cornfield

The Maybin call up will relate to the team stance on Hermida. I just don't think you can stick with Hermida much more.

After watching a couple starts from Rick, I have to say that I'm liking his talent over that of Chris.

The Marlins are capable of a blow them away deal for ADRIAN. Maybin, Uggla and Andrew Miller. How about that?

Let's go with the electronic strike zone and take the umpire out of calling balls and strikes. I'm confident the technology is in place.

Actually, tie goes to the runner is the only interpretation of the rule I can make. To paraphrase the rulebook, the runner is awarded the base if he arrives there before he is out. If the ball and the runners foot arrive simultaneously, the runner has arrived at the base before he was out. Can there be a different interpretation?

Certainly agree on Volstad. He had nada throughout. However, I though Vandenhurk was outstanding the other night. I thought he was successful despite really bad treatment by the ump calling balls and strikes.

I don't think it matters whether Bonafacio bats first or eighth, as long as its for the San Diego Padres.

There is one player I would go all out to get, for a number of reasons. It's Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres. Some may say he is the face of the San Diego franchise. Frankly, the Padres are so bad that there is no putting any face on that franchise at this point. They need a whole new roster. Gonazalez is an outstanding hitter WITH a very modest contract for the next couple of years. That's the magic combination for the Marlins ...esp. the inexpensive part. The Marlins have assets that San Diego should be interested in. Maybin, for example. He's been a top prospect for some time. He's hitting .330 in AAA. He has terrific speed. And I'm happy with Cody Ross in center. Throw in Bonafacio. Again, terrific speed. Multi-positional player. And I'll take Cantu's errors at third base any day or hand that infielders' glove to Coghlan. How about Dan Uggla? He's one of the top power guys at second base. He could be the new face of the Padres, couldn't he? The Marlins have Coghlan to fill in there as well. Other prospects? Morrison is listed among the top twenty minor league guys right now. Send him. Gabby Sanchez too. Maybin. Bonafacio. Uggla. Morrison. Sanchez. Send them all. Gonzalez would change the whole Marlin offense hitting in the cleanup spot. In one stroke, the Padres could replace over half their starting lineup. Exactly what that team needs to do.

I won't turn this into a dissertation, but holy smokes. The ball and strike officiating by Davidson last night was truly awful. I commend Marlin hitters for absorbing some absurd calls last night, but how does someone like Davidson continue to earn a fancy living when they do their job like he did last night? As a case in point, how a did the third strike call on Hanley last night sit with you? Ten to twelve inches off the outside corner ... strike three. The blown calls last night topped at least a dozen. While I have umpired behind the plate on more than a few occasions, I have admittedly never seen 90 mph pitches or major league quality breaking stuff. However, I do know that if you position yourself at eye level with the top of strike zone (the rule book still states that as the letters on a player's jersey, can you believe that?), that is the easiest part of the zone to call accurately. Next, if you put your nose right on the outside edge of the plate, that corner becomes fairly easy to judge as well. Interestingly though, the high pitch and the outside corner seem to be the pitches that umpires struggle with the most. On a good night, you barely notice the ball and strike calls. Last night, it was hard to notice anything else. Safe and out calls on the bases are problematic too. Does the rule book not state that a runner is safe unless clearly and obviously out? Ties go to the runner? In truth, it appears that umpires call a runner out if a play even appears to be close. This may be done in the name of keeping the game moving, but couldn't you accomplish the same thing more appropriately by bringing the top ten inches of the official strike zone back into play? Whenever I was called out of the stands at a high school game to officiate because an umpire had failed to show up for the game and I had to call balls and strikes, I would tell both catchers before the game that if they ever though I missed a pitch, just mention it to me. After each pitch, rather than simply grunt ball or strike, I would describe the location of each pitch after each call. That description would range from " a foot outside" to "just low" to "right across the middle of the letters". I don't have particularly good vision and I may have missed some pitches, but I never had a catcher question any pitches at all. Not that I remember.

I would prefer that Pinto play for a different team or not at all.

The Marlins need to take advantage of the present opportunity to make the playoffs. Johnson and Nolasco won't likely be around in a couple of years, (not with the Marlins) so you have to go for it now. Gonzales is the only established star that I know of that has such a modest contract. San Diego can trade him because their team, as constituted, has no chance to do anything for a few years. How about an offer of Morrison, Maybin and Bonafacio?

Why would the Marlins inquire on Holliday? He has Josh Willingham or Cory Ross numbers for the season. I'd just bring back the Hammer. Maybe the Nationals would take Bonafacio for him.

Stanton smacked another one last night and his AA batting average is finally on the rise. Outside of Hanley, he figures as the second best offensive threat in the organization. Now, do you wait until September to bring him up, just to postpone another year of having to pay him, or do you make your best effort to win this season?

It wasn't tobacco related. He doesn chew, he doesn't smoke and he doesn't dip!

I would trade Stanton for the first baseman in San Diego that we watched last night. He has a great contract for the next three years and is exactly the kind of bopper Hanley needs to have behind him in the order. Stanton may be very good some day. AG will definitely be great for the Marlins for the next few years. Cantu and Stanton for AG.

A deal that included Jorge Cantu (Mexican appeal), Mike Stanton, and a pitching prospect would probably do the trick. Certainly nothing less than Stanton though. AG's contract is just too reasonable for him to come cheaply. I'd make that trade, by the way.

I would LOVE Gonzalez, but I don't know what it would take to get him, considering he's the face of that franchise. He'd be rather pricey in the prospect bin, given his awesomeness, the rebuilding mode of the Padres, and his extremely cheap contract.

Stanton=Untouchable until the he requires a significant investment by the Marlins.

Wow, is there a single player on the Padres roster you would take other than Gonzales (Adrian)? That's not even a good minor league team. And the Marlins barely sneak by. Not a bright second half looking at us Florida fans.

It's a shame the Marlins have held on to Uggla as long as they have. He will be really hard to trade at this point. I think Maybin should have gotten the call to return. He's hitting in the mid .300's and none of the Marlin outfielders are hitting well enough. As for Sanchez coming up, I'd rather go with Morrison.

Top four players to move ASAP: Uggla (Coghlan or Bonafacio move to second), Hermida (Maybin is ready to come back), Cantu (Morrison is not altogethe ready, but ready enough), Andrew Miller (I've reluctantly given up on him ... man, JA Happ looked so much better, so much more in control the other night). A decent minimum wage starter for all four of them would work. I think Vandenhurk is going to look good this time around ... starting tonight.

Koronka will pitch well and be part of the rotation for the rest of season.

It isn't rocket science. Which Marlin would you prefer to have the most at bats this season? Which Marlin has shown the most success hitting leadoff? Hanley Coghlan Cantu Uggla Hermida Baker Ross Pitcher Bonafacio

Isn't the best hitter in New Orleans an outfielder named Ryan? Why wasn't he pulled up to the Marlins?

Have these two hitters each had 0-2 counts every at bat this season?