Season Preview: Positional Breakdown

Season Preview: Positional Breakdown

By: Josh Clinton

Why the Florida Marlins are not one of the more talked about clubs entering the 2009 Major League season is beyond me. It may even be criminal.

The excitement that should be surrounding this club is evident, and the reasons are countless. Again, what leaves me up in arms is why nobody seems to notice.

Here is one of the few optimistic previews you'll find on the upcoming Marlins season. Today, we will start with Florida's projected positional starters.

Positional Breakdown

Catcher: The Marlins have been looking for stability behind the plate since 2003, and even then they only had it for one magical season. It looks like they may have found it in late-bloomer John Baker, a left-handed hitter with great offensive potential. Baker was a PCL All-Star before getting the mid-season call to the majors, where he continued his success at the plate. The 28-year-old hit .299 with an on-base percentage of .392, and slid right into Florida?s the two-spot in the batting order. He worked exclusively in the off-season on his defense, specifically to improve his quickness throwing down runners. If Baker can begin the upcoming season where he left off, there?s a good chance he could be an All-Star sleeper once July rolls around. For the moment, Mike Rabelo looks to be the go-to guy when Baker isn't starting. Acquired in trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit, Rabelo is looking to recover from an injury-laden 2008 season.

First Base: Here's a job that's looking increasingly competitive as spring training continues to move forward. Coming in, it looked as if the front office had all but handed the job to Southern League MVP Gaby Sanchez, a 25-year-old lifetime Miami native. Now it appears to be up in the air. Sanchez has been irrelevant at the plate for the Marlins this spring, and hasn't exactly improved his stock defensively the way he'd hoped. Regardless, his success last season in Carolina can't go ignored. If Sanchez plays himself into Triple-A New Orleans, first base would most likely be occupied by current third baseman Jorge Cantu. Veteran Wes Helms could receive some playing time as well.

Second Base: Dan Uggla is looking to jolt himself into the All-Star game for the third time of his career. The bulky veteran has bashed 90 home runs in his first three seasons, more than any second baseman in history to start his career. His offensive performance has propelled him into consideration as one of the best second baseman in the game. He looks to continue his success at the plate, and will most likely bat fifth for the majority of this season.

Shortstop: The face of the franchise, Hanley Ramirez will give a new look to the Marlins lineup in 2009. One of the game's top leadoff hitters for the past three seasons, Ramirez shifts down in the lineup to the three spot. He enjoyed 30-30 success for the first time in his career during 2008, and may become even more feared as he drops down in the order. While his defense has improved since his rookie campaign, he still posted 20+ errors last season. Florida is hoping he can consistently fulfill the flashes of promise he has shown with the glove

Third Base: The competition at first base will ultimately decide the fate of who mans the hot corner for the Marlins. The scenario Admin Beinfest obviously prefers would have Jorge Cantu making his second consecutive opening day start at third base. Cantu returned to offensive glory by hitting 29 home runs last season, falling one short of making the Marlins' infield the first ever to produce 30 home runs across the board (they still found themselves in the record books as the first group to post 25+ home runs each). If Sanchez does not get the nod at first, look for Cantu to move across the diamond. Dallas McPherson, who led all of minor league baseball in long balls last year, would be the most likely candidate to take this job. The left-handed hitter would be a perfect fit to fill the power void left behind by Mike Jacobs.

Left Field: So far, so good for Jeremy Hermida. While he's still adjusting to the defensive switch to left field, Hermida is off to a hot start at the plate this spring. The 25-year-old is looking to rebound from a disappointing 2008 season that saw his numbers drop considerably from the previous year. While Beinfest explored dealing the sweet-swinging left-hander, the front office ultimately decided that keeping Hermida one more season would be wise. If he can produce the way he did in 2007 (18 home runs, .870 OPS), it could dramatically change the Marlins' post-season changes.

Centerfield: The emergence of Cameron Maybin could play a huge role for the Marlins in 2009. The 21-year-old has the makings of an immediate impact player, bringing all five tools to the table. Possessing gold-glove caliber defense, incredible arm strength, and unimaginable speed, he will improve Florida?s defense immediately. Offensively, it may take a while to expect standout numbers, but he should be league average at the very least. Worth noting is Maybin's eerie similarities to shortstop Hanley Ramirez. The two are not only comparable in stature, but both posted extremely parallel numbers in their final Double-A seasons. If Maybin can produce the same way Ramirez did when he won Rookie of the Year in 2006, the possibilities are endless.

Right Field: In his first season as a full-time starter, Cody Ross delivered. In 461 at-bats, the outfielder blasted 22 home runs and drove in 73 runs, while playing top-notch defense. Ross committed just one error last season, and has been talked about as a future gold-glove candidate. There?s no telling what numbers Ross could produce with 600+ at-bats. For the first time, the hard-nosed 28-year-old finds himself in camp as a guaranteed starter, and is poised for a career year.