It's difficult to believe that Gammons finally has some good words for the Marlins GM.

 

Marlins stay active, aggressive

 

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By Peter Gammons

Special to ESPN.com

 

Aug. 5

 

Last season the Marlins bullpen was leaking, so they made the early, decisive deal for Ugueth Urbina because they were willing to give the Rangers a legitimate prospect in Adrian Gonzalez. When Mike Lowell got hurt in August, they went and got Jeff Conine because they were willing to move Denny Bautista.

 

They took their world championship team and allowed Pudge Rodriguez, Juan Encarnacion and Urbina to move on to balance the payroll. The Marlins signed Armando Benitez and traded Derrek Lee's salary for Hee Seop Choi's promise. And last week, when they realized they needed a catcher, a setup man for Benitez and some additional sock, they moved Choi, Brad Penny and Billy Murphy -- the left-hander they got from Oakland for Mark Redman -- for Paul Lo Duca, Encarnacion and Guillermo Mota.

 

So, if Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett and Dontrelle Willis pitch to their potential, as Carl Pavano has, the Marlins have every expectation of being back in the October high life. All of which is a tribute to Admin Beinfest, the quiet, cerebral general manager who has earned himself the respect as one of the brightest and most aggressive executives in the business. "As the deadline approached Admin was in the middle of the majority of trades out there," says one AL GM. "What makes him so good to deal with is that he is direct, honest and not afraid to trade talent to get what he wants." In the Admin Walker case, the money just didn't fit, even if they kept trying right up to Saturday noon.

 

But there are some huge "ifs" with the Marlins. To begin, just how good is that rotation? Pavano has matured into a frontline, reliable starter. Entering Thursday's start, he's 11-4 with a 3.06 ERA and is sixth in the National League in quality-start percentage (75). Dontrelle Willis had a 3.93 ERA and had quality starts in half his outings; he, incidentally, is the only one of the Big Four with a career winning record. Because injuries that have stalled their careers, Burnett (2-5, 4.46 this season with 58.0 quality-start percentage and a 32-37 career record) and Beckett (4-7, 4.54, 36.0 quality-start percentage, 21-24 lifetime) are hopes and promises.

 

And to make things more cloudy, there is the issue of Benitez's elbow.

 

But even if they don't win, it would have been a grave mistake not to try.

 

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:cheers to Beinfest

Go Beiney

Great article.Props to Beinfest. :thumbup

Great article. Marlins had no chance to make the playoffs before the trade because we couldn't hit. Our lineup is much improved. Way to go Beinfest!

I have seen alot of credit given to Beinfest and it is all well deserved this man brought the Fish out of the dark ages.

I have seen alot of credit given to Beinfest and it is all well deserved this man brought the Fish out of the dark ages.

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Looks like the Braves are taking care of business big time, and are not going to give anyone else a chance to get back in it. The only way for us to get back in it is to go 6-0 against them next month.

 

If nothing else Beinfest is managing to keep this team fun to watch the rest of the way out, and I give him alot of credit for that.