MarlinGuru

Hermida

Don't want to rain on the parade, but its' still way too early to make these observations. Our bullpen should be something of very deep concern right now.

I will be there also. Let's turn things around!

Also: **OMG ARTHUR RHODES***

Johnson was great. To be able to shut out such a powerful lineup as that of the Phillies is awesome

Although it's hard to realize this, given our record, and yadda, yadda, yadda, most of our bats right now are in a really bad struggle that's been going on for a while now, I think since before the All-Star break.

I agree with you in the sense that there has to be some rounding out of this teams' offensive capabilities, and I've been saying this for a while. We need some good contact hitters in the line-up. I don't see the Marlins getting any offensive upgrades, but I think if they do acquire Molina it would definitely help address this issue. As for Beinfest, he has some really good cards he can deal out. We have decent ballplayers that are expendable, so it will be interesting to see what he does as the deadline nears.

Seriously, Manny Ramirez would not boost ticket sales. Delgado didn't boost ticket sales, Fredi's Cuban background didn't boost ticket sales. If its about tickets they should get Barry Bonds; that would be a show.

are you honestly for real???????????/ please to even try and critize is a joke... lowest payroll in baseball and is relevant in august? and your really complaining? obvs you really dont understand baseball and we dont need fans like you.... sorry to be so harsh but when its true its true I didn't know fans were not allowed to criticize their team, that's news to me. Fans are entitled to have high expectations for their teams. And as for "fans like me," I actually try to go to as many games as I can, even though when it comes down to it I really cannot afford to go to games. And I think really, anyone who posts on this forum and has followed this team as long as many of us have, is what being a true fan is all about. But back to what this thread was really started for, I would just like to add that the role of the manager is not to win games for the team (that's impossible), but to tap the team's potential to the greatest extent possible, which is something I think Fredi has not been to good at. I know I'm not alone in my disapproval of Fredi. I know many other fans who feel the same way as I do, and I'm surprised the media has not been ragging on him. After all, they really put a lot of heat on McKeon, a better manager, (although from the 2004 standppoint, more understandable with the higher payroll that team had back then ,etc.

I may be alone in my thinking, but after watching Fredi Gonzalez manage this ball club for as long as he has, it continues to become ever more frustrating watching him run the team. And it is not because we are "losing", because I don't consider being two games behind as of this post, and several over .500 to be losing. But there are too many wrong things going on with this team, wrong things that can be corrected, that really show Fredi Gonzalez job as a manger has been a poor one. Some observations on Fredi that bother me: +No blood. No spark. He just sits down the whole game. It seems like he never argues a call. You don't see the type of interaction you would like to see between him and the players. It just looks like he lacks passion. Bobby Cox, who god knows how old he is by now, is much more animated than him. +Persistence with players. There have been so many times which we've had some of our bats really struggling, but instead of sitting them down for some of our good bench bats like Helms, he just keeps on with them. +Swinging for the fences. Yes, this is partly the player's fault, but it is a manager's responsibility to address a problem like this. Yes, the long ball has worked for us so far, but the team needs to be a bit more versatile on the plate. +Where are the squeezes? The hit and runs? Why can't half our team learn how to bunt? These are all issues, which while seemingly small, add up. This in my opinion contributes greatly to the team's success, and anyone who watched the 2003 season remembers we were chief in this department. We just lack in the whole "small things" department, and it is that department which a team like the Marlins needs to take advantage of. I would like to hear some input, criticizing, whatever.

For the record, I called Ticketmaster and they let me choose exactly where I wanted to sit :thumbup I wish I would've known this before, it really makes the "random seating" online obsolete.

I shall be present at the game.

Is there a number I could call in order to purchase single game tickets in a specific section (either 145 or 146)? I want to be able to sit across the first base line, but when I search through ticket master I only get home plate tickets or uber-expensive founders tickets. Anyone?

Besides being an environmental disaster, drilling more will not reduce oil prices. Instead, to me, this is backwards thinking. We are already so dependent on oil, and for the worst, on foreign oil. Oil supplies are dwindling all across the world, and it is absolutely certain that prices will just continue to increase over the years, no matter how much oil we drill off our shores. We should get ahead of the game and start seeking alternatives. We should start finding alternative energy sources and finally get the Saudis off our back. The technology is present to exploit other alternative fuel sources, and the technology is also present to build electrical vehicles for the common user (http://www.teslamotors.com). The only thing holding us back is oil.

Besides being an environmental disaster, drilling more will not reduce oil prices. Instead, to me, this is backwards thinking. We are already so dependent on oil, and for the worst, on foreign oil. Oil supplies are dwindling all across the world, and it is absolutely certain that prices will just continue to increase over the years, no matter how much oil we drill off our shores. We should get ahead of the game and start seeking alternatives. We start finding alternative energy sources and finally get the Saudis off our back. The technology is present to exploit other alternative fuel sources, and the technology is also present to build electrical vehicles for the common user (http://www.teslamotors.com). The only thing holding us back is oil.

I'm a bit over four years. I don't post nearly as much as I used to, and even then, I didn't post much.

We have been extremely fortunate to be so close to the top, with all the injuries in our rotation and such. Anyway these are somethings that need to be fixed if this team wants to go anywhere, but my main complaint: Strike Outs. We strike out more than any other team in baseball. I don't know if this can be changed, but it's a problem that has to be addressed at some point.

As much as I like the Marlins, I have to ask: Is it justified for the county to pay $315+ million for a stadium, when there is a $284 million dollar deficit in the school system? It is not a matter of justification. If you were going to put up the value of our children, our elderly, our health care system, our police protection etc-then what would be more important than these things. Would a museum be more important than our kids? How about money spent to maintain roads- define necessary maintenance? How about maintaining all those median strips with plants and flowers-tell me the thousands of upon thousands spent to keep carnations growing is more important than our childrens education. I ranted, but the answer is that none of the money-regardless of the stadium-can be used for the schools. The balance of life in a community, and especially in a major city has many needs and other things that make it part of a growing and modern city. Many of those things are asthetic, but without attractions, clean and beautified streets, buildings and yes, arena's and stadiums and professional sports teams, then sooner or later people have other places to go and the people who live here would start complaining about how this is a dump of a city. They would compare other cities and point out how great it was to visit and see the sights of other cities. How they went to a ball game, saw a show etc etc and how they wish our city could have those things. No, the exploitation of our children, the politicising of these issues is part of the way opponents use these things to seem like they care about them and to drum up support-regardless how misleading and deceptive it is. Braman knows damn well that your kids and mine would not see a dime more if the stadium is not built. And that,sir, is why I support the stadium.

As much as I like the Marlins, I have to ask: Is it justified for the county to pay $315+ million for a stadium, when there is a $284 million dollar deficit in the school system?

Paul McCartney is set to announce his final world tour very soon.

You can't go wrong with Wynton Marsalis or Sinatra.

Beautiful

the only republican i see myself voting for is McCain (i'm republican btw). even if McCain wins the nomination...i'm gonna play close attention this election. I can't believe i'm about 80% likely to vote democrat for this election. I don't think I can bring myself to vote for Hilary. Just don't trust her. I'd give barack major consideration. Actually, the more i think about it, barak and McCain are the only ones i like....wierd How can you like two totally opposite candidates :blink: ?

Good topic, as a runner myself, it's blasphemous to see somebody else running in basketball shoes. Another thing, you guys are mentioniong these Nike and Adidas shoes, but in reality the best running shoe makers out there are aSICS, Brooks, Mizuno, and New Balance depending on your taste. Also when buying running shoes, you don't go cheap. A good pair of running shoes starts at around $80. Some good running stores: FootWorks 5724 Sunset Drive South Miami The Runner's High US1 and 112 ST (Killian Drive)

Hmmm, this isn't good, not good at all...