Marlins Trade Wishes

If the Marlins are to be buyers at the trade deadline, there are several needs that could be addressed.

As of two weeks ago, most of the focus centered on center field and catcher. Why? I don't know.

Cody Ross has been enormously productive out in CF, and his defense has been adequate enough. The Marlins have been rumored to covet Wily Taveras (the organization has always liked those speedy leadoff types), but that would be an obvious downgrade. Stick with Ross.

As for catchers, why are the Marlins even paying attention to David Ross or Paul Lo Duca? Those guys are NOT GOOD. Why not give John Baker a chance to prove himself, and Matt Treanor has been superb defensively. Whatever it costs, these other catchers aren't worth it.

Where do the Marlins really need help? The bullpen! Once the team's strongest asset, it's now the most undependable assortment of garbage outside of that huge Turnpike landfill. Is there anyone the team can count on? It's gotten so bad, the Marlins have been sending guys like Matt Lindstrom and Logan Kensing down to AAA, replacing them with (gulp) Eulugio de la Cruz. A couple reliable acquisitions could make a world of difference.

Treanor Hurt, John Baker Up

Matt Treanor looks like he'll be going to the DL. He injured an abdominal muscle last night while trying to avoid being hit by a ground ball...the outcome? The ball hit him and he hurt himself. Double whammy.

This puts the Marlins catching situation in an interesting spot. Treanor's hitting may have been mediocre (at best), but his fielding was spectacular. His presence behind the plate will be sorely missed.

I thought Mike Rabelo might be recalled, but it seems the Marlins want him to work things out. That's the right move. Instead, the popular John Baker will get his big shot. I'm not sure what the distribution of starts will be between Hoover and Baker, but I wouldn't be surprised if Baker gets a good number.

Matt Birnbach - a longtime Baker proponent - provides us with some commentary on John Baker:

"John Baker trained hard this off season trying to get in shape for Marlins camp and maybe an outside shot at making the team. He didn’t see too many at bats in Spring games as he lost out to Matt Treanor and Paul Hoover (Mike Rabelo had to rehab in the minors first.) As of his calling up, he was hitting .316/.394/.492 with 21 extra base hits (6hr) in 193 at bats. Against lefties, he was hitting .382/.443/.455 in 55 at bats.

It will be interesting to see what the 27 year old rookie can do. It’s been a long time coming for him, and if he gets off to a hot start, he might have himself a job for awhile."

Rabelo Sent Down, Hoover Up

We at The South Florida Fan haven't exactly been the biggest fans of Mike Rabelo. Unfortunately for Rabelo, it had little to do with him. I was frustrated with the Marlins' insistence on asserting Rabelo as a marquee member of the Cabrera-Willis trade, despite no evidence to prove he was worth anything.

It's been a steep descent for Rabelo. He went from having the starting job, to becoming Treanor's backup, to now starting for AAA Albuquerque. To make matters worse, this comes on the heels of a mind-numbing bungle in his last Major League game (he forgot to tag the runner at home, thinking there was a force). For the sake of his career and his confidence, I hope that doesn't stand as his last day in the Majors.

In the meantime, Paul Hoover comes up to take his place. This not only solidifies Treanor's role as the lead catcher, but also gives him a greater share of the starts. Hoover is in tonight, but expect Treanor in nearly every game from tomorrow onwards.

ASponge Crow Bucket: Miller Joins Cantu

Yes, I'm borrowing a bit of terminology from our pal Craig at Fish Stripes (if you didn't know, he puts up a "Chum Bucket" whenever the Marlins have a day off).

So far, there has been one entry in the ASponge Crow Bucket: Jorge Cantu. I had no choice but to relent there, after every contributor at The South Florida Fan (TSFF) was blasting me. While Cantu has certainly dropped off some, he's still been a lot better than expected and still inhabits a spot.

It's now time to add Andrew Miller. In this case, I have some friends. JSponge may have been the only member of The South Florida Fan crew to campaign for Miller. We all wanted him sent down, which is probably why Larry Beinfest has a World Series to his resume and I don't.

Keeping Miller in the majors has turned into a brilliant move. How could I not get the bag of crow ready when Miller shuts down the best team in the NL (or should I say formerly best team) on route to their first zero of the season? Miller has REALLY matured. I think we're all fans of Miller Time now.

P.S. I've also been right about a lot of things, like Matt Treanor for instance. Eat that Beinfest!

Marlins On Top of the World

There are so many positive things to say about this week's shocking series sweep of the Diamondbacks. I'm almost at a loss for words...but I found a few. Here are 10 things to be excited about if you're a Marlins fan:

1. The combined record of the three Diamondbacks pitchers (Owings, Webb, and Haren) was 19-3 coming into the series. Now? 19-6. Wow!

2. At 8 over .500, the Marlins have regained their stride after showing signs of decline.

3. The Marlins won all three games, despite missing Scott Olsen. He goes tonight.

4. Andrew Miller is becoming fantastic. I know, it's amazing. He's throwing fireballs out there and is being referred to as "the ace of the staff" by some.

5. The national media is fully on board now. While many doubt the Marlins' ability to stay the course, they've become, as Tim Kurkjian said, "the most exciting story in the National League."

6. Ricky Nolasco is molding into that solid third starter the Fish have desperately needed...oh wait, fourth starter if Andrew Miller's suddenly the ace.

7. You'll never hear anything again about the Marlins beating up on bad teams.

8. All this was done without Josh Willingham, who was having an All-star level season.

9. It happened with Hanley Ramirez in one of the worst slumps of his career.

10. A torrid Matt Treanor is now the starter...thankfully!

Marlins Take Down Webb!!!

The Marlins handed Brandon Webb his first loss of the season. Yes, the Brandon Webb who was 9-0 in 9 appearances. Undefeated no more!

It was a perfectly executed 3-1 win, with a little bit of everything. Matt Treanor laid down a superb bunt for a suicide squeeze, Cody Ross homered, and Luis Gonzalez singled home the insurance run.

Major credit must go to Ricky Nolasco, who turned in a spectacular start. He allowed just 1 run in 7 innings, leading the Marlins to one of their best wins of the season.

Brandon Webb: 9-1, and fish fried.

Greg Cote Answers 7 Questions

We at The South Florida Fan (TSFF) are indebted to Greg Cote for being so gracious with our questions. He answered seven of them in his chat today. I give them to you below, with an additional comment from us beneath:

1. Q: With the Hanley Ramirez signing, the Marlins' record, and the poor play from other South Florida teams, do you plan on giving the Marlins some more spirited coverage? They could really use your help!

A: Yeah I've written columns off a handful of games already, most of the spirited variety. Fish have until mid-July (Dolph training camp) to themselves in the market and must take advantage. But the starting pitching is starting to be the concern everyone thought it might be.

Comment: Cote and the Herald have started to jump on board. The Fish need to stay in contention through July to garner perpetual interest.

2. Q: What are your thoughts on the Heat's chances in the lottery tomorrow night? Is the organization doing anything superstitious?

A: No, no rabbit's feet. However Dwyane Wade's feet will be at the lottery. Dwyane just bought his mother a church; maybe he can bribe somebody. As it is the Heat has a 46.5% shot at the 1st or 2nd pick. It's a really bad system that needs reworking. I'll say that now so it doesn't look like I'm whining when the awful Heat get the fourth pick and a much better teams lands Derrick Rose.

Comment: Glad Dwyane Wade will be there. 46.5% for the top 2 picks really isn't all that good, so we should hold off on the Rose vs. Beasley comparisons.

3. Q: Do you support instant replay in baseball, and do you think it will be approved any time soon? Thanks!

A: I don't support instant replay for calls like balls and strikes, but would like to see it for plays such as whether a home run was fair or foul.

Comment: Agreed, except I'd also like plays at the bases to be reviewed.

4. Q: Who makes it bigger in Hollywood: Jason Taylor or Dwyane Wade?

A: Damn good question, which is another way of saying I have no answer. Like both of their futures outside of their sport, but if I had to buystock in one guy's non-sports stardom it might be Wade. His greater appeal to the hip-hop crowd opens a few doors JT might not have. Close call, though.

Comment: Cote has always been fascinated by Hollywood potential. I think Wade has the higher ceiling, but he'll need to regain his top form and stay healthy.

5. Q: Between the Marlins, Heat, Panthers, and Dolphins, who are the five most standup guys? Are they also your favorites?

A: Marlins, Fredi Gonzalez, Luis Gonzalez, Matt Treanor. Panthers, Olli Jokinen. Heat, Wade, Zo, Udonis. Dolphins, Taylor, Channing Crowder, with good early vibes from Tony Sparano. Will miss Zach Thomas. Yes the standup guys tend to be my favorites. The guys who don't duck when things are going wrong.

Comment: Excellent, thorough answer from Cote. Channing Crowder is a surprising inclusion (especially after his infamous "London" comments), but he is a Gator after all. Nice to see Tony Sparano getting some early love from the Miami media.

6. Q: Do you sometimes find yourself rooting against Lebron because he steals so much of Wade's attention (even when Wade won Finals MVP)? I couldn't help myself in the Celtics-Cavs series.

A: No, not really. That's cyclical. In June '06 it looked like Wade had overtaken LeBron. There's enough room for both, just as there was enough for Magic and Bird.

Comment: Apparently that's just me.

7. Q: With Le Batard on sabbatical, do you see yourself stepping in like a backup QB? You could be Steve Young to his Joe Montana...the Herald could have some tough choices.

A: I prefer to think of myself as Lou Gehrig stepping for Wally Pipp. Actually I've written more columns than Dan the past couple of years or so as he's cut back, so taking over this chat every Monday is probably the biggest change for me.

Comment: Any Lou Gehrig (of Columbia fame) reference gets major points at The South Florida Fan.

Thank you to all who participated, and special thanks to Greg Cote for accepting so many questions.

Marlins Look to Home For Comfort

The four-game series in Cincinnati that wasn't (both in terms of expectations and logistics) was a nightmare concocted by some Riverfront demons. Three crushing losses, the last of which the Marlins scored 6 in the 9th just to blow it in the 10th, left many a Fish fans cringing.

The Marlins - believe it or not - are still in first place, and they can right the ship tonight. Reports are that Andrew Miller will still get the start (on an extra day's rest), to see if he can build on his previous two gems. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually looking forward to it. I really think he could be the guy who stops the bleeding.

Also of note: Matt Treanor is now being called the starter. Thank god! This should have happened four weeks ago.

20-14 Marlins? Yep!

Just a week ago, the curtain seemed to be falling on the Marlins' early-season masquerade. With the injuries to Jacobs and Willingham (still not back) catching up to them, "bad, ill and no" still floundering, and Kevin Gregg imploding, things did not look good. The home sweep at the hand of the Dodgers dropped them to 15-13. Storybook season in major jeopardy.

Then something happened. Was it inferior competition? Was it that Fredi Gonzalez switched the lineup around, igniting Hanley and Uggla to emerge from their slumps while increasing RBI production? Was it that in the same week, Andrew Miller and Burke Badenhop both turned in decent performances?

I think it was a combination of those things. Either way, the Marlins are sitting pretty once again. The only negative? Their NL East rivals, off to disappointing starts, have all heated up. The Braves win every day, the Phillies have played solid ball, and the Mets will be there to the end. 20-14 doesn't mean anything permanent, but it sure as hell beats 17-17.

Game Note: After going 2-3 with a HR, Matt Treanor is making a strong case for starting (or at least getting equal time). Let's take a look at Treanor vs. Rabelo now:

Treanor: .288/.362/.385 (How about that OBP!)
Rabelo: .238/.286/.302

Hmmm. Did I say equal time? There's no reason in the world not to start Treanor right now. The organization's quest to "save face" on the Tigers deal with Mike Rabelo is getting - as a friend would say - ridonculous.

Treanor or Rabelo...or John Baker?

Matt Treanor has been striking out with the regularity in which he eats his meals (thrice a day, with maybe a midnight snack), and Mike Rabelo hasn't been much better. Behind the plate, Treanor has been solid, Rabelo weak (and unprofessional, as shown when he spiked the ball on Tuesday night). Neither has persuaded any fans that he should be the starter, though Treanor is a competent backup in this league.

Future Fish has been touting the name John Baker since the beginning of this year. Yesterday he again made the case. Here's an excerpt:

"And what’s our friend John Baker hitting in Albuquerque you ask? He is hitting .414/.500/.569 with 7 extra base hits in 58 at bats. Remember last year when he couldn’t hit lefties and I suggested maybe he would be a good platoon partner? He’s 8 of 14 off southpaws with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. Against righties, Baker is hitting .364/.440/.545 in 44 at bats. He’s flat out dominating the league right now."

As Future Fish admits, those numbers are in the inflated PCL, but they can't be ignored. Why not give Baker a try?

Of course, the Marlins have been trying to prove Rabelo's worth since they dealt Cabrera and Willis for him last summer. Sometimes a franchise needs to eat its mistakes and move on. Let's hope John Baker gets an opportunity soon.

Marlins Hitter Evaluations: 2nd Edition

After being prodded enough by Jay Warman and a few readers, I've decided to come out with the next edition of Marlins Hitter Evaluations. You may recall that in the first edition, I had some choice words for Jorge Cantu, while praising Robert Andino to no end. Things have evened out a bit, so prepare yourselves for a brunch-like meal of crow:

1. Hanley Ramirez: .333/.406/.622, 20R, 17RBI, 7HR, 8SB - The average has dipped, but the power has become explosive. Even more impressive are the 7 steals since my last edition. The best news? His defense has improved considerably from last year. My only concern is that he's becoming homer-happy, turning himself into an all-out slugger instead of the placesetter they need him to be.
Full Season Projection: 147R, 125RBI, 52HR, 59SB (Wow!)
Grade: A+ (Previous Grade: A+)

2. Dan Uggla: .262/.333/.488, 10R, 10RBI, 3HR, 8 Doubles - Uggla has been on an absolute tear over the last two weeks, benefiting in part from The Great Andino's bat. The OBP is steadily rising, while the power continues to show. This generation's "Charlie Hustle" is now on track for another excellent season.
Full Season Projection: 77R, 77RBI, 23HR, 61 Doubles
Grade: B+ (Previous Grade: D+)

3. Mike Jacobs: .277/.307/.614, 13R, 17RBI, 7HR, 7 Doubles - The much-discussed Mike Jacobs is rarely walking (4BB), but he's taking advantage of everything he swings at. Jacobs not only carries the distinction being the Marlins' top slugger, but he also hit the fastest HR in the majors this year (4/11/08 at Houston).
Full Season Projection: 100R, 130RBI, 54HR, 54 Doubles
Grade: A (Previous Grade: B-)

4. Josh Willingham: .329/.396/.659, 15R, 16RBI, 6HR, 5 Doubles, 2 Triples, 2SB - Willingham has been steadily and consistently mashing the ball. While Hanley and Jacobs have gotten all the attention, Willingham has been nothing short of phenomenal. Just look at those numbers!
Full Season Projection: 110R, 118RBI, 44HR, 15 Triples, 15SB
Grade: A+ (Previous Grade: C)

5. Jeremy Hermida: .246/.295/.421, 8R, 10RBI, 2HR, 4 Doubles - Hermida's totals are down because he missed the first week of the season (see projections). That being said, the OBP is disgusting for a player of his caliber. The power has been nice, but he needs to start lacing more singles and walking a whole lot more.
Full Season Projection: 88R, 110RBI, 22HR, 44 Doubles
Grade: C (Previous Grade: Was on DL)

6. Jorge Cantu: .325/.381/.532, 12R, 8RBI, 3HR, 7 Doubles, 2SB - WHAT??? Where the hell did this come from? I can't argue against this anymore. While it would be foolish to expect him to keep this up and his defense is still poor, this man deserves the highest accolades. By the way, crow has a bitter taste.
Full Season Projection: 96R, 64RBI, 24HR, 56 Doubles, 16SB
Grade: A+ (Previous Grade: F)

7. Alfredo Amezaga: .306/.424/.429, 8R, 5RBI, 4 Doubles, 10BB - The average and slugging have dropped, but that .424 OBP is stupendous! For a speedy singles hitter to get on base at that rate, all we can do is applaud. The defense has been terrific too. He has earned the nickname Amazin' Amezaga tenfold.
Full Season Projection: 64R, 40RBI, 32 Doubles, 80BB
Grade: A+ (Previous Grade: A+)

8. Cody Ross: .146/.163/.220, 3 Doubles - It's been a slump-ridden season for the likable Ross. I still believe he'll pull out of it (see our piece on his Wonder Boy moment). Don't be discouraged, codyross.org. We still believe!
Full Season Projection: 29 Doubles
Grade: F (Previous Grade: F)

9. Matt Treanor: .211/.268/.263, 3R, 2 Doubles, 1RBI - No matter how often Misti May gives it to him, the power just won't come (okay, that was wrong...I meant gives him encouragement). Even so, he's been an impenetrable fortress behind the plate, and his defense makes him worthy of a roster spot.
Full Season Projection: 41R, 14RBI, 27 Doubles
Grade: D+ (Previous Grade: D+)

10. Mike Rabelo: .216/.250/.324, 4R, 4RBI, 1HR - Another near waste of space in the lineup, at least Rabelo has a little power (just a little). Any gains he may have made there on Treanor, however, are quickly forfeited by his much inferior defense.
Full Season Projection: 55R, 55RBI, 14HR
Grade: D+ (Previous Grade: Was on DL)

Others:
Luis Gonzalez - Any drop in average has been more than made up for by his patient plate appearances in key situations, power, and salubrious clubhouse influence
Robert Andino - The Great Andino hasn't gotten much playing time, and his numbers are a lot more human. We'll still never forget his walkoff shot and stellar defense. Also, he gets credit for giving Dan Uggla his magic bat.
Wes Helms - Wes hasn't shown much yet, but we should give him time to work out of his slump

MVP: Hanley Ramirez/Josh Willingham (a tie)
Most Improved: Dan Uggla
LVP: Cody Ross
Most Likely to Improve: Cody Ross
Most Likely to Decline: Jorge Cantu
Most Likely to Break Out: Jeremy Hermida
Who to Watch: Dan Uggla

Treanor or Rabelo?

Eighteen games into this young season, the Marlins are faced with a conflict as to who should be considered the starting catcher.

Matt Treanor, better known for his marriage to Volley Ball star, Misty May, began the year as the #1 catcher on the depth chart because Mike Rabelo, acquired from the Detroit Tigers this off-season, was on the 15 day disabled list with a left knee sprain. Rabelo made his Florida major league debut on April 11th against the Astros and went 2-5 with a HR. Rabelo has made the majority of the starts after coming out of injury, playing in 6 games. Treanor, on the other hand, has started 10 games this season, but only 3 since Rabelo's return.

Treanor is without question the better, defensively, of the two. He has been terrific at blocking the plate and picking out balls in the dirt. People don't realize this, but there were a few games this season, including last Wednesday's 6-5 win against the Braves, where Treanor made some crucial stops on breaking pitches from various Marlins relief pitchers with runners on 3rd. Also, Treanor has shown to have a strong arm to 2nd base, and has picked off 5 base-stealers this season.

However, Treanor, batting .229, has struggled at the plate over his career in the big leagues with very little power and an inability to come through with runners in scoring position. For example, in today's game against the Nats, he came up four times, doubling, walking, and striking out twice. His double came with two outs in the 2nd inning with the pitcher Scott Olsen on deck. His two strike outs came in the 4th and 8th, each with one out and a runner on 3rd.

Rabelo is a guy who is known to have power and is supposed to be a better hitter than Treanor. Currently he is batting .160 with 1 HR, but has only appeared in 7 games. In Saturday's game against the Nats, Rabelo was able to get the ball in play with one out and Jorge Cantu on third in bottom of the 6th. Unlike Treanor, he didn't strike out and managed to score the run.

So far, Rabelo has been anything but efficient defensively. In the 9th inning on Saturday, he let two Kevin Gregg pitches in the dirt get by him, one of them allowing the runners to advance to 2nd and 3rd. This proved costly as Austin Kearns singled to right with 2 outs, evening the game at 5-5. It would have only made it 5-4 if Rabelo had stopped the wild pitch. Treanor likely would have. Fortunately, the Marlins were able to win it in the bottom of the inning on a Wes Helms walk-off single.

All in all, each player has his upside and downside. Treanor is more experienced and more skilled defensively while Rabelo is probably a little better of a hitter with much more power.

For now, I say let's just give them even playing time. Eventually we'll see who is more essential to the team.

Rabelo's Back...Are We Gonna Be In Trouble?

The Marlins Organization's praise for Mike Rabelo is almost as astounding as it is ludicrous. Some attribute this to an attempt to save face; he was the third biggest name in the Cabrera-Willis trade, behind Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin. Personally, I hope that's the reason, but I'm not so sure.

I'm legitimately worried that the team is overvaluing him. It's really quite baffling. He was never considered a major prospect, and he's done nothing in his minor league career (or extremely limited major league career) to suggest he's anything more than a career backup.

Why not make him earn a spot, let alone start a few games? It's not like Paul Hoover wasn't getting it done. As Fish Stripes espouses:

"That's right the Marlins are bringing up a catcher who hit .200/.250/.267 in class A during rehab and sending down one who was batting .429 in the majors. "

That just about sums up my feelings on this absurd situation. Matt Treanor may not be a powerhouse of a hitter, but at least he plays good defense. I'd rather take his hole in the lineup than a lesser black hole.

Marlins Weekly Hitter Evaluations

This probably won't become a weekly fixture. I may choose to review the team monthly as the numbers settle in a bit more, but the first week is easily the most exciting time for an evaluation.

Just ask all the fantasy baseball owners who follow their teams to the death in Week 1, then forget about them. Have a great week in April and you're immortalized! Have a great week in August and few notice. That's the way of first impressions. Anyway, on to the review.

1. Hanley Ramirez: .440/.533/.800, 7R, 5RBI, 2HR, 1SB - These numbers are ridonculous! Perhaps he could run more, but it's hard to argue about a lack of steals with this kind of production.
Full Season Projection: 162R, 116RBI, 46HR, 23SB (I think we'd take that)
Grade: A+

2. Dan Uggla: .143/.226/.357, 2HR, 3R, 4RBI 9K - Hidden behind Uggla's two moonshots has been a horrendous start. It's only a week, so let's not get carried away. His biggest problem is that he's swinging for the fences too much.
Full Season Projection: 46HR, 69R, 93RBI (Deceptive totals with Hanley on base so much)
Grade: D+

3. Mike Jacobs: .179/.207/.393, 2HR, 4R, 5RBI - The numbers don't look good, but if you can get past the first 3 games, you'll see he's been much better. With a walkoff shot and a grand slam to his name, we'll give him a pass.
Full Season Projection: 46HR, 93R, 116RBI (Not bad totals, but needs more hits and walks)
Grade: B-

4. Josh Willingham: .207/.233/.414, 2HR, 4R, 4RBI - Hermida joins Uggla and Jacobs in the category of great slugging/bad OBP. His hitting has also been timely, but he needs to get on base more.
Full Season Projection: 46HR, 93R, 93RBI (Decent totals)
Grade: C

5. Jorge Cantu: .241/.241/.276, 1R - Perhaps Cantu has seemed better because I expected nothing out of him. Bad defense and atrocious offense should have Helms, Andino, or the surging McPherson in his place soon. 0 walks doesn't help.
Full Season Projection: 0HR, 69R, 0RBI
Grade: F

6. Luis Gonzalez: .263/.333/.526, 1HR, 2Doubles - One of this season's surprises so far, geriatric Gonzo might be perfect in a starter/bench role, after all. I expected much worse.
Full Season Projection: 27HR, 54 doubles, 27R, 27RBI (Fine for limited PT)
Grade: A-

7. Cody Ross: .125/.125/.188 - He's been hurt, so let's not judge him too harshly. I know I join the good folks at codyross.org in hoping he picks things up.
Full Season Projection: 23 Doubles
Grade: F

8. Alfredo Amezaga: .357/.500/.500, 2R, 3RBI, 4BB - How about that OBP!!! If Amezaga can continue to draw walks at this rate, it won't matter when the average falls.
Full Season Projection: 46R, 69RBI, 92BB
Grade: A+

9. Matt Treanor: .235/.278/.235, 2R, 1RBI - Not exactly a great start, but his defense has been solid. No power here whatsoever.
Full Season Projection: 64R, 32RBI, 32SB (not happening)
Grade: D+

10. Paul Hoover: .429/.429/.571, 1R - Very limited appearances, but he's made the most of them at the plate. Unfortunately, he's been pretty bad behind the plate, which is why he'll need to keep hitting like this to stay on the squad.
Full Season Projection: 79R, 79 Doubles
Grade: A-

11. Robert Andino: .600/.600/.1800, 2HR, 2R, 3RBI - Yes, it's only 5 AB, but that's more than most regulars have done. The Great Andino is due for a start at 3B.
Full Season Projection: 64HR, 64R, 96RBI
Grade: A+

Others:
Brett Carroll - 1 for 8 wasn't going to keep him on the squad
Jason Wood - Nothing in 2 AB
Wes Helms - Just getting started

MVP: Hanley Ramirez
Most Improved: Robert Andino
LVP: Jorge Cantu
Most Likely to Improve: Cody Ross
Most Likely to Decline: Alfredo Amezaga
Most Likely to Break Out: Dan Uggla
Who to Watch: Jeremy Hermida

Top 10 Marlins Catchers

What follows below is Part 1 of an 11-part series examining the top Marlins players all-time, position-by-position. Given the franchise's short history, many of these findings are fairly obvious, but I think this is a fairly interesting exercise anyway. And it's fun.

The rankings are purely statistical -- essentially taking the average of a player's Marlins WARP score (Wins Above Replacement Player, which factors in both offense & defense) and the player's peak, his three best seasons. Baseball Prospectus readers will recognize this as an adaptation of the popular Hall of Fame JAWS score.

Without further ado, the top 10 catchers in Marlins history:



Next five: 11) Bob Natal / 12) Steve Decker / 13) Paul Bako / 14) Mike Piazza / 15) Ron Tingley

Charles Johnson ('94-'97, '01-'02) is a slam dunk as the top catcher in Marlins history. Not only did he spend the most seasons as Florida's starting backstop, but anyone who had the talent to rival him (Ivan Rodriguez, Benito Santiago, Paul Lo Duca, Mike Piazza) wasn't in teal & black long enough to remotely threaten his spot. Johnson's career year actually came in 2000 -- when he split the season between the White Sox and Orioles and had a huge year with the bat -- but his 1997 season with the Fish comes in a close second thank to an above average year at the plate (.250/.347/.454) and a stellar one behind it.

Mike Redmond ('08-'04) was the Marlins' No. 1 or No. 2 catcher for seven years, which is enough to garner the second spot despite no real standout seasons. 2002, when he started 68 games to Johnson's 77, was his career year both offensively & defensively. I suspect most Marlins fans have a soft spot in their hearts for Redmond, who despite having little power, always posted nice batting averages and was one of the better backup catchers in the league during his time with the Marlins. In fact, he still is now as Joe Mauer's caddy in Minnesota.

Unsurprisingly, Ivan Rodriguez's ('03) lone year with the Marlins was also the best the franchise has ever received from a catcher. Pudge's 7.8 WARP score outshines Johnson's best by almost a full win. This was actually the third-worst season of Rodriguez's career defensively, but his fifth-best offensively. (Interestingly enough, he went on to have his best year offensively and his worst defensively with the Tigers in 2004).

The club's most recent catcher, Miguel Olivo ('06-'07), takes the fourth spot. Olivo took a lot of heat from fans due to his utter lack of plate discipline and resulting awful on-base percentages. He possessed above-average power -- hitting 16 home runs in each of his two seasons as a starter -- but even that wasn't enough to salvage his offensive game or Marlins career; he was non-tendered after last season. Olivo's durability -- 109 and 111 starts in '06 & '07, respectively -- and solid defense were enough to get him a top-five showing.

Benito Santiago ('93-'94) came to the Marlins fresh off five-straight All-Star appearances with the Padres, which earned him a lucrative $7.2 million, two-year deal -- good money in those days. It's fair to say Santiago was a disappointment as a Marlin, particularly in light of his awful '93 campaign. He had never been much with the bat (respectable home run totals led to some very undeserving Silver Slugger Awards in San Diego) and his glove continued its descent following a three-year Gold Glove run from '88-'90. Santiago responded with a much improved '94 season, but Florida was still all too happy to say goodbye after the year ended. He went on to enjoy his offensive peak with the Reds & Phillies the next two years.

To think how far Paul Lo Duca's ('04-'05) star has fallen since his Marlins tenure. Lo Duca was part of the controversial deadline deal in 2004 with the Dodgers in that he was a huge fan favorte in Los Angeles. Marlins fans soon figured out why, thanks to Lo Duca's good situational hitting and blue-collar fire (probably fueled in part by 'roid rage). In truth, Lo Duca's perceived value was much higher than his actual value during his year and a half wit hthe Marlins. He was never a strong asset in Florida -- the power he showed with the Dodgers in 2001 and 2004 never materialized and he had never been a very good defensive receiver. Part of the Marlins post-'05 firesale, Lo Duca was traded to the Mets for pitching prospect Gaby Hernandez, who is in line to make his big-league debut sometime this season.

The Marlins' backup the last three years, Matt Treanor ('04-'07) is known as "Mr. May," but not exactly for the right reasons. Treanor is a perfectly fine backup -- he's solid defensively and has improved at the plate each season he's worn a Marlins uni. Unfortunately, the team has read into that the wrong way and he's in line for significant playing time as part of a catching combo with Mike Rabelo this year. Don't expect good things.

Another Marlins backup backstop extrodinnaire, Gregg Zaun has always been a hitter who's known how to take a walk, ensuring his Major League salary in spite of a below-average glove. One of the outspoken Zaun's better years at the dish came in 1997 (301/415/441), when the Marlins won their first championship, and for that he'll always be remembered fondly. Unfortunately for Zaun, he turned a great '97 season into an execrable '98, taking over as the Marlins' starter after first Charles Johnson and then Mike Piazza were traded and hitting an anemic 188/274/292. He effectively blew his chance at a starting job with that peformance, not getting another shot until 2003 with the Blue Jays in his age-33 season. To Zaun's credit, he took advantage and has been a fixture in Toronto ever since.

It's hard to believe perennial third-stringer Ramon Castro ('99-'04) played parts of six seasons with the Marlins given he only totaled 466 at-bats across those six years. The team's return for Jay Powell in the '98-'99 offseason, Castro showed real flashes of power during his brief stints with the Marlins, but was never given a real chance. Management finally gave up on him, and he's since shown the team exactly what they were missing all those years as one of the best-hitting backups in the league with the Mets. If he can stay healthy, he'll be in store for the most playing time of his career this year as he splits time with Brian Schneider for the Amazin's.

Jorge Fabregas ('99) -- what a note to end on. 1999 was the third-straight year in which Fabregas donned the tools of ignorance for two teams. He played 1A to Redmond's 1 that season (thought it was more like 1F given that Jorge couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag). He was genuinely a defensive asset that year though, and that's enough to give him the edge for the 10th spot over everyone's favorite early-era punchline, Bob Natal.