeon said that he envisions Cameron as a starter and letting all of his outfielders “get plenty of work” once the former All-Star shakes off some of the rust.” Petey had gone 6 for 19 (with no walks and average defense) in his starting role, but the experiment is over, apparently because the Marlins need to win games (and hurt their future) this year to get people to come to the new stadium next year, and starting a battered 38 year-old center-fileder who has so far (in 2011) contributed a negative amount of Wins Above Replacement is the best way to win (just ask the Knee Jerk Debtropolit … oh wait, they just have a young guy who plays like he’s senile, and has stomach issues).

Why should all of the outfielders “get plenty of work” when we have one spot (CF) to fill between one prospect and two journeyman (Cameron and Dewayne Wise)? While Wise and Cameron are still very good defenders (both better than Petersen right now based on dWAR), and Cameron has had a few clutch hits, in a lost season the team should not be taking PAs from someone like Petey.

Same thing goes for shortstop / second baseman Ozzie Martinez, who has still never been given a steady starting shot. When HanRam went down, why would the front office put Bonifacio at SS (his worst defensive position) and journeyman/lifetime pinch hitter Greg Dobbs as our starting third baseman? If I wanted to manage this team with an eye towards the future, and not just toward selling seats next year, I would have Bonifacio play 3rd until Matt Dominguez (btw, don’t want to jinx anything, but he is on a mini-tear since he came back from injury) is brought up and let Ozzie play short until Hanley comes back (here’s hoping it’s Wednesday).  Not only would we find out what we have with Ozzie (whether as trade bait for an extra arm a la Robert Andino, a possible second baseman if the Marlins don’t resign/overpay Omar Infante, or a potential fix for when Hanley moves to 3rd/outfield), but Boni has more experience at 3rd and can showcase his sometimes inaccurate strong arm.

What I’m saying is, let’s bring back the Glory Days of Marlins Baseball, and set ourselves up to be a Pudge and a (homicidal) Ugi from another championship that only Marlins fans saw coming, ever so slowly…

The consensus No. 2 pick before the season started, Hanley Ramirez has done little to justify his draft position. Through 181 at-bats this season, Ramirez is flirting with the Mendoza Line (.210) and sports a Jason Bartlett-like OPS (.618).

To make matters worse, Ramirez was removed from Sunday’s game after the first inning with lower back stiffness. He recently missed a few games due to a foot injury, but his woes go far beyond this.

Ramirez’s BABIP is .238—more than 100 points lower than his career .340 clip. A closer look, however, suggests poor luck isn’t the only culprit of his lackluster production.

Ramirez’s ground-ball rate is 55.5 percent, ninth-highest in the majors and completely out of whack when compared to his career mark of 43.3 percent. Likewise, his fly-ball rate has suffered (30.1 percent vs. 37.4 percent career). This explains the power outage: You can’t hit home runs without hitting fly balls, and only nine percent of his fly balls are leaving the yard (career 13.2 percent).

While the season line (four HRs, 17 RBI, .210 BA) could easily be mistaken for that of Yuniesky Betancourt, Ramirez’s May totals offer hope.

• April: Nine runs, 0 HRs, nine RBI, three steals, .200 BA
• May: 21 runs, four HRs, eight RBI, eight steals, .219 BA

If we take his April/May splits a step further, there’s even more reason to be encouraged:

• April: 12.9 LD%, 60.0 GB%, 27.1 FB%, 0 HR/FB%, .059 ISO
• May: 15.8 LD%, 51.3 GB%, 32.9 FB%, 16.0 HR/FB%, .137 ISO

Admittedly, his May totals are not spectacular, but they are a step in the right direction. If it’s any consolation, Ramirez’s bat has historically heated up in the summer months, and that includes hitting more home runs and less ground balls:

Career GB Rate and AB/HR by Month:

• March/April: 51.9 GB%, 29.7 AB/HR
• May: 46.2 GB%, 30.9 AB/HR
• June: 44.8 GB%, 22.1 AB/HR
• July: 44.2 GB%, 22.8 AB/HR
• August: 39.9 GB%, 25.4 AB/HR
• September/October: 37.9 GB%, 19.6 AB/HR

While Ramirez has never endured a two month slump quite like the one he’s stuck in right now, there are a few reasons to believe he can salvage his 2011 campaign. On pace for 89 runs, 12 HRs, 51 RBI and 33 steals, one good month, a level stroke and a normalized BABIP could put the 27-year-old back on track for a 20-HR, 30-steal, .275 season.

Assuming his back injury isn’t an issue moving forward, Ramirez’s value won’t get much lower anytime soon. Seek out his frustrated owner and swing a deal at a discounted price. If you own the Marlins’ shortstop, hold your ground. No manager is likely to pay for his true worth based on his production through the first two months.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: FANTASY BASEBALL INSIDERS

Follow Fantasy Baseball Insiders on Facebook and Twitter

2011 Rankings: C / 1B / 2B / 3B / SS / OF / SP / Top 100 / All-Breakout Team

Buy or Sell?: Aramis Ramirez / Chris Coghlan / Starlin Castro / Chris Narveson

Insiders’ Inbox: Memorial Day Spot Starters

Top Rookies: Jerry Sands / Michael Pineda / Zach Britton / Brandon Belt / Mike Minor

Keeper Conundrum: Brett Anderson or Trevor Cahill? / Bryce Harper or Mike Trout?

Photo by Icon SMI

The most ominous reminder is right along the rafters of Sun Life Stadium.

Decorating the ballpark are tributes to countless athletes who’ve graced Miami with their greatness.  There’s Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Paul Warfield, Dwight Stephenson, and on and on.  They all have one thing in common.

Not a single one of them played for the Florida Marlins.

On my first visit, I was upset over what I perceived as mistreatment of their baseball tenants.  Not only was the venue (at the time) called Dolphin Stadium, but even in the middle of baseball season there was nothing for the eye to explore except the names of old football players.  To add insult to injury, I could make out hash marks on the field.  I was half-expecting to find the goal posts still up.

I said to myself, “Why don’t these clowns put up any of the Marlins legends!  You know, like… ”

And that’s when it dawned on me.  Even though the Florida Marlins have two World Series titles (1997 and 2003), they still don’t have a franchise player.

I thought about players like third baseman Gary Sheffield and righthanded pitcher Kevin Brown.  They were heroes of the 1997 team, but their Marlins days were just a blip in their careers and they were gone within a year of the crowning.  Catcher Ivan Rodriguez was the heart and soul of the 2003 team, yet it was his only season wearing teal.  Josh Beckett was the homegrown pitching hero that year and he was traded two seasons later (for a certain shortstop).

Charles Johnson and Jeff Conine spent the most time in Miami and are probably the only ones who’d identify themselves as Marlins above any other team.  Both were dealt shortly after the 1997 World Series only to return to Miami where Jeff Conine received another ring with the 2003 Champs.  Johnson and Conine were both very good ballplayers, each two-time all-stars, and probably the best candidates to have their numbers retired and displayed on the rafters.

But their longevity, numbers, and names don’t jump out the way a Stan Musial does in St. Louis or an Al Kaline in Detroit.  They’re more like their respective Cardinals and TIgers teammates, third baseman Whitey Kurowski and centerfielder Jim Northrup; important contributors but not quite franchise icons.

Because of a perpetually fluctuating roster and bottom-feeding payroll, the Marlins have never developed an identity and this for me is a major reason they’ve yet to maintain a considerable fan following in south Florida.

That’s where Hanley Ramirez comes in.

THE HOPE OF HANLEY

The Marlins stepped up and signed both their superstar shortstop and their ace pitcher to long-term contracts in the last year.  While righty Josh Johnson is signed through 2013, Ramirez’s deal goes another year to 2014.

With a retractable domed stadium opening up in Miami for the 2012 season, the Marlins anticipate an increase in revenue which fans dearly hope will be invested back into the roster.  Major League Baseball has publically taken the Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to task about hording their revenue gains.  The signings of both Ramirez and Johnson are, if nothing else, a bold statement to their fans that the Marlins are serious about winning in the future.

As good as Josh Johnson is, a perennial Cy Young Award candidate, it is the everyday player who carries the franchise on his shoulder.  Johnson can perform wonders every fifth day, but it’s Hanley Ramirez who can do something to affect the outcome of every single game.

Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are awful good in St. Louis, but it’s Albert Pujols’s team.  Johan Santana was outstanding in Minnesota, but the Twins dealt him and gave the money to catcher Joe Mauer.  The New York Yankees have had a parade of standout pitchers over the years, but it’s the shortstop Derek Jeter who became the unquestioned leader.

I see it as the same in south Florida.  For me, the fate of this franchise rests on Hanley Ramirez.  If the Marlins are to became a stable franchise, win another championship, and gain a foothold of support among local sports fans, it will be because of Hanley Ramirez.

Photo by Icon SMI

There’s no questioning Ramirez’s five-tool talent, he is perhaps the most athletically gifted player in the major leagues right now.  He’s put together four very strong seasons for the Marlins culminating with the 2009 batting crown.  Ramirez hit 24 home runs, 106 RBIs, and stole 27 bases to go with his league-leading .342 average.  He has the ultra-quick feet and powerful arm to make the most difficult plays at shortstop and he’s even cut his errors from 26 to 24 to 22 to 10.  To watch a 6’3” man perform acrobatics is plenty impressive, but now that he’s also making the routine plays, it’s downright scary.   While I think highly of Jimmy Rollins, who’s won the National League shortstop gold glove the last three years, I believe the N.L. coaches will be forced to consider Hanley for the award in 2010.

In terms of pure talent, pure athletic talent, I’d put Ramirez just a hair below Alex Rodriguez among major league shortstops over the last 30 years I’ve watched baseball.  I’d put him just over multi-dimensional greats like Robin Yount and Barry Larkin and believe he’s capable of enjoying every bit the careers they had.  At age 27, there’s plenty more to come if he wants it.

IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST TALENT AND NUMBERS TO BE A FRANCHISE PLAYER

I praise Hanley Ramirez as a player now but I was probably his harshest critic just three years ago when I scouted him on my pro coverage for the St. Louis Cardinals.

While I thought the same of his abilities then as now and his numbers were indisputable, Ramirez struck me as a “rotisserie player” when I watched him on a daily basis.  I use that term to describe players who are not as good as their stats indicate because they make better fantasy league players than they do flesh-and-blood ballplayers.

I believed that simply because Ramirez choked up in pressure situations.  I have no statistic to give you, only that when a key double play needed to be turned, or he needed to put the bat on the ball to get in the go-ahead run from third, Ramirez was a different ballplayer, noticeably uncomfortable and unable to deliver.  I questioned his teamwork because he wouldn’t adjust his swing to the situation.  The annual 20+ errors always came in the worst situations.

They’re the kinds of things you don’t notice unless you watch the team everyday.  Having seen Hanley struggle in those situations during the regular season, I’d feared that he would not be an impact player in the playoffs.  I just didn’t see that Reggie Jackson/Kirk Gibson killer mentality to thrive under the hottest spotlight, I didn’t see a franchise player in the truest sense.

I still have my share of doubts in that direction, but I will say Ramirez has improved in the last year.  I see a team player today, and a more confident player in the clutch.  The defensive improvement is particularly commendable.

So the question remains, can Hanley Ramirez lead the Marlins to another World Series?  Is he that kind of player?

A great player not only puts up great numbers, but he makes his teammates better and wins championships.  For some reason, you hear that more in other professional sports leagues, like the NBA where Bill Russell’s and Michael Jordan’s worth are measured in rings, not statistics.   I believe it should be the same the same in baseball.  It’s more of an individual sport in many aspects, but it’s still important for the baseball superstar to have leadership qualities in the clubhouse and the ability to make his teammates better on the field.

I’m not around the clubhouse to say if Ramirez is like that, or if he’s capable of such a presence, but that’s what it’s going to take for it all to come together in every way for the Florida Marlins franchise.

WHEN WILL HANLEY BE APPRECIATED?

For Hanley Ramirez to reach the local pantheon of Dan Marino and Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, it’s going to take more than just putting up great numbers.

In terms of talent and ability, Hanley Ramirez may very well be the baseball equivalent of Wade and Marino.  It’s no stretch at all, though you would never guess it by his lack of media attention.  Hanley doesn’t do T-Mobile commercials with Charles Barkley or movies with Jim Carrey.

However the national baseball audience did show some level of appreciation last summer.  Ramirez decisively defeated Jimmy Rollins in the National League All-Star shortstop vote, 3.2 Million to 2.2 Million, despite the much bigger crowds drawn by the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

The advent of internet voting has a leveling effect, but players of teams who draw well at home will always have an advantage.  The fact that Ramirez got so much of the national vote is an indication that true baseball fans know all about him even though the local and casual sports fan is less aware.

Though Hanley Ramirez is much less recognizable on the local sports scene than Dwyane Wade, he has the potential to become much more.  His Dominican, Spanish-speaking upbringing should have made him even more of a smash hit in Miami, where the populace is largely Cuban and Hispanic.  His English is conversant enough that I’m shocked he hasn’t received more local endorsements.

It’s going to take a championship and it’s going to take Hanley at the forefront, as a long-term Marlin and the face of the franchise.

First the Marlins have to hang onto him throughout the remaining five years of his contract.  Signing him is one thing, keeping him is another.  The way it’s back-loaded and absent of a no-trade clause, the Marlins can still back out of their deal.

Ramirez gets paid $7 Million this year, then $11 Million in 2011.  It bumps up to $15M, $15.5M, and $16M the last three years.  There’s nothing to stop the Marlins from dumping his contract in the meantime.

Second, Ramirez will simply have to deliver both on the field and in the clubhouse, seize control as the team’s superstar, and take them to new heights.  He’s in a unique situation with great pressure but a tremendous reward if he comes through.

As the Florida Marlins embark on 2010, here’s one local baseball fan who wants to see it all happen.  Hanley Ramirez needs to become the much-needed face of the franchise and the Marlins must finally stake their claim to a passionate baseball city and become a National League force for years to come.

The two are inseparable.

JUPITER, FL- As I watched the New York Mets defeat the Florida Marlins in a sloppy 11-2 affair on Monday, I couldn’t help but ponder how different the two N

Much has been written about the New York Mets recent under-achieving, particularly 2009 where they finished 70-92 with the National League’s highest payroll.  The Mets ended up a full 17 games behind the second-place Florida Marlins (87-75), who had the lowest payroll in baseball, just a quarter of what the Mets paid their 25-man roster.

The Marlins franchise is certainly not without baggage.  Area fans still haven’t forgotten former owner Wayne Huizenga’s fire sale of the 1997 World Champs, when the franchise was just about to stake its place in local lore.  The Marlins annually finish last in attendance despite fielding competitive teams and residing in a thriving Miami area that is anything but “small market”.   Having lived nearby for three years, I’ve recognized great passion for baseball throughout south Florida and am stunned at how few have transferred such emotions to the Marlins.

Nevertheless, none of that matters when they hit the field in April.  It’s mano a mano times nine and it doesn’t matter whether your opponent makes more money or has better fan support.  It’s about three strikes, three outs, and whoever wins the race to the bag.

I will “go out on a limb” to argue that the Florida Marlins are better-equipped than the Mets to contend in 2010, poised to give the Philadelphia Phillies a run for their money in the N.L. East. Why?  Very simple, it’s their starting rotation.

The Marlins are blessed with young power pitching that has only scratched the surface of their potential.  The “hextet” of Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad, Sean West, Anibal Sanchez, and Andrew Miller were collectively effective in 2009, but each and every one of them are capable of improvement.  All six are potential 15-game winners.  Even more encouraging is that at age 27, Ricky Nolasco is the oldest.

Photo by Icon SMI

Josh Johnson has already established himself as one of the game’s best starting pitchers and I believe he’s a perennial Cy Young candidate.  Johnson is not only a hard thrower (often 95-98 MPH throughout a start), but he has plus command of his fastball, able to throw strikes both high and low, inside and out.  He’s a pleasure to watch.  There are plenty of flamethrowers in professional baseball, but precious few who can locate it like Johnson and this is what gives him a chance to win 20 games.  His curve and change are also at times plus pitches, but the fastball is his bread-and-butter.  His 15-5, 3.23 ERA, 191 K, 209 IP season in 2009 is no fluke. The 6’6”, 230 lb. righty should be good for 200+ innings now that his medical issues are behind him.

The #2 starter Ricky Nolasco slumped a little bit from 2008 to 2009, but still put together a solid 13-9 record with a 5.06 ERA in 185 IP. Nolasco is a big, strong 6’2”, 230 lb. righty with good stuff across the board and an idea on how to pitch.  Next to Johnson, he’s the second-most likely to win 20 games in the future and 15-17 is a good possibility in 2010. Nolasco has the strength and the mechanics to eat up innings.

Photo by Icon SMI

The remaining quartet of Volstad, West, Sanchez, and Miller are not as proven, but they all have leading man potential.  At the worst, I expect three of the four to become solid 10-12 win, 180+ inning pitchers, which is enough to give the Marlins a strong rotation in 2010. The exciting wildcard is their potential to do much more.

Perhaps Sean West has the most upside.  The 6’8” lefty throws 93-96 MPH in the early innings and flashes a plus hard slider; he just needs to keep pitching and grow into his mechanics to throw with consistent command.  He had a growth spurt late in high school and it usually takes time for the coordination to catch up.  The Marlins have to be thrilled with his 8-6, 4.79 ERA rookie showing in 20 starts. Chris Volstad is a 6’6” former 1^st-rounder with a power arm and a plus change-up. Anibal Sanchez has shown spurts of brilliance, including a no-hitter as a rookie in 2006.  Lefty Andrew Miller is another former 1^st-rounder whose raw stuff was once comparable to Steve Carlton’s though his velocity and slider suffered much in 2009.

I believe that whichever quintet the Marlins settle on will make for a better rotation than either the Phillies, Mets, or Atlanta Braves, the three teams who stand in their way to the N.L. East flag.

The Phillies rotation is perhaps more exciting at the top, with Roy Halladay and lefty Cole Hamels.  But #3 starter Joe Blanton is more a solid innings-eater than a shutdown guy; he’ll keep you in games more times than not, but is not a dominant arm.  Lefty J.A. Happ figures as the #4 man; he had a fine rookie season.  Wunderkind 47 year-old finesse artist Jamie Moyer will probably round it off barring the emergence of a youngster like righty Drew Carpenter.  Pretty good rotation for the Phils, but I’ll take my chances on the Marlins.

The Mets have an ace in lefty Johan Santana to rival Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay, but their rotation falls off steeply compared to their division rivals. Are Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, John Maine, etc. going to do any more than they did last year, which was collectively well below-average?

The Braves? The days of Smoltz/Maddux/Glavine are long gone, but they do have an impressive staff even after dealing Javier Vazquez to the Yankees.  Righty Tommy Hanson (11-4, 2.89 ERA) was a shot in the arm as a rookie while 24 year-old Jair Jurrjens registered an outstanding 2.60 ERA, going 14-10 over 215 innings. Veteran righties Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson (back after Tommy John surgery), and Kenshin Kawakami (technically a rookie in 2009) round out a deep and solid front five.

In fact, the Braves have the deepest and most reliable rotation in the N.L. East, at least on paper.  I’m sure the statisticians would pick the Braves quintet because of their proven record.  Still I believe the Marlins are the most exciting and have the most upside, top-to-bottom, and this should be the year they come through.  They have issues with their bullpen (will Leo Nunez and Matt Lindstrom hold onto leads?) and their lineup is not in the league of the Broad Street Bashers in Philadelphia, but don’t underestimate the value of having a potential shutdown pitcher going to the mound every day.   All of their starters possess that potential and ability to improve upon last season.

New Marlins pitching coach Randy St. Claire has his work cut out for him in 2010, but a chance to make something wonderful.  Fired by the division rival Washington Nationals after seven years last summer, St. Claire has never had this many great young arms to work with and the Marlins’ championship dreams revolve around their development.

Here are a few links to the trades and signings this Hot Stove Season from teams who are either not currently covered here or haven’t been covered in a while…in alphabetical order and from the blogs currently on my blogroll. If you want to be added to my team blogrolls just send me an e-mail with a link to the blog.

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox acquire Mark Teahan from the Royals

The Chicago White Sox re-sign Mark Kotsay

The Chicago White Sox sign Omar Vizquel to a 1-year deal

The Chicago White Sox sign Andruw Jones

Cleveland Indians

Castrovince: Indians Name Manny Acta Manager

Tim Belcher named the new Indians pitching coach

Tolman, Radinsky, Smith added to Acta’s Staff

Sandy Alomar Jr. returning to Tribe

Transactions: Shoppach Traded

Florida Marlins

Scott Proctor gets a new gig

Hermida Shipped Out to Boston

Texas Rangers

Salt hurt in winter league.

With seven weeks left in the baseball season, the young Florida Marlins seem to be poised to stay in the hunt down to the wire in the National League East. However, the question is whether the Marlins have the experience needed to catapult pass the Phillies and claim the title.

At the start of the season, it was clear that the Marlins had enough talent to be competitive in the National League East. However, with a roster that included only four players in their 30s (none of whom were regulars) the question was whether the Marlins had the leadership needed to make it through a tough 162 game season.

The recent acquisition of 30-year old first baseman Nick Johnson gives the team another solid offensive player while also providing some veteran clubhouse presence. Johnson has postseason experience having helped the New York Yankees reach the World Series in 2003.

He also is a solid left-handed bat and among the best in the game at getting on base. In his 13 games since joining the Marlins, he is hitting .308 with a home run, 6 RBIs and a .500 on base percentage.

Johnson joins a Marlins team that seems to have withstood their up-and-down early season to now emerge as a playoff contender.

After starting the season 11-1, the Marlins found themselves below .500 by mid-May. The team spent the next two months flirting with .500 before finally breaking the mark for good on July 21.

At that point they trailed the Phillies by 7 games in the NL East, but since them have shaved the advantage in half.

If there was any doubt about who the offensive leader is for the Marlins, those questions have been erased this season by Hanley Ramirez. The 25-year old shortstop has clearly established himself as one of the best players in the National League and will certainly be on the short list for the National League MVP Award.

Ramirez is hitting .356 with 18 home runs, 82 RBI, 36 doubles and 76 runs scored. He leads the national league in batting average and doubles and ranks among the top 10 in RBI, slugging percentage, runs scored and stolen bases.

Josh Johnson (12-2, 2.85 ERA) has been the leader of the pitching staff, but Chris Volstad, Ricky Nolasco and Andrew Miller have all been solid starters.

The strength of the pitching staff has been in the middle relievers as Kiko Calero, Brian Sanches, Dan Meyer and Renyel Pinto have been lights out. Overall, the bullpen has an ERA of 3.82.

Given the experience the Phillies gained a year ago during their run to the World Series, it would be easy to assume that they will be able to withstand the charging Marlins and repeat as NL East Champions.

So far this season, Philadelphia holds a slight 7-5 advantage in head-to-head match ups, but the Marlins swept three straight in Philadelphia August 7-9 and punctuated the sweep with a 12-3 win in the final game.

The two teams don’t meet again until September 22 for a 3-game series in Miami. They also meet for the final 3 games of the season in Philadelphia.

The Marlins also have 10 games remaining against the Atlanta Braves, who lurk just 2 games behind the Marlins in the standings. Florida is 5-3 against the Braves so far this season.

Florida was in a similar position last season as they trailed the division leading New York Mets by 3 and a half games on August 15th. They went 21-17 over the remainder of the season, but ended up 7 and a half games out of first as the Phillies caught fire and passed the Mets on their way to the championship.

The expectation is that this time around with a year of experience as well as the addition of Johnson and others with a postseason resume, the Marlins will be able to stay in contention and perhaps this season be the team that gets hot down the stretch.

Editor’s reminder:

To buy a virtual raffle ticket and enter for a chance to win one of the 9 MLB keychains please send a $1 donation by cllicking the button below.

If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me an e-mail at peter@baseballreflections.com.

A year after becoming only the fourth shortstop ever to join the 30-30 club, the 2006 National League Rookie of the Year has stepped his game up another run and now has to be considered among the top shortstops in the sport.

Primarily a leadoff hitter during his first three seasons, Ramirez moved into the number three spot in the lineup this season and immediately made some big noise with a grand slam home run on opening day.

Through the first seven weeks of the season, Ramirez ranks among the league leaders with a .348 batting average while already slugging seven home runs, driving home 21 runs and swiping six bases.

He is well on his way to increasing his numbers from 2008, when he hit .301 with 33 home runs, 67 RBIs and 35 stolen bases to earn his first Silver Slugger Award.

The league leader in runs scored last season with 125, Ramirez has scored more than 100 runs in each of his three full seasons and despite moving down in the lineup is on his way to a fourth with 25 runs scored so far in 2009.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

If Ramirez had a significant weakness during his first three seasons in the league, it was his propensity for committing errors from his spot at shortstop. He averaged 24 errors per season with an average fielding percentage of .965.

So far in 2009, Ramirez has showed a marked improvement with the glove having committed only two errors with a .984 fielding percentage through the first 35 games.

Given his offensive prowess, if Ramirez can continue his new found magic in the field, there will be little doubt that he is at or near the top of the list when discussing the best shortstops in baseball.

With perennial All-Star shortstops Derek Jeter, Miguel Tejada and Jimmy Rollins starting to show some age and all-time great Alex Rodriguez now playing at the hot corner, a new batch of talented shortstops are taking control of the position.

Ramirez was the starting shortstop on the National League All-Star team a year ago and is posting even better numbers in 2009. Jose Reyes, Jason Bartlett, Ryan Theriot and Christian Guzman are among the shortstops off to strong starts in 2009, but none have the combination of speed and power possessed by Ramirez.

The biggest problem for Ramirez is that he is on a Marlins team that rarely receives national attention.

For him to truly take his rightful place on the short list for the best players in the game, the Marlins must start winning and return to the national stage for the first time since they won the World Series in 2003.

Unfortunately for Ramirez, after their hot start to the 2009 the Marlins have cooled off and are in fourth place in a division that is surely to be competitive throughout the season.

It may be too much to ask for Ramirez to put the young Marlins on his back and lead them to the playoffs, though he certainly has the talent to try. If the Marlins truly want to be contenders in 2009, they will need to add some veterans to a squad that is one of the youngest in the game.

Bringing in a couple veterans who can help Ramirez and the other talented young Marlin players carry the day-by-day burdens would not only help lift the Marlins in the standings this season, but would also help teach the young players how to win and carry themselves during a playoff race.

Because, with the talent they are stockpiling, it will only be a matter of time before the Marlins are contenders and Hanley Ramirez is leading them out of anonymity and back to the top of the National League.

To read more from Dean, go to his sports blog: Sports Then and Now

However, while economic frugality is now all the rage in the rest of the world, it is hard in the world of baseball to take seriously a team that pays its entire roster less than the Yankees will probably spend on decorating the restrooms in their new billion-dollar stadium.

But seriously, while being young and talented certainly is much better than being old and unskilled, the decision by the front office to rely almost exclusively on a core of talented young players, without mixing a couple veterans into the everyday lineup, could make it hard for the Marlins to make it into the postseason this season.

Both the Florida team that won the World Series in 2003 and the Tampa Bay squad that reached the World Series last season did so using a strategic mix of youth and experience. Unless they make a series of moves in the upcoming weeks, the Marlins will field a squad in 2009 that is seriously lacking in veteran leadership and experience.

The recent acquisition of veteran Ross Gload from the Royals could signal that team president Larry Beinfest and manager Fredi Gonzalez recognize the weakness and are looking to address it without hampering the development of their young players.

The 33-year old Gload brings to four the number of players on the roster who are 30 or older. However, given that none of the four will likely be part of the everyday lineup it is questionable whether Gload, Wes Helms, Scott Proctor and Alfredo Amezaga have the stature or career pedigrees needed to command respect in the clubhouse and steer a young team through the ups-and-downs of a grueling 162 game season. If the Marlins are in contention after the first couple months of the season watch for them to make moves similar to what they did in 2003 when they brought in Jeff Conine and Lenny Harris for the playoff stretch drive.

There is no question that the Marlins have done their typical great job of retooling the team by trading veterans at the height of their trade value in exchange for talented young prospects. However, with the good comes the bad and for the Marlins in 2008 the bad was their team fielding. Only the Washington Nationals committed more errors among National League teams last season than the Marlins. For Florida to be successful in 2009, they must limit their mistakes and not put added pressure on their young pitching staff.

Offensive production should not be a challenge for the Marlins in 2009. The squad ranked fifth in the National league in runs scored in 2008 and was second in home runs.

The man who makes the offense go is 25-year old shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Arguably the most talented player in the game, Ramirez has scored at least 119 runs in each of his three full big league seasons while also increasing his power production from 17 homers in 2006 to 33 in 2008. For that reason, Gonzalez plans on moving Ramirez from leadoff to third in the lineup.

The rest of the infield is nearly as potent offensively. Second baseman Dan Uggla (32 HR, 92 RBI) and Jorge Cantu (29 HR, 95 RBI), who will move to first base after playing third a year ago, provide pop in the middle of the lineup.

The outfield also includes a pair of offensive threats in right fielder Cody Ross (22 HR, 73 RBI in his first season as a full-time starter) and left fielder Jeremy Hermida (17 HR, 61 RBI). Catcher John Baker (.299 BA, 32 RBI) should provide more offensive production after seeing his first major league action last season.

One thing that could accelerate the need to acquire additional veterans is if either of the two newcomers slated to start the season as everyday players struggle early in the year. Emilio Bonifacio, who was acquired in the off-season from the Nationals, has earned a spot in the lineup and though second base is his natural position he will start at third base. Center fielder Cameron Maybin is penciled in to replace Ramirez as the leadoff hitter and it will be vital for him to live up to the potential he displayed while hitting .500 with nine runs scored in eight games after a late season call-up in 2008.

While the Marlins should have little difficulty scoring runs, they will try to reduce the number they surrender in 2009 after ranking 11^th in the National League in earned run average in 2008. The pitching staff has the potential to be outstanding, but they will be relying on a number of pitchers who have battled injuries and inconsistency throughout their brief careers.

Ricky Nolasco (15-8, 3.52 ERA) and Josh Johnson (7-1, 3.61 after returning from Tommy John surgery in July) had breakout performances in 2008, but both must prove that they can maintain that level of performance. Chris Volstad (6-4, 2.88), Anibal Sanchez (2-5, 5.57) and Andrew Miller (6-10, 5.87) all have great talent, but must display consistency for the Marlins to be successful.

With former closer Kevin Gregg now calling Wrigley Field home, the Marlins will look to Matt Lindstrom (3-3, 3.14) to fill the role of closer after two seasons as a solid set-up man. Leo Nunez (4-1, 2.98 for Kansas City) and Proctor (2-0, 6.05 for the Dodgers) will lead the remainder of the bullpen staff.

There is little question that the Marlins have the talent to compete in 2009 and beyond, but with the Mets, Phillies and Braves all poised to make a run at the postseason it will be tough for the young Marlins to make a dent in the East. With 12 games scheduled against the Mets, Phillies and Braves during the month of April, it shouldn’t take long to discover if the Marlins will be a serious playoff threat or if they will be using 2009 to set the stage for future glory.

To read more from Dean, go to his sports blog: Sports Then and Now

Although the Marlins finished 7.5 games out in the NL East in 2008, they didn’t have a bad season. After trading away Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers last off season, no one expected a lot from them in 2008. For starters, second baseman Dan Uggla had a monster first half of baseball! His average was way up and his power numbers were looking to be ncreasing as one wou expect after a few years under his belt. But just as Uggla started to come down to earth, the pitching staff was beginnig to draw attention to itself from the names of players like Rickey Nolasco and Scott Olsen. 1B/3B Jorge Cantu also had an unusually good year given his previous accomplishments.

Holes to Fill

They will need to fill the holes left after the recent trades of closer Kevin Gregg, SP Scott Olsen and OF Josh Willingham. It looks as if Cameron Maybin will get his chance right from the start in CF and they probably will fill in the holes in the pitching from within, but they still need a catcher and it won’t be Matt Treanor (see the reson below). They may bring back Pudge Rodriguez as a stop gap at that position.

Free Agents

The Marlins have 6 free agents this off season and they are: LF Luis Gonzalez (41) Type B Free Agent, SP Mark Hendrickson (34), LF Jacque Jones (33), C Paul Lo Duca (36) Type B Free Agent, RP Joe Nelson (34), RP Arthur Rhodes (39) recently signed with  Cincinnati for 2 years and $4M.

The Outlook

Now that the Braves have lost out on both former Marlin SP A.J. Burnett and former Brave SS Rafael Furcal, the Marlins have a chance to stay in third place in the East in 2009 as things stand right now, but it will be difficult due to who they’ve already traded away. Maybe ownership will rethink their philosophy once they get a new stadium.

Off Season Moves Made So Far

In November, they acquired RHP Jose Ceda from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for RHP Kevin Gregg and then acquired INF Emilio Bonifacio, RHP P.J. Dean and INF Jake Smolinski from the Washington Nationals in exchange for LHP Scott Olsen and OF Josh Willingham. Before then, they claimed LHP Dan Meyer off waivers from the Oakland Athletics. Then more recently, they selected LHP Zachary Kroenke from the New York Yankees in the Rule 5 Draft and released C Matt Treanor (husband of beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor).