It's Time to go to Dallas

Dramatic 3-2 wins over the Cubs on consecutive days have masked the fact that the Marlins are in a team-wide batting slump. With Jeremy Hermida and Jorge Cantu the lone exceptions, the Fish just aren't hitting, even with the wind blowing out at Wrigley.

Luckily, there may be an in house solution. I had a chance to personally witness Dallas McPherson of the Albuquerque Isotopes, and the guy is a major league player stuck in Triple-A. Not only is he a better hitter than Mike Jacobs, he would probably be one of the top three hitters on the Marlins if he were allowed to come up.

McPherson's ridiculous stats are aided by Albuquerque's mile-high altitude, but most of his prodigious homers would sail out of any park. He has hit 35 so far this season, with 77 RBI, a .399 OBP and .290 average in 330 ABs. His home/road splits are a little troubling (he's hitting .315 at home and .259 on the road and 23 of the 35 jacks have been at home) but he leads the PCL in homeruns.

Jacobs has hit 20 home runs but his .239 average and sub .300 OBP do more harm than good. The problem is what to do with him. He seems to be a vital part of the clubhouse and is definitely one of the likable guys on the team. He would be difficult to trade because even bad teams have decent first basemen and Jacobs is the anti-utility player. Optioning him to the minors would send a bad vibe and could disrupt clubhouse chemistry, while trading him for another Major Leaguer could be accepted under the guise of strengthening the team.

I saw McPherson play three games, a small sample size. I don't know what Beinfest's scouts are telling him, but from what I saw he is a better player than Jacobs in every aspect of the game, can play both corners and hit lefties and righties. At worst he will be a September call-up that can add a BIG bat to the bench for the stretch run.

ALSO ALSO: Isotopes leftfielder John Gall, a quintessential Quadruple-A player was summoned to the U.S. Olympic team. He is a Triple-A All-Star that never sticks in the Bigs. An Olympic gold medal would be the highlight of his career... Jason Wood continues to plug away for the 'Topes, he delivers big hits and is Mr. Versatility. The Marlins should welcome him back for September... Isotopes Park is the nicest minor league stadium I have ever been to. The altitude makes for some wild games and lots of homers. The park has a hill ala Houston in centerfield, 428 feet from home plate. The right-center gap is 404 feet, a mark the McPherson easily clears time and again.

Gatorade Presents Kyle Skipworth

We've been quite magnanimous in our opinion of Kyle Skipworth, and it seems we have every reason to be. Beyond our praise (and that of Baseball Prospectus and Baseball America), Skipworth seems to have garnered attention from Gatorade...in other words, he's a rising star.

Gatorade put together a nice little video on Skipworth the person. It's well worth the watch:



Seriously, I can't wait for Skipworth to climb his way up to the Majors. It's not like the Marlins need a catcher or anything...

Marlins Signing Their Draft Picks

As I casually observe the Marlins down 3-0 at the moment, I suddenly find myself more interested in the future of the team. The good news for the teal and black is that they've been signing their draft picks.

Here's an excerpt from the informative report of Future Fish:

"The Fish have signed first pick Kyle Skipworth for $2.3mil and he’s already in camp. Big win right there for the Marlins to already have him signed and ready. RHP Pete Andrelczyk signed for $185,000. 3B Paul Gran signed for $40,000. LHP Daniel Jennings signed for $145,000 out of Nebraska. The other signees have been RHP Bryan Evans, RHP Johnny Dorn, LHP Andy Loomis, RHP Thomas Koehler, OF Kenneth Bass, LHP Wade Korpi, 2B Lonnie Lechelt, C Robert Taylor, OF Kevin Mattison, 3B Richard Orton, RHP Wayman Gooch, OF Brian Schultz, RHP Drew Clothier, OF Jeremy Synan, and 3B Joel Staples."

By the way, it's now 5-0 and Hendrickson is chased from the game. The Rays look all-world while the Marlins are really struggling. Bad, bad times.

Jeff Allison Update

You may recall how we at The South Florida Fan (TSFF) endorsed the comeback of Jeff Allison. You can read about it here.

Well, we haven't forgotten about him. His spirited attempt to straighten out his life has come with its share of pros and cons.

The good: He has been making regular starts with the Jupiter Hammerheads.

The bad: He hasn't been all that effective.

I'm not sure why he's struggling so much in Single A, but maybe it will take him some time to regain his confidence, maximize his talents. Let's break down his stats:

In 13 games, he has compiled a 3-6 record with a 4.75 ERA and a 35-34 K/BB ratio. His last four starts have been especially poor, as he surrendered 5, 4, 5, 6 earned runs respectively, the last in just 1 2/3 innings of work.

This is fairly disappointing, but don't be too alarmed. In all likelihood, he's developing lesser pitches, battling mental hurdles, and rediscovering his self confidence. Of course, I would prefer to see some better performances, but keep your hope alive. I know we're pulling for him.

Dissecting the Kyle Skipworth Pick

The presiding opinion seems to be overwhelmingly positive for the Kyle Skipworth pick. That's always nice to see...

Here's what Baseball America had to say:

Kyle Skipworth to the Marlins. In our last podcast that wasn’t a college behemoth podcast, we both agreed that Skipworth can be the highest-ceiling player in this draft. He’s a lefthanded-hitting catcher who can just flat hit, and he has arm strength and improved catch-and-throw skills. Frankly, this pick rocks. The Marlins need catching, Skipworth has an advanced bat and can be a premium player at a premium position.

I like the words, "Frankly, this pick rocks." Feels nice.

And now, from Baseball Prospectus:

Like the Orioles, the Marlins have been locked in on their player for some time now. The top high school catcher, Kyle Skipworth has had a record-breaking season and greatly impressed scouts both in games and during private workouts. He’s a big left-handed hitter with excellent power and enough defense to stick behind the plate, and he would have a clear path to the majors in a catching-weak Marlins system. There are some inside the organization who would like to consider a college closer here, but the sixth pick is too high to employ that gambit. There's also a late push in favor of University of Miami first baseman Yonder Alonso; if he worked out, the Miami native and Cuban immigrant would be the face of the franchise, but the Marlins are a team that has always stuck to slot, and Alonso may have priced himself out of the opportunity.

Good point about Yonder Alonso and pricing. That may be ultimately why the Marlins didn't go for him. I'm very pleased with the pick, and I think Marlins fans will be too in about three years.

Plenty of South Florida interest in top 10 picks

South Florida has been well represented through the top 10 picks of the 2008 MLB Draft. With the first pick overall, the Tampa Rays selected Timothy Beckman, a high school short stop out of Georgia. It appears as though Beckman has all the tools in place to be a bona fide MLB'er in the future; he has speed enough to cover the holes in the infield as well as steal a few bases, and the power to be a solid fixture in any lineup.

The 3rd pick came from the Royals, and they selected, from American Heritage (Boca Raton\Delray Beach\Plantation area), Eric Hosmer. He's been called the top bat in this year's draft, drawing comparasion to Casey Kotchman, despite only being in high school.

With the 6th pick, the Marlins selected, as predicted here on TSFFB, catcher Kyle Skipworth.

Then, with the 7th pick, the Reds picked University of Miami first baseman Yonder Alonso, who beat out South Carolina's Justin Smoak to be the first college first baseman to be picked. What Alonso lacks in defensive abilities, he more than makes up for with power.

And just recently, another Hurricane was taken with the 12th pick; 2nd baseman Jemile Weeks.

More as the draft unfolds...

There's a Baseball Draft Today

Did anyone outside of Baseball America know there's a baseball draft today? No, not for next year's little league teams, not a mid-season fantasy draft, but for Major League Baseball.

It's the least publicized draft of all the major sports (including hockey), and yet so many division crowns are won on such days. Why so little attention? The biggest reason (at least in my estimation) is that the players take too long to develop, if at all. So much of it is speculative, with fans rarely knowing who was and wasn't supposed to pan out. You find out three years later which players are tearing it up in the farm based on September call-ups, and suddenly you "always knew" he was a stud. Funny how that works.

Fish Stripes gives a decent overview of the upcoming day for the Marlins. Here's the key note:

"The Marlins are drafting 6, 52, 83, 118 and 148 in the first five rounds in this year's draft. After that, keep adding 30 to the previous round.

The consensus by all the prognosticators is that the Marlins will select Kyle Skipworth, C, from a Riverside CA, High School. However, don't be surprised if the Marlins choose Aaron Crow. RHP, from Missouri."

A catcher? Why take someone at a position the Marlins are so settled in (okay, I'm full of jokes today). I've always been a fan of taking top arms on Draft Day, but you have to consider the individual cases. Just know that the blueprint for Marlins success has always been young pitching. We'll have more on these players as the draft goes on.

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.

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Ryan Anetsberger

Ryan Anetsberger - Third Base - 6'1 - 215lbs - 22 years old - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Ryan Anetsberger	AB	XBH	HR	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG
Jamestown	222	22	7	1	15	39	.266	.331	.446

A 15th round pick out of Illinois State University in this year’s draft, the Marlins feel like they got a bit of a sleeper on their hands in Ryan Anetsberger. When he first showed up on the Illinois State campus, he was a thin shortstop known more for his glove than his bat. Ryan’s now a legit bat at the hot corner with good gap power, and of course the glove/arm combination is still there.

The Marlins liked how he looked in the Cape Cod League, and were more impressed after he was named the MVP at the National Baseball Congress World Series from another summer league. In his final season at Illinois State, Ryan hit .328/.398/.484 with 5 homeruns in 186 at bats. That performance got him named to the 2nd team All-Missouri Valley Conference. The Marlins decided to skip the Gulf Coast League with him and have him go straight to short season Jamestown. In 222 at bats with the Jammers, he hit .266/.331/.446 with 7 homeruns and was selected to the NYPL All Star Team.

Ryan should be in Greensboro all year as a 22 year old and like many of the college players in the SALLY league, I would expect him to put up big numbers. He has never been a big homerun guy, as he has just 15 homeruns combined dating back to when he was a 19 year old at Illinois State. It will be interesting to see if there is a big power spike, or if he continues to be a gap to gap hitter. Of course, there’s already talk about moving him somewhere else on the diamond as Matt Dominguez and/or Ben Lasater may join him in Greensboro next year. For now though, Ryan is still at the hot corner.

Update: .282/.354/.324 3xbh 3bb 17k in 71 at bats in Greensboro

Still playing 3b because Matt Dominguez has mono

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Kris Harvey

Kris Harvey - Outfielder - 6′2 - 195lbs - 24 years old - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Kris Harvey	AB	XBH	HR	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG
Jupiter	420	31	12	6	34	100	.238	.301	.376

Taken in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft out of Clemson, it made sense for the Marlins to be the one to draft Kris Harvey. After all, his father Bryan was a former all star and the first closer in Marlins history. In his final season at Clemson University, Kris hit .339/.386/.678 with 24 homeruns in 245 at bats. He finished 2nd in the country in homeruns. Those numbers landed him on the 2nd team All American squad.

After signing for $575,000 Kris went to short-season Jamestown and hit .300/.320/479 with 9 homeruns in 263 at bats. Although he had an alarming 9:60 walk to strikeout ratio, the Marlins still saw lots of promise in the young third baseman. Kris really took a step back after his solid professional debut in 2005. The problem in 2006 seemed to be pitch selection, as some of the better arms in the SALLY kept him off balance most of the season as he failed to get into even a mini groove at the plate. Kris does not have very good strike zone judgment and that continued to cause problems for him all season in Greensboro. He loves punishing off speed hangers, but scouts believe he should lay off them more to improve his plate discipline. After splitting time between 3b and the OF in Jamestown, he was used primarily as an outfielder in Greensboro.

His final line in the SALLY was .245/.291/.428 in just 367 at bats. He missed nearly half the 2006 season due to a strained oblique muscle. Kris’ bat speed is no problem as he can turn on any fastball. He has easy power and has the ability to handle high breaking balls as well. Right now though, breaking balls are giving him fits. Harvey has a solid glove and takes good routes on balls in the gap. He has above average speed to go with his great athleticism. He has a very strong arm as well. Although lanky right now at 6′2, 195lbs frame, he could stand to add on 10-15 pounds of muscle to eventually generate more power.

This season in the pitcher friendly Florida State League, Kris had even more problems than in Greensboro. In 420 at bats, Kris hit just .238/.301/.376. He had only 31 extra base hits, to just 34 walks compared to 100 strikeouts. There is a silver lining on his overall abysmal season with Jupiter. After hitting .201/.256/.261 with 2 homeruns in 184 pre-All Star Break at bats, something soon clicked after. In 236 at bats after the break, Harvey hit .267/.355/.466 with 10 homeruns and 21 walks. he still struck out 50 times, but his rate went down from the first half.

His numbers after the break are what get him some prospect leeway. He hasn’t shown anything resembling a top prospect’s numbers over the past few seasons but hopefully those final 240 at bats of the 2007 season are a sign of things to come. Kris will more than likely be in Carolina this year, and the Southern League has been a bit more gentle on hitters so I expect him to continue off the last few months of 2007. The strikeouts are always going to be there, but the Marlins are hoping the power finally comes with them.

Update: .157/.271/.196 in 51 at bats, 2 doubles, 0 homeruns, 7bb 17k

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Andy Jenkins

Andy Jenkins - The Ultimate Utility Man - 6′0 - 205lbs - 24 years old - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Andy Jenkins	AB	XBH	HR	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG
Jupiter	425	27	4	1	24	74	.289	.326	.379

Taken in the 11th round of the 2005 amateur draft, Andy Jenkins had an interesting season in high-A Jupiter. He started off terribly, hitting .212 in April. After that start, he hit .303 the rest of the way. Now he did only get 52 at bats in April because of an injury and it took him a while to get into a groove. Coming off a season in Greensboro where he hit .288/.353/.382, it was expected that all of those numbers would drop in the Florida State League. As we all know how much harder the FSL is on hitters than the SALLY. Well the only thing that took a big hit was his on base percentage, but he was hit 9 less times in Jupiter than the previous year. So his walk rate was not effected much.

Like his position says above, he is the ultimate utility man. Last year in Jupiter, he played atleast 10 games at catcher, first base, third base and in the outfield (both corner spots). While he was drafted primarily as a third baseman, the Marlins have been trying to turn him into a catcher and so far, the results are good. While his catch and release still isn’t up to speed, he has a very accurate arm behind the plate and is a solid game caller. At third base, he has a sure glove and a strong arm as well. While he has played the outfield successfully, he is better suited somewhere in the infield.

As of now, he’s a guy who gets most of his value because he can play all over the diamond. Because he doesn’t walk much, his on base percentage depends mostly on his batting average. Luckily for him, he has been able to keep it in the .280s or better for his career. He hasn’t shown the ability to hit for power yet, but things could change as he goes onto Carolina. While the Southern League isn’t a hitter’s palace, it’s definitely better than Jupiter and the Florida State League. If management feels that Andy can turn into a full time catcher, his value would sky rocket.

Update: .235/.278/.324 with 1 hr and 8 rbi in 34 at bats

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Don Czyz

Don Czyz - Relief Pitcher - 6′2 - 200lbs - 24 years old - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Don Czyz	W	L	ERA	IP	BB	K	BAA	WHIP	HR/9
Greensboro	3	5	4.61	66.1	15	72	.281	1.34	0.68

Taken in the 7th round of the 2006 draft, Don Czyz was signed by the Marlins coming off a season where he led the country in saves with the Kansas Jayhawks. The 6′2 righthander struggled a bit in his professional debut with the Jamestown Jammers. Known for having good control, Don gave up 4.5 walks per 9 innings, something he hadn’t done since 2003, as a sophomore at KU. With his shaky command, he still allowed opposing hitters to hit just .225 off him.

He spent the entire 2007 season in hitter-happy Greensboro where most of his peripherals went down. His era, walks per 9, and whip went down, while his innings pitched and strikeouts per 9 went up. Of note is his era vs righties was at 5.28 yet his overall numbers against righties would suggest otherwise. He struck out 57 in 44.1 innings, gave up just 49 hits, walked only 9 and gave up 4 homeruns. Perhaps Czyz was more unlucky than anything in Greensboro as his numbers suggest a better earned run average.

Don throws a 91-93 mph to go along with an improving slider and changeup. While is his overall size and arm action aren’t ideal, Don is a bulldog on the mound and loves to compete. Being that he is a college guy, he could be promoted at a moment’s notice. At this point, he is scheduled to be in Jupiter for 2008, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in Carolina at any time.

Update: 7ip 6h 4r(3er) 4bb 8k .214baa 3.86era

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Steven Cishek

Steven Cishek - Relief Pitcher - 6′6 - 200lbs - 22 years old - Bats: Right - Throws: Right

Steven Cishek	W	L	ERA	IP	BB	K	BAA	WHIP	HR/9
Jamestown	1	2	1.95	32.1	19	30	.175	1.21	0.28

The Marlins selected Steven Cishek in the 5th round of the 2007 draft out of Carson-Newman College, a small school in Tennessee. He pitched mostly out of the bullpen with CNC. In 43 innings, Cishek struck out 43 against 10 walks, posted a 3.14 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .228 batting average. The 6′6 righty really impressed after being drafted and making 25 appearances in short-season Jamestown. He absolutely dominated the New York-Penn League, giving up just 20 hits in 32.1 innings. He struck out nearly 1 per inning, and walked 19. The walks are a bit of a concern, but some believe he is just “effectively wild”. Opposing batters hit just .175 off of him.

When scouts looked at him as a senior in high school, he was throwing in the low 80s but as he has gotten stronger over the past 3 seasons, he now hits in the low 90s, but has been clocked at 95mph. His slider is below average at this point but it made great strides last year, while his changeup has all the makings of a plus pitch. His college coach suggested that if he was at a bigger school, he would have been a 1st rounder.

Cishek should take on Greensboro this year, with a chance at a promotion to Jupiter if he continues to pitch as well as he did in Jamestown. The continued development of his slider should help him climb the relief pitcher prospect ladder in this organization.

Update: Steven is 0-0 with a 7.20era in 5 innings of work. He has given up 9 hits while striking out 3 and walking 2. Half the runs he gave up were in an April 12th outing vs Asheville.

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Logan Morrison

Logan Morrison - First Base - 6′2 - 215lbs - 20 years old - Bats: Left - Throws: Left

Logan Morrison	AB	XBH	HR	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG
2007 Greensboro	453	48	24	2	48	96	.267	.343	.483

The Marlins drafted first baseman Logan Morrison in the 22nd round of the 2005 amateur draft as a “draft and follow” out of a high school in New Orleans. Morrison, just 17 at the time, could have accepted a college scholarship offer but couldn’t have been drafted again for three years. So he went to junior college for a year and signed with the Marlins in May of 2006. In his first professional season, Logan hit .239/.321/.319 with 2 homeruns in 163 at bats between the GCL and Jamestown.

The youngest player on the Grasshoppers in 2007, not much was expected of the 19 year old Morrison. He led the team in homeruns and rbi. Like many young lefthanded hitters, he struggled against lefties hitting just .195/.246/.398 in 113 at bats off of them. When he is in a funk, Logan gets too anxious and shifts his weight to his front side. Because he couldn’t stay behind the ball, he would then hit weak grounders and lazy fly balls. When things are going well for him, he shows power to all fields and routinely takes outside pitches the other way.

Compared to Ryan Klesko physically, when Morrison was originally signed, he was a poor defender. In his 2 years in the organization, he has made great strides around first base and some believe he will be an above average fielder when all his said and done. He still needs to improve his range and get to more balls heading into the hole between him and the second baseman. The 20 year old will take his game to Jupiter in 2008 and that should prove to be a huge test for him. If he can make it out of the Florida State League with solid numbers, he will be a top 5 Marlins prospect and one of the better first base prospects in all of baseball heading into 2009.

Update: In 38 at bats with the Hammerheads, Logan is hititng .342/.390/.553 with 2 homeruns and 7 rbi

Meet the Marlins Prospect: Thomas Hickman

Thomas Hickman - Outfielder - 6′1 - 175lbs - 20 years old - Bats: Left - Throws: Left

Thomas Hickman	AB	XBH	HR	SB	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG
2007 Jamestown	164	9	1	3	19	63	.183	.278	.256

With the 63rd overall pick in the 2006 draft, the Marlins selected outfielder Thomas Hickman. A two way player in high school, the Marlins decided he was more projectable as a hitter and pitching was scrapped from his resume. Like many lefthanded hitters, he has a smooth stroke and allows ball to travel deep before centering them. His first 175 professional at bats with the Gulf Coast League Marlins were promising as he hit .263/.377/.411. After that season, some in the Marlins organization began calling him “Baby Hermida”. Unfortunately, this year he took 2 steps backwards.

Signed for $575,000 out of Lindale HS in California, Hickman hit .183/.278/.256 in 164 at bats while in short season Jamestown. On the one hand, he again showed a strong walk rate. On the other hand, he also struck out and an astronomical pace. Making any kind of contact was an issue for Thomas, and when he did get a hit, rarely did he show any power. Not blessed with blazing speed, he probably isn’t quick enough to man centerfield. Because of his strong arm, to go along with promising power, he could develop into a real good rightfielder. These things were also said about the Marlins current rightfielder, Jeremy Hermida.

Because of his youth and his walk rate, there is still much promise for Hickman as scouts believe as he matures and gains more muscle, he will show significant gap and homerun power. He has a good confidence about him and the Marlins love his makeup. Many believe he will be a prototype 2 hole hitter in the majors. Just 20 years old, Thomas should spend the season in low-A Greensboro in 2008.

2008 Update: Like he was projected, he is in low-A Greensboro and is hitting .267/.343/.533 with 2 homeruns in 30 at bats. Sporting a nice 4 walk to 6 strikeout ratio.

Beat the Streak: Cameron Maybin

Disappointing night last night for our BtS. Gaby Sanchez didn't see many pitches to hit last night, as he went 0 for 2 with 2 walks. Carolina did win the game, so that's all that matters right? Wrong, I'm devastated. Looking to get back to our hitting streak ways tonight with Marlins uber prospect Cameron Maybin. He comes into tonight hitting .346/.485/.654 with 2 homeruns in 26 at bats. Something to keep an eye out for his Maybin's strikeout totals. Right now he has 11, and his last 3 at bats have all resulted via the K. Then again, if he walks 7 times to every 11 strikeouts, we'll take that any day of the week. Tonight Cam and the Mudcats will take on Montgomery Biscuits right-hander Richard De Los Santos. Maybin is 8 for 24 off righties on the young season. Rick VandenHurk may be making his 2008 Mudcats debut tonight.

TSFFB welcomes Future Fish

My name is Matt Birnbach and I write about the Marlins organization over at FutureFish.org. A few times a week (or more, depending on how well Aaron Thompson is pitching) I will be coming over to TSFFB and dropping some serious minor league knowledge on your brains. By the time I am done, you'll already have a Logan Morrison jersey, even if he's atleast 3 years away from the show. Here's a quick little Marlins Org Primer that will get you started with the young fish.

A few of the things I like to do over at Future Fish are prospect writeups, daily wraps from the games the night before and I play "Beat the Streak" as well. BtS is a game you can sign up for at MiLB.com and the object is to pick a player to get 1 hit each night. You try and build up your hitting streak. So that's what I do, but just with Marlins players. Then I write up a little blurb about each player for the day. So without further adieu....

Note: Currently I am sitting on a 4 game streak

Tonight we go with Carolina third baseman Gaby Sanchez. The 24 year old is coming off an interesting .279/.369/.803 season in High-A Jupiter. Interesting if only because it did nothing to boost his prospect status, nor did it hurt his prospect status. He comes into tonight hitting .269/.345/.538 with 1 homerun in 26 at bats so far. What's most intriguing about Gaby is his return to the hotcorner. If he can man third base with respectable defense, it automatically boosts his prospect star. If he is forced to go back to first base, he'll go back to being a solid first base prospect, nothing more, nothing less.