Knuckle Curve » florida-marlins

What Will the Marlins do with Josh Johnson?

Stephen Kersey — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:55:53 +0000

Josh Johnson is regarded as one of the best young pitchers in all of baseball. The 6-foot-7 righty is 25 years old and is coming off another stellar campaign. That said, the Florida Marlins may have to trade him.

Why would the Marlins have to trade one of their best players? Economics. He’s two years away from being a free agent and with the Marlins unable to reach a contract agreement with Johnson, they don’t have much of a choice. If they were to put him out on the open market, Florida would have plenty of teams interested.

Last season, Johnson was 15-5 with a 3.32 ERA. In 209 innings of work, he gave up 184 hits while striking out 191 batters. In his career, which began in 2005, he has a record of 34-16 to go along with an ERA of 3.40. There aren’t many pitchers that can match that resume at that career stage — especially considering he plays for a small market team.

What the Marlins may do is head into next season with Johnson on their roster. At the trade deadline, the team could trade him if the playoffs are no longer an option. If the playoffs are an option, they may decide to keep him — for at least the rest of the season. But no matter the plan, Florida will want to either sign him to an extension or eventually trade him before he becomes a free agent.

Josh Johnson - Florida Marlins (Image: Zuma Press)

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MLB Names Rookies of the Year

Stephen Kersey — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:55:12 +0000

The MLB honored its best rookies on Monday. In the National League, Chris Coghlan of the Florida Marlins won the NL Rookie of the Year. In the American League, Andrew Bailey of the Oakland A’s won the AL Rookie of the Year.

Coghlan didn’t look like a top prospect early in the year but got better and better as the year went along. All told, the left fielder hit .321 with nine homers, 47 RBIs, 84 runs and eight stolen bases. After the All-Star Game, Coghlan hit .372 and looked like an up-and-coming star.

Andrew Bailey is the rare relief pitcher to win Rookie of the Year. But after the 25-year-old stepped up and became one of the best closers in baseball, he definitely deserved the award. He finished 2009 with 26 saves to go along with a 1.84 ERA and a WHIP of 0.88.

In the American League, Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers finished second, while Rick Porcello of the Detroit Tigers finish third. The National League saw J.A. Happ of the Philadelphia Phillies finish second in the voting and Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves finish third.

Chris Coghlan won the NL Rookie of the Year (Image: Zuma Press)

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Aroldis Chapman – Possible Destinations

Stephen Kersey — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:55:30 +0000

Aroldis Chapman’s defection from Cuba made many Major League Baseball general managers very happy. The 21-year-old pitcher has a fastball that has been clocked at over 100 MPH. And to top it off, he’s a lefty.

After establishing residency in the tiny country of Andorra, Chapman is now a free agent. There has already been talk that a big league team may be interested in paying him upwards of $50 million. Which teams are possible destinations for Aroldis Chapman? Let’s take a look:

New York Yankees
The Yankees always like to spend money. Considering that starting pitching depth was their weakness this season, signing Chapman makes a lot of sense if they believe he’s a future starter.

Boston Red Sox
Like the Yankees, the Red Sox can use more starting pitching depth. Boston hasn’t backed down from going after international players and Chapman is yet another intriguing prospect.

New York Mets
The Mets need another top of the line pitcher if they hope to become playoff contenders in the National League. Plus, their pockets are deep enough to snag Chapman.

Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have one factor that may make Chapman happy — warm weather. Chapman already said he’s not a fan of the cold. Oh and yeah, the Angels need more starting pitching help.

Florida Marlins
It’s an extreme longshot but the Marlins would be able to keep Chapman close to Cuba. Plus having Chapman on board would likely draw more fans to their ballpark, which is always a concern for the Marlins.

Aroldis Chapman has many possible destinations (Image: Zuma Press)

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Marlins Win Again, Start Season 10-1

Stephen Kersey — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:58:50 +0000

Heading into extra innings, the Florida Marlins did something they have done many times this year — they pulled out the victory. In the top of the 11th, Jeremy Hermida hit a three-run bomb to put the Marlins up for good by a final count of 9-6.

With the win, the Marlins are now 10-1 on the season. That marks the best start in franchise history after 11 games.

The team that took the loss on Saturday isn’t new to the loss column. The Washington Nationals are now 1-9 after ten games.

The Nationals actually appeared to be heading to a victory with a 6-3 lead going into the ninth inning. But after the Marlins got within 6-4, Hermida hit a two-run blast to tie the game.

On the game, Hermida was 3-for-6 with three runs and five RBI. He entered the game with only one homer and three RBIs.

2009 Florida Marlins Season Preview Video:

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Ivan Rodriguez Rumors – Florida Marlins?

Stephen Kersey — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:42:31 +0000

Ivan Rodriguez, who is regarded by many as one of the best catchers in the history of the game, is still a free agent. While no deal appears imminent, rumblings have started to connect Rodriguez with the Florida Marlins.

Rodriguez has a history with the Marlins. Not only does he live in Miami, he spent one season of his career with team. That happened to be in 2003 when the Marlins won the World Series while Rodriguez was one of the team’s biggest stars.

After that season, he signed a big free agent deal with the Detroit Tigers. Last year, the Tigers traded Rodriguez to the New York Yankees. After a less than stellar campaign, the Yankees haven’t shown any interest in signing the 37-year-old catcher.

Once a fierce hitter, Rodriguez hasn’t had at least 15 homers or 70 RBIs since the 2004 campaign. He’s also not nearly as good behind the plate as he used to be in his prime.

If he ends up signing with the Marlins, Rodriguez will likely start and serve as a mentor on a team with a lot of young players. Although Florida doesn’t have many people picking them for a spot in the World Series, that was the case in 2003 as well.

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Baseball Trades on the Trade Deadline 2008

Stephen Kersey — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:25:15 +0000

The 2008 baseball trade deadline saw a flurry of trades involving some of the biggest names in the game. Players who were traded include future Hall of Famers Manny Ramirez, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Pudge Rodriguez.

Here is a breakdown of who got traded and to where.

Manny Ramirez traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Ken Griffey, Jr. traded to the Chicago White Sox
Ivan Rodriguez traded to the New York Yankees
Jason Bay traded to the Boston Red Sox
Kyle Farnsworth traded to the Detroit Tigers
Arthur Rhodes traded to the Florida Marlins

Manny Ramirez and his bat are headed to the Dodgers.

Photo: Newscom

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Marlins Give Hanley Ramirez a $70 Million Extension

Stephen Kersey — Sun, 11 May 2008 12:32:06 +0000

The Florida Marlins run a bargain basement operation. With a total team payroll less than what Alex Rodriguez will make this year with the New York Yankees, it’s a bit surprising to hear the news that the Marlins and Hanley Ramirez have agreed a six-year, $70M extension.

Then again, if there is anyone in the major leagues to bank on, Ramirez might be that player. The 24-year-old shortstop is one of the best players in baseball. He’s currently hitting .338 with eight homers, 21 RBIs, 33 runs scored and an on-base percentage of.429. Last season, Ramirez hit .332 with 29 homers, 81 RBIs and 125 runs scored.

Once Ramirez gets on base, he might be even more dangerous. In the last two seasons, he finished with 51 stolen bases in each season. This season, the Dominican Republic native already has 13 stolen bases.

The Marlins also picked a good time to extend their offer. Florida is leading the NL East with a 22-14 record. Only the 23-14 Arizona Diamondbacks have a better record in all of baseball.

While the Marlins remain a long shot to make the playoffs, the signing of Ramirez to a long-term deal gives Marlins fans hope for the future – all five of them.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Hottest Hitting Second Basemen in 2008

Stephen Kersey — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:16:48 +0000

Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Chase Utley isn’t only the hottest hitting second baseman, he’s the hottest hitting player in the major leagues – period. He’s hitting .357 with 13 homers, 26 RBIs and 28 runs scored. On top of that, he has a .432 on-base percentage. The 29-year-old has arguably been the best player in baseball in 2008.

Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers
Ian Kinsler has really been hitting the ball well as of late. For the season, he has two homers, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored and a batting average of .288. The 25-year-old is quickly becoming one of the better players at his position in the American League.

Chone Figgins, Los Angeles Angels
Although he hasn’t hit a homer or a triple yet this season, the Angels’ second baseman is hitting the ball well. Chone Figgins is hitting .306 with nine RBIs, 18 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.

Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins
Earlier in the 2008 season, Dan Uggla was struggling so much that some in Florida were wondering whether he would hold onto his starting job. Since then, however, Uggla has turned it around. On the season, he’s hitting .267 with seven homers, 19 RBIs and 18 runs.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Hottest Hitting Shortstops in 2008

Stephen Kersey — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:28:02 +0000

Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
At 24, Hanley Ramirez is already a superstar. He’s off to a fantastic start as he’s hitting .337 with eight homers, 18 RBIs and 22 runs scored. Ramirez also has nine stolen bases and an on-base percentage of over .400.

Miguel Tejada, Houston Astros
While there are controversies surrounding Tejada regarding everything from his age to his name to his steroid use, there’s no denying how well Tejada is swinging the bat this year. He’s hitting .340 with four homers and 20 RBIs.

Rafael Furcal, Los Angeles Dodgers
The 30-year-old shortstop for the Dodgers is off to an amazing start to his 2008 season. Rafael Furcal is hitting .363, has an on-base percentage of .454 and has scored 22 runs. Furcal had a relatively quiet year in 2007 but this year he is playing better than ever.

Edgar Renteria, Detroit Tigers
Edgar Renteria was acquired by the Detroit Tigers in the offseason and the team has to be happy with its investment. Renteria is hitting .324 and has 16 RBIs and 14 runs.

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Hottest Fantasy Baseball Players

Stephen Kersey — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:12:10 +0000

A couple weeks into the baseball season, let’s take a break and check out the hottest fantasy baseball players. In this top five list, there will be a few players who could remain near the top for the duration of the 2008 season.

1) Mark Reynolds, Arizona Diamondbacks
A lot of people liked the Diamondbacks coming into the season. Few thought that they’d be this dominant this early. Mark Reynolds, the 24-year-old third baseman for Arizona, has been a monster in this early season.

2) Lance Berkman, Houston Astros
Lance Berkman has been an enigma in recent years. He has massive potential but for whatever reasons, he hasn’t yet put it all together. However, his start to the 2008 season gives Astros fans hope.

3) Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
Coming into this season, Hanley Ramirez was thought of as a top three fantasy baseball player and he hasn’t disappointed. It’s scary to think how Ramirez is only 24-years-old and hasn’t even scratched his prime yet. This kid is going to be special for a long time.

4) Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
It’s good to see Cliff Lee off to such a wonderful start. Last year was just a total disaster for the left-hander on the Indians. If he can get back to his 2005 level, Cleveland will be that much better this season.

5) Gabe Kapler, Milwaukee Brewers
Yes, that Gabe Kapler. The body builder turned baseball player turned minor league manager is back to being a baseball player. Right now, it looks like a brilliant decision. The Brewers are certainly glad Kapler decided to put the cleats back on.

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