cornfield

I would start Annibal for the Marlins sooner rather than later. My first candidate for a respite in AA in Volstad. His control and confidence are severely lacking right now. And I think he has a tired arm. To my way of thinking, Sanchez is very much a key to the Marlins hopes this season. I see at least the hope that he can come in and give a strong performance every fifth day as we fight for a post season appearance. I see something like a 4-1 record and 3.00 ERA in nine starts down the stretch.

West is MVP of the game because he didn't walk anybody. Major Leagues seem to get great swings at West and hit him hard. He benefitted from some fine plays behind him last night, esp. Cody's grab of a Tejada liner that would have plated a couple more runs. Overall, West is worrisome at best.

West is MVP of the game because he didn't walk anybody. Major Leagues seem to get great swings at West and hit him hard. He benefitted from some fine plays behind him last night, esp. Cody's grab of a Tejada liner that would have plated a couple mor runs. Overall, West is worrisome at best.

Don't know about the rest of you, but I think volstad could benefit from a couple weeks back in the minors. Ungs has been very hot for Jacksonville for 4 consecutive starts. He deserved a shot at helping the Marlins too.

It was a silly list. However, it did raise a point that is a pet peeve of mine. About the four hundred and twenty-four thing. Can't stand it when announcers are always looking for the longest way to say something. I thought quality announcing was all about using the right words, not the most words. Examples of redundant and just plain stupid quotes that you now hear constantly: 1) (Basketball) "He can really score the basketball." As opposed to scoring the what? 2) (FB, BB,BB) "They are a great team on the defensive side of the ball." How 'bout, "They're great defensively." 3) (All Broadcasting) "Blah, blah, blah, IF YOU WILL ... " If we will what? Except the fact that you've already said something? Anyone else with their own set of broadcast peeves?

I trust Sanches more than any of the rest. He's my closer.

Boy, did this topic get off point. I agree that Hanley is a very aggressive hitter, which is precisely why he would seem like the last guy you'd expect to see let 92 mph fastballs over the middle of the plate, just below the waist, with runners in scoring position, go right on by ... with two strikes on him. I just didn't get it.

I noticed a list of Marlins prospects that rated Coghlan ninth after last season with just a C or C- rating. I wonder how that would be adjusted now? A Chris Coghlan at positions 2-9 would not be a bad lineup. And I think he could play them all well. Among other prospects, Stanton (ranked just fourth in the system after last year and labeled high ceiling/high risk) homered last night. Gabby hit two for New Orleans. Morrison and Dominguez are both at Jacksonville with Stanton now, with neither doing a whole lot and Dominguez doing nothing. Maybin has been out of the lineup for well over a week at AAA.

Hanley Ramirez has a comfortable lead in batting in the NL. He leads the league in hitting with runners in scoring position. He also had two of the worst at bats I've seen this season ... last night. How do you account for his taking two medicore fastballs right down the tube for called third strikes last night? I just can't figure it. Nor can I figure out why he gets down in the count repeatedly by flailing at sliders in the dirt a half a foot outside in so many at bats. If I were coaching the Marlins, I would move Baker into the three spot against righties and put Hanley at clean up. Against lefties, I would put Uggla in the three hole and hope that he sees more fastballs with Hanley hitting behind him. It's a good baseball discussion, no?

Hi everyone! New at the forum and glad to see the level of knowledge around here. Great place! I really think we can get there, true we are in serious need of another consistent opener, but the boys are giving the max on the field, and it has paid off. I believe we could see the magic this year, I'm looking forward to it. Well, that's if Volstad and Hermida don't give me a heart attack. Given the low price tag, I would have taken a run at Pedro. I think a veteran like that would have added something to the clubhouse and been helpful to the younger pitchers. The long rest Pedro has had might be just what he needed to pitch well down the stretch. I think he starts for Philly this weekend. I would send Volstad to Double A for a few starts, ala Nolasco earlier in the season. Right now, he is not helping the team at all. I would also probably "rush" Sanchez back to the rotation. He pitches for Jacksonville tonight and will throw five or six great innings that I'd like Marlins to have tonight.

I watch the same games as everyone else, I guess. In view of that, I can't understand why we don't unanimously endorse Sanches as the best man for the closer role. He doesn't walk people and opposing hitters don't smack the ball very hard when he pitches. He even strikes quite a few of them out.

I would give Harang no thought at all. For a while his future was looking bright, not any longer. The answer hopefully lies in Annibal Sanchez, who should just be a Jacksonville start or two away from the rotation.

As a compliment to Cody, that's as good as it gets. Being a Marlin fan, I thought he was conveying my thoughts about Chase Utley.

I thought it might be fun to take a look at this team at is stands and with an eye to the future. Starting pitching. It begins with Nolasco in my opinion. Right now, he is as good as there is. The Marlins are going to have to invest most of their money in pitching next year because there are no bright prospects in the minors. The K to W ratio for Nolasco is off the charts and represents real excellence to me. Josh Johnson is going pretty well and seems to be a fan favorite. He also appears to be in very sound condition. It's going to cost some money to keep him around. Volstad is likely to remain a fixture as a three or four starter for the next few years. His numbers look pretty solid and he should continue to be fine with decent run support. I really like what Hurk has done for himself. I think he is going to put up great numbers the rest of the season and emerge as not just a solid starter, but a guy people will start talking about by the end of August. Low in the strike zone, he can really dominate. He will have some double figure strikeout games this season. Unfortunately, things get tough after the top four. It could be just me, but I'm not liking West all that much and I hate to say it, but I'm almost writing off Miller. Meyer has been a starter in the past and I wouldn't mind seeing him get a few chances. Sanches looked really good over three plus innings on Saturday night. Hopper? While in the car on the way to the game Saturday night, I predicted he wouldn't get through three innings ... I hate it when that happens. If the budget line holds for the Marlins, they will have to part with Nolasco and Johnson sooner rather than later and the focus will have to be on getting young pitching prospects. The bullpen. Outside of Pinto, I have no real problems with the guys in the pen. I certainly would have tried to get Arizona to take Miller and Hermida for Heath Bell, but could understand that the Marlins balked at sending West and Maybin. Overall, I think the team has done a great job in stockpiling bullpen arms. I do not have faith in Lindstrom as a closer and would move Pinto and him at the first opportunity. I like the idea of closing by committee, not by conventional means. Parading one guy out there to collect saves simply builds his salary value to the extent that you can't afford him any longer. I think Nunez, Calero, Meyer, Sanches, Donnelly and more are capable of finishing games. I don't know how the front office has managed to do it, but the bullpen is a strength. Catcher. The Baker/Paulino combination is just fine, thanks. It's especially gratifying that the Phillies, of all teams, cut Paulino loose and paved the way for him to ultimately wind up in South Florida. You have to love Baker's dedication to going opposite field. First base. I like the glimpses of Nick Johnson and agree with those that believe he will provide help to the lineup through the stretch run. Would I have liked Adrian Gonzales in that spot? Absolutely. Would I have traded West, Miller, Maybin and Morrison to get Gonzales? Absolutely. But even that may not have gotten AG into a Marlins' uniform. Johnson will likely be an option for next season; we'll just have to see how that all plays out. Second base. Coghlan for next season, batting second. Shortstop. I've been really impressed with Hanley's defense this season. If I'm looking for more of something out of him, it would be more steal attempts. Third base. Until a better offensive option than Cantu appears from somewhere, I'm good with letting him get comfortable over there and ironing out his throwing. He's hitting well enough to help the team and not so well that he will get too expensive to keep around for another year while the team waits for Dominguez to blossom. Left field. Coghlan's doing fine biding his time out there, but ultimately I'd love to see some pop return to the lineup there. Willingham's hitting this season, especially of late, would have really helped the Marlins. Center. I'm a Cody fan. Love his glove and hustle. I think he is one of the true faces of the franchise and I hope he sticks around for a few years. If he were a better contact hitter, he would be a real asset hitting higher in the lineup. As it is, 25 or 30 homers and great defense isn't all that bad from a number seven hitter. If Maybin is viewed as ready to hit .300 for the Marlins as an everyday player and has more talent in center than Cody, Ross would be equally brilliant in right or left field. Right field. Hermida works hard and plays hard. However. I want a .300 hitter and 30 plus homers from my right fielder ... or .275 and 40 homers ... and that's what I hope Stanton brings sooner rather than later. I just hope Hermida hits well enough to help the Marlins down the stretch this year and to add trade value for the offseason. In summary, I like the Marlins on the field now and for the future. If one deal could have really made a huge difference, it would have been getting Adrian Gonzales to hit in the cleanup spot.

Yawn.

Pittsburgh shipped this centerfielder over to Washington for an outfielder (Milledge) who has pretty much proven that he's not going to make it in the majors. Morgan is proving to be what the Marlins dreamed of having in Maybin. Why didn't the Marlins grab that fellow? Hermida may have been acceptable payment. (Remember Milledge? He was the Washington centerfielder that played two fairly routine flyball outs by Bonifacio into an inside the part homer and triple during the first couple games of the season).

As an option, why not have umpires who call pitches that catch a part of the plate and the area between the bottom of the letters and the bottom of the knees as strikes? Let's call "Ball!" on the rest of them.

I'd rather play Gload every day at first than acquire Johnson.

Shoot the umpire. Hanley rung up twice on pitches that were well off the outside corner. I thought top hitters were supposed to get some slack from the umpire ... not take some smack.

Nick Johnson? Who cares? He would make no difference one way or the other. The one move that is sure to help the marlins immediately is to move Bonifacio out of the starting lineup.

Give up thompson. I want Tucker. Lol I have no idea why the Marlins would want a powerless bat at first base. Please don't do not pursue Nick Johnson.

Trade Maybin, West, Miller and Cantu for Gonzalez and the Marlins future is this year and next year and the year after. By the way, I'm expecting Badenhop to start on Saturday.

Jorge Cantu is my third baseman. He's been great at first for sure, but I think he'll do fine at third and I will be happy to see Bonafacio ride the bench as a utility player. With Adrian Gonzalez about to take over at first, we want to keep Cantu's bat in the lineup.

I wish I could have an experience like that in my lifetime... Hope it doesn't happen, but if the story's true that's pretty sweet. Wild Card, I have greater hopes for your life. I hope that someone's goal will be to eavesdrop on one of your conversations some day, as you detail the public offering of your new high tech company.

I'm sticking to my guns. While it's true that I'm basing my opinion on what I've seen in the last week, I like where Rick is headed more.