Jay Ram

With all these closers stinking it up so far, would have to imagine Cishek's value is going through the roof at this point. His 2 ks this year have been lefties as well. Got to move him to a desperate contender at the deadline. Replaceable and one of the teams only assets to acquire some offense.

TTF latest Mock draft early in in the College\Prep season has Rodon dropping to the Marlins with the 2nd pick, he is not having the greatest year. They bump up Alex Jackson to 1st overall, as the best prep player in the country right now ( I guess some of you kind of made fun of my post describing him as an excellent defensive/throwing catching prospect with 40 hrs type of power). There are many others who have moved up or dropped down...They will continue to do so up until the day of the draft BTW the way they have The Marlins selecting 3 Pitchers with their first 3 picks http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-mock-draft-6-0-top-41-picks/42145 No one is quite sure who is going to go first-overall in the 2014 MLB draft these days. With Carlos Rodon struggling a bit, some prep arms showing incredible stuff, and the Houston Astros never tipping their cap on draft picks, it’s anyone’s guess how the first couple of picks will go — or the entire first round for that matter. Here’s my latest 2014 mock draft, with the top 41 picks, if the draft were held today: Alex Jackson is the best prep bat in the 2014 MLB draft. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) 1. Houston Astros — Alex Jackson, C/OF, Rancho Bernardo HS (CA) I wanted to put Tyler Kolek here, but considering a prep right-hander has never gone first-overall in the MLB draft, I have to go with Jackson, the best prep bat in the draft and a lesser risk than an arm. At 6’-2� and 200 pounds, the right-hander has explosive bat speed and tremendous raw power. I saw him at Wrigley last summer and the ball really does sound different coming off his bat. Whether he stays behind the plate or ends up in the outfield, his bat is what really makes him special and he has an advanced approach at the plate. Through his first seven games, he has gone 11-for-23 with three home runs and four walks to just one strikeout. Committed to Oregon. 2. Miami Marlins — Carlos Rodon, LHP, North Carolina State Rodon may not be dominating the way many expected, and his stuff and command may not be as crisp as it has been in the past, but he still features a plus/plus slider, a plus fastball and adds a change-up and cutter. At 6’-3� and 240 pounds, he is a proven workhorse with top-of-the-rotation stuff whose delivery looks the same on pitch one as it does on pitch 130. His track record won’t allow him to fall too far, and he could still end up the best player taken from this draft down the line. 3. Chicago White Sox — Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral catholic HS (CA) The White Sox don’t have a strong history when it comes to selecting prep arms in the first round. You have to go back to 2001 when they selected RHP Kris Honel out of Providence HS (IL) with the 16th overall pick as the last time they took one. Aiken has been rocketing up draft boards, and the White Sox have had scouts at his games recently. At 6’-4� and 200 pounds, the southpaw is the most polished prep pitcher in the 2014 MLB draft and has been sitting 92-94 mph with his fastball as of late. He adds two potential plus off-speed pitches, and with his easy delivery, there is still a lot of upside left. He has 20 K/2 BB over his first 8.2 innings this season. Committed to UCLA. 4. Chicago Cubs — Tyler Beede, RHP, Vanderbilt The last two starts haven’t exactly been stellar for Beede, although he has faced some tough competition in Kentucky and Mississippi State. While the command hasn’t been that sharp lately, he still has frontline stuff with a mid-90s fastball, a plus curveball and a change-up that freezes hitters when on. Through seven starts, he has a 2.48 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 46 K/14 BB over 40 innings. Tyler Kolek would be tempting here if he was still on the board but I like the track record and overall stuff of Beede better. 5. Minnesota Twins — Tyler Kolek, RHP, Sheppard HS (TX) Kolek has been doing exactly what he should be doing against the competition — destroying them. Over 22.1 innings, the 6’-5�, 240 pound right-hander has 48 K/1 BB and has allowed just two measly hits. He has touched 102 mph and adds a slider that shows plus potential. His change-up is still developing because, well, he doesn’t need it right now as he can just blow away his peers with the fastball. As I mentioned above, he could go first-overall, but the track record just isn’t there for me to feel confident about it. 6. Seattle Mariners — Jeff Hoffman, RHP, East Carolina Hoffman bounced back nicely against UMBC on Friday, striking out six to one walk over seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits. It’s been an inconsistent year for him but he has continued to show top-of-the-rotation stuff with one of the easiest deliveries around and four quality pitches highlighted by a mid-90s heater. Over seven starts, he has a 3.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 45 K/18 BB over 45 innings. He could easily go in the top-five based on his stuff alone. 7. Philadelphia Phillies — Bradley Zimmer, OF, San Francisco Zimmer is playing like the best college bat in the 2014 MLB draft, and his size, athleticism and canon arm give him the edge over anyone else in college. The 6’-5� left-handed hitter is hitting .427/.476/.719 over 23 games with seven doubles, six home runs and 11 stolen bases for the Dons. The power has shown up in a big way this year, and aside from a long swing that can create some miss, there isn’t much to nitpick about him. He could stick at center field but is probably headed for right field where his arm and bat would play well. 8. Colorado Rockies — Nick Gordon, SS/RHP, Olympia HS (FL) Maybe the best shortstop prospect in the 2014 MLB draft, Gordon added some muscle during the offseason and the results are showing up in games. Over 19 games, he is hitting .468/.632/.872 with six doubles, two triples, three home runs and 14 stolen bases. He has also drawn 16 walks to just two strikeouts, continuing to show his ability to put bat on ball. His plus arm, athleticism and instincts will allow him to stick at a premium position. He hits from the left side and the added pop in his bat gives him all the tools in the bag. Committed to Florida State. 9. Toronto Blue Jays — Trea Turner, SS, North Carolina State Turner here would be a steal, in my opinion. Over his last fives games, he has hit four home runs, showing pop that many questioned up until a week ago. He has, however, been striking out at a higher clip, substituting his incredible ability to make contact for power. His game is better when he slaps the ball to all fields and uses his plus/plus speed to wreak havoc on the base paths, but it’s nice to see he has the power in him when he needs it. Defensively, he has all the tools to remain at shortstop and is still new to the position as he mainly played third base his freshman year. Over 23 games this season, he is hitting .315/.387/.478 with three doubles, four home runs, seven stolen bases and 12 walks to nine strikeouts. Jacob Gatewood’s raw power may be the best in the 2014 MLB draft. 10. New York Mets — Jacob Gatewood, SS, Clovis HS (CA) Nathan Rode over at Prep Baseball Report recently noted that Gatewood has shortened his swing. It shouldn’t effect his power because he has some of the easiest raw power around and hit a near 500-ft home run a couple of weeks ago. It will, however, help with the swing-and-miss to his game. The 6’-5� right-hander has enormous potential due to his size, power, plus arm and athleticism. Will most likely end up at third base and he projects well there. Committed to USC. 11. Toronto Blue Jays — Sean Newcomb, LHP, Hartford The 6’-4� hard throwing southpaw has now gone 32.2 innings this season without allowing an earned run after tossing eight shutout innings against Binghamton on March 22. Over those 32.2 innings, he has 38 K/15 BB and has allowed just 14 hits, showing the ability to completely miss bats with his stuff. With a fastball that can touch 98 mph and a slider with plus potential, the only knock on him this year has been his command. With his size and power arm from the left side, there is a lot to like. 12. Milwaukee Brewers — Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State The best hitter in college with an incredible approach at the plate, the 6’-2� left-handed hitter is hitting .373/.555/.547 over 24 games with nine extra-base hits and 28 walks to just 10 strikeouts. He won’t be stealing many bases, and he will most likely end up in left field, but his bat is special and he should hit for more power down the line. 13. San Diego Padres — Michael Gettys, OF, Gainesville HS (GA) Gettys is showing more in-game power this season with three home runs in his first 10 games, which is something scouts wanted to see. There still is a split among most on his hit tool and ability to lay off the offspeed stuff out of the zone. His potential, however, is sky high as his plus/plus arm is silly in the outfield and he also has plus speed that shows up on the base paths. At 6’-2� and 200 pounds, he has raw power and some feel he just needs to let the game come to him. He also stars on the mound with a mid-90s fastball and has 39 K/8 BB over 27.2 innings this season. One of my favorites and a high-character kid. Committed to Georgia. 14. San Francisco Giants — Brandon Finnegan, LHP, TCU Through seven starts, Finnegan has a 13.2 K/9 ratio, ranking second in the nation among starters. His fastball is a plus offering and can touch triple-digits, and he adds another plus pitch in a wipe-out slider. His size (5’-11�, 185 pounds) is always going to cause concern as the track record for frontline starters his size, with his power, isn’t that great. There are always anomalies, however, and if a team believes in him, they could end up with quite the steal this late. Has a 1.42 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 73 K/12 BB over 50.2 innings. 15. Los Angeles Angels — Luis Ortiz, RHP, Sanger HS (CA) At 6’-3�and 220 pounds, right-hander flashes two plus pitches in a 92-96 mph fastball and a low-80s slider. Like most prep pitchers, his change-up is still developing and his clean delivery is a good sign for further development. A good athlete, he has great mound presence and feel for his stuff. He will be almost 19 years old on draft day, making him one of the oldest players from his class, but his present stuff doesn’t need a lot more projection, just refining. Committed to Fresno State. 16. Arizona Diamondbacks — Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU Nola has been arguably the best college pitcher this year. Over six starts, he is 5-0 and has allowed just one run over 40.1 innings. He has 56 K/8 BB and opponents are hitting .141 against him. He isn’t a power arm, rather a control artist extraordinaire. The 6’-1� right-hander features a plus, low-90s fastball with nasty sink to it. He offsets his fastball with a deceptive change-up that freezes hitters. I feel his draft stock will suffer a bit because of all the power arms in this year’s class. Not many can pitch a better game, however. 17. Kansas City Royals — Grant Holmes, RHP, Conway HS (SC) Yet another prep arm that has touched 98 mph this season, Holmes is a 6’-2�, 190 pound right-hander with a live arm. He adds a plus curveball and above-average change-up — rounding out a classic three-pitch mix. Some think he has maxed out physically, but when you can already hit the upper-90s, you don’t need much more projection. He has good command of his stuff and he just keeps getting better. Committed to Florida. 18. Washington Nationals — Max Pentecost, C, Kennesaw State The best catching prospect in the 2014 MLB draft, Pentecost’s strong, accurate arm and footwork will allow him to remain behind the plate, although he could end up in left field where the bat would play well. Offensively, he projects to a high-average hitter with developing power who can steal a dozen bases a year. Over 28 games, he is hitting .336/.410/.491 with 10 doubles, two home runs and has stolen eight bases. 19. Cincinnati Reds — Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Sandalwood HS (FL) Foley is one of those long, lean, projectable right-handers who has been dealing this season. At 6’-4� and 210 pounds, his fastball touches 94 mph with late life and he adds a filthy, upper-70s curveball that is one of the best in this deep class of prep arms. His slider has shown flashes of plus potential and his change-up is still developing, giving him a four-pitch mix. Over 33 innings this season, he has 65 K/9 BB and has allowed just nine hits. Committed to Florida State. 20. Tampa Bay Rays — Luke Weaver, RHP, Florida State Weaver tossed a one-hit shutout against Boston College on Friday, and I’m not sure there is a better pitcher in college who gets through the lineup the first time better than him as he always seems to have a no-hitter going early. He now has a 2.53 ERA, 1.04 WHIP over seven starts with 38 K/11 BB over 46.1 innings. He features a low/mid-90s fastball with late life and his change-up flashes plus. At 6’-2� and 185 pounds, there is still room for added velocity as he matures. 21. Cleveland Indians — Erick Fedde, RHP, UNLV Fedde has been rising since he wowed scouts at the Cape Cod League, showing off a plus slider and a fastball that touches the mid 90s. He adds a sinker that he has been using to induce a ton of groundouts this season, as well. Through seven starts, he has a 1.98 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 50 K/15 BB over 50 innings. At 6’-4� and 180 pounds, he has the frame to add more velocity as he fills out and he has great mound presence. Touki Toussaint has one of liveliest arms in the 2014 MLB draft. 22. Los Angeles Dodgers — Touki Toussaint, RHP, Coral Springs HS (FL) Toussaint showed just how electric he is at the NHSI in Cary, North Carolina. Over six innings, he allowed one hit and struck out 12 batters as he sat 91-93 with his fastball and showed his potential plus curveball. He did, however, walk five batters and hit two more, showing the wildness he can get himself into. Still relatively new to pitching, he is a raw product with a ton of upside at 6’-3� and 200 pounds. He can touch 97 mph with explosive life and his delivery is smooth. 23. Detroit Tigers — Braxton Davidson, 1B/OF, Roberson HS (NC) Maybe the best prep hitter available in the 2014 MLB draft, Davidson is a 6’-3�, 220 pound left-hander with huge power potential and a man’s body already. His excellent bat speed allows him to wait on pitches and not get cheated. Even if he ends up at first base, his bat will more than play well. Over 11 games, he is hitting .469/.564/.688 with four doubles, a home run and three swiped bases. He also has 32 strikeouts over 19 innings on the mound, showing off his strong arm. Committed to North Carolina. 24. Pittsburgh Pirates — Jack Flaherty, RHP/3B, Harvard Westlake HS (CA) In his last start, Flaherty struck out 14 over seven innings, allowing two hits. He has been nearly untouchable all season and has been touching 93 mph with his fastball along with flashing a plus slider. Still somewhat raw as a pitcher as he has split his time focusing on hitting as well, he has shown higher upside on the mound this year, even though his upside as a power hitting third baseman is huge. At 6’-4� and 200 pounds, he has been clocked at 6.37 in the 60 and is a great athlete. Committed to North Carolina. 25. Oakland Athletics — Matt Imhof, LHP, Cal Poly The way Imhof is pitching this season, I may be putting him too low, even if I have him higher than others already. At 6’-5� and 220 pounds, the left-hander just knows how to miss bats, even though he doesn’t have the power of guys like Finnegan, Rodon and Hoffman. His fastball sits in the 89-92 mph range and can touch 94 due to his smooth, effortless delivery. He adds solid secondary stuff and knows how to mix his pitches well. With another strong performance on Friday, in which he struck out 13 to no walks over nine shutout innings against UC Davis, he now leads the nation in strikeouts with 77, as well as K/9 with 13.43. Over 51.2 innings, he has a 1.05 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and has allowed just 27 hits. 26. Boston Red Sox — Kyle Freeland, LHP, Evansville Freeland, a 6’-4� southpaw, put together another impressive performance on Friday, striking out 10 to one walk over eight innings. He now has 45 K/3 BB over 40 innings after striking out 48 to four walks over 40 innings at the Cape Cod League last summer. His fastball sits in the low/mid 90s and he adds a plus slider. His change-up still needs work but there’s a lot to like about him due to his size and stuff from the left side. He isn’t facing quite the competition as guys like Rodon, Beede and Nola, but the stuff is legit. 27. St. Louis Cardinals– Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton HS (GA) Cease hit 100 mph this season — which is great. He also has been sidelined with a tender shoulder — which is not great. Hopefully, it is nothing serious and just some soreness because he should go way higher than this if fully healthy. The 6’-2� right-hander adds a mid-70s curveball that flashes plus potential and his change-up is still developing. He has a clean delivery and there is still projection left as he refines his secondary stuff. Committed to Vanderbilt. Comp Picks 28. Kansas City Royals — Michael Chavis, 3B, Sprayberry HS (GA) Chavis packs a lot of punch into his frame. At 5’-11� and 190 pounds, he generates a ton of power due to his excellent bat speed and strong legs. He has been absolutely mashing the baseball this season, hitting .617/.700/1.213 over 16 games with eight home runs, and he also has stolen 11 bases, showing his athleticism. He is playing shortstop now but should make the move over to third base at the next level where his arm, footwork and silly power will play well. Committed to Clemson. 29. Cincinnati Reds — Kyle Schwarber, C/1B, Indiana The 6’-0�, 230 pound right-hander has tremendous power and is also one of the better hitters available in the 2014 MLB draft. His ability to remain behind the plate is still up for debate, but he wants to stay there and has been working hard on his defense. Over 61 games as a sophomore, he hit .366/.456/.647 with 10 doubles, 18 home runs and 42 walks to just 37 strikeouts. He then hit .308/.396/.436 over 21 games for the Collegiate National Team with 11 walks. Over 22 games this season, he is hitting .310/.429/.517 with five doubles, three home runs and 17 walks to nine strikeouts. 30. Detroit Tigers — Mike Papi, OF, Virginia When Derek Fisher went out with a broken hamate bone a couple of weeks ago, it was Papi’s time to shine. The next game, he hit two home runs and has been showing the kind of power he possesses at 6’-3� and 215 pounds, along with his advanced approach. Over 24 games, he is hitting .325/.477/.542 with three doubles, five home runs and 22 walks to 16 strikeouts. He has the arm and athleticism to hold down a corner outfield spot. 31. Cleveland Indians — Mac Marshall, LHP, Parkview HS (GA) One of the better prep southpaws in the 2014 MLB draft, Marshall’s fastball sits in the low 90s and he adds a curveball that shows plus potential. He has been extremely impressive this season striking out 38 to seven walks over 27 scoreless innings, allowing 10 hits. At 6’-2� and 185 pounds, he is a great athlete who has been clocked at 6.7 in the 60. Committed to LSU. 32. Atlanta Braves — Scott Blewett, RHP, Baker HS (NY) The 6’-6� right-hander was extremely impressive during the fall, hitting 97 mph and showing a sound delivery at the perfect Game WWBW in Jupiter, Florida. His curveball is still developing but he shows a good feel for it, and it could be a plus pitch. With his size and arm strength, his upside is sky high. A strong senior season could propel him higher. 33. Boston Red Sox — Derek Fisher, OF, Virginia Fisher went down with a broken hamate bone a couple of weeks ago. He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks and now his draft status is up in the air since that injury could linger. Through 14 games, he was hitting .333/.393/.451 but had yet to hit a home run. A great athlete, the 6’-3� right-hander is considered one of the better bats in the 2014 MLB draft and is likely going to end up in left field at the next level. It will be interesting to see how he performs once he gets back in action and he could go a lot higher than this. 34. St. Louis Cardinals — Michael Kopech, RHP, Mount Pleasant HS (TX) I’m higher on Kopech than most and feel like he is first-round material due to his size (6’-4�) and ability to touch 98 mph with his fastball. He also adds a filthy slider with hard bite that wipes out hitters. People point to his mechanics but he has worked on them, and I don’t see it as an issue, especially with pro instruction. On the season, he has 59 K/7 BB over 29 innings, allowing just 11 hits. Committed to Arizona. Lottery Round A 35. Colorado Rockies — Ti’Quan Forbes, SS, Columbia HS (MS) One of the better shortstops available in the 2014 MLB draft, scouts wanted to see more from his bat this year. Defensively, his strong arm, plus speed (6.4/60) and instincts should allow him to stick at a premium position. Offensively, he shows raw power and a patient approach at the plate but wasn’t consistent, and some mentioned some mechanical issues with his swing. Over 10 games this year, he was hitting .400/.488/.600 with a double, two home runs and five stolen bases. He has already showed more pop in his bat than he did last year and, at 6’-4� and 180 pounds, there is a lot of upside. Committed to Ole Miss. 36. Miami Marlins — Kodi Medeiros, LHP, Waiakea HS (HI) Medeiros made a name for himself over the summer by showing two plus pitches — a low/mid-90s fastball with a ton of life and a wipe-out slider that destroys left-handed hitters. The southpaw has a unique delivery — almost sidearm — and some question how that will translate at the next level. At 6’-0� and 170 pounds, his upside is limited but if a team believes in him, he could go higher. In his last start, he struck out 10 to no walks over five innings, allowing one hit. Committed to Pepperdine. 37. Houston Astros — Foster Griffin, LHP, The First Academy (FL) Griffin has been touching 94 mph with his fastball lately and a much improved breaking ball. With his size (6’-5�, 190 pounds) the left-hander has a lot of upside and he has a smooth delivery. He has been generating first-round buzz lately. Over 28.2 innings, he has 47 K/10 BB. Committed to Ole Miss. 38. Cleveland Indians — Matt Chapman, 3B, Cal State Fullerton Chapman has been in a bit of a slump as of late but he has shown the power that many wanted to see if he is going to stick at the hot corner at the next level. Over 21 games, he is hitting .262/.356/.440 with six doubles and three home runs. Defensively, he has the arm, footwork and instincts to play third, and he could go a lot higher if he starts to heat it up at the plate. 39. Miami Marlins — Zech Lemond, RHP, Rice Since being inserted into the starting role as the Friday-night starter for Rice, Lemond has been better than advertised. Through four starts, he has a 1.22 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 32 K/9 BB over 29.1 innings. His fastball can touch 95 mph and he has shown the ability to maintain velocity deep into games. He adds a slider and curveball — both in the low 80s — and both are quality offerings. His change-up still needs refining, but with his 6’-4�, 190 pound frame and easy mechanics, there is a ton to like about him. 40. Kansas City Royals — Marcus Wilson, OF, Serra HS (CA) Wilson will still be 17 on draft day, making him one of the youngest players in his class, as well as having more upside because of it. At 6’-3� and 180 pounds, the right-hander is raw in areas but has a lot of upside based on his plus speed and ability to drive the ball to all fields. His size implies more power will come. He also has a plus arm and is one of those players who gets better every time out. One of those quick-twitch athletes scouts love. Committed to Arizona State. 41. Milwaukee Brewers — Chase Vallot, C/OF, St. Thomas More HS (LA) I don’t think anyone in the country is mashing the ball quite like Vallot is this season. Over 18 games, he is hitting .583/.672/1.270 (1.943 OPS) with 10 doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 36 RBI. He has also drawn 17 walks, and I’m not really sure why he wouldn’t get a free pass every time going forward. One of the youngest players in the draft, the 6’-0�, 205-pound right-hander generates a ton of raw power due to his bat speed and strong wrists. His strong arm, size and footwork could allow him to stick at a premium position but some believe a move to a corner outfield position is likely where the power would play well. Another player I got to see at Wrigley, he hit a couple bombs out of the park with ease and showed a polished approach at the plate during the game. Committed to Mississippi State. Next 10: Derek Hill, Forrest Wall, Jordan Brink, Nick Burdi, Milton Ramos, Cobi Johnson, Adam Haseley, Cameron Varga, Jakson Reetz, Monte’ Harrison. Read more at http://throughthefencebaseball.com/2014-mlb-mock-draft-6-0-top-41-picks/42145#KM4lXkovfz1hrcPG.99 I've been saying all along I'm an Alex Jackson guy and he would be my pick. Would also be cool if Papi or Fisher dropped to one of those comp picks.

Colin Moran is out three weeks

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/marlins-blog/sfl-miami-marlins-stanton-extension-blog-20140331,0,7994374.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed: marlinsblog (Florida Marlins | Sun-Sentinel Blogs) Juan Rodriguez indicates that if the Marlins offered a contract along 8 years/146 mill should be about the right number to sign Stanton but if they wait to the off-season it will likely be rejected by Stanton I just think a resolution has to come soon, because Jose and Yelich, honestly, should get extended as early as next winter if Miami is serious about keeping a home grown core.

When I was roaming the lower fields on Thursday I talked with Lowell, he's 9 months removed from TJ surgery, so it will be awhile before throws again, other than that he says he can't wait. Isn't nine months enough time to be back on the mound? Either way, hope he's healthy and back to ascending soon.

Try and convince them they're not trying to win. I have to admit, the optimism this team has is different from years past. I hate to say the culture has changed, because that's what the front office says, but it's true... You can feel the difference. I am actually wondering if Ozuna has been getting the playing time the past few days so he can put up or go down. Maybe Marisnick has earned the job with his play, unless Ozuna has a quick turnaround... Which he clearly is not doing. I think it's fair to say this spring training air of cute optimism is going to regress into a team that's probably going to be 20 games under .500. And that's fine. It's a part of the process (Well, maybe not with this ownership but you get the concept). There isn't a single tangible reason to beleive this team can be average, let alone above that.

They both belong in the minors. The hope is that Marisnick is productive for a few months in AAA and comes and holds the job for good in June.

Baseball isn't basketball. You cant just spend in this game and make the playoffs easily. That being said I would f***ing love it if he bought the marlins. The point is he would let the baseball people do what they do and keep a stable payroll.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/2014/03/loria-rejects-overtures-from-markets-most-successful-owner-dolphins-heat-canes-chatter.html Well, Loria is 73, so let the countdown begin on how much he has left to live so this team can move on. JK, but him selling this team to Arison would be the greatest moment of my sports fanatic life.

It pissed me off that Miami didn't get D'arnaud out of it and they could have broken it down and got more pieces without rushing them all into one deal, but it was a solid baseball move. Like people here have said, it's more about the inconsistency ownership has.

Now, one year after fan discontent reached an all-time high, the Marlins' present and future outlooks are quite good. They have the best ERA of any team in the majors this spring, at 2.95 heading into Friday. Some will remain skeptical until the Marlins' March success continues into the regular season. That is fair. But I'd like to remind you of something: The lowest ERAs last spring belonged to the Red Sox and Cardinals. From Morosi's article. Gotta feel good about our pitching right now. I think the pitching is good because Jose is so great but I think it's being a little overstated. The rest of these guys are bordering on being journeymen if they aren't good in the next year or two.

Please no prep pitchers Is there data that proves that drafting prep pitching is less successful? If not, not sure why it's inherently wrong but I understand why the notion exists.

Here's Keith Law's new Top 50 for the draft... Brady Aiken is #1 and Tyler Kolek is #2, both prep pitchers. Rodon falls to #3, Hoffman falls to #6, Trae Turner all the way down at #20 behind Jacob Gatewood at #19. If you're the Marlins, to you take Rodon/Hoffman or Aiken/Kolek? We have so much major league ready pitching right now, I think you go with the high ceiling high school arm... http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10628876/carlos-rodon-tyler-kolek-brady-aiken-top-prospects-2014-mlb-draft Where is Alex Jackson and Braxton Davidson ranked? I prefer a hitter here, but it the Astros pass on Rodon, I'd be all over that.

Well, I would certainly separate Turner from Flynn, Hand, and Koehler. Of those remaining three, though, there isn't much trade value even at the deadline. You aren't going to bring in a piece that is going to substantially upgrade the team. That's my point. That I think if one of them pitches over their head and can keep some of the momentum from this spring, you can get someone to take the bait. Plus you can dangle back of the bullpen arms like Cishek and Dunn that don't hold much long term value or are repleaceable.

Andrew Heaney? I'm specifically talking about the guys that are ready now that I listed. I have high hopes that Heaney can be a good No. 2 or spectacular No. 3.

They also have the cash to sign him long term. Not just Michael Cruz, but whatever they need. If they need an extra starter at the deadline, take Hand. Need a lefty in the pen? Take Dunn. Need a closer or setup man for the stretch? You can hold Cishek. Anything to sell some pieces that don't have much long term value and the team has depth at to get some offense.

The problem with that line of thinking is that Jose is probably the only sure thing in the rotation (in terms of talent). We don't really even know what to expect from Eovaldi, Turner, Alvarez, and Heaney. On top of that, Flynn, Hand, and Koehler have much lower ceilings. The Marlins need to have some time to see how serviceable and healthy some of these guys are before trading them off. With a busted elbow or someone failing to live up to expectations, pitching depth can turn into a lack awfully quickly. I'm not gonna lie, I actually beleive the Marlins pitching is getting a little overrated lately, given scout and media reports recently. Outside of Jose, nobody is anything special nor does anyone profile as a frontline (1-2-3) starter. They have always projected as backend rotation fodder. Alvarez won't succeed unless he keeps the ball on the ground, Eovaldi's secondary stuff is stiff and he doesn't miss enough bats, Turner has control issues and Koehler is an old, limited prospect. I get all that and am realistic. But if teams are overvaluing that pitching, and Miami is out of contention like we think, I'm all for balancing out this incredibly sad offense. Heaney is on the way, hopefully one of Conley or Nicolino can become a starter and Miami's probably taking a top college pitcher in the draft. If there isn't much of a difference between Flynn, Hand, Koehler and Turner, and they won't be here long term, and someone overvalues them at the deadline, just get what you can. I think that's reasonable.

The Cubs, Rangers, Red Sox and Dodgers are the best potential trade partners for Miami. They all have young middle infield and infield in general talent.

I'm there with you. Really though, there were people higher on him a year or two ago, as the walks have piled up the attention has moved on to the next big group of arms. But he's always been able to miss bats, I got to see him a fair amount when he pitched with the Suns & always liked his stuff. He's mentioned recently that he's not trying to be perfect with his pitches now, just letting it go & trusting his stuff. Dunno if it'll keep up but seeing some good signs in spring. Hand is getting another start Saturday in a split-squad game. He and Koehler have both been good so tough on Red to pick one, I just feel like Koehler's shown some good flexibility with bullpen/long-relief/spot-start so I'd be in favor of giving Hand a try in the rotation for a month or two like you suggest. He's probably a longshot, but there's something to be said for having a bunch of these guys. Only a few are really going to pan out even if we're lucky, & you still need the depth for injuries, trade pieces, etc. Oh, I love the depth, don't get me wrong. But for a team with no shot at contention, I think selling that depth for talent at areas of need is in order at some point. This team badly needs infield talent at every level and I would dangle every pitcher except Jose and Heaney, including Cishek, to gauge interest. Particularly if you find a desperate contender at the deadline.

I don't see there being a logjam in pitching. If you trade Turner, you are pretty much faced with putting Hand and Koehler into the rotation and neither of them are likely to have bright futures or anything like that. That is, until Heaney is ready and hopefully the Marlins don't rush him like they've been known to do in the past. That's assuming that everyone stays healthy too (remember that Alvarez and Eovaldi spent some time on the DL last year) and everyone still lives up to expectations. The Marlins would be foolish to trade any of the pitchers with reasonable upside at any point this season. It's a logjam when you're having to force people on the roster because they are out of options. Hand, Flynn, Turner, Koehler, Slowey can't all pitch. Yes, it's depth, that's a semantic issue. Dealing from a strength is a way to balance out a roster.

I'd rather wait unless I get Franklin. Feed a few of this logjam of pitchers to a desperate contender at the deadline and get more value.

I don't know why everyone assumes Turner is worthless via trade. We have absolutely no idea what he's worth, and if anything his value is way up with all the injuries around the league this spring. He's worth what someone is willing to pay... Only Hill/Jennings knows what that is. We have an idea that he isn't very good right now. That's an indication, but ai hope you're right. I'd be estatic to get Franklin.

Tha That would be amazing actually. I really, really doubt that swap would happen straight up. I would rather let Turner's value come back up a little bit and eventually trade some if those starters who get hot at the deadline.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/florida_marlins/ Maybe we can fleece the Tigers for once

We'll see, I just can't see every single infielder being a failure. Why can't you see that players with recent history and a valid sample size of being largely unproductive as starters will be, unproductive. If it's iust fan optimism, say that, if not give me a reason because I don't see it.