SB Nation's 2010 MLB Previews: Florida Marlins, Still Young And Still Good

By Craig of Fish Stripes

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Introduction

After the success of the last couple of seasons, the Marlins front office believes they have the nucleus to be a playoff team.  Whether this is true or wishful thinking remains to be seen.  The Marlins are gearing for a very serious playoff run in the near future, if not this season then possibly the next or the one after that.

Position Players

1B Gaby Sanchez
2B Dan Uggla
3B Jorge Cantu
SS Hanley Ramirez
LF Chris Coghlan
CF Cameron Maybin
RF Cody Ross
C John Baker/Ronny Paulino

Bench: Wes Helms (IF), Brett Carroll (OF), Emilio Bonifacio (IF/OF)

Gaby Sanchez and Cameron Maybin aren't guaranteed spots on the 25-man roster - they have to be earned - but both of the players will be given every chance to prove that they don't deserve to be there.  If they have a good spring training, they're in, to start the season at least.

Dan Uggla will be the second baseman all season, as long as the Marlins remain in contention.  Should the Marlins fall out of the playoff race around the trading deadline, look for the Marlins to shop him to contending teams for prospects.

Should G. Sanchez not win the spot at first base and Jorge Jimenez dazzles, Cantu would be moved to first and Jimenez would take over the third base duties.  Jimenez's is an interesting situation; he is a Rule 5 pick and given the Marlins propensity for not wanting to release money, he is being given a chance.  But the way it looks now, he will be offered back to the Red Sox.

Hanley is Hanley, enough said.  He has a different attitude this year in camp than he did last season.  He is starting to become a team leader and is trying to be the best baseball player he can possibly be.  Which is only good news for the Marlins.

Uggla, is going to hit 30+ HR and drive-in around 90-100 runs.  It is what he does.  Danny has the tools necessary to be an average defensive second baseman.  Hopefully he will display those in 2010.

Cantu, should continue his solid hitting behind Hanley.  Assuming he is the third baseman, he needs to learn to throw across the diamond.  That skill has evaded him in the past.

The only outfield slots that are guaranteed are those for Ross and Coghlan.  Should Maybin not show he is Major League ready, Ross will move to center, leaving the right field position open for competition.  The early favorite for the slot is Brett Carroll, who is the Marlins' best defensive outfielder, but has yet to garner enough consistent playing time to know if he can hit.  That said, Carroll is having a very good spring.

The catching situation will be like last season.  Baker will play against righties and Paulino against lefties.  It worked last season; no reason to think it won't this time around.

This offense will hit and they will score a bunch of runs.  Always have, always will.

Rotation

Josh Johnson (RHP)
Ricky Nolasco (RHP)
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided

Johnson and Nolasco are locks, as well they should be.  The other three starters will be determined in spring training.  The ones vying for the three slots are Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad, Rick VandenHurk, Sean West and Andrew Miller.  Also there is the possibility that Burke Badenhop could crack the rotation.  How this shakes out is anybody's guess.  Mine is that Anibal and VandenHurk will make the rotation, and after that, who knows.  The club has some money invested in Miller, but he really needs to show some consistency.  Something he has yet to do.  But all of the ones being considered have shown flashes of brilliance and all have shown some flaws.  Anibal, last season, was coming off shoulder surgery, but towards the end of season he started to regain his form.  If he can continue to develop, he will be the third starter, because that boy can pitch.  VandenHurk keeps improving with each season and maybe this is his year.

The Marlins' rotation has the potential to be very good and a strength of the team, or it could be two great starters and hope the boys with the bats score a ton of runs in the other starts.  I'm leaning towards very good.  

Bullpen

Leo Nunez - closer (RHP)
Burke Badenhop (RHP)
Dan Myers (LHP)
Renyel Pinto (LHP)
Brian Sanches
Undecided
Undecided
Undecided

The rest of the bullpen will be determined in the camp.  Some could come from the losers of the starting rotation contest, but probably only one slot.  The rest will likely be Major League veterans who are presently signed to minor league contracts (Seth McClung, Derrick Turnbow, Mike MacDougal, Clay Hensley and on and on).  The Marlins have a decent history of finding retreads and getting one more good year out of them.  Sometimes it works - Todd Jones - and sometimes it doesn't - Jorge Julio.  If the former Major Leaguers don't fit the bill, they the rest will come within the organization, which invariably leads to a revolving door of minor leaguers.  Best bets are Taylor Tankersley, Hayden Penn, Tim Wood and a whole herd of others.

Most teams never know what they are going to get from their bullpen year to year, and it is the same with the Marlins.  Some perform, some don't.  It is very possible the Marlins will have a decent pen this year, but a lot depends on whether Nunez can be a decent closer.

In The System

This is not a system that's particularly rich in the pitching department.  Of the arms that could help out at some point in 2010, many are already candidates for the rotation out of camp, and though Ryan Tucker's is a name that hasn't come up yet, he and his explosive fastball are a better and more likely fit for the bullpen.  West and Andrew Miller have each had rough springs so far and may be on the outside looking in, as far as the rotation is concerned.  Hayden Penn has had a strong month, but now we're stretching the definition of "prospect".

Fortunately, the situation is better on the position player side of things.  First baseman Logan Morrison is competing with Sanchez for the regular job, and even if he doesn't win out, he'll be knocking on the door, offering good contact, a disciplined eye, and the ability to hit for average.  Outfielder Mike Stanton is one of the top prospects in baseball, and while it's unlikely that he'll force his way onto the team out of camp, the 20 year old has mammoth power potential, having hit 67 home runs the past two years.  Those are the big two; while the Marlins have a good deal of other talent in the field, much of it is at the lower levels and stands little chance of making much of a contribution in 2010.

Miscellaneous

Jeffery Loria, owner of the Marlins, has almost flat-out said that if the Marlins don't go to playoffs this season, manger Fredi Gonzalez will be fired.  This probably doesn't help the Marlins' chances at all.  The players like Fredi and will do anything to support him but in doing so.... well, there is such a thing as trying too hard.  It won't make much of a difference early in the season, but if the Marlins are in Wild Card contention it could add extra pressure on the players at the end of the season.

Conclusion

The Marlins are still young but gaining experience.  They have had some measure of success each of the last two years while improving the team's overall record.  The Fish are on the cusp of being a very serious contender for the playoffs and it could happen this season.  Just like for every other team, most everything will have to go right.  No key injuries, some great years by some of the lesser knowns.  Basically the usual formula.

But whatever the case, the Marlins will play exciting baseball and be a very fun team to watch.