December 1, 200520 yr I'm not feeling too bad about the trades and our 2006 lineup right now. Barring any major future trades, our lineup should probably be 1b- Mike Jacobs 2b- Luis Castillo SS- Hanley Ramirez 3b- Miguel Cabrera RF- Jeremy Hermida CF- Juan Pierre LF- Jeff Conine C- Paul Lo Duca Now in losing Delgado, we lose out on a 30+ homerun, 100+ RBI player. But, in Jacobs, we recieved a younger, player that is better defensively, and will be able to put up some power numbers offensively. We can hope for at least 10-15 HRs and hopefully at least 70 RBIs. Now at 3b we got Miggy moving from LF, who is a proven player. We know what he's capable of and he'll only get better with age and seasoning. So in a sense, we're replacing Lowell not with Cabrera, but with Jeremy Hermida, and the kid's a stud. He'll be a special player, and I expect he'll have a breakout year that at least doubles Lowell's productivity (or lack thereof). I expect similar numbers from Hanley Ramirez that we got from Gonzo last year, the biggest worry is defense at this level. Ramirez is a gifted athlete, and has sky high potential, but rookie shortstops are infamous for making mistakes in The Show. Conine is a suitable replacement for Mr. Personality aka Juan Encarnacion, and will more than likely be a tad better than Encarnacion was last year. I think we'll do better offensively, even w/out Delgado, now the problem is if we can beat the opponents with our mostly unproven , but promising pitching staff. I'm optimistic about 2006, and I'm even more optimistic about the future of the Florida Marlins.
December 1, 200520 yr Author I figured they were grooming him to be a catcher and he'd share time with Lo Duca.
December 1, 200520 yr I figured they were grooming him to be a catcher and he'd share time with Lo Duca. he can play catcher every now and again, but at this point is more suited in the OF or 1B
December 1, 200520 yr how 'bout pitching? Dontrelle and four rookies doesn't make me feel too confident. Neither does a bullpen anchored by, at the moment, Messenger and Resop. But I do agree that it will be fun watching these young studs get some PT. We just all have to be realistic about wins and losses.
December 1, 200520 yr If WIllingham is capable of playing OF on a regular basis, I'd like to see him get some at-bats/playing time. I'll miss Delgado's bat, but not his bad fielding and the shift...Hopefully Jacobs will make me forget about Carlos and Hermida make us forget about Enc...
December 1, 200520 yr You get the feeling Jones will be back (maybe Villone) to help the young cats transition to the big leagues.
December 1, 200520 yr I don't get the feeling Jones will be back at all. Someone will give him 2 years
December 1, 200520 yr how 'bout pitching? Pro Player will help, just like it has helped nearly every pitcher that has played for the Marlins
December 1, 200520 yr I would be happy with 75 wins. That way they would be atleast watchable. Hopefully they exceed that, but it is very unlikely.
December 1, 200520 yr I'd settle for 72 wins and a couple of key wins against the Mets which keeps them out of the playoffs. :whistle
December 1, 200520 yr Somewhere between 75-85 wins. This team has talent and will play it's heart out. Girardi will get the most out of his players.
December 1, 200520 yr If we trade anyone else (Pierre, Lo Duca or Castillo) then we are dipping under 70 wins for sure.
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