ILuvCraigMinervini

I was at the game today. Ricky looked like he was in great shape (a little on the lighter side) and it showed. He had great stuff and control. I have no problem with a pitcher going 80 pitches in a late spring training game, especially when they were as effortless as he made it look today.

I like 'Fredo and I don't want to "hate" on him, but I don't think his role on this team should be as an everyday player. He has many talents and is useful in many situations. He just isn't getting it done at the leadoff spot. He hit four flies tonight. I think Fredi has fallen into the line of thinking of many skips that they just have to have a speedster at the top of the lineup. MLB is sorely lacking in great leadoff men these days. How many .240 hitters do you see at the top of lineups these days just because they are fast. If they can't get on, it doesn't matter. Alfredo only has one steal this year. Put someone at the top of the order who makes things happen. I know Cody Ross got off to a slow start this year, but the last two games he started, he got things going. I had assumed those games were a kind of tryout for him to get himself back in the lineup everyday and I thought he did ok. He has way less at bats that 'Fredo and hasn't had nearly as much chance to prove himself recently as he deserves. He has had that goofy look of intensity unique to him going this week. I say give him a chance. His upside is better than Amezaga.

Uggla produced runs. Runs win games. It was a great week for alot of players, but Uggla's production had the biggest impact.

Wayne H screwed the team by gutting it and selling it after the World Series win. Fans had no opportunity to enjoy the win as many of the players were gone before they even got a chance to visit the White House. I have followed the Marlins since the Scott Pose catch, Ryan Bowen's shutout, the Sheffield/Hoffman trade, the many classic "Carrs," and Jay Randolph's "This one is in the win column!" so I am not simply a fair weather fan. However, I could hardly bring my self to turn them on in the next season. New fans need to experience winning followed by a glimmer of hope for the next season, which they didn't get to do with the fish. Even though we have gotten two championships since '93, which is better than most teams can claim, Marlin fans who have stuck it out through that entire period feel used and abused. Obviously, we are the more hard core faction of the bunch and we understand why the team's baseball side makes alot of the descisions it does, but many people just won't stick it out. Support has to be cultivated over years. South FL sports fans are some of the least dedicated of any. It will take another championship with most of the same players returning to keep fans around. A big win going into the new stadium would be the best thing.

Being the franchise that we are, I don't any player can ever be considered inexpendable. However, to all the people who don't see Uggla as an integral part of this team and a big part of the future, I think tonight was a pretty good example of what he brings. He was a few feet away from a three run homer (which ended up a sac fly) before he hit the grand slam. The guy is a great power hitter, though admittedly streaky. To get that kind of production from 2B, plus acceptable defense, is pretty nice. His Phil Plantier/Rob Deer type numbers last year would have been acceptable for an old school power hitter. I believe he is going to have a better year average wise. Thinking about the offensive potential of this Jacobs, Uggla, Ramirez, Cantu infield is exciting. The make shift outfield is fairly solid offensively. Adding to that the fact that Treanor is hitting better than a pitcher is icing on the cake. The screen name says it all. This is actually Minervini himself. I say go stand under a big apple and wait for the Mets to hit a home run. I realize it may take a while, but you have nothing better to do. Do I detect a Minervini hater?

Being the franchise that we are, I don't any player can ever be considered inexpendable. However, to all the people who don't see Uggla as an integral part of this team and a big part of the future, I think tonight was a pretty good example of what he brings. He was a few feet away from a three run homer (which ended up a sac fly) before he hit the grand slam. The guy is a great power hitter, though admittedly streaky. To get that kind of production from 2B, plus acceptable defense, is pretty nice. His Phil Plantier/Rob Deer type numbers last year would have been acceptable for an old school power hitter. I believe he is going to have a better year average wise. Thinking about the offensive potential of this Jacobs, Uggla, Ramirez, Cantu infield is exciting. The make shift outfield is fairly solid offensively. Adding to that the fact that Treanor is hitting better than a pitcher is icing on the cake.

I have to wonder why anyone is talking about changing anything right now when things are going well. I think we have to wait and see how everything looks once the regulars are back and the pitching rotation is solidified. Good performance in the minors does not equate with major league production by any stretch of the imagination. I definitely would not consider adding anymore grizzled veterans rescued from the scrap heap right now. With the depth in the outfield, I think putting someone in as a makeshift cf is the best option for now. I would say adding a veteran starting pitcher could be an option if it ends up looking like this team is the real deal this year. I would not abandon the long term vision for this team and give up young talent for old help unless we are really in the thick of things come July.

You guys are nuts if you think we should deal a talented young pitcher just coming into his own to temporarily fill a position that is arguably not even a hole. Good starting pitchers are worth their weight in gold. I think it would be foolish to deal any one of our talented young pitchers for anyone less than a future hall of famer right now. I should say a future hall of famer who is young and going to be with the team for awhile. Maybe a Miguel Cabrera type, but also a fast center fielder. It ain't gonna happen!

I don't know why some of you always feel the need to jump on some player's bandwagon and act like you have to hate another player. They're all on the same team. You can root for them all to do well. As far as Mitre goes, how can someone suggest he doesn't have good stuff when his sinker is killer? The sinker is such a great pitch. It breaks bats and it's hard to hit anywhere but on the ground. Visions of Kevin Brown anyone? Olsen may eventually be ok and I want him to do well, but right now he is not getting the job done and he acts like a baby. I think Joe did a great job keeping him in line. His stuff is not all that impressive to me, but when he has control of it he can effective, as he has shown in the past. Starting pitching is the key to this (and any) team's success. People like to cry about our centerfield and catcher situation, but I think the FO is correct to not make any rash moves. It would be great to add one more effective starting pitcher, but where are you going to find that? This is still a team being built for the future and if they can win this year that's great, but we should not sacrifice what will help us down the road. I think the best option is just to wait on the young pitchers to come around and see what happens.

Cabrera is one of the best hitters in the game, period. Look at the major offensive categories that matter (not his average at night against LHPs, in the rain, in games 1000 feet or more above sea level etc.) and he's up there, both for the season and his young career. I can't believe someone here would suggest he is overrated. Who cares how much he strikes out recently if he is hitting for high average and power and driving in runs. Would popups make everyone feel better? I do take some offense to the author of the article implying that he plays for a team that doesn't care about winning. How many players get to play in World Series and win their first year in the bigs? They have been in the hunt since then. The Marlins do the best they can with the limited resources they have. Just because they can't buy an all star team every year like the Yankees doesn't mean they don't care about winning.

He's a backup catcher; give him a break. Yes he hits like a pitcher, but he is solid behind the plate. Besides, his wife is hot and a great athlete, which gives us something else to talk about.

The walks are inexcusable. Yes, errors do have an effect, but it's not nearly as big a deal. Walks happen more frequently and, hence, more of them score. That is not to say that the defense can't improve. Willingham often misjudges balls in left which causes some to fall in for hits that shouldn't. Amezaga has a Pierre-like arm in center. Cabrera looks like a DH at third. Ramirez and Uggla boot too many. The fact still remains that they are still major league quality fielders that make the plays most of the time. Pitchers that can't throw strikes don't belong in the major leagues. Kranitz can't pitch for them. He did a great job with them last year and I'm sure he's teaching the same techniques. In the end, it falls on the pitchers to perform.

I kind of like the idea of hitting Hermida second. I like having a left hand bat in that position. Uggla is a good hitter and he think his numbers are going to be fine, but he is a bit streaky. His power numbers are good and hitting him fifth might work well. I defintely want to keep Cabrera third. Statistically, the higher someone hits in the order, the more at bats they are going to get over the course of the season. Why wouldn't you want your best hitter getting as many at bats as possible and also getting up in the first inning every time? Same thing for Hanley. Let him have the most at bats possible while taking full advantage of his speed at the leadoff spot. He may be 2/3 for steals so far since he has been moved, but he will not get as many steals over the course of the season. There just aren't as many opportunities for third batters to run as leadoff men (which works out well for Cabrera because we really don't want to see him run).

I agree with your analysis Sirspud. It seems a shame to move such a stolen best threat who is also a great hitter, but not yet a huge run producer, down in the lineup. Hanley is a great run scorer and catylist, but has power numbers lower than the average number three hitter. Being one of the best all around hitters in the game, Cabrera is made to be a number three hitter.