Not that I feel a manager has very much at all to do with a team's overall performance- but if you do put any stock into that sort of thing, why would you want Jack McKeon to manage this group of players after how badly that 2005 team underachieved? I know they won like 83 games, but that was by far the most disappointing season for me in Marlins history. I don't blame McKeon though, since I know it was Mike Lowell's fault. Gomer Pyle could manage the Marlins starting today and finish with a record within 5+/- wins versus Tony LaRussa, if he were to take over the Fish.

Yeah right now I'd honestly would try to convert to smallball instead of hoping the players can get the job done. Unless it's Hanley Ramirez batting with a men on 2nd and 3rd less then 2 outs I'd be wanting more guys to bunt runners over with RISP with less then two outs.

Also I'd like to see a lot more hit and or bunt and runs. Guys like Coghlan, Hanley, Cody and maybe Gaby have good enough instincts on base to steal a few bases so why not try to catch a defense off balance and try to hit and run to avoid things like forceouts and double plays.

The bunt and run is a tough play and I really don't see many good bunters on this team so I doubt we use that often.

Not that I feel a manager has very much at all to do with a team's overall performance- but if you do put any stock into that sort of thing, why would you want Jack McKeon to manage this group of players after how badly that 2005 team underachieved? I know they won like 83 games, but that was by far the most disappointing season for me in Marlins history. I don't blame McKeon though, since I know it was Mike Lowell's fault. Gomer Pyle could manage the Marlins starting today and finish with a record within 5+/- wins versus Tony LaRussa, if he were to take over the Fish.

 

 

 

 

I mean he had a bad year, but he is far from the reason that team underperformed.

Not that I feel a manager has very much at all to do with a team's overall performance- but if you do put any stock into that sort of thing, why would you want Jack McKeon to manage this group of players after how badly that 2005 team underachieved? I know they won like 83 games, but that was by far the most disappointing season for me in Marlins history. I don't blame McKeon though, since I know it was Mike Lowell's fault. Gomer Pyle could manage the Marlins starting today and finish with a record within 5+/- wins versus Tony LaRussa, if he were to take over the Fish.

 

 

 

 

I mean he had a bad year, but he is far from the reason that team underperformed.

 

 

 

Regardless of what your cat thinks, Mike Lowell had a huge part in the lack of the 2005 team's success. Dontrelle Willis was more of a threat at the plate than Lowell was. Although his defense didn't render Mike completely useless, as Jorge Cantu is.

But saying Lowell is the sole reason we underperformed is like saying Jeremy Hermida kept us from winning the division. One bad hitter isn't going to affect the other 7 hitters in the lineup nor the pitching staff. The whole team (outside of D-Train) didn't live up to their billing that season. There were a lot of reasons for that bad season, not just Lowell (and unlike our current 3B, he actually contributed on defense).

All I really need to remember about that 2005 team is that I went to a crucial September game vs. Philadelphia and we were so banged up that Josh Wilson and Robert Andino were our starting middle infielders.

 

Also, Mike Lowell really sucked.

You cant just blame Mikey cause i remember JP underacheiving as well. Whatever, point is, that whole team was, on paper, our "best" team ever heading into a season, the expectations for that team from day one were huge! I remember people in March, even on ESPN and national spots like that, predicting playoffs and maybe even more... but in the end, that was, by far, our most disappointing team ever. I still cringe to this day at how that team performed. Sadly, the 2010 team had fairly high expectations based off our overacheiving 2009 team, and, thus far, is also a huge disappointment. And I hate to have to compare any Marlins team now, or in the future, to the 2005 disaster.

 

Let's not bring up the '05 Fish again, I'm having a hard enough time coping with 2010, don't remind me of 2005.

Mets are worse. Any team in 1st place from New York is bad.

 

 

True. I rank my "hates" in the NL East as such :

 

1) NY Mets - fans are the worst, even worse than Yankee fans

2) Braves - it took us 15 seasons to finally finish ahead of them in the division - and I can't stand that Matty Diaz - he always kills us and then you get that smug smirk on his face. I wanna just punch him when I see it !

3) Phillies - obnoxious fans just like the Mets but not as bad

Guys, McKeon isn't coming back. Seems like a lot of members here need to accept this fact.

 

 

Yeah he is 80 or close to it. He doesn't need that aggrevation. He and his wife live very quietly in North Carolina and see their grandchildren 2 or 3 times a week. I think he comes down to see the team a few times a year, and spends spring training with them, but that's all he wants to do these days......its called being retired

Jack will turn 80 in November.

 

He's not exactly retired. Semi-retired is probably more accurate. He is paid some amount to "consult" with the Marlins, does the odd scouting job here and there, shows up for ST, miscellaneous team functions and a few games during the season. He's a virtual fixture at Greensboro Grasshopper home games and is in a position to offer his assessment of those players whenever the FO might ask.

 

He keeps a toe in the MLB water in a formal, paid position with the club, but he'd probably be happy to do all that stuff for free just because it's enjoyable to him and doesn't take up much of his time.

But saying Lowell is the sole reason we underperformed is like saying Jeremy Hermida kept us from winning the division. One bad hitter isn't going to affect the other 7 hitters in the lineup nor the pitching staff. The whole team (outside of D-Train) didn't live up to their billing that season. There were a lot of reasons for that bad season, not just Lowell (and unlike our current 3B, he actually contributed on defense).

 

 

One of the things I really miss of Mikey is when he would hide the ball with a player on third. And the pitcher would stall both waiting for the player on third to move off base so that Mikey could tag him off. I kept watching third base with someone on hoping to watch another tag out. It happened with Todd Jones once if I remember correctly.

Yeah its called the hidden ball trick. Its more of a little league move but its work a couple of times in the bigs.

Mets are worse. Any team in 1st place from New York is bad.

 

 

True. I rank my "hates" in the NL East as such :

 

1) NY Mets - fans are the worst, even worse than Yankee fans

2) Braves - it took us 15 seasons to finally finish ahead of them in the division - and I can't stand that Matty Diaz - he always kills us and then you get that smug smirk on his face. I wanna just punch him when I see it !

3) Phillies - obnoxious fans just like the Mets but not as bad

I would swap the Braves and Phillies in this ranking, but without a doubt Mets fans are the worst

You people have obviously never gone to a game with Cubs fans. Pure unadulterated swill. They give the word cretin a bad name.

You people have obviously never gone to a game with Cubs fans. Pure unadulterated swill. They give the word cretin a bad name.

 

 

At least they go to the games.

 

Damn, that sounded mean to the Marlins. I'm sorry for that.

Man, I sorta like Mets fans. In fact, they're my second favorite team. I guess this just means I hate the Phillies 2x and the Braves (more specifically Matt Diaz) a little more. I'm also probably the only person in Miami you'll ever see wearing a Nationals cap - and I don't mean the super tricked out one that you see in rap videos and crap. I guess I just love the NL East :#

Man, I sorta like Mets fans. In fact, they're my second favorite team. I guess this just means I hate the Phillies 2x and the Braves (more specifically Matt Diaz) a little more. I'm also probably the only person in Miami you'll ever see wearing a Nationals cap - and I don't mean the super tricked out one that you see in rap videos and crap. I guess I just love the NL East :#

 

 

Ohhh you're that one guy!

 

Lol, actually I got nothing against the Nats... but I cant find myself wearing any NL East team besides the Fish. I have caps from about a dozen other MLB teams just cause I like the designs or colors or I may be a casual fan of the team for a million various reasons... but I just cant wear the NL East because I feel like I'd be directly clashing against the Marlins. The direct division rivalry is enough for me

Man, I sorta like Mets fans. In fact, they're my second favorite team. I guess this just means I hate the Phillies 2x and the Braves (more specifically Matt Diaz) a little more. I'm also probably the only person in Miami you'll ever see wearing a Nationals cap - and I don't mean the super tricked out one that you see in rap videos and crap. I guess I just love the NL East :#

 

 

Ohhh you're that one guy!

 

Lol, actually I got nothing against the Nats... but I cant find myself wearing any NL East team besides the Fish. I have caps from about a dozen other MLB teams just cause I like the designs or colors or I may be a casual fan of the team for a million various reasons... but I just cant wear the NL East because I feel like I'd be directly clashing against the Marlins. The direct division rivalry is enough for me

 

That's how I feel about the Mets, Phillies and Braves - but the Nats are harmless! In a few years, that cap will probably go into the attic along with my Carlos Beltran bobblehead from that one time I went to see a Marlins-Mets game at Shea. Ironically, it was the one where Beltran hit a popup to Carlos Delgado, decided to half-ass walk to first base, so Delgado let it drop and got a DP out of it. It was a pretty memorable game, imo - I think it made some end-of-the-year highlight thing as well.

You people have obviously never gone to a game with Cubs fans. Pure unadulterated swill. They give the word cretin a bad name.

 

 

I never found this to be true until after that '03 season. But since then they give the Mets and Phillies fans a good name.

 

Or maybe it's just selective memory on my part.