Beinfest was just on 790 the Ticket, and pretty much said Leo was the favorite to close, next year. His words were pretty much..."we think Leo can do it." He also says he obviously feels Hensley can get the job done, and he also likes Mujica & Webb as closer candidates. He mentioned Leo though, making me think there's a solid chance he's back next year. Basically said that you don't get 30 saves by accident, and that he feels Leo's stuff is really good.

If that's the case, I hope the effectiveness of the new bullpen will take some pressure off of Leo to be THE lights-out guy. Either way, our bullpen doesn't improve if we lose Leo, so this is good news. What's also good news is that the Marlins are planning on going after an SP and still keep Leo, when I previously thought they were going after an SP because they were banking on trading him.

That's a surprise. I thought Leo would be gone. Nice bullpen we got for next season

Ugh. I was personally hoping Hensley or one of our new guys would take the 9th.

Ugh. I was personally hoping Hensley or one of our new guys would take the 9th.

 

 

Beinfest also said that the spot will be 'filtered out' during Spring Training, so it isn't set in stone. If Nunez can't do it, then this time around we do have a lot of alternative options.

Some more things he said for those who are not listening to the Marlins Insider today:

 

1. He mentioned Coghlan in CF.

 

2. Nolasco's the #2.

 

3. He said he's pretty much content with a rotation of JJ, Nolasco, Anibal, Volstad, and 1 of Sanabia/Villanueva/Koehler. However, he also said that "you can never have enough pitching," and that it's "fair to say" that the team is still looking to add a SP. JJ, Nolasco, Anibal, and Volstad are locks, though. He's really high on JJ/Nolasco, liked what Anibal did in 2010, and liked what Volstad did in the 2nd half.

 

4. He said, once again, that if the season started today he feels like he has a roster capable of competing with anyone.

 

5. He said "we're maybe one lefty short in the bullpen," meaning to me that Richardson is no lock, by any means. He's just one of the guys who will get a shot in Spring Training. He added, though, that he feels more comfortable this year even if he only goes with one lefty (which is obviously Dunn who's the lock, not Richardson) because he feels like he now has more right-handers capable of getting lefties out (specifically mentioned Mujica when he said that...and said that because Mujica can get both righties/lefties out, he feels like he can close, if need be).

 

6. Regarding the Uggla trade, he pretty much said that he thinks we all wish Dan was still a Marlin today, but he rejected what they considered was a fair contract, and the organization feels like they got better defensively with Infante (regardless of which position he ends up playing...2B or 3B), and obviously he feels the bullpen has been upgraded.

 

7. Regarding what Dominguez has to do to make the team...he has to show "confidence," and the ability to make adjustments with the bat, as he did in the 2nd half last year in AA. Beinfest once again said that Dominguez is ready defensively, and if it was just based on his defensive play, he would've been in the big leagues 18 months ago.

 

That was pretty much the Beinfest portion of the show. Edwin's interview might be going on now, but I'm no longer listening. You can listen on your phone, if you have an IPhone. 790 The Ticket has an app, and I believe it's free.

So, it's Nunez, Hensley, Webb, Mujica, Sanchez, Dunn, and Badenhop/Sanabia. That's a pretty good bullpen.

Signing Jorge De La Rosa would be awesome. I wish we would target him.

From Edwin:

 

#Marlins mgr Edwin Rodriguez repeats that Cogz, Omar Infante and H2R will go 1, 2, 3 in batting order. Rest in question. Stanton 5 or 6

 

If Stanton has a big spring, he could open year at clean-up, Edwin says #Marlins

 

Rodriguez on Hanley: In my opinion, he's going to put up better numbers than 2009. #Marlins

 

Edwin Rodriguez was in touch this a.m. with Javier Vazquez. "Hopefully we can put him in that rotation. Definitely.'' #Marlins

 

Rodriguez and Vazquez from same hometown (Ponce, PR). Have known each other since Vazquez was 14 or 15. #Marlins

Man, how awesome would it be if Dominguez absolutely kills it in ST and starts hitting .270-.280 in the big leagues.

Javier Vasquez would be pretty good, too. I prefer a lefty, though.

So, it's Nunez, Hensley, Webb, Mujica, Sanchez, Dunn, and Badenhop/Sanabia. That's a pretty good bullpen.

 

 

 

Badenhop was never mentioned; I'm not sure they bring him back.

Sanabia is not a lock to make the team next year. That's what I got from the interview. Beinfest said that the injuries to JJ/Nolasco + lack of depth with SP forced the organization to rush Sanabia, indicating that Sanabia might go back to the minors for more developing, especially if the organization can sign that SP they're looking for.

 

Villanueva/Koehler were mentioned on multiple occasions, as guys who "won 15-16 games in AA," and he pretty much likes the depth they give the organization.

 

In a perfect scenario, Beinfest wants two lefties in the bullpen. I wouldn't doubt that the team signs that SP (probably Vazquez), and Sanabia is left out, if one of Richardson/Koehler impress in Spring Training.

 

He seemed kinda down on Sean West, but is still hopeful he can rebound from a (I believe he used the word, disappointing) 2010 season.

Who's the long guy if Badenhop is traded, we pick up a 2nd lefty, and Sanabia goes to AAA?

Hensley, Nunez, Webb, Mujica, Dunn, Sanches, Badenhop/Sanabia/2nd lefty could very well be a very good bullpen.

 

It's within the realm of possibility that all of those guys have sub-4 ERAs.

3rd post lol

 

I really like what I"m hearing, by the way. With that bullpen, if we had a rotation of JJ/Ricky/Anibal/Vazquez/Volstad, then we have a really strong chance at having Top 5 pitching in the NL.

 

If we can figure out that 8th position reasonably, keep Nunez and add Vazquez, then I think we are strong, strong playoff contender.

Who's the long guy if Badenhop is traded, we pick up a 2nd lefty, and Sanabia goes to AAA?

 

 

 

Brian Sanches is a former starter/capable of going 2-3 innings to save a bullpen, when games get out of hand. Mujica is also valuable in the sense that he can give the team more than one inning from the bullpen if need be, as he's proven in the past.

 

EDIT: If Koehler impresses in ST and ends up being the "2nd lefty," he can obviously pitch in long relief, too.

i like the idea of bringing leo back and if we dont sign a starter i think sanabia will get that job.

 

badenhop has been a really solid long man the past two years and i dont see any reason to trade him. he will not command that much money.

Man, how awesome would it be if Dominguez absolutely kills it in ST and starts hitting .270-.280 in the big leagues.

 

 

This is the kind of surprise push that a playoff team often gets to put them over the top. If we have most of our guys have the season theyre capable of, and then have a breakout star or two like Dominguez... then we're playoff bound.

 

To me, you start with a solid playoff contender, hope everyone performances to expectations or above, and then its the x-factors that push you overboard. Much like Cody with the Giants in 2010

I personally think it's posturing. Saying "We're looking to trade him and move his salary" lowers his value compared to saying "He's likely our closer next year"

Yup. I think Leo is a goner. Suits me just fine.

We should take that extra money we supposedly have and either sign someone who can platoon at 3rd with Bonifacio, or trade Nunez and sign a better closer. It sounds like both Pavano and Vazquez are out of our price range, which isn't a bad thing IMO. I don't think either should get more than 1-2 years at this point. Especially Vazquez.

 

I also doubt De La Rosa is feasible either, as he is probably the 2nd or 3rd best starter on the market, and some team with a bigger wallet will overpay for him.

How much will Nunez make in 2011 roughly?

i just wish we had a proven guy in center field. i would much rather coghlan and dominguez platoon at 3rd, with infante at 2nd, and then a proven centerfielder patrolling out there.

Dominguez will NOT come up to platoon.

He's going to get full-time ABs wherever he is, and there's no need to start his arbitration clock up here unless he's the everyday starter.

Dominguez will NOT come up to platoon.

He's going to get full-time ABs wherever he is, and there's no need to start his arbitration clock up here unless he's the everyday starter.

 

 

 

Yeah, this. Coghlan's not a platoon player, either.