I continue to ponder what happens to Abraham Nunez "IF" he has a break-out spring training. The guy is at an age where there isn't much more that he can accomplish in AAA ball and I don't believe it does anyone any good to have him on the bench where he wont have a chance to sharpen his skills. With the ironman in CF, a young guy in right and a fitness freak in LF there isn't going to be alot of playing time for the guy, especially if the Marlins go ahead and bring Cordero in. Cordero would justifiably expect to be the first guy off the bench either in the OF or at first.

 

No one knows (from a health standpoint) how the Fish will fare in ST. A pulled hamstring here, a dislocated shoulder there could dramatically alter the makeup of this team but that said, for this post, let's assume they get through ST unscathed. Choi could be a bust (not that I want or expect that, I'm using it for example purposes only) which may reshuffle the deck, but that said, with (possibly) Cordero and Banks ahead of him, Nunez seems destined to be the odd man out.

 

I wonder what the Marlins will do if confronted with a matured and major league ready Abraham Nunez? Again, assuming Cordero is on the team, do you trade a jack-of-all-trades guy like Banks, cut a Lenny Harris? Perhaps one of the reasons the Marlins have not finalized a deal with Cordero (besides his DUI arrest this winter and his other brushes with the law) may be that the Fish want to give Nunez a real look. That's the ultimate question mark for a GM, do you bring in a guy with a proven track record like Cordero or do you take a risk and go with a Nunez?

 

Nunez is historically he's a streak hitter who gets white hot for awhile followed by frigid months of absolutely nothing at the plate. The last time (albeit 2002) he was up he looked nothing short of pathetic. His performance in the 2003/2004 winter leagues, while certainly not indicative of what he could do over a 162 ML season is heartening. Of course, the quality of pitching isn't there and the "season" short, but the guy really showed me something and even though I've had my doubts about him I have to say I was impressed.

 

It's impossible to ignore what he accomplished in the winter leagues. Batting .292 in 178 at-bats while leading the league in runs (36), RBI (35), doubles (12) and tying for the lead with 12 homers for the Estrellas Orientes of San Pedro de Macoris is nothing to sneeze at. (yes I cut and pasted those stats from the Herald article because I'm too lazy to type them in again lol). And being voted 2nd in the league's MVP voting says something positive about what other players thought of his performance.

 

The problem is what to do IF he does well? I don't think he'll have much trade value unless the Fish are willing to take prospects but to have him pining away (no pun intended) on the bench could mean the end of his career. Based on the premise that he has a break-out ST you either start him or trade him. There's no turning back.

 

Part of me says sacrifice Choi and put Conine at first and give Nunez the starting LF (or RF if Jack swapped him with Cabs) job but let's face it, Big Choi has the 1B job locked up and it's his to lose. They say he has enormous upside potential and the Fish, having just lost DLee desperately need a first base guy not just for this season but for the future. So Conine to first, at least right now doesn't seem to be an option. And as much as I'd like to see Cabs somewhere in the infield, what's to be gained by trading Lowell to make room for him or Gonzalez or benching Choi? Nothing.

 

All that said, at some point you have to see what Nunez can do facing Glavine and Millwood and the rest of the A quality ML pitchers. Will spring training be enough time to make a decision about playing the guy full-time? To make a commitment? To reshuffle your whole lineup? I'm glad I'm not Jack or the FO. Somebody pass the Rolaids.

 

We aren't losers anymore, this is the World Champion Florida Marlins and we have too much to lose (attendance and PR-wise) this season trying out a guy with a spotty past. Sticking with a struggling rookie is not something the Marlins can afford in 2004. Nunez either has to play himself into a starting role or he is gone.

 

I have no answers, only questions. As the hotstove league comes to an end and baseball again takes center stage, Abraham Nunez may well be the "next big thing" on the horizon and throw the Marlins into a quandry about player personnel or he may flame-out and be resigned to a perpetual minor league career.

 

I for one look forward to seeing what happens. A couple of months ago I pretty much wrote the guy off but I admit it, he impressed the h*ll out of me with his winter league performance. And the Marlins may be in the enviable position of having TOO MUCH talent for a 25 man roster.

 

Maybe the answer is to not sign Cordero. It would be a gutsy move to give up on a proven player but I'm not sure it accomplishes anythng because what Nunez needs is alot of playing time. It doesn't do any good to have him be the fourth OR fifth OF'er. Besides, signing Cordero, like Oliver, gives you a couple of guys who you can trade at mid-season and should have real value if heaven forbid a real need emerges (an injury to a Lowell or someone else) or if you feel you are one player short of making a real run at a divisional title.

 

Nunez is not going to bring much especially if he's been sitting on the bench for half a season.

 

Maybe you dump Lenny Harris but again, what does that accomplish? Would you rather have Lenny facing Glavine in a tied game or Abraham Nunez who hasn't had a plate appearance in three weeks?

 

A few years ago this franchise was in an awful mess and this ownership was being crucified for trading Johnson, Dempster and Wilson away and not giving Cliff Floyd the $10-14 million a year the press told us he deserved. We were the laughingstocks of baseball. Now it looks like we have more talent than we know what to do with. Our next big hurdle is how to keep our pitching staff together for next five years or absent that how to rebuild it with aspiring new arms.

 

If Nunez plays himself into a starting job we may have someone capable of bringing us a starting pitcher next season. Right now we'd be lucky to get a mid-level AAA pitcher for him or worse, some journeyman on the decline. Investing in Nunez now may pay handsome dividends next year or the year after.

 

Well, this certainly wound up alot longer than I envisioned. Perhaps it will give us something to think about as spring training approaches. All eyes will be on Abraham Nunez this spring and rightfully so, after what he accomplished in the second half of '03 with the 'Topes and in winter ball he deserves to be in the spotlight. Let's hope he exceeds our expectations and creates a real problem for the Fish.

 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Play ball !

I relized this about a week ago. He's definately going have to compete for a spot, and who would he knock out?

I think Nunez has a place on this team. Here's how I see the roster so far:

 

C: Castro

1st: Choi

2nd: Castillo

SS: Gonzalez

3rd: Lowell

LF: Conine

CF: Pierre

RF: Cabrera

 

Starters:

Beckett

Penny

Pavano

Willis

Oliver

 

Bullpen:

Benitez

Fox

Neu

Tejera

Phelps

Bump/Neal

 

Bench:

Mordecai - SS, 2nd, 3rd

Redmond - C

Harris - 3rd, LF/RF

Banks - LF/RF, 1st

 

That is 23 players, not including AJ Burnett. For arguement's sake, let's say they sign Cordero (1st/RF/LF). That leaves 1 open bench spot and the one hole on the bench is a backup CF. That job will either go to Nunez or Gerald Williams, and i'm sure that they would love for Nunez to beat out Williams. The one wild card could be Damion Easley. He can play 2nd, and I believe he's played some CF in the past.

Harris is dead weight.? He didn't do much last year and I expect him to do less this year.? Someone else might take his place.

 

I don't disagree with regard to Lenny Harris but the point I was making, perhaps poorly, as it regards Abraham Nunez was, do you want to veteran with history of hitting MLB pitching when you need a pinch hit or a rookie who's hasn't hit for weeks and may have be over-matched batting against an established ML pitcher?

 

In the case of Nunez, who may be in a unique position this year because of his age, is that you either play him everyday or move him (whether it be back to AAA or to another team) because he isn't going to learn anything or improve his skills sitting on the bench.

 

We have a manager who stays with his regs, Jack is not a guy that believes in playing rookies to just get them some time. He dances with the guys that got him there. I'm not suggesting he's wrong, heck look what his theories got us last year!

That leaves 1 open bench spot and the one hole on the bench is a backup CF.

But why do you need a backup CF when Juan Pierre plays 162 games a year? We didn't have a back up for him last season and all we did was win a world championship. There is no need for either Williams or Nunez, but it would be nice to have Abe up here.

I think the three guys who have their spots still up in the air are Choi, Conine, and Nunez if he breaks out as people seem to think he will. I think it comes down to Choi and Nunez; if Choi struggles, look for Conine to play first and Nunez to play left, with Choi starting at AAA or on the bench. Some questions going into spring, but I think that our opening day lineup will be:

 

CF - Pierre

2B - Castillo

RF/LF - Cabrera

3B - Lowell

1B - Conine

C- Castro

RF/LF - Nunez

SS - Gonzalez

P

 

I'm not sold on Choi, however, if Nunez breaks out and Choi produces and we sign Cordero, Nunez could be traded for whatever we need to bolster ('pen, catcher, etc.) :mischief2

Whether Juan Pierre plays 162 games this season or not is irrelevant to the conversation. That said, it's incumbent on the manager/FO to have personnel on the bench who can replace any injured or unavailable player at any time during a game.

 

Heaven forbid JP gets the flu or runs into the wall or whatever. You can't stick Mordy or Banks out there for a week, they simply don't have the range.

Whether Juan pierre plays 162 games this season or not is irrelevant to the conversation. That said, it's incumbent on the manager/FO to have personnel on the bench who can replace any injured or unavailable player at any time during a game.

 

Heaven forbid JP gets the flu or runs into the wall or whatever. You can't stick Mordy or Banks out there, they simply don't have the range.

I don't see how it is irrelevant. Like you said, heaven forbid JP gets injured in the middle of a game and he has to leave, whether it be the 1st or the 4th or the 9th inning the injury occurs, you can afford to stick someone out there for a couple innings and bring someone up from triple-A to replace him the next day.

 

Afterall, they must not seem too worried about this, seeing that we went through all of last season without a backup center fielder.

Whether Juan pierre plays 162 games this season or not is irrelevant to the conversation. That said, it's incumbent on the manager/FO to have personnel? on the bench who can replace any injured or unavailable player at any time during a game.

 

Heaven forbid JP gets the flu or runs into the wall or whatever. You can't stick Mordy or Banks out there, they simply don't have the range.

I don't see how it is irrelevant. Like you said, heaven forbid JP gets injured in the middle of a game and he has to leave, whether it be the 1st or the 4th or the 9th inning the injury occurs, you can afford to stick someone out there for a couple innings and bring someone up from triple-A to replace him the next day.

 

Afterall, they must not seem too worried about this, seeing that we went through all of last season without a backup center fielder.

Wild,I'm not picking on you I promise, what I meant was your post wasn't relevant to the subject at hand, not that your thinking was irrelevant. *Smacks self on head*

 

Misunderstanding.

Choi strating at 1b is not writen in stone and hopefully either Choi or Nunes show why they belong in the starting lineup.

 

I'm including Will Cordero until he actually signs with the team.

That leaves 1 open bench spot and the one hole on the bench is a backup CF.

But why do you need a backup CF when Juan Pierre plays 162 games a year? We didn't have a back up for him last season and all we did was win a world championship. There is no need for either Williams or Nunez, but it would be nice to have Abe up here. We have a lot of flexibility, just not in center. Last year we had Encarnacion as the backup in CF. Hollandsworth could also play the position as well. There isn't anyone on the current roster I would want playing the position for any stretch of time. That is why I think it's a lock that either Nunez or Williams makes the team. I really hope that it is Nunez.

Whether Juan pierre plays 162 games this season or not is irrelevant to the conversation. That said, it's incumbent on the manager/FO to have personnel on the bench who can replace any injured or unavailable player at any time during a game.

 

Heaven forbid JP gets the flu or runs into the wall or whatever. You can't stick Mordy or Banks out there, they simply don't have the range.

I don't see how it is irrelevant. Like you said, heaven forbid JP gets injured in the middle of a game and he has to leave, whether it be the 1st or the 4th or the 9th inning the injury occurs, you can afford to stick someone out there for a couple innings and bring someone up from triple-A to replace him the next day.

 

Afterall, they must not seem too worried about this, seeing that we went through all of last season without a backup center fielder. um...

 

Juan Encarnacion was the backup CF

Abraham Nunez lost his prospect status when it was found out that he had forged visa documents. He is now in the same category with Toby Borland, Lenny Harris, Ryan Christensen and other invites: AAA players hoping to make the team in a bit role. That was what he was going to before the Cordero (and before that Galarraga and Mondesi) talk started. And that's what he is now. Choi is a prospect. Miggy is. Blaine Neal is. Justin Wayne is. For a team like the Marlins, who has to balance their present success with the development of players far away from free agency it would be wrong to give Nunez a roster spot or playing time that could go to other players. Nunez will have to be that much better to make it worth it to Marlins to give him a shot.

Cordero is Basicly out Bench Player, who will start against Lefties at 1B.

 

 

I want Nunez to make the team.

But i want the same to happen with maels rodriguez and trevor Hutchinson

abe had a great winter league season, if he stays this hot, it'll for him not to make the team:

 

He finished second in the MVP voting, batted .292, and lead the lague in runs (36), RBI (35), and doubles (12)

 

and he tied for the league lead with 12 homers

 

well, since i'm to lazy to read everything that Marlins2003 wrote, i didn't see that was already posted

I think Nunez, if he has a good ST, will make this team. That would probably mean Banks is gone or perhaps we drop a pitcher (which I doubt).

 

1B Choi

2B Castillo

3B Lowell

SS A Gon

C Castro

LF Conine

CF Pierre

RF Cabrera

 

SP Beckett

SP Penny

SP Willis

SP Pavano

SP Oliver

 

RP Benitez

RP Neu

RP Fox

RP Tejera

RP Phelps

RP Bump (Neal not healthy yet...)

 

C Redmond

PH Harris

PH/OF/1B Cordero

OF Nunez

SS Mordecai

SS Easely??

 

Banks is an interesting fit though. He plays 1B, OF, and C. He is a solid lefty bat too, but with Cordero, that is not a necessity. I think you have to go with Nunez now or never because this guy is no longer a prospect, but either major league ready or not. Banks is a solid guy, and a great bench player for our team, but you may have to bump him to minors/trade him in order to get Nunez in there. It really depends on where the organization projects Nunez - I think he has more upside than Banks. When AJ comes back, there will be some tough decisions. I think Harris makes it out of default because he is an excellent pinch hitter.

 

But a player to watch out for is Damian Easely. I think he will make the team...the fact is there is a lot of competition for only a few spots. Someone worthy of a roster spot is going to get a minor league ticket. So we have in the pool:

 

Cordero

Banks

Harris

Nunez

Easely

Mordecai

 

There are a lot of things to sort out in ST...

Mordy's makin the team

Mordy's makin the team

 

(j/k) I wouldn't want to be the guy who had to tell Mordy he didn't make the team. lol

With Burnett coming back 4-8 weeks into the season I don't expect the club to carry 12 pitchers out of ST.

 

That means Abe Nunez will battle with Lenny Harris (let's face it, he's no longer an infielder, but just a bat off the bench), Ryan Christensen and Josh Willingham (if they're willing to test him, or if Castro's legal situation looks shaky) for a spot on the team. While Easley, Valdez, Hooper and others will battle for an infield reserve role.

With Burnett coming back 4-8 weeks into the season I don't expect the club to carry 12 pitchers out of ST.

 

That means Abe Nunez will battle with Lenny Harris (let's face it, he's no longer an infielder, but just a bat off the bench), Ryan Christensen and Josh Willingham (if they're willing to test him, or if Castro's legal situation looks shaky) for a spot on the team. While Easley, Valdez, Hooper and others will battle for an infield reserve role.

 

I agree with the thrust of your post except I'd throw Matt Treanor's name into the catching pool if Castro's situation goes south. He did a terrific job with the staff in Albuquerque last season. I'd also subtract Easley's name from your list (and maybe it's just me, I would be very troubled to see him make the team), but otherwise I agree.

 

The thrust of my thread-starting post was that Nunez has to have a historic ST in order to make the team. I don't see that changing.

I think we can all agree that there is alot of mixing and matching that can be done in terms of reserves making the 25-man roster.

All i haveto say is Jack Mckeon is not afraid to bench players who are not performing to standards meaning Abe has good chance as Choi to make the team and even start.I know Jack will make the right desicion between Choi,Nunez and Cordero.

All I haveto say is Jack Mckeon is not afraid to bench players who are not performing to standards meaning Abe has good chance as Choi to make the team and even start.I know Jack will make the right desicion between Choi,Nunez and Cordero.

I remember when Banks was starting for a stretch of games because he was hot. Jack has shown that he will go with the hot bat.