JUPITER, Fla. -- Weeks before Saturday's official report date, a number of Marlins were seen in the batting cages, on the pitching mounds and going through drills on the back fields at Roger Dean Stadium.

 

Spring Training fever caught on early for the baby-faced Marlins.

 

The young players are eager to show new manager Joe Girardi that they belong in the big leagues.

 

"This is a great time," two-time All-Star Dontrelle Willis said. "The camaraderie with everybody coming in and seeing everybody is healthy after the offseason [makes it exciting]. That's the biggest concern, seeing that everybody and their families are OK, because you don't get a chance to see them in the offseason. Seeing everybody ready to go to work is real exciting."

 

Riding a string of three straight winning seasons, the Marlins begin their fourth Spring Training in Jupiter with a dramatically reworked roster. The payroll was cut because of an unsettled stadium situation, which has raised doubt that the franchise will remain in South Florida. Granted permission by the league to seek relocation, upper management is exploring stadium options in South Florida and other markets.

 

To the players gathering in Jupiter, maturing rapidly is the main focus.

 

"We're eager," said Willis, who will miss some time this spring because he will pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. "I think a lot of guys see opportunities, because a majority of our team is young guys."

 

Pitchers and catchers have to check in sometime Saturday. They are scheduled to take their physicals on Sunday with workouts beginning on Monday. Position players will report Tuesday, and the first full-squad workouts are scheduled for Thursday. The first exhibition game will be on March 1 at Roger Dean Stadium against the University of Miami.

 

Two Grapefruit League games are already sold out: March 8 against the Red Sox and March 18 against the Yankees. And the March 23 game against the Mets at 7:05 p.m. ET is close to being sold out.

 

In the offseason, Roger Dean Stadium was hit hard by Hurricane Wilma, causing $127,000 in damage, according to stadium general manager Rob Rabenecker. Compared to the hurricanes of 2004, however, Rabenecker said Hurricane Wilma "was like a walk in the park."

 

Hurricane damage to the stadium in 2004 was $2.7 million.

 

With so many new faces in camp, Marlins general manager Admin Beinfest makes it clear that more than 20 spots on the 25-man Opening Day roster are up for grabs.

 

The starting rotation will be paced by Willis, who could miss as many as 18 days while competing for the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic. Willis will remain with the Marlins until March 3, when he joins the rest of the American team.

 

Two other rotation spots will likely be filled by Brian Moehler and Jason Vargas, who performed admirably in his 2005 rookie season.

 

The competition will be fierce for the remaining spots. Josh Johnson and Scott Olsen are candidates who pitched for the Marlins at Double-A last season. Both saw limited action at the Major League level last year.

 

Through several offseason trades, the Marlins acquired pitchers Yusmeiro Petit, Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco. All three have a chance to make the team.

 

Beinfest hasn't ruled out switching some projected starters to the bullpen.

 

"We have to get to know these guys," Beinfest said. "You don't know how their arms will bounce back. You don't know what they feel like after they throw. You don't know about their mentality about getting up during the middle of an inning.

 

"Generally, most relievers in the big leagues were starters in the Minor Leagues, because the better arms start so they can get consistent work and instruction. That is no different with this crop. But looking at our board and trying to guess how things will play out, I'd guess that a starter from the Minor Leagues will become a reliever, at least [initially], in the big leagues."

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla

Good to see Willingham on the graphic in Catcher garb. Hope they are showing some of the ST games on MLB.tv, only 12 days to go

One can hardly imagine how exciting a moment this is for some of these young ballplayers as they get ready for the most important month of their lives.

 

For the Ugglas and Willinghams and Petits and a long list of others, this is what they've worked their entire lives for, since Little League and dreaming of being major league ballplayers, and I'm excited for them and their families, and for us as fans.

^^^ well said...let's git r dun

soon some of these guys will win our hearts, some will even become household names.....get ready!