Personally, I don't think the argument that Willingham would be a great offensive catcher and an average LF. That is a really dumb argument......who cares about that. So you have a good offensive catcher and the absolute WORST LF in the major-leagues if Aguila plays out there.....how does that help the team?

 

 

Because you can't look at the team as presently constructed. They are eventually going to trade for Gathright once they get a first hand look at Anibal, Nolasco, Gaby, and Pinto and make sure they come "as advertised." A report on the Marlins brass already has surfaced saying that they are hesitant to trade their young pitching until they see the new arms they got. That deal will get done. I'm pretty confident Gathright will be our opening day CF when all is said and done. I don't care that Baldelli might be out for April and that Joey is a great insurance policy. Tampa will trade Gathright, Lugo, and Huff on the spot for any sort of young SP. Besides that, I also think they sign someone like Long, Davanon, or Hildago just to bring a vetern into the mix. This effects Willingham because if part of your argument is "not playing Reed and Aguila," I think that problem fixes itself naturally by the start of the season.

 

Having a catcher who is potentially a .270/.370/.450 guy is A LOT more valuble then a LF who does the same. Jason Varitek is more valuble then Shawn Green or Raul Ibanez. You can find LF anywhere, you can't find premier offensive catchers like that. You give Willingham every opportunity to prove he can catch, and if he can't do it, and they will know rather quickly if he catches all of spring training and 20 games in April, then you put him in LF. What harm is that? Hardly none, and the payoff could be huge. Despite all of what I've said, I probably agree with you that he will end up in LF and I'll be happy with him solidifying that spot for years, but if he can catch. Man, what a HUGE HUGE bonus that is.

Personally, I don't think the argument that Willingham would be a great offensive catcher and an average LF. That is a really dumb argument......who cares about that. So you have a good offensive catcher and the absolute WORST LF in the major-leagues if Aguila plays out there.....how does that help the team?

 

I view Reed's defense in centerfield or the bat you could put in left field if Aguila is pushed to CF (Cepicky, Helms, Uggla, free agent *cough*Branyan*cough*, trade) as more help to this team this year and the future than allowing Olivo to catch full-time.

 

Olivo's every bit as terrible with the bat as Reed, and simply will not have quite the impact on defense as a rangy strong-armed centerfielder. Perhaps the board's catchers and former catchers may object that assertion, but there is some truth in that statement when you consider the amount of plays each position is involved in, their relative difficulty and value in the play's result.

From what I've read, the bulk of Olivo's value is his strong arm behind the plate. That's nice. It's not the only or main thing you want out of a catcher, but it's a good thing to have. However it's not going to make one bit of difference in halting the running game. We still have a young pitching staff who have little experience at and largely do not care about holding runners. We still have a young catcher without the reputation of Pudge or Schneider. I'm optimistic about next season, but we're going to see our fair share of bases stolen by the opposition regardless of who is catching. It is my estimation that the difference between the amount with Olivo, Willingham, Treanor or any catcher not named 'Pudge' to be inconsequential.

I think if you give Olivo a whole season to show what he can do at the plate he will amaze you. He's was once considered a top prospect cathcer that could hit for power and give you gold glove defense. The problem is that he's been shiped to 4 different teams in the last 3 years and the Marlins are his 5 team. He's only 26 shoe givve him some time. It's not like he's over 30 and his prime has gone.

Personally, I don't think the argument that Willingham would be a great offensive catcher and an average LF. That is a really dumb argument......who cares about that. So you have a good offensive catcher and the absolute WORST LF in the major-leagues if Aguila plays out there.....how does that help the team?

 

 

Because you can't look at the team as presently constructed. They are eventually going to trade for Gathright once they get a first hand look at Anibal, Nolasco, Gaby, and Pinto and make sure they come "as advertised." A report on the Marlins brass already has surfaced saying that they are hesitant to trade their young pitching until they see the new arms they got. That deal will get done. I'm pretty confident Gathright will be our opening day CF when all is said and done. I don't care that Baldelli might be out for April and that Joey is a great insurance policy. Tampa will trade Gathright, Lugo, and Huff on the spot for any sort of young SP. Besides that, I also think they sign someone like Long, Davanon, or Hildago just to bring a vetern into the mix. This effects Willingham because if part of your argument is "not playing Reed and Aguila," I think that problem fixes itself naturally by the start of the season.

 

Having a catcher who is potentially a .270/.370/.450 guy is A LOT more valuble then a LF who does the same. Jason Varitek is more valuble then Shawn Green or Raul Ibanez. You can find LF anywhere, you can't find premier offensive catchers like that. You give Willingham every opportunity to prove he can catch, and if he can't do it, and they will know rather quickly if he catches all of spring training and 20 games in April, then you put him in LF. What harm is that? Hardly none, and the payoff could be huge. Despite all of what I've said, I probably agree with you that he will end up in LF and I'll be happy with him solidifying that spot for years, but if he can catch. Man, what a HUGE HUGE bonus that is.

 

 

 

 

Personally, I don't think the argument that Willingham would be a great offensive catcher and an average LF. That is a really dumb argument......who cares about that. So you have a good offensive catcher and the absolute WORST LF in the major-leagues if Aguila plays out there.....how does that help the team?

 

 

Because you can't look at the team as presently constructed. They are eventually going to trade for Gathright once they get a first hand look at Anibal, Nolasco, Gaby, and Pinto and make sure they come "as advertised." A report on the Marlins brass already has surfaced saying that they are hesitant to trade their young pitching until they see the new arms they got. That deal will get done. I'm pretty confident Gathright will be our opening day CF when all is said and done. I don't care that Baldelli might be out for April and that Joey is a great insurance policy. Tampa will trade Gathright, Lugo, and Huff on the spot for any sort of young SP. Besides that, I also think they sign someone like Long, Davanon, or Hildago just to bring a vetern into the mix. This effects Willingham because if part of your argument is "not playing Reed and Aguila," I think that problem fixes itself naturally by the start of the season.

 

Having a catcher who is potentially a .270/.370/.450 guy is A LOT more valuble then a LF who does the same. Jason Varitek is more valuble then Shawn Green or Raul Ibanez. You can find LF anywhere, you can't find premier offensive catchers like that. You give Willingham every opportunity to prove he can catch, and if he can't do it, and they will know rather quickly if he catches all of spring training and 20 games in April, then you put him in LF. What harm is that? Hardly none, and the payoff could be huge. Despite all of what I've said, I probably agree with you that he will end up in LF and I'll be happy with him solidifying that spot for years, but if he can catch. Man, what a HUGE HUGE bonus that is.

What does that say about the Marlins front office that they have to "see" what they've acquired in these trades they made? Didn't they do their homework before making the trades they did. What this tells me is that Admin might have been under direct orders to trade the players they did quickly and not to worry about the return.

I'm still trying to figure out why chumforsharks posts here. You don't seem to like the team, the town, or the fans here. Perhaps you'd be happier at a Devil Rays website.

I'm still trying to figure out why chumforsharks posts here. You don't seem to like the team, the town, or the fans here. Perhaps you'd be happier at a Devil Rays website.

 

Real fans have the right to be upset when their team has fire sales, especially when they are/were season ticket holders that feel betrayed. I've given them alot of my hard-earned money when they deserved to get it.....they don't anymore. I used to go to 81 games a year, now it will be 5-6.

I'm still trying to figure out why chumforsharks posts here. You don't seem to like the team, the town, or the fans here. Perhaps you'd be happier at a Devil Rays website.

 

:thumbup my sentiments exactly.

I'm still trying to figure out why chumforsharks posts here. You don't seem to like the team, the town, or the fans here. Perhaps you'd be happier at a Devil Rays website.

 

:thumbup my sentiments exactly.

I don't really care what you think.

 

I do like the town by the way. Miami is a great place to live, but it's easily the worst sports town I've ever lived in.

 

Cleveland and Dallas/Arlington.......way better for sports than Miami.