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.

Hudson vs. Nolasco: Great Matchup

There's a lot at stake tonight, and it rests in the hands of two excellent pitchers.

The Marlins will put forth the ace of their staff, Ricky Nolasco, but he'll have to outperform Tim Hudson. Hudson has done well in his career against the Fish, but the Marlins did get to him once this year.

It's worth noting that the Marlins offense has been slumping of late. Pitching has been winning the last few games, with a few home runs sprinkled in (such as last night, when the Marlins amounted 4 hits, essentially silenced except for Mike Jacobs' 3-run bomb). The Marlins will need a stronger showing to beat Hudson.

Hanley Good to Go

For those of you concerned about Hanley's sore shoulder, be at ease. He's good to go tonight in the All-Star game, where he'll be leading off the game.

Considering how understated the injuries were to Sergio Mitre, Josh Willingham, Mike Jacobs, and Dan Uggla, I feared the worst. Day-to-day from the Marlins has become a synonym for week-to-week or month-to-month. Is Mitre even going to pitch this year?

I'm so excited for Hanley...let's hope he represents well!

Marlins Won a Game? Yep

Okay, now that the Colorado air is cleared, we Marlins fans can take solace in a victory. Sure, the Fish should have cruised to 3 of 4, blowing two games in truly horrendous fashion (one in truly truly truly truly truly abominable despicable unmentionable fashion), but alas, the losing is over.

There were a few bright spots from the game today. First of all, how about the debut of Chris Volstad? If you didn't know, he's a MAJOR part of the Marlins future. He came in and shut the Rockies down, earning a relief victory. Well done!

Cody Ross was UNBELIEVABLE in this series (along with the rest of the overshadowed offense). Just how good was Ross? As rotoworld.com says:

"He went 12-for-20 with six runs, four doubles, two homers and a whopping 15 RBI. The strong weekend boosted his average over 30 points to .266, and he now has 15 homers and 47 RBI on the season."

Not only should Cody Ross be playing every day, but I would play him over Jeremy Hermida too. In fact, Ross has been at an All-Star level since May. I half wondered if Clint Hurdle would give Ross a bench spot.

It's also worth noting that Mike Jacobs - much criticized - has responded with a little hot streak. Could he have been motivated by our recent comments? Regardless of what you think, Jacobs has earned a few more days away from the microscope.

Ahhh. I'm so glad they won today...

Mike Jacobs: 18 HRs and Criticized???

Yes, that's right. Mike Jacobs has been coming under a lot of fire lately, despite his 18 home runs. The latest to lead the charge? Marlins Today, in this scathing, but first-rate analysis of Mike Jacob's inadequacies.

Let me give you a nice chunk:

"Let me start off by saying his 18 homeruns are awesome. If he was in the American League, he would be one off the lead. Then again, if he was in the American League, he could be a designated hitter, but we’ll get into that later. Compared with those first baseman that have enough at bats to qualify, Jacobs ranks in the bottom of nearly every major category. He’s 13 out of 14 in batting average at .233. Only Ryan Howard’s .218 is worse. Mike’s on base percentage is dead last at .262. Next closest is Ryan Howard at .311. That’s embarrassing. One thing Jacobs does exceptionally well is hit the ball for extra bases. His .506 slugging percentage has him tied for 4th with Derrek Lee. So we have a slugger that can barely hit his weight, and will not take a walk for his life. His 11 walks have him at 36th in the entire major leagues for first basemen. Daryle Ward (42 at bats), Wes Helms (144 at bats), and John Bowker (201 at bats) are the only ones to be worse. His .768 OPS (on base + slugging) ranks him 12th out of 14th with only Carlos Delgado and Adam LaRoche being worse. So even with his tremendous slugging, he’s still one of the worst first basemen in the National League."

They go on to say this about his fielding:

"You can watch with your eyes all you want and you may not see a worse fielder."

Ouch! I'm not really sure where I fall in this argument. I don't want to discount Jacobs' contributions, but he does seem to be home run or bust these days. When the Marlins are down 3 in the 9th and he's leading off, forget it.

I would like to see him show more patience, earning deeper counts and - (cringes) - actually try and shorten the swing! Either way, the 6th spot in the lineup suits his prototype.

A Salute to You Group of Hardcore Marlins Fans at the Game Today

This is just a quick post dedicated to a group of roudy Marlins fans who were seated about 20 rows behind the plate at this evening's game against the Nats:

With the Marlins down 9-4 in the 8th inning and Mike Jacobs at the plate (who had a terrible game in every way), you took it upon yourselves to spark the crowd. You proceeded to chant Let's Go Marlins!!! repeatedly, non-stop, without hesitation, for the entire at-bat which went to a 3-2 count where Jacobs inevitably struck out.

First of all, this was not a short at-bat, at least 5 minutes long. Secondly, not another soul in the entire stadium joined in on your rant, but you continued to cheer, tirelessly, without any indication of humiliation. Thirdly, no Marlins fan was the slightest bit excited at this point in the game, but for some reason you believed this to be a pivotal time with no one on base down 9-4. You had made hardly a peep until that point, even when the Marlins were rallying (Alcohol may have been a factor). And, lastly, you had the rugged, irritating, dirty-sounding voice that all-together resulted in a cacophony of ugly yelling.

Your dedication will not be forgotten.

Jacobs Helps Marlins Lose to Nationals

Tonight the Florida Marlins were defeated by the Florida Marlins 9-6. No, that's not a typo. This is another case of the Marlins losing games because of their own mishaps in the field. Tonight's culprit was Jorge Cantu...just kidding, for once it was not him. It was Mike Jacobs.

The Marlins were down 6-4 in the top of the 8th when Washington had the bases loaded with one out. Then, a sharp ground ball hit right to Mike Jacobs at first base. Jacobs proceeds to throw to the plate (as he should) intending to get the force and maybe end the inning with a double play back to first. But Jacobs thought this was too easy and air-mailed it to the back stop. And of course, the Nationals go on to score 2 more runs putting the game essentially out of reach.

Down 6-4, the Marlins may not have come back, but atleast they would have had an opportunity. Washington has terrible relief pitching, and after all, the Marlins were able to cut the lead to 9-6 with a potential game-tying rally in the 9th.

Awful.

Marlins Lucky to Have Jacobs

As the Marlins attempt to bounce back today from their most embarrassing loss of the season, I think we, the depressed fans of the slumping Fish, should look on the bright side of things.

The Marlins have Mike Jacobs: The best .240 hitter in the National League.

Where else can you find a guy like this but on the 2008 Marlins?

Jacobs plays consistent defense (well, consistently awful, but hey consistency is consistency, lets not be picky).

He hits big home runs (for instance he got the Marlins on the board last night vs those devilish Rays. So what if we were down 15-0 when we did it?)

He hits for a high average. (Um, higher than Nick Swisher and Adrian Beltre! How 'bout that?)

Jacobs gets more value per hit than anybody except maybe Cody Ross. Jake has 55 hits, 18 of them homers, with 57 strikeouts and a robust .270 OBP.

In all seriousness, I'd rather have Jake at the plate more than any other .240 hitter except Oakland's Jack Cust. Almost nobody hitting around .240 can rake like Jake. I realize he isn't the player we saw pre-annual injury, but he is really this bad? Is Jorge Cantu really THAT much better defensively than Jacobs?

This Citrus Series is really putting me in a bad mood. Rant over.

Marlins Infield Simply Unparalleled

I knew this Marlins infield was achieving some pretty significant numbers in the power department, but I had no idea it was of this magnitude.

As Fish Stripes brilliantly reports, the Marlins infield would set a Major League record as the first 1B-2B-SS-3B combo to all hit over 25 HRs in a season. This, from a team who plays in a pitcher's park, with a 3B scooped off the scrap heap in one of the toughest divisions. Take a deep breath and appreciate this.

Here's what Fish Stripes had to say:

"According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only six infield units ever -- none of them in the National League -- have had all four of its members smack as many as 20 home runs in one season.

The 1940 Boston Red Sox were the original. The 2005 Texas Rangers were the most recent and came closest to getting 25 home runs from each of their four infielders, with only shortstop Michael Young falling short at 24.

But the Marlins think they can carve out a new spot in the record books.

---

• Jacobs, the first baseman, has hit 17 home runs and is on track for 38.

• Uggla, the second baseman, has clubbed 21, which would give him a franchise-record 47 if he keeps it up.

• Ramirez, the shortstop, has knocked 15 out to put him on line for 33.

• Cantu, the third baseman, has 14 homers, a pace that would leave him with 31."

So in other words, the Marlins could actually have 30 HRs from all four infield positions. That's remarkable! The biggest threat to this happening is an injury risk. They could survive some scattered DL stints, but not a major injury.

We'll be tracking their home run totals much more closely now, as the Marlins pursue this spectacular record.

Marlins Choose Patience in Win

It is beginning to look more and more like the young Marlins' affinity for carefree homer happy hacks is a conscious choice.

Small ball, manufacturing runs and smart baserunning are sooooo 2003. This latest generation of Marlins doesn't work the count, set up the pitcher or take the extra base. They just swing hard and drop head. I suspect that they hit that way because it's fun, and they are good at it.

But in last night's game, against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, the Fish actually played with an offensive strategy other than "mash ball with stick." They waited Dickey out, allowed his spin-less floaters to dance their way out of the strike zone, and peppered the middle of the field with line drives when they saw pitches they liked.

Being the Marlins, they still launched a couple of longballs, one against Dickey. However they walked 10 times and took an approach that they needed to take to be successful against a junk baller. (Beware Jamie Moyer, we'll get ya next time!)

Out of the familiar surroundings of the NL, the Fish played with their brains the whole Seattle series, nearly coming back against a dominating Felix Hernandez and taking care of business against Carlos Silva.

The point is: for all its perceived flaws, this team has players that can adapt to a situation when they need to. Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Dan Uggla can shorten up his swing, Mike Jacobs can take the first pitch, Hanley Ramirez can foul off fastballs on the outside corner. The Marlins can play differing styles of winning baseball if they choose to. And they can still drop some bombs while they do it.

Marlins SOOO Dependent on Long Ball

I've certainly enjoyed the Marlins-Rays game so far today. The Marlins currently lead 6-2 through seven innings (if that changes significantly by the time you read this article, feel free to ignore the following).

We've focused a lot on the Marlins' lack of execution. Simply put, the Marlins hit nothing but homers. How did they get their six runs today? Two three-run bombs, from Wes Helms (a beautiful AB) and Mike Jacobs respectively.

Mike Jacobs is the prototype of the Marlins player. His average is dipping south of the .250 line, and yet he has 16 HRs. When he's at the plate, I think HR or bust, every time. At some point, he's going to have to think about shortening his swing a little bit.

The long ball can be an excellent source of run production, and it's been rumored that chicks dig it (anyone know Mike Jacobs? can he validate that?). The problem is, the Marlins offense goes nowhere when they aren't hitting balls out of the park. They went homerless for three straight games, and to nobody's surprise, they lost all three of them.

It's never a good idea to live or die by anything...it's time to start finding other ways to score. Chicks may dig the long ball, but they like a little foreplay too!

There's Something About Hanley

This post isn't solely about the Marlin's superstar, Hanley Ramirez, I personally just wanted a clever name. Because with this 2008 Florida Marlins team, theres more, theres something, and words can't properly describe it. These particular Fish have an extra spark, a sense of relentlessness a group of "young, inexperienced players" should not have. It's not just Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Miller, or the almighty Dan Cooley Uggla. This whole team is in way over their heads, but is it possible that these fish float in water?

Is it meant to be? I mean, since when does Robert Andino have the right to hit a walk-off homer. Or since when does Mike Jacobs have the right to speak up against the world(specifically the media). And can you please explain to me how a team without 3 of their top pitchers and the guy that has had the highest OBP on the team, can possibly be 7 games over .500.

There is one answer, using a quote from an aforementioned 2nd baseman,(hint: his name is Daaaaannn Ugglaaa),"We know we have talent." So while the rest of the world underappreciates this Florida Marlin team, they know they're better. So go on, underestimate the fish, just try to stay afloat.

Another Awful Call

I'd be remiss in my responsibilities if I didn't point out one absolutely HORRENDOUS call in today's Marlins-Braves game.

In the 8th inning, Mike Jacobs hit a soft grounder up the second base side. He beat the throw by a good step, yet was inexplicably called out by umpire Adrian Johnson (who at first called him safe and changed his mind mid-motion). I've been told that Johnson is a fill-in AAA umpire, but that still doesn't excuse yet another case of atrocious umpiring in the MLB. Another day, another inexcusable call. Instant replay can't come soon enough.

Oh, and this so-called AAA umpire will be calling balls and strikes tomorrow night. Should be fun. Let's hope he doesn't hold a grudge against Fredi Gonzalez, who rightfully got himself thrown out for protesting.

Bizarro World: Mets and Marlins

When the schedule-makers put Marlins-Mets on the slate for late May, they imagined two teams in different positions. Surely the Mets would lead the NL East by 2.5 games, soar with confidence, and start thinking about playoff possibilities. The Marlins? 5-6 games back seems about right, maybe even more than expected.

So how did these teams find themselves on the opposite sides of the fence? When in doubt, you need look no further than the NY media. I give, for your immense satisfaction, this NY Post story highlighting this very theme. Here are a few good excerpts:

"The Mets and Marlins are perfect foils, and the series which begins tonight should demonstrate that. The Mets are primarily a group of expensive, underachieving veterans. The upstart Marlins have the lowest payroll in the majors ($21.8 million) and are the biggest surprise of the first two months."

Not to mention that much of the above paragraph is due to trades with each other. The Marlins acquired Mike Jacobs+ for Delgado. In the separate Paul Lo Duca deal, Mr. Lo Duca isn't even with the Mets anymore, while Gaby Hernandez looks poised for a promising career. Larry Beinfest played a significant role in wrecking Omar Minaya and the Mets.

"It didn't help Reyes that the player to whom he is often compared, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, got off to an MVP-caliber start. Ramirez is batting .305 with nine home runs and 13 stolen bases despite a recent 6-for-39 slump that dropped his batting average almost 40 points and seemed to coincide with being moved from his customary leadoff spot to No. 3."

It's probably not the best time to rave about Hanley, considering he's in a terrible slump, but the Reyes-Hanley contest is a dead argument right now. Even Hanley's defense is better these days.

"Perhaps the bigger culprits in the Mets' demise have been Delgado and Beltran. They are paid handsomely to produce runs but have combined for 12 homers and 53 RBIs. Compare that to the combined 27 home runs and 65 RBIs of Marlins Dan Uggla and Mike Jacobs.

To further illustrate the futility of Beltran and Delgado, compare their numbers to those of Cantu and Jeremy Hermida, the fourth and fifth most productive hitters in the Marlins lineup. They've combined for 13 home runs and 48 RBIs."

And to make matters worse, the Marlins' hitters are on the way up, while some of these Mets are declining rapidly. Finally:

"The Mets are built to win now. That's why they traded talented outfielder Carlos Gomez and three young pitchers for Santana. It also played a part in the trade of controversial prospect Lastings Milledge for catcher Brian Schneider and Church, who has been a revelation in right field.

The Marlins are built for the future, which is why they traded slugger Miguel Cabrera and workhorse lefty Dontrelle Willis for a package of prospects. But as June approaches, it's the Marlins who appear to have most of the pieces in place while the Mets scramble for answers."

That last part tickles the throat like the gooey warmth of a chocolate souffle.

Marlins Lose a Dull One

There were few exciting moments in this game, at least for a Marlins fan. The Mike Jacobs homer was nice and Dan Uggla's continued mastery compelling, but the game itself was lackluster at best. I missed the last three innings and hardly noticed.

Two lowlights come to mind:

1. Jorge Cantu being thrown out from right field (yes, right field) at first base. Just a bad play.

2. Dan Uggla being tagged out at the plate.

The Marlins have now dropped 5 of 6, maintaining their lead thanks to equivalently poor play from the Phillies. Next up? The sizzling Diamondbacks. The Marlins will need their "A Game" and some more to keep pace.

Mike Jacobs Finally Back?

In what has probably been the most talked about quad since the days of "Remember Kent State," Mike Jacobs appears to be ready for a full return. This is far far far long overdue.

Our news comes courtesy of Marlins Today, so if we're wrong, blame them. Here are Alex Carver's words:

"The good news? Mike Jacobs will be back in the lineup for the second game of this series tomorrow night."

Carver sounds pretty convinced. Am I? Not yet anyway...I've heard that story too many times. We'll find out.

Marlins Are Doing It Without Key Starters

The Fish have now won 7 games in a row, along the way sweeping the Brewers and the Nats. They now find themselves at 23-14, and, as ASponge stated in the controversial previous post, they have the best record in the entire league, having passed the D-Backs today.

But they're doing it with a lineup that is missing Josh Willingham (sore back) at LF and Mike Jacobs (quad) at 1B. Willingham has been an absolutely essential contributor to the Marlins offense for the last two seasons. This season, Willingham was .341, .406, .637 with 6 HRs in just 25 games. Jacobs was batting .271 with 9 HRs, including a walk-off against the Pirates in the first week of the season.

Filling this gap in the lineup have been two veterans: Luis Gonzalez and Wes Helms. Gonzalez has been phenomenal in replacing Willingham, having come through in many crucial situations over the last week. In addition, Wes Helms has managed to cover the 1B role, providing excellent defensive play. He also hit a walk-off HR against the Brewers last week.

So if the Marlins are winning with these guys, just imagine how much offensive production there will be with the return of Willingham and Jacobs. Think about this lineup:

1. Alfredo Amezaga (quick with a solid OBP)
2. Jeremy Hermida (good average, consistent production)
3. Hanley Ramirez (Hanley is Hanley)
4. Mike Jacobs (Power will always be there)
5. Josh Willingham (great all-around player, clutch hitter)
6. Jorge Cantu (a pleasant surprise)
7. Dan Uggla (starting to really heat up, 11 HRs)
8. Matt Treanor (well..he's on a 5 game hitting streak)

If I were another team, I sure as hell wouldn't look forward to facing this killer squad.

Padres Series a New Opportunity

The three-game home sweep at the hands of the Dodgers was miserable to watch, riddled with 2007-like mistakes, and destructive to the Marlins' position in the standings. At 15-13, the Fish have fallen 1/2 a game behind the Phillies and even with the Mets (though the Mets have a slight percentage points advantage).

Fortunately, the Marlins have some reasons to be optimistic. Willingham and Jacobs should be returning to the lineup any day now, and tonight's pitching matchup of Hendrickson vs. Germano looks favorable. Peavy and Maddux will be tough acts on Saturday and Sunday, but the Marlins have shown an ability to hit good pitchers this year. (Of course, Andrew Miller is slated to pitch Sunday...ugh)

Regardless, the Marlins need to take 2 of 3 in the next two series to salvage this homestand. It starts tonight.

At 14-9, Who's All-Star Bound?

Riding the coattails of the newly immortalized Scott Olsen, the Marlins eeked out a 3-0 extra-inning win over Milwaukee. It was a victory in which the Marlins showed their versatility; we knew they could win the slugfests, but now we know they can take the pitchers' duels too. A truly superb win.

Olsen's magnificence got me to thinking about the All-Star game. Here's my list of potential all-stars, with a brief explanation and probability estimate:

Hitters:
1. Hanley Ramirez, SS - He won't be voted in as a starter, but he's destined for a spot. Probability: 90%
2. Dan Uggla, 2B - Even with his early struggles, 2B is the least competitive field. Utley's the certain starter, but Uggla should squeeze in behind. Probability: 55%
3. Josh Willingham, OF - He'll have to keep things up, but right now he stands a decent chance. Probability: 40%
4. Mike Jacobs, 1B - Too competitive a position for Big Jake, but his ridiculously hot start at least puts him in contention. Probability: 5%
5. Jorge Cantu, 3B - Chipper Jones and David Wright are locks, so Cantu would have to be good enough to earn a third spot. Probability: 2.5%

Pitchers:
1. Scott Olsen: At 3-0, 2.06, Olsen would make the team today, but his lack of name recognition and competition still make the odds steep. Probability: 25%
2. Kevin Gregg: He'll need to rack up more saves, but the 3-0 record should help too. Probability: 20%
3. Renyel Pinto: Rarely does a non-closer make the squad, but Pinto has been brilliant enough to deserve a mention. Probability: 1%
4. Mark Hendrickson: If Olsen goes, he certainly won't. Still, at 4-1, I had to list him. Probability: .25%

Total Odds: At least two should make it, with the third a 50/50 shot.

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