Jhan Marinez, RHRP, FLA

Marinez, recently promoted to Jupiter, came on to mop up Sanabia. This 20-year-old has some big-time stuff. His fastball sat 94-96 and was lively. Had a Jekyll and Hyde slider; he throws from a high ¾, so he had a bit of a tendency to get under it, leaving it high and flat. But when he gets on top of it, it's pretty filthy. During warm-ups, he flashed a changeup with strong third-base-side movement, though he didn’t use it in the game. He’s got an athletic body with some filling out left to do.

 

He’s struggled with control in the past, but not on this day. He struck out 5 in 2.2 IP without allowing a walk, and was simply blowing people away. The delivery is pretty high in terms of effort, but not so jerky or violent that it’s a major injury concern. He’s got closer-caliber stuff for sure. He’s got plenty of time to learn to harness it, and he may even add velocity. He’s definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

http://www.hardballt...http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/florida-state-league-scouting-report/

 

Is he our next closer?

I say what the heck make the change

 

http://web.minorleag...http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=501697

Jhan Marinez, RHRP, FLA

Marinez, recently promoted to Jupiter, came on to mop up Sanabia. This 20-year-old has some big-time stuff. His fastball sat 94-96 and was lively. Had a Jekyll and Hyde slider; he throws from a high ¾, so he had a bit of a tendency to get under it, leaving it high and flat. But when he gets on top of it, it's pretty filthy. During warm-ups, he flashed a changeup with strong third-base-side movement, though he didn’t use it in the game. He’s got an athletic body with some filling out left to do.

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/florida-state-league-scouting-report/

 

Is he our next closer?

I say what the heck make the change

 

 

Certainly not this year

No.

 

Leo Nunez is the closer.

 

Although this season sucks, some people need to learn to be realistic.

 

Some of you are actually resorting to turning a kid who was in Single A ball a month ago into our closer! You are just embarrassing yourself.

If Clay is healthy from the DL to close, I'd do that and see what relievers we can get from July trading to set him up... Looks like we have a lot of crap to toss out before the new stadium opens

Well yeah, Marinez projects to be the closer of the future right now. Ceda is also a future alternative. This has been well-known for awhile now.

I was being a bit fictitious, however Leo cannot remain the closer much longer it just doesn't fit him. Changes need to be made...Nunez appears fine as a 7th inning guy. We need a real closer

Hell, they have had trouble GETTING to Leo this year....

Well we can always bring back Jorge Julio! ....not going to happen right? ha...Clay or Leo pick one..either one...hey closers fail sometimes. But if Leo continues to struggle and continues to fail, then I say try Clay. I don't want it to be like..say with Jorge Julio where every game we needed our closer, Fredi walked him out there and we lost. That was horrible.

I don't see the point of Hensley closing. All it's going to do is screw us. This team, regardless of who the closer is, won't be contending this year. Hensley getting saves only makes him more difficult to keep. If he stays in middle relief, he stays pretty cheap to the point where the team can much more easily afford him. At the moment, he's the only middle relief arm in the pen worth keeping, so it'd be nice if that can happen.

Another reason I wouldn't put Clay in the closer's role is because how in the hell will they get to him? He is the only reliable arm in the bullpen....even Sanches has looked below average of late.

Clay would probably do OK as closer, but I don't think thats a longterm solution and it will just serve to muddy the whole bullpen up while not actually making it better as a whole in any way. Instead of blown games in the ninth coming from a guy who is (sadly) still one of only decent relievers, we'd get blown games in the 7th and 8th while having to go through closer auditions when Hensley isn't here.

You guys do make some good points about not having Clay as the closer. Ah well...let's hope Leo can pull it together and get back to what he was doing earlier on...saving games and striking out hitters

Unless he pulls a Brad Lidge and slowly implodes to the point that he can get an out when coming in for a save in 4 or 5 straight outings then Leo will be our closer for the rest of the season.

I love Marinez but he has ways to go before being in the MLB. I see him up in Florida by mid 2011 at the earliest.

We've never been afraid to tast track relievers. I could see him up very soon.

We've never been afraid to tast track relievers. I could see him up very soon.

While Nunez has sucked the past few times, he still has been one of our best relievers this season. If some of the other guys picked up the slack then we would be in a much better position than we are, and Nunez can only be blamed for a handful of blown chances.

According to Rodriguez in Sun-Sentinel.......Too much changeup

 

Since he took over as manager, Rodriguez has used closer Leo Nunez four times and believes he knows the cause of Nunez's recent struggles:

 

"He needs to go back to become a power pitcher, using more his fastball and slider. He is using his changeup way too much," Rodriguez said.

 

Nunez has blown his past two save opportunities, giving up two runs in each, and Friday night it cost the Marlins a win, as a 3-2 lead turned into a 4-3 loss.

 

Nunez was not so certain when asked about what went wrong.

 

"The pitches were good. I think it was just one of those days," Nunez said.

According to Rodriguez in Sun-Sentinel.......Too much changeup

 

Since he took over as manager, Rodriguez has used closer Leo Nunez four times and believes he knows the cause of Nunez's recent struggles:

 

"He needs to go back to become a power pitcher, using more his fastball and slider. He is using his changeup way too much," Rodriguez said.

 

Nunez has blown his past two save opportunities, giving up two runs in each, and Friday night it cost the Marlins a win, as a 3-2 lead turned into a 4-3 loss.

 

Nunez was not so certain when asked about what went wrong.

 

"The pitches were good. I think it was just one of those days," Nunez said.

 

 

 

Thats my main complaint with Nunez he just needs to grow a pair, he lacks cojones

:lol

 

As we watch people speculate mindlessly about how closers gets results.

 

It's really very simple. Regardless of what you throw, to be successful you either usually get hitters to 1) miss it completely or 2) hit it badly.

 

It has exactly NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with "attitude," "balls" or anything else other than 1) how good the stuff is, and 2) how well it's located.

 

Nunez often has great stuff and often can locate it well, but sometimes can't manage to do both simultaneously, wherein lies his problem.

 

I hope he works it out. If he doesn't, well, someone else will probably be closing.

Ceda's the guy I'd put my money on.

BTW Benitez is dominating in New Orleans right now...if he can regain his form, who knows? I hope he is not weighing 450 lbs

Five games. Five scoreless appearances (although in truth one wasn't very pretty). It is heartening to see on a number of levels, one might fantasize he becomes sort of a closer's version of Pedro last year. I have to admit it's become a nightly ritual to check. Two strikeouts last night but the worrisome thing has to be a walk in *four out of five* appearance so far.

Even if Benitez is going to help out the bullpen, he needs more time in AAA to work because he got started rather late.

Even if Benitez is going to help out the bullpen, he needs more time in AAA to work because he got started rather late.

 

 

He had been pitching an independent league before signing with the Marlins and doing quite well. I dug this article up from the Sun-Sentinel that has a couple of backstory twists I found interesting. Below is an edited version (by me). Follow the link to the complete version.

 

Marlins sign Armando Benitez to minor league deal

Former All-Star closer will report to Triple-A New Orleans

June 24, 2010|By Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

 

Armando Benitez, 37, is back for his third stint in the Marlins' organization. The Marlins signed him out of the independent Atlantic League and will assign him to Triple-A New Orleans. Benitez was pitching for the Newark Bears and in 17 games (18 innings) had a 1.00 ERA and held opponents to a .136 batting average and .398 on-base plus slugging percentage.

 

Vice President of Player Personnel Dan Jennings got a tip about Benitez...The Marlins sent advisor Jack McKeon to see Benitez.

 

"Jack liked what he saw, really liked the body, said he had trimmed up, said the fastball was good," Jennings said. "The split needed a little more time. [McKeon] compared it to a mid- spring training outing."

 

10 days later, Jennings asked Andre Dawson to give (Newark manager) Tim Raines a call about Benitez.

 

"[Dawson] called me back within five minutes and told me Rock said he's ready," said Jennings, adding that Benitez's fastball is sitting in the 92-95 mph range. "You know what, why not? He's got some years, he knows how. We know the guy."

 

 

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-06-24/sports/fl-marlins-online-benitez-0625-20100624_1_armando-benitez-marlins-organization-minor-league-deal

 

Since then he's appeared in five games for the Zephyrs with three saves and a 0.00 ERA.

Leo is fine.

As most off us said if he can mix up his pitches and not be so changeup happy he could be a dominant closer.

I'd have no problem calling up Benitez or Ceda as Middle relievers since Hensley and Sanches can't pitch everyday and hope they can be successful in the Big so we can have a San Diego like Bullpen with Sanches, Hensley, Benitez being our Adams, Gregerson, Webb with Leo as our lights out closer.