MarlinsAreInTheWinColumn

The front end of the bullpen and the fact that Uggla is hitting the ball to right field on occasion

As Beltran's name is consistently thrown around here as our new outfielder, nobody is considering the future. Say for instance, a big instance, we do get him for whomever, nunez, olson, stokes, w/e. Is it worth the risk? What are the odds of resigning him? We already depleted our farm system on Ugie and Conine last year. And obviously it paid off. However, one more trade, and we really have nothing left. So again this trade all falls on whether or not we can actually resign him. With Boras as an agent, a weak free agent group in 04, the stadium issue unresolved (thus shortening Lowell's contract) and rumors flying about whether or not the team will stay in South Florida, all signs point to no. So again, is the depletion of the farm system worth it for another rental (who could win us another WS)? Or would it be smarter to go after Finley for less or someone else? What do you all say?

Stepping away from the battle of the old man and the 19 year old...as far as this trade goes, it is not all that horrible. The catch though is that Finley is one of the worst second half performers in baseball. The guy consistently hits early, and then cools off. Plus he is 80something years old and has a good chance of getting hurt. So while up to this point he has clearly outperformed Beltran, he is going to come back to earth soon

Jack 1, Im with you part of the way. McKeon, moreso than any manager I have ever paid attention to in my lifetime, makes a ton of questionable decisions. He can drive you crazy with some of the things he does. And he consistently opens himself up to second guessing. And while a lot of the time his unconventionality does not work, it works when it matters (see last year). And you can't argue with success. So he is doing something right, and I am just an observer. So while he can drive you mad, he is right in doing so.

I think the comparison for this transaction should be chad fox of last year rather than UUU. Fox was pretty much unwanted when he was released and turned into an integral part of the Championship run. Right on target! We are not asking Koch to come in here and take away Benitez's job like Urbina did. He is coming here to just set up. There must be a difference in his mindset that he knows he is the set up guy because that is what the team needs him for, not because he failed as a closer. One of the reasons Fox was so successful here last year was because he could never be a closer in his career (see Milwaukee, Boston) and consistently lost his job. Once here, he knew he wasn't the closer and that takes pressure off. Hopefully the same thing will happen to Koch.

Can someone just tell me what it is that the guy could do in his tenure here besides: Set up Mop Up Close Middle Relief Get traded Get sent down Get hurt Well, I suppose he could start. But beyond that, what other choices are there?

A good point. I was just trying to imply that he has hit a wall like you said. An arm can only endure so much. And you are right that he needs to learn to pitch instead of throw...

Well what do you suggest he will be doing?

Let's get a group feel for what exactly Koch's impact on this team will be

Let's be realistic here, Billy Koch is not a great pitcher. He is not even a good pitcher. He is a guy that throws hard that has thrown himself out. He used to be the hardest thrower in the league (I think he hit 103 once or twice), but he doesnt have the same velocity. Bottom line, the guy doesnt have it anymore. BUT, this is a thread for optimisim, and there is ONE thing that we can all be very optimistic about. Koch has never pitched in the NL. Nobody knows him. Just look at Dontrelle's success in the last two games against AL opposition. While player movement and interleague play have reduced the role facing the opposite league, an advantage is still there. With half the season left, it is unlikely that anyone in the NL is actually going to pick up on this guy. Who knows? Maybe they have never seen anyone that throws as hard as he does. Bascially, the guy isnt what he used to be, but hopefully this one little quirk he brings with him will make up for his diminished talent.

Two things: 1. Penny is already locked up for the future, has more upside, is younger, and is ahead of Pavano in the rotation. So why would it be that HE would be the one going to Boston with a prospect instead of Pavano. 2. While we could argue all day about whether or not Nomar is worth a pitcher, he could screw up the chemistry in the clubhouse. There are no big names on this team, no extensive media attention. Nomar will bring all of this baggage with him, which in the end could end up hurting more than his bat will help.

Question-is the game tomorrow at Roger Dean at 3 or at Mark light at 1? The Marlins website says Mark Light at 1, but you guys and the newspaper say 3. Any final suggestions?