My 2010 Marlins "What the Hell are These Guys Doing in MLB?" list:
Front Office:
Loria, Samson, Beinfest
Coaches:
St. Clarie, Presley
Players - Division I:
Uggla
Players - Division II:
Pinto, Miller
Players - Division III:
Bonifacio,
Jury Still Out:
Maybin, 3-5 in the starting rotation (Miller's Div II status supercedes this spot if he somehow makes the rotation), whoever ends up being called up too early and playing 1B for the league minimum.
Maybin's (CF) going to be batting 2nd, between Coghlan (LF) and Hanley (SS), and should get some nice opps. He stunk in the 8 hole. If he can't make it hitting between those two, it's time to hang it up. Cantu (returning to 3B) is hitting 4th, which may as well be 8th with Uggla (so-called 2B) hitting behind him. Ross (RF) is 6th, 1b 7th, and Baker (C) is 8th. Baker should do a decent job at clearing the pitcher's spot in the batting order so it doesn't lead off innings. He can't do worse than Maybin did in that spot, and went .305 BA, .367 OBP in the 27 games he batted 8th last year. If Maybin doesn't keep his spot, either 1B or Baker will move to the top of the order.
Samson has gone public that if the Fish don't make the playoffs, Fredi is gone. If he makes the playoffs with St. Claire as pitching coach, he should immediately be enshrined in the HOF. Instead, he'll be eligible to return to his home in Atlanta and take over for Bobby Cox.
The Marlins are going into spring training with 62 players, including with Nunez as the closer. The rotation is Johnson, Nolasco, and then a toss-up between Rick Vanden Hurk, Sean West, Andrew Miller, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad and Hayden Penn (most writers seem to believe Penn will be among the first of the group to be released/traded - he's out of options). If neither Miller nor West make the rotation, it will be all RHP. Sanchez has no durablility after his labrum tear, and has no control over his pitches, though he's my sentimental favorite. At best, I think he has a couple years left as a mid-relief/mop-up guy putting in 40-50 IP/year. Volstad, Vanden Hurk, and West are my guesses for the 3-5. Volstad can be either awesome or a souvenir vendor; he'll either make a fool of you or give up a HR. Vanden Hurk was developing a nice change last year, and was showing a bit more velocity on his fastball. Batters adjusted to West, and he needs to make some adjustments after the first time through the order. He gets hammered the 2nd and 3rd times he faces a guy. Miller gets hammered during warm-ups, where he posts a 8.92 ERA without actually having a batter in the box. If Penn makes the team at all, it's a losing season. Fortunately, I don't think that will be the case. Of course, in my worst nightmares, I didn't think think Uggla would be a Marlin through last Thanksgiving either. You can't put any absurdity beyond Beinfest.
