I usually go to like 2 or 3 Zephyrs games a year as something to do -- usually on dollar beer or dollar hot dog nights. I don't really know the players, but now thanks to the amazing coincidence that the Marlins are hooked up with the Z's, I have a greater vested interest. I'm a Saints and Hornets season ticket holder, so I'm not really sure how minor leagues work. I have mlb.tv so I follow the Marlins (my NL team) and the Rays (my AL team) pretty closely.

 

Were all the Isotopes players being shipped over here from Albuquerque, and last year's Zephyrs shipped to wherever the Mets moved their AAA team? Who should I pay close attention to on the field this summer in N.O.?

 

Zephyr field opened in 1997 and is a really nice venue. "Several scenes in the movie Mr. 3000 were filmed at Zephyr Field. A baseball scene from Failure to Launch was also filmed at the stadium. Part of an episode of Spike TV's Pros vs Joes was also filmed there."

Unfortunately, the Marlins tend to stack their real talent in AA. Depending on who makes the big club, you may see:

 

-Elugio de la Cruz (relief pitcher, sometimes starts, throws GAS)

-Dallas McPherson (3B - Home run champ of the minors last year, i believe. He will likely make the big club though)

- Jose Ceda (relief pitcher we got in a trade with the cubs)

- Leo Nunez (relief pitcher we got from KC for Jacobs)

- Emilio Bonafacio (2B/3B - the "prize" catch from the olsen and Hammer trade, jury is out on him if he's worth it or not)

 

That's all I can think of now

Ignore that other post, it's horribly wrong. Dallas can't be optioned to the Minors, Nunez is a lock for the pen, and the Marlins organizational philosophy changes over night not being in Alb. They will send the top prospects to AAA.

 

You're going to see a nice bunch of SP over the course of the season - Trahern, Vanden Hurk, Thompson, Sinkbiel, and they will probably try out Tucker and Cruz for starters a bit longer even if they project as pen arms. All of those guys have some positives to watch. You'll eventually see Ceda as a RP, but he'll probably start at AA. As for the hitters, you'll have tons of fun watching Raynor and Coghlan at the top of the order who will both be on the big club by 2010, and a few other cool guys like Jay Gibbons, Jai Miller, maybe Scott Cousins, the aforementioned Bonifacio, and hopefully for you Logan Morrison and Sean West have quick stays in AA and get up to the AAA level, as those are our top two advanced prospects and have huge upsides.

Gotta agree with Lou here that the move to New Orleans is a fundamental sea change in the Marlins organization. You're likely to see a level of play the good folks in Albuquerque never saw.

Unfortunately, the Marlins tend to stack their real talent in AA. Depending on who makes the big club, you may see:

 

 

That will not be the case anymore, the only reason they did that in past is because of the ball park they played triple A ball was way too extreme of a hitter's park.

Unfortunately, the Marlins tend to stack their real talent in AA. Depending on who makes the big club, you may see:

 

 

That will not be the case anymore, the only reason they did that in past is because of the ball park they played triple A ball was way too extreme of a hitter's park.

That MAY not be the case anymore. NO isn't ABQ, but it's still in the PCL and I haven't heard anything saying that they are going to change how the use their system.

Unfortunately, the Marlins tend to stack their real talent in AA. Depending on who makes the big club, you may see:

 

 

That will not be the case anymore, the only reason they did that in past is because of the ball park they played triple A ball was way too extreme of a hitter's park.

That MAY not be the case anymore. NO isn't ABQ, but it's still in the PCL and I haven't heard anything saying that they are going to change how the use their system.

Fleming has come out and said they are going to take AAA more seriously now. Specifically he mentioned that organizational talent the last few years has deemed worthy from AA jumps, both on production and more importantly NEED basis, and now that the system has leveled off with clear different AAA (Coghlan, Raynor, Tucker, Cruz), AA (Morrison, West, Cousins), A+ (Stanton, Dominguez), tiers, with a solid MLB core we haven't had since 2005 (very important), they are going to follow more linear A+-AA-AAA paths.

 

No doubt in my mind NOLA is filled with top prospects unlike Alb. I suspect Morrison, West, Coghlan, Tucker, Ceda, Thompson, Cruz, Raynor, and Cousins (i.e., well over half our top 15 prospects), all see significant time in NOLA this year.

Unfortunately, the Marlins tend to stack their real talent in AA. Depending on who makes the big club, you may see:

 

 

That will not be the case anymore, the only reason they did that in past is because of the ball park they played triple A ball was way too extreme of a hitter's park.

That MAY not be the case anymore. NO isn't ABQ, but it's still in the PCL and I haven't heard anything saying that they are going to change how the use their system.

Fleming has come out and said they are going to take AAA more seriously now. Specifically he mentioned that organizational talent the last few years has deemed worthy from AA jumps, both on production and more importantly NEED basis, and now that the system has leveled off with clear different AAA (Coghlan, Raynor, Tucker, Cruz), AA (Morrison, West, Cousins), A+ (Stanton, Dominguez), tiers, with a solid MLB core we haven't had since 2005 (very important), they are going to follow more linear A+-AA-AAA paths.

 

No doubt in my mind NOLA is filled with top prospects unlike Alb. I suspect Morrison, West, Coghlan, Tucker, Ceda, Thompson, Cruz, Raynor, and Cousins (i.e., well over half our top 15 prospects), all see significant time in NOLA this year.

Ah cool, hadn't heard. Thanks for the info.

Either Raynor or Cousins will make the team out of ST unless Carrol is given a a chance to stay

Ignore that other post, it's horribly wrong. Dallas can't be optioned to the Minors, Nunez is a lock for the pen, and the Marlins organizational philosophy changes over night not being in Alb. They will send the top prospects to AAA.

 

You're going to see a nice bunch of SP over the course of the season - Trahern, Vanden Hurk, Thompson, Sinkbiel, and they will probably try out Tucker and Cruz for starters a bit longer even if they project as pen arms. All of those guys have some positives to watch. You'll eventually see Ceda as a RP, but he'll probably start at AA. As for the hitters, you'll have tons of fun watching Raynor and Coghlan at the top of the order who will both be on the big club by 2010, and a few other cool guys like Jay Gibbons, Jai Miller, maybe Scott Cousins, the aforementioned Bonifacio, and hopefully for you Logan Morrison and Sean West have quick stays in AA and get up to the AAA level, as those are our top two advanced prospects and have huge upsides.

 

 

Speaking of Jay Gibbons...who the hell is our 4th outfielder going to be?

Either Raynor or Cousins will make the team out of ST unless Carrol is given a a chance to stay

Raynor and Cousins aren't on the 40 man, so Carroll and Jai have big one ups here.

 

I still think they don't give a crap about having a bench power option here, and Bonifacio and Amezaga are the 4th and 5th outfielders to start the year.

Ignore that other post, it's horribly wrong. Dallas can't be optioned to the Minors, Nunez is a lock for the pen, and the Marlins organizational philosophy changes over night not being in Alb. They will send the top prospects to AAA.

 

You're going to see a nice bunch of SP over the course of the season - Trahern, Vanden Hurk, Thompson, Sinkbiel, and they will probably try out Tucker and Cruz for starters a bit longer even if they project as pen arms. All of those guys have some positives to watch. You'll eventually see Ceda as a RP, but he'll probably start at AA. As for the hitters, you'll have tons of fun watching Raynor and Coghlan at the top of the order who will both be on the big club by 2010, and a few other cool guys like Jay Gibbons, Jai Miller, maybe Scott Cousins, the aforementioned Bonifacio, and hopefully for you Logan Morrison and Sean West have quick stays in AA and get up to the AAA level, as those are our top two advanced prospects and have huge upsides.

 

 

Speaking of Jay Gibbons...who the hell is our 4th outfielder going to be?

I am hoping Gibbons beats Gaby Sanchez out for that roster spot, and 1B/3B is a Cantu at one spot, and Dallas/Gibbons/Helms at the other spot, with Gibbons doubling as the 4th OF to get some power out there. Sanchez in AAA to start with. I find this highly doubtful, but it would give Gonzalez a lot more flexibility.

I thought the goal going into the season was to get better...You don't get better with Amezaga as your 4th Outfielder

I thought the goal going into the season was to get better...You don't get better with Amezaga as your 4th Outfielder

But Amezaga isn't our 4th OF, he's our backup middle IF.

I thought the goal going into the season was to get better...You don't get better with Amezaga as your 4th Outfielder

But Amezaga isn't our 4th OF, he's our backup middle IF.

 

He's both. Which is one some of us aren't convincing ourselves that our front office sends out crap and gets roses in return for every trade.

I thought the goal going into the season was to get better...You don't get better with Amezaga as your 4th Outfielder

But Amezaga isn't our 4th OF, he's our backup middle IF.

We have a much greater depth in the IF department this year, however. Last year we didn't see guys like McPherson and Sanchez until the end, and we didn't have Bonifacio either. It looks like Andino will get the short straw and be traded.

 

I wonder if for some reason Cantu isn't starting at 1B or 3B, does he get traded? I'm sure we could get some value for him.