Out of the Past

Defensively he's having a fine season but he's pretty bad with the bat and I mean pretty bad even for backup catcher standards. Overall he's an average backup catcher at best. To his credit he's playing much better than he did last year. Last year he played like a AAA catcher.

It is similar to the measure passed in Maryland that required WalMart (and only WalMart) to provide health insurance. "Any employer with 10,000 or more employees" was the working. WalMart closed a store and laid off 750 employess to get under the number. Wasn't that a great measure for the working man? I think earlier this week, or maybe it was last week, the Wal-Mart law was struck down in court.

Aguila has shown to be nothing more than a AAAA player, and I dont think having him sit on the bench for a couple of ABs a week is going to help anything. it's a marginal swap on W/L level, but it gets a smarter, more polished ballplayer on the roster, while allowing a project to get his hacks at a lower level and smaller ballpark. Nothing against Alfredo but with Aguila here instead of Reggie we wouldn't have to turn to an IF to be our defensive replacement in the OF.

Aguila always puts up terrific numbers in the minors. It's a shame those haven't translated better up here. I don't think he's ever had a real shot up here. Only spot starts here and there. I feel bad for the guy. I don't think he's the real deal but I think he deserved more of a chance because he's been in the organization for years putting up good numbers. Ross, Borchard and Reggie have gotten more of an opportunity than Aguila.

A comment today based various postings on local newspaper websites and flamarlins.com - I wonder if there is disagreement between Beinfest and the organization, and Joe Girardi and his coaches, over the value of acquiring JP. What I see is Girardi touting Ross' skills and Hanley's ability to score when he gets on base (see today's Marlins website, "Notes: Hanley on the run" which features positive quotes from Girardi on both players, including one of importance here that "...Cody is going to play," Girardi said. "You have to earn your playing time, and he's earned his playing time." Now perhaps he means in left field but the jist of pieces in some of today's online editions of our south florida papers is to acknowledge Ross' CF play in a positive manner. Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's telling. Stay tuned. Looks to me like in Girardi's eyes Cody has earned the CF job and that's good. I think an OF that includes Cody and Josh is better than any that includes either Reggie or JP. I'm not giving up on Josh after 100 games in that although he hasn't hit as well as I expected his hitting hasn't been that bad.

ss Hanley Ramirez cf Juan Pierre 1b Mike Jacobs 3b Miguel Cabrera 2b Dan Uggla rf Jeremy Hermida lf Josh Willingham c Miguel Olivo Keep Hanley where he has success JP's ability to bunt for base hits and the fact that Hanley will be opening up the right side for JP's LH bat puts JP 2nd Jacobs has prospered in front of Miggy Miggy is the man Uggla looks to succeed anywhere in the lineup other than 8th Hermida's plate discipline will really benefit the guys behind him, and he will extend innings Willy has no other place to be in the lineup Olivo will decline in the 8 hole because he is a free swinger, but he will continue to punish mistakes by other pitchers I'll take my chances with Cody in CF... so no JP. ss Hanley Ramirez rf Jeremy Hermida 1b Mike Jacobs 3b Miguel Cabrera 2b Dan Uggla lf Josh Willingham cf Cody Ross c Miguel Olivo

I just dont see Pinto having any future with the this team, and see absolutely no reason not to make this deal it's more than just the players, it's another one of those deals that shows our bandwagon fans that we want to win now it's a bandwagon town, they just need a reason to jump on It would be a PR move that would NOT help you win games. and in almost 1000 at bats at Dolphin Stadium, he is a .312 hitter no brainer and who said JP had to leadoff? The JP I saw last year was one of the main reasons the team underperformed and he's having a 2nd poor year in a row. I'm sorry but I just can't ignore that as I can't ignore his weak arm. In evaluating him that carries more weight than what he hit at home in '03 and '04. If you don't hit him leadoff where would you hit him?

I just dont see Pinto having any future with the this team, and see absolutely no reason not to make this deal it's more than just the players, it's another one of those deals that shows our bandwagon fans that we want to win now it's a bandwagon town, they just need a reason to jump on It would be a PR move that would NOT help you win games. Why wouldn't it help us win games?? It deepens our lineup, and gives us one more reliable hitter toward the back end of it. I don't think JP is that good. For a leadoff hitter with zero pop his OBP is too low and his arm makes him a defensive liability. Hanley is a better leadoff hitter.

I just dont see Pinto having any future with the this team, and see absolutely no reason not to make this deal it's more than just the players, it's another one of those deals that shows our bandwagon fans that we want to win now it's a bandwagon town, they just need a reason to jump on It would be a PR move that would NOT help you win games.

Leadoff hitters who don't get on base don't help you win games and his arm makes him a defensive liability.

I don't know why you all are so convinced that if this trade goes through it will only be a rental. As far as I kow, we don't have a CF prospect that could/should be called up next year. If the Marlins do make this deal, I could see them giving him at least a one-year contract extension. As far as having JP back, I am not sure how I feel about it. One thing is certain, this would be an improvement from our current CF situation. He would be an improvement over Reggie, no doubt about that, but I would take my chances with Ross over JP. Isn't JP one of the primary reasons last year's team underperformed?

actually if we traded for him and he walks in the offseason we could get draft picks then. Just offer him arby, he should be a type B FA. so that is 2 2nds Its not that easy. Since he has had another bad year and is already making 7 million(I believe) he is unlikely to decline arby as the best offers he will likely get as a free agent are 2 year deals worth 8-10 million. Even with his bad play if he goes to arby with the Marlins the arbitrator will likely rule in his favor and award him with atelast 8-9 million dollars for a 1 year deal. How many of you see Loria paying that for Pierre? I for one don't care if he pays that I just don't think Pierre is worth that money Also Type B free agents do not bring in 2 picks, they bring in 1 first/second round pick or maybe even later if the signing team signs higher rated players I'm confused. The Marlins can just cut him and not offer arbitration, can't they? We don't have to offer arbitration but if we don't then we don't get any compensatory picks when he signs elsewhere. With that said, I wouldn't offer him arbitration. He would probably accept it and be very expensive.

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help. Re-read my posts, do a game by game analysis. I repeat if he allows 10 runs in one game and we lose 10-1, in the standings it counts the same as a 2-1 loss. Now for every good game he has that we've won, hes been very helpful. So stats dont tell the whole story. Game by game analysis is the way to go Throwing out his last start (he left due to injury) he made 14 starts and was horrible in 7 of them. In my opinion a 50% ratio of horrible starts is pretty crappy and that's how you end up with an ERA close to 7.00 allowing a .300+ average every single month. He's mop-up man material.

.300+ average allowed 7 months in a row... I took a quick look and the only other pitcher that comes close is Carlos Silva (6.91 ERA) with 5 months in a row allowing a .300+ average. Moehler is consistently bad. Like someone else suggested he should take Jason's spot so Jason can go to AAA and get some much needed work. That's how Moehler can help.

The ultimate pro. Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can. He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude. Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice. Granted hes not an ace, but hes pitched in at least 6 games where hes pitched 6+ innings and allowed 2 or less runs. Hes not worthless, he can help this or any other team to win games. In evaluating him I'll take a look at his entire body of work and not only at his good outings. Bottom line this season he has an ERA close to 7.00 and hitters are hitting .334 average off him. I know the .334 is an improvement compared to what he allowed in July (.364), August (.363) and September (.338) of 2005 but it still stinks. I don't know of any other pitcher not named Brian Moehler who has allowed an over .300 average for 7 months in a row. He's a nice guy and is not worthless... he can be useful to eat innings in blowout losses.

The ultimate pro. Many guys in his situation would say "I don't want to be in the bullpen", but he knows the future of this team and he's willing to help anyway he can. He may not have pitched the best this year, although at times he's been great, but you gotta respect his attitude. Frankly I don't know what else he could say. He's a really bad pitcher. He may be a great guy but as a MLB player he's terrible... 3 or 4 good outings don't erase a year's worth of pitching like it's batting practice.

Why does Girardi still have Jeremy not only batting 7th but behind Willingham, i know that Ross is batting good so i wouldnt mind jeremy batting after but having josh in front i dont understand. With jeremy's avg and OBP i still dont get it. yes i know willy had 1 hit and HR stolen but still my line up would be 1. ramirez R 2. jeremy L 3. miggy R 4. jake L 5. uggla R 6. ross R 7. willy R 8. olivo R That would be my lineup as well except maybe I would flip Willingham and Ross between 6th and 7th and also maybe switch Uggla and Jacobs between 4th and 5th but those would be minor tweaks. The big thing though is moving Hermida to 2nd and Uggla down to 4th or 5th so he can get more RBI opportunities.

The guy has been putting up great numbers lately, and even though the outfield is quite crowded, it looks like he's a keeper beyond this season. He's most likely not the long-term answer for center field, but the Marlins should keep on finding a way to get his bat into the lineup. But he may the long term answer in left field :mischief2 He appears (operative word) to make Willingham expendable (read, tradebait). If you trade Willingham and move Ross to LF then who plays CF? I would rather have Willingham & Ross than Ross & Reggie.

Someone asked what was the record in games Reggie starts. I don't know what that is but I looked up the record in games he has played a lot (*) just to see what that was: Reggie plays a lot --- 19-37 .339 winning % Reggie doesn't play a lot --- 17-9 .654 winning % (*) a lot is considered games in which he had 2 or more plate appearances. From the date of the original post to tonight our record based on Reggie's playing time is as follows: Reggie plays a lot --- 2-4 .333 winning % Reggie doesn't play a lot --- 8-2 .800 winning % Our season-to-date record based on Reggie's playing time now is: Reggie plays a lot --- 21-41 .339 winning % Reggie doesn't play a lot --- 25-11 .694 winning % I wouldn't play Reggie. Girardi hasn't even used him as a defensive replacement lately. Good move.

A 4-4 in the road trip would be okay... 5-3 would be good. I think going 3-5 (or worse) would send Beinfest to the phones to actively trade Borowski.

If we continue to play well, we should be able to at least be within 4th of the wild card. If thats the case, 'leapfrogging' 4 teams is not undoable. Everyone says doing it to 8 teams is impossible, but really at the pace we're at now, leapfrogging half of those teams should not be overly difficult The "there's too many teams ahead of us" argument is a ridiculous one when most of the teams ahead of us are 1 game ahead. If you had 9 teams ahead of you by 5 or 7 games then it would be a different story.

New Distance: 24.5 mi (about 35 mins) Current Distance to Dolphins Stadium: 15.7 mi (about 22 mins)

Ramirez Uggla Cabrera Ross Willingham Helms Hermida Treanor Willis This is the 5th straight game without Reggie.

Wildcard? The Reds would have to seriously collapse, or we will have to win 2/3 of our games for several weeks. If we go 41-25 the rest of the way it would leave us at 85 wins and there's a good chance 85 wins would be enough to win the WC. I don't think it's a pipe dream to believe a team coming off a 33-21 run can go 41-25. I don't think Houston, Colorado, Philadelphia, Atlanta or Milwaukee are good enough to get to 85 wins. Looking at the NL West teams, between San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona and LA one of them may get to 85 but I wouldn't bet on 2 getting to 85 and if only 1 gets to 85 and we get to 85 then we would pass them all in the WC race (the one with 85 or more would win the division). The Reds can easily surpass the 85 wins mark but I wouldn't be shocked if they don't... I wouldn't call them a good team. Without Borowski and Helms and to a lesser extent Herges we're not getting to .500 let alone 85 wins.

get to .500 If we sell Borowski, Helms and Herges and don't add a good OF and continue to play Reggie then we're not getting to .500. It's that simple.