He was very good in 2006, 2007, & 2008. And scouts love his speed and defensive upside.

 

He was batting over .300 and stealing tons of bases while being young relative to his competition in the upper levels of the minors. He was rated the best defensive infielder and baserunner in the Diamondback's system during the last year he qualified as a prospect, in 2007. This was a system full of rangy/speedy athletes as well.

 

I think he never got the recognition as a prospect because he didn't start coming on strong until he reached high A, and was in a crowded system for the majority of his minor league career.

 

I have a lot of faith in the Marlins' scouting dept. and when they traded for him -- it confirmed that some of the finest scouts in baseball see a player with a major league future. When I read articles late into the off-season (like now) that team officials see him as an everyday player going forward, it only cements that belief.

 

The Marlins scouting department has had a number of successes, yes, but they have their fair share of misses as well. Mainly because Beinfest grows fond of certain players and refuses to give up on them no matter how inept they prove to be, like Bonifacio last year.

 

And just to clarify, when Bonifacio got noticed in the Diamondbacks system...it was barren. Their top prospects had already moved up. He was a mid level prospect in what at the time was Houston Astros caliber system. And he was never projected to be more than a utilityman at best in the first place.

 

Fact is, Beinfest loves guys that can run fast. Even if their game is extremely deficient like Bonifacios.

I don't think you give the Marlins front office enough credit. Finding players like Uggla, Baker, Meyer, Cantu, Ross, etc. -- valuable pieces under team control for 6 yrs, who make the league minimum -- is essential to having any chance competing with teams spending twice as much in the NL East. Other GMs find maybe one or two of these guys their entire careers, the Marlins find these guys seemingly every season. The Marlins front office is the envy of the league.

 

Also, Bonifacio was signed by the Diamondbacks back in 2003, and wasn't traded until 2008 to Washington. From 2004-2007 the Diamondbacks had one of the most loaded systems in baseball perennially.

I'll go a different route and say Leo Nunez in the closer role. Just a wild guess really.

Hermida. :shifty

I'm going to go with Cody just because he is my favorite Marlin player and has continued to improve with every opportunity he's been given. Instead of Cody being streaky in 2010 he's going to be in a permanent hot streak the whole season.

double post.

I'll go with Ricky Nolasco.

I say he puts 2 halves together this year, and we'll see what I've thought for a long time. I'm sure many others do, too. I think we have one of the best 1, 2 combos in baseball with JJ & Nolasco.

 

I also like Jimenez, for some reason. Rule V guy. The Marlins received this pick from Houston for Lindstrom, so it seems like they had him in mind for a little while. Seems like the type of pickup the Marlins make that turns out well because he'll likely get a chance.

 

I also like VandenHurk out of the pen, this year.

 

 

I would of thought 2008 would be thought of as Nolasco's breakout year?

I'm feeling Boner. I think he's tired of people sh*tting on him and wants to prove he can be a 280, 320 OBP guy who steals 60 bases at a 80% clip.

 

I just see it. IDK why.

 

 

Depends on how much playing time he ends up getting. But I would agree with Boni. Minus the 60 SBs. 40-45 SBs and I would be completely happy. And the .320 OBP is really low. We brought in a guy to teach bunting, and more specifically teach bunting to guys exactly like Boni.

 

Of course it's hard to go against the reasoning behind Cantu as well.

Annibal Sanchez pitches 190 innings of solid baseball and wins 17 games.

Annibal Sanchez pitches 190 innings of solid baseball and wins 17 games.

 

 

If he is healthy the whole year, I see something along this line. Maybe an ERA around 4.

I'm feeling Boner. I think he's tired of people sh*tting on him and wants to prove he can be a 280, 320 OBP guy who steals 60 bases at a 80% clip.

 

I just see it. IDK why.

 

 

Depends on how much playing time he ends up getting. But I would agree with Boni. Minus the 60 SBs. 40-45 SBs and I would be completely happy. And the .320 OBP is really low. We brought in a guy to teach bunting, and more specifically teach bunting to guys exactly like Boni.

 

Of course it's hard to go against the reasoning behind Cantu as well.

I don't think a .320 OBP is a low prediction for a guy with a career and 2009 .303 OBP.

.320 OBP would be a pretty dissapointing year for anyone else.

 

Our expectations are that low for Boner.

 

I'd be ecstatic if he posted that number.

Annibal Sanchez pitches 190 innings of solid baseball and wins 17 games.

 

 

If he is healthy the whole year, I see something along this line. Maybe an ERA around 4.

 

No way Anibal wins 17 games. I can see him being around 12-9 with a 3.90 ERA

.320 OBP would be a pretty dissapointing year for anyone else.

 

Our expectations are that low for Boner.

 

I'd be ecstatic if he posted that number.

 

I don't know why you would be ecstatic...the major projection systems all see Bonifacio putting up a .320 OBP next season. The best one out right now "CHONE" sees him putting up a .324 OBP in 2010.

 

CHONE takes into account a players last 4 pro seasons (weighting the very last season the heaviest) and makes an adjustment for age amongst other factors.

 

It's up there with PECOTA & ZiPS in terms of accuracy.

Its still an awful year though. I am curious why you are so high and confident in Bonifacio when nothing he has ever done at any level warrants this kind of fanatical devotion?

 

He's a second baseman. Show me more then 6 2B who bat 280, 25 HR and 30 steals.

 

He's a player, not a superstar, but a player.

 

Thats all we need.

 

If only he played his natural position we'd see his true value.

Its still an awful year though. I am curious why you are so high and confident in Bonifacio when nothing he has ever done at any level warrants this kind of fanatical devotion?

 

He's a second baseman. Show me more then 6 2B who bat 280, 25 HR and 30 steals.

 

He's a player, not a superstar, but a player.

 

Thats all we need.

 

If only he played his natural position we'd see his true value.

I can definately show you 6 2B who bat .252 with a .303 OBP, 1 HR, with a better CS/SB ratio.

Josh Johnson singled out Rick Vanden Hurk as the guy he sees filling one of the starter slots on the 2010 Marlins.

Maybin arrives.

maybin and the hurk imo

Maybin arrives.

 

 

I was amazed late last night that the Marlins page in the Miami Herald has no mention yet of the Johnson signing and it reminded me that none of the local print media ever bothered to do a one on one with Jimenez, or Maybin this off-season, or for that matter any of the players that immediately come to mind except maybe Coghlan and Morrison, and I'm not sure it wasn't Frisaro doing those (edit: PBP did the recent Morrison piece).

 

Just take a look at the front page of the Miami Herald's Marlins page (as well as FishBytes, MH Marlins blog) to see what I'm talking about. It's almost laughable, but in fact it's sad.

 

I mention this here only because Maybin has been virtually a non-person this off-season as far as the South Florida media goes and the team is so counting on him in 2010.

I mean, you do know it's a business. And no one wants to read about Maybin. They want to know who projects to be the Dolphins 6th round pick and 8th offensive lineman on the roster. Clearly more ratings generating content there.

I mean, you do know it's a business. And no one wants to read about Maybin. They want to know who projects to be the Dolphins 6th round pick and 8th offensive lineman on the roster. Clearly more ratings generating content there.

 

Plus, is there really anything to be said about Maybin that warrants a newspaper article right now?

I mean, you do know it's a business. And no one wants to read about Maybin. They want to know who projects to be the Dolphins 6th round pick and 8th offensive lineman on the roster. Clearly more ratings generating content there.

 

 

:thumbup

I'm feeling Boner. I think he's tired of people sh*tting on him and wants to prove he can be a 280, 320 OBP guy who steals 60 bases at a 80% clip.

 

I just see it. IDK why.

 

 

Depends on how much playing time he ends up getting. But I would agree with Boni. Minus the 60 SBs. 40-45 SBs and I would be completely happy. And the .320 OBP is really low. We brought in a guy to teach bunting, and more specifically teach bunting to guys exactly like Boni.

 

Of course it's hard to go against the reasoning behind Cantu as well.

I don't think a .320 OBP is a low prediction for a guy with a career and 2009 .303 OBP.

 

That's because you can't get past previous stats and look at what's happening right now. 2 things specifically. How he has done in the Winter Leagues shows this 24 YO is learning, and the fact we brought in a guy to specifically teach bunting (an underrated and forgotten art). I would be willing to make a bet he gets that number above .320 if he gets the playing time.

 

I'm not saying he is going to be a starter. Especially seeing how trades are going and how slow FA signings are still going. But I tend to pull for the underdogs. And guys that recieve so much hate on these boards I tend to pull for a bit harder.

 

But that being said... The player I see having a break out year would have to be Maybin. Played most all of last year with a bad shoulder, got that operated on, and is currently practicing. Has been working out for some time, with the doctors limitations in mind. He's a hard worker that is open to being taught and has the tools to make it. Besides, and by no means scientifically, he singled me out while I was going up to get another soda at the Holiday Party this year because of my tat (and for some reason liked my shirt) and we talked for a good 10 minutes or more. Just shooting the breeze. Really nice kid. Very polite, articulate, and seems to be very open.

I mean, you do know it's a business. And no one wants to read about Maybin. They want to know who projects to be the Dolphins 6th round pick and 8th offensive lineman on the roster. Clearly more ratings generating content there.

 

Plus, is there really anything to be said about Maybin that warrants a newspaper article right now?

 

Those articles will appear. ST is still too far away right now. Wait until after FanFest for the articles to start surfacing.