ultimopain

Haha, and what about Mitre... cheap bastard!

Are you serious? Our offense has been awesome all spring, we've scored a LOT of runs. After all, we do have the best record in spring training. I'd be more worried about the pitching.

I still think this is the best move for several reasons: - Olivo's defense. Yeah, Willy has improved a lot in this regard, as noted by the thrown out attempted stealers stat. But I do think Olivo is superior in this regard, especially handling such a young pitching staff. Olivo's game calling skills are probably far better than Willy at this stage, simply because Willy hasn't had too much time at catcher over the last few years due to injury and playing other positions. - Keeping Willy healthy. For a guy who has had so many injuries over the last few years, I almost cringe about thinking of him catching 5-6 days a week. I think it will wear him down and he'll become more susceptible to injuries. This way he gets some relief out in LF and keeps him fresh, so we can have his bat in the line-up. We need his bat... period. If we had another top LF option then sure, maybe Willy should catch, but besides Aguila we don't... and I like Aguila, but I don't know if he can produce over an entire season. I think those reasons is why Olivo/Willingham is better than Willingham/Aguila in the line-up... taking both offense and defense into consideration.

Guys, read up, Olsen's the fifth starter. Because we have off days we don't need a fifth starter until April 15th, when Olsen will be called up. That makes sense.

Perhaps Nolasco is the one in the rotation, and not JJ.

Martinez is NOT in... yet. Girardi did have a conversation with right-hander Carlos Martinez in the Fort Lauderdale Stadium dugout Monday, but the message did not fully come across. Martinez left with the impression he had made the club. Tuesday, Girardi said, "That's what he said, not what I said." In addition to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Martinez told teammate and fellow Villa Vasquez, Dominican Republic native Miguel Olivo that he made the squad. ... http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins How on earth can you mistake a conversation that says "You're in with a good chance" to "You've made the team"?!?

CL Borowski SU Herges SU Resop/Lightenberg MR Wellemeyer MR Lightenberg/Resop MR Johnson MR Nolasco You forgot Carlos Martinez. I think Wellemeyer might start in the minors, or he'll push one of our starters (Nolaso or Johnson) down to the minors.

Signed as Juan Nova, Carlos Martinez has opened eyes. By Juan C. Rodriguez South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted March 28 2006 FORT LAUDERDALE ? The sleeper is a keeper. Right-hander Carlos Martinez completed his two-inning outing against the Orioles on Monday at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. Before leaving the dugout, Martinez said manager Joe Girardi told him he'd made the team. A mid-90s fastball and his command of three other pitches made the Marlins forget Martinez has totaled three innings above Class A. Martinez, who turns 24 in May, spent all but a fraction of last season at Jupiter, where he went 4-5 with a 3.12 ERA, 22 saves, 22 walks and 65 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings. "He's done nothing but impress us," said Girardi last week. "Every time he goes out, he gets outs. He's down in the zone with all his pitches. His innings have been as easy as anyone's here." Martinez literally struggled with his identity as a minor-leaguer. The Marlins signed him out of the Dominican Republic as Juan Nova, who they believed was 16 years old. Martinez is listed as Nova in the 2003 Marlins media guide. Turned out Juan Nova was really 18-year-old Carlos Martinez. By the following season his true name and birth date had been established. "I had a lot of problems because, at that time, I was crazy and signed with a birth certificate that wasn't mine," Martinez said. "That really messed up my career. I could have been here a year earlier." From 2001 through the early part of 2003, Martinez did not play anywhere other than the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. He settled into low Class A Greensboro for his final 15 appearances and logged a 2.95 ERA over 181/3 innings in 2003. After a quality campaign last season, the Marlins added Martinez to the 40-man roster and asked him not to pitch winter ball. He still found the wherewithal to add a split-finger to go with his fastball, changeup and slider. "I wanted to show them the pitches I needed, that I had more than a fastball and slider," said Martinez, undaunted at the task of breaking camp with this team. "I always thought there would be an opportunity because we're all young. You play baseball without fear because you know when they have all [veterans] they're always sending down guys. Right now, I'm not scared." If Martinez ever does have doubts, he can seek reassurance right in the Marlins' clubhouse. Martinez and catcher Miguel Olivo both are from Villa Vasquez, a Dominican country town in the province of Monte Cristi. That area has produced a few of major-leaguers like Tony Pena, Felix Rodriguez and Ozzie Virgil. Olivo was the first from his village and can now boast an integral role in producing the second. "[Martinez] signed with a pair of spikes that I gave him," Olivo said. "I know his family very well. I would always push him. We're from the country and I was the most advanced player from there. I tried to help him become what he is today. He saw the way I work and I think that motivated him. He's from a good family. He likes to work." Martinez said he barely threw 80 mph when the Marlins signed him for $25,000 in 2000. At 170, he weighed about 40 pounds less than he does now. "When I was throwing 79 I thought that's all I'm going to throw because I didn't see myself getting better," said Martinez, adding that he saw a dramatic increase in velocity after beginning a workout program and supplementing his diet. "I started doing the work I needed to and got better. ... I started drinking vitamins, things that weren't prohibited. I've never injected myself or taken pills to throw harder. Everything has been natural." Performing like a natural this spring got him to the major leagues. Link What a great story, he's come from nowhere to claim a job, and from the sounds of him he deserves it. I can't wait to see him pitch. Sounds like he was a closer in Class A too, maybe he might be the closer of the future instead of Bowyer? Time will tell.

Marlins win 5-4!!

D'oh! I knew I forgot someone. How many pitchers would that leave us with... 12? That should be enough.

I reckon Giradi will carry both. Willy could play LF for a couple of days a week, allowing Treanor and Olivo to split playing time on the other days. So the bench would be something like: Aguila, Olivo/Treanor, Harris, Amezega. And on the day Willy catches, Aguila would be in left. That's how I'd do it anyway.

:lol :lol

Didn't Lo Duca homer in his first at-bat as a Marlin? Or was it just his first game. I could've sworn he did it as a pinch hitter though...

No offense, but anyone who actually even contemplated not following them this year after what happened isn't a true fan. I don't care if we lose 162 games, I'll still be supporting them. Just my opinion.

So did we tie?

1) 79-83 2) Willis 16-13, 3.17 Moehler 11-9, 3.73 Vargas 12-15, 4.13 Mitre 6-8, 4.53 Olsen 11-11, 3.27 Petit 14-5, 2.93 Johnson 8-12, 3.98 Borowski 2.65, 23 SVs (Shipped at deadline) Bowyer 3.88, 14 SV's 3) Reed .255 29 SBs Ramirez .265 25 SBs Cabrera .330 37 HRs 119 RBIs Jacobs .275 25 HRs 74 RBIs Hermida .295 25 HRs 83 RBIs Willingham .265 18 HRs 68 RBIs Olivo .255 8 HRs 42 RBIs Aguila .250 5 HRs 38 RBIs Reese .235 4 HRs 23 RBIs Uggla .275 15 HRs 45 RBIs Helms .268 10HRs 35 RBIs Lenny .330 2HRs 25 RBI's 4) Willis & Cabrera are All-Stars No one wins the Gold Glove

Holy crap he's gone through a hell of a lot of tragedy. :plain

At least Vladdy has a legitimate excuse.

Ah, so Tyler was the one who imploded. Uggla is already one of my favorite players and I haven't even seen him in action yet. :mischief2

Grant Psomas = Starting 2B of the future

Our line-up is better with Olivo © and Willingham (LF) in it than Willingham © and Aguila (LF)... both defensively and offensively, IMO. I hope Olivo wins the job, that way Willy can just concentrate on hitting.

What do you expect him to say? He didn't say they would win the World Series. He wouldn't be doing his job if he wasn't trying to win the World Series. If he said "Well, it's going to be a hard year, we'll just do our best and see what happens" that's a defeatist attitude and he wouldn't deserve to be the manager.

How many has he got to go?

Well sorry for trying to create some discussion. Sheesh. Now I realized why I hardly post here, unless you're someone with 1,000 posts you get jumped on at every opportunity.

With Villowned gone to the Yankees, we now lack a lefty specialist in the bullpen. Will it hurt? I think it's a very important part of baseball, when you're in a jam and you need someone to get that tight out against a lefty. The only options we have, that I can think of, are Tank and Olsen. But realistically, Olsen will either be in the rotation or in the minors, he shouldn't be used to get only one out. Is Tank ready to be a full-time specialist in the pen? Is there anyone else we can go after who is still out in the free agent market? I'm a little concerned about this spot. Thoughts?