I agree with you Lou. I don't see any of those veterans pitching in AAA. I also like the signing of MacDougal somewhat. Who knows, maybe the Marlins will somehow get him to throw strikes. If that happens he will challenge Nunez for the closer's job this spring.

 

I can see Strickland in AAA as the lone lefty. I also expect at this point, two of the veteran righties to make the pen, one to go to AAA, and the loser to be released. i.e., Turnbow

 

MLB - Nunez, Sanches, Pinto, Meyer, Badenhop, MacDougal, McClung

AAA - Tucker, Wood, Leroux, Tankeresley, H. Jones, Buente, Sinkbiel, M. Petersen, Stone, Strickland, and Veras (I mean, this is a lot of guys but they could all get innings in AAA and side sessions)

AA - Ceda, Parcell, Voss, Mharinez, Cishek, Harvey, Jennings, Koehler, Harker, and others (Parcell and Voss could see promotions, but I'm just looking at all the names above and at some point a few of them will be blocked. Those two have the least AA experience of the lot.)

 

That's a daffy three level bullpen depth chart. It lacks a bullpen-ACE for 2010, but there's a lot of potential there and by the summer, 7 of them will step up and form a good average/above average bullpen.

 

The starters would look like...

 

MLB - Johnson, Nolasco, Anibal, Volstad, Miller

AAA - West, Vanden Hurk, Penn (if he clears), Hensley, C. Martinez, J. Santos

AA - G. Taylor, Sanabia, Winters, Villanueva, Allison, Rosario

 

 

Man. We have a lot of arms. And it's cool to think the ones in A-Ball (James, Berglund, Hand, Kaminska, etc), all profile higher. I'm totally into the P depth Beinfest has created.

 

Scott Strickland is not left handed Lou.

We also signed Brian Lawrence for AAA start, I assume he'd take Penn's spot since I assume, if he clears, he'd choose free agency (As I'd assume most players choose free agency when given the option).

 

I also assume they start Tucker since they started him last year.

 

But yeah...rather crazy to actually look at it.

 

I can see Tucker starting just to get quantity of innings up to 100-120 this year. It's probably the smarter idea for his longterm growth even if he does end up in the bullpen next year. But then you're throwing someone under the bus like Christian Martinez or Jarret Santos, who could turn out to be useful at the MLB level. Which I mean isn't a bad idea because you want to develop your top talent and a healthy Tucker is unquestionable a top 5 projectable arm of this lot, but I just like giving everyone their fair shot. Those other two have earned it as well. All I know is, there are going to be some murderous side sessions for these guys to get "game" innings and Logan, Petersen, Jai, and the rest of them better get ready for full speed batting practice everyday cause someone is going to need work.

 

I do not envy Jim Fleming this year at all. Slotting these arms among three levels and getting everyone legitimate playing time is going to be difficult. This is the deepest this organization has ever been with potential relievers. It's a blessing and a curse.

 

We'll see how healthy we get out of spring training though, and which veteran relievers still have some gas in the tank. That'll "fix" a lot of depth issues if some guys get hurt or 2-3 of the veterans prove they aren't who they were 3 years ago.

Scott Strickland is not left handed Lou.

 

You're right. I was confusing him with another castaway Scott, Schoeneweis.

 

But the point still is, I can't see the Marlins keeping the veterans around to "steal" innings from Leroux, Wood, Tucker, Penn, etc. They are going to have to ditch the veterans and give the projectable youth innings.