But on the field, I am even more excited. We are getting back some SICK young talent that can contribute as early as next year. Jacobs, Hermida, Cabrera - all these guys are young, impact hitters that project to have some very good numbers. Petit and Sanchez are highly touted pitching prospects that can go along with our already deep and talented pitching pool.

 

Joe Girardi brings a great attitude with an expectation on winning. What is more, he was supposed to cultivate a winning attitude here BEFORE the purge and his task is still the same now. The upside is, he wont have to navigate through any possible veteran sentiments to do it.

 

I dont know, I think this team is going to be very competitive and surprise a lot of people. No, I am not expecting a miracle of getting into the World Series or even the playoffs. But looking at the Braves the last several years has me thinking, why not?

 

This team has loads of talent. It is young which means it will be inconsistent, but there is plenty to be excited about as both the on field game will be fun to watch as well as watching all the negotiations that will be stepped up over the next year for this franchise to finally get the facility it deserves.

 

 

I agree 100%. This team is going to be fun to watch next year. You mentioned lower expectations. That will be a factor to making this team exciting. It's the high expectations from the 2005 team that led to our disappointment. So if these young guys can get anywhere near to sniffing the playoffs the fans will come back, just like in 2003.

I personally can't wait. The fact that this team looks pretty much set with incredible talent for the next few years is going to be awesome. This is a very different situation than in 1998 because there was a lot of players that just weren't ready to be in the big leagues, that won't have in 2006.

 

I can't wait for Spring Training :thumbup

 

 

 

Me too.. I will be there for the first ST game.

As long as Hermida does well, I could really care less about the box score.

 

 

But I am excited, we are putting fresh blood into a core that had become a little stagnant. I think we might shock the world and have a great season next year, depending on how the bullpen turns out.

I think when you have young guys on your team, they're always exciting to watch...

 

Hermida, Cabrera, Jacobs are going to be an amazing 3-4-5!!!

I don't understand why this many people on here are that excited about next year. We are the weakest team in the NL East as far as pitching right now. From what I can tell, we have one veteran starter, and then most likely 4 rookies backing Willis up. It's possible that maybe Moehler will be back as the 5th starter, but I don't know.

 

The bullpen is even worse, with our most skilled veteran, Guillermo Mota, getting added to the Beckett deal at the last minute. Our penny-pinching makes it unlikely that we will resign Todd Jones, leaving very few options in the bullpen this year. Chris Resop, Randy Messenger, and the other rookies last year didn't exactly look too promising.

I promise to watch only because next year may be the "last" year. Having watched every team since 1993, and being a fan, I always look for the positive. Last year was the most positive on paper, but the least fun to watch. I'm sure I watched less innings last year than in any of the last 10 years. The 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, and especially 2002 were the best teams to watch.

 

I think the 2003 was the most fun of all. Those guys were playing great, having a blast and showing the world they weren't intimidated by anything. That team just had a special magic about them that is rare.

I don't understand why this many people on here are that excited about next year. We are the weakest team in the NL East as far as pitching right now. From what I can tell, we have one veteran starter, and then most likely 4 rookies backing Willis up. It's possible that maybe Moehler will be back as the 5th starter, but I don't know.

 

The bullpen is even worse, with our most skilled veteran, Guillermo Mota, getting added to the Beckett deal at the last minute. Our penny-pinching makes it unlikely that we will resign Todd Jones, leaving very few options in the bullpen this year. Chris Resop, Randy Messenger, and the other rookies last year didn't exactly look too promising.

 

 

Worst pitching in the NL East. We'll see what happens by opening day but right now our pitching is the worst in all of MLB. Our starters are Willis, Mystique, Aura, Hope, and Prayer......and we have no bullpen at all to back up the fab five. I don't understand the optimism either at this point, but let's see what happens by April 1.

I don't understand why this many people on here are that excited about next year. We are the weakest team in the NL East as far as pitching right now. From what I can tell, we have one veteran starter, and then most likely 4 rookies backing Willis up. It's possible that maybe Moehler will be back as the 5th starter, but I don't know.

 

The bullpen is even worse, with our most skilled veteran, Guillermo Mota, getting added to the Beckett deal at the last minute. Our penny-pinching makes it unlikely that we will resign Todd Jones, leaving very few options in the bullpen this year. Chris Resop, Randy Messenger, and the other rookies last year didn't exactly look too promising.

 

 

Worst pitching in the NL East. We'll see what happens by opening day but right now our pitching is the worst in all of MLB. Our starters are Willis, Mystique, Aura, Hope, and Prayer......and we have no bullpen at all to back up the fab five. I don't understand the optimism either at this point, but let's see what happens by April 1. Why can't a young pitcher come in and produce? This is not 1998. We actually have some pitching talent in the minors who have shown they can pitch at the major league level (See Olsen, Johnson etc.)

I don't understand why this many people on here are that excited about next year. We are the weakest team in the NL East as far as pitching right now. From what I can tell, we have one veteran starter, and then most likely 4 rookies backing Willis up. It's possible that maybe Moehler will be back as the 5th starter, but I don't know.

 

The bullpen is even worse, with our most skilled veteran, Guillermo Mota, getting added to the Beckett deal at the last minute. Our penny-pinching makes it unlikely that we will resign Todd Jones, leaving very few options in the bullpen this year. Chris Resop, Randy Messenger, and the other rookies last year didn't exactly look too promising.

 

 

Worst pitching in the NL East. We'll see what happens by opening day but right now our pitching is the worst in all of MLB. Our starters are Willis, Mystique, Aura, Hope, and Prayer......and we have no bullpen at all to back up the fab five. I don't understand the optimism either at this point, but let's see what happens by April 1. Why can't a young pitcher come in and produce? This is not 1998. We actually have some pitching talent in the minors who have shown they can pitch at the major league level (See Olsen, Johnson etc.)

 

 

 

Not to mention Vargas, who was in the rotation most of the second half.

 

Right now, the bullpen worries me alot more than the rotation, though it's still early in the offseason.

Ahh.. I knew the Debbie Downers would come out and start with all their pessimism.

 

I don't think it's that hard to understand why we're so optimistic. First off, we're getting a handful of guys that could all be future all stars and could make an impact now. Secondly, with the possibility of not having any baseball team down here in as little as 2 years... we don't care who's on the field. We're just happy to have baseball.

I agree completely Jonny. I haven't found this way about the Marlins since 1993 or 2002-3.

 

 

This bound to happen anyways if the city and Huizenga kept playing their games. Time for us to come to terms with it and make the best of it.