New York Nine

Okay I have to confess, I hate how the Marlins do baseball. Not the players, but management, seemingly willing to just trade away everyone they don't want to pay for prospects, absolutely suck for several years only to just shock everyone with their immense talent and make a run deep into the playoffs and win it all. Seriously if you've watched baseball for the last decade they've done this twice now and it seems they're about due. Say what you will about the Marlins, but their baseball people know talent when they see it and they're absolutely stacked with it right now. The National League is officially on notice.


There's really not much to say about what the Marlins did this offseason to improve themselves, they mostly traded away guys who are arbitration eligible because they didn't want to pay them for prospects, but the pieces they have in place are there and a year older and a year better. They'll have the ultra-talented Cameron Maybin in centerfield this year, most recognized for getting his first hit a home run off of Roger Clemens two years ago. I remember that hit at Comerica Park he absolutely crushed it to deep center which for those of you who dont know is about 420, ridiclous for a kid who had no business being up yet. He brings an insane amount of speed and power to the lineup along with a healthy amount of strikeouts. The talent doesnt end there, Dan Uggla at second, a rejuvinated Jorge Cantu at 3rd, the ultra-talented Jeremy Hermedia in left and of course the God of Fantasy Baseball, Hanley Ramirez. All of these guys can flat out hit and with the emerging John Baker at catcher (a .392 OBP last year) and either Gaby Sanchez the Southern League MVP or Dallas McPherson, who hit 42 home runs in AAA last year at first base they won't miss Mike Jacobs a whole lot.


The pitching is similarly stacked, with elder statesman Rickey Nolasco at 26 heading the staff coming off a 15 win season, Josh Johnson, a young pitcher with improving control and Ace-stuff, fire-baller lefty Andrew Miller, and oh a healthy Anibal Sanchez as the number 5. you might remember him he threw that no hitter a few years ago and he's not even 25. God how do they have so much talent?


I'm not saying this is the year that the Marlins "shock the world" again, but they're damn close to it. While their offseason was forgettable the talent in their lineup is anything but. They're stacked from top to bottom with youth and their poised to be a major pain in the ass for prennial contenders Philly and New York for the NL east. I'll give their offseason a C, but that team is A+ talent, don't say I didn't warn you if and when they win the NL east this year.