Let the season start anew, and let's put all the trade talk behind us. 60 games to go, and I believe the Marlins need to go 39-21 to make the playoffs. Certainly doable. We've kept our starting pitching together. We've added depth to our bullpen. Our offense is looking better. Congrats to the front office for giving us a chance to win it all this year, and to the players for generally looking like there heads are in the game a lot better since the All-Star Break. We have a chance to win it all. We have all the pieces. All that's left is to stay healthy and perform.

On the Cardinal series, while I'd love to see the Marlins sweep or go 3-1, I think that going in we should be realistic and be happy with a 2-2 split. There are several factors working against us. I'll let the follow up go into details, but the main thing is it's a 4 game series on the road against the current top team in the NL. Hopefully it's a preview of the NLDS or the NLCS. Overall I'd be happy with a split on the entire road trip. When we return home, that's the time to make a big run, against the weak NL West at home.

Keep those sox up.

the cardinals series is going to be very tough, and im not expecting us to go win more than 1 or 2 of those game, but if its a positive, its that they are pretty banged up..

 

rolen, walker, sanders, molina all out..

 

sucks that their starters are good that they keep them in games anyway

I just hope the real Marlins show up!!! This gives an idea of what they could do against a potential playoff opponent. My guess for this road trip is 5-3 a split in St. L and a 2-3 series win in Cincy. Git-R-Done :mischief

I think this Cardinals series will be very interesting to see how we stack up against them.

 

I think our biggest stretch will be right after the Cardinals series when we play 6 straight series vs teams that are under .500.

 

We get Cincy and Colorado on the road and then a 13 game home stand vs the rest of the NL west. If we are going to make the playoffs it will happend during that homestand.

Dont let the hype machine that is the St. Louis media scare you. We get Suppan and Marquis in the 1st and 4th game of this series. They get Willis, Beckett, Burnett back-to-back-to-back. Carpenter is due for a reality check, Morris has been slipping as of late, and Marquis and Suppan are Marquis and Suppan.

I'd be satisfied with a split

 

So long as we take care of business with teams we're supposed to beat, like cincy in the next series

There is going to be some serious pitching in this series. Willis vs Carpenter? Beckett vs Morris? Are you kidding me? Even AJ vs Suppan is good. I just hope we can knock around Marquis today & set up our big 3.

 

I really hate going into this series with no Delgado...

I didn't hear... is it confirmed no Delgado today?

This series will have plenty of pitching and hitting will be at a premium...if there is no Delgado (which i don't think has been confirmed yet) then Mikey will have to step it up a lil bit and keep hitting the cover off the ball like he has the past week or so....Mikey is starting to wake up right when we need him too

 

 

GO FISH!!!

I am really excited about this series.. If we win tonight with Ishy on the mound we have a good chance of winning 3/4 :thumbup

A split is fine with me, 3/4 wouldnt hurt...

 

:marlins

We have a chance to gain on Houston and Washington today because they dont play.

I guess it's time to find out how good of a team we really are...

I guess it's time to find out how good of a team we really are...

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Thats right. You can't get out of the National League without getting through the Cards...

enough of winning series from cupcake teams. we need to beat the big dawgs now. I'd say I'm happy with a split but we need to take this series

If we are really a playoff team it is time to play like one , we have lost many games against inferior teams the good teams have beat us for the most part it is time to take 3 out 4 against the cardinals, 2out of 4 os treading water ,we need 3 out of 4 to show we are real !!

I would be a lot more optimistic if Delgado were in the lineup.

Im want to see the real Marlins go out there the one we have been seeing as of late. Don't let the Cards full us, if you look at it they only got Pujols who we should worry about and we got only 2 of there ace while there facing our best pitchers the whole series. :notworthy

I think with the new addition of Villone to the team and a reassured sense that we are indeed still in this season, the Marlins are going to fight hard in St. Louis.

enough of winning series from cupcake teams. we need to beat the big dawgs now. I'd say I'm happy with a split but we need to take this series

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Taking 3 of 4 in St. Louis is really asking a lot. I'd be very happy with a split.

We better at least split. Anything less than that is unacceptable if we think we're a playoff team.

I agree that this series is really going to show how the Fish compare to the big boys of the NL, and I really want to win this series. As for the rest of the season it is going to be a fun run and I cant wait to enjoy it on this board this board with all of you guys since I missed it in 03 and its great to see all the negativity no longer taking this board over.

I could see you guys taking game one. That's it. Marquis isn't one of my favorites and hasn't really been doing that well this year (comapred to the rest of the staff) And after 132 pitches in his last outing I don't think he'll last very long. If you get King you have a good chance out of the bullpen, but I don't think he'll pitch tonight.

 

Can't wait for the Carpenter/ Willis and Morris/ Beckett. That will be exciting.

 

 

 

GO CARDS!!

The st.Louis series is one that i'm not so pumped up about, but Colorado and Cincy, maybe those 2 stops will further propel Lowell's average and wake up our offense which has slowed down the past couple of games (But in all fairness the Nats have great starters)... its going to be an exciting October run

Let's do this, light this candle!!