King Fish

Are you wondering who the hell the Marlins are?

Are you shocked they’ve become the living embodiment of “Major League?”

[Brian Moehler= Eddie Harris]

 Are you questioning the validity of their surge? [Big mistake buddy, big mistake]

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 Back in Winter, my friend and I couldn’t stop laughing at the Marlins’ team website. On the top of the page, where there had previously been a bevy of All Stars, now stood a barren collection of Palm Trees, blowing aimlessly in the figurative wind of cyberspace. Hilarious.

 Well, who’s laughing now?
Here are 20 points of reference you absolutely have to know about the Florida Marlins:

1.Josh Johnson!  A power pitcher who can nail corners with cold efficiency, Johnson reminds me personally of John Smoltz. He has a filthy breaking ball that can be consistently thrown for strikes. He’ll throw it anytime. He will be the first rookie to lead his league in Earned Run Average since The Bird Man back in `76. Why isn’t he a bigger deal?

2.Hanley! You know what? I’ll make this one easy. Call the operator. Get someone, anyone on the line from Boston. Ask them, politely, if they’d prefer Hanley Ramirez at short instead of the dynamic tag team of Alex Cora or Alex Gonzalez. Inquire whether they’d be interested in having a mulligan on that Beckett trade. Now, act quickly and step away from the phone, in lieu of the string of obscenities bound to follow.

3.Dan Uggla reminds me of a mini version of Edgar Martinez. Edgar freaking Martinez.

4.How good can Anibal Sanchez be? He can render Hanley Ramirez the second best player acquired by the Marlins for Josh Beckett. What’s that I hear? More expletives from Boston?

5.How dominant has Scott Olsen been since a rocky start? Well, he’s throw 142 innings and allowed only 128 hits. New news: he’s having a better season than the D-Train. And that’s not even an insult to Willis, just mere fact.

6.Ricky Nolasco has been inconsistent, but when he’s right, his curve is one of the best in all of baseball. One of three promising hurlers sent over by the Chicago Cubs for Juan Pierre. Even laid back Cub fans have to be pissed about that one.

7.The fact that Dontrelle has even decent numbers given the obscene number of hits he’s allowed only speaks to his brilliance. It’s easy to forget Willis’ youth. Give him time. You can’t hold a special player down for long. Robbed of a Cy last year

8.Miguel Cabrera. Yes, he’s still a prodigy. Yes, this campaign is another rung on his ascension to greatness. Yes, they’d be insane to trade him.

9.Alfredo Amezaga is the National League’s answer to Chone Figgins.

10.Josh Willingham’s transition from catcher to corner outfielder has been as smooth as his swing. Willingham always had the glow of a star, a chance to play everyday has allowed him to truly shine.

11.Once upon a time, Miguel Olivo was one of the prime pieces in a trade that sent Freddy Garcia from Seattle to Chicago. His batting style is noticeably effective in it’s simplicity, so sound that even a veteran like Kevin Millar found himself taking cliff notes back in 2004. Miguel never blossomed in Seattle, but found a land of opportunity in Miami, where his skill set as a catcher impressed Joe Girardi enough to pencil him in as the everyday catcher. Olivo has fit right into this overachieving band of super prospects and reclamation projects.

12.Jeremy Hermida was everyone’s pick for Rookie of the Year on the outset of the ’06 season. While his performance has somewhat disappointed, the workman intensity he drudges to each and every at bat has definitely rubbed off on his fellow young teammates. So motivated is Hermida to succeed that Girardi often compares him favorably with another hot tempered Right Fielder, one he played with back in the glory days of his career: Paul O’Neill.

13.There just hasn’t been anyone better off the bench this year than Wes Helms.

14.There were many who doubted Mike Jacobs. Said his swing was too long. Couldn’t handle Major League Fastballs in on the hands. Couldn’t hit lefties. All Jacobs has done is hit .270 with 17 jacks his rookie year. And sure, he hasn’t proven himself against left handed pitching yet, but as with all the Marlins, time is his ultimate ally. For now, look past the flaws, and enjoy watching the ball explode off his bat, a comet bound for the right field bleachers.

15.Joe Borowski is 31 for 35 in save opportunities. Without his steady hand at closer, the Marlins would be nowhere.

16.Taylor Tankersly has all the potential in the world to develop into a rare, and highly valuable, Baseball commodity: Dominant Left handed reliever.

17.Logan Kensing has great stuff, but tends to hurt himself with walks. Fact is, his breaking stuff is flat out filthy, and if he could harness it, the Marlins could have a real weapon out of the bullpen.

18.Getting the chance to witness whether athletic freaks Reggie Abercrombie or Joe Borchard could handle Major League playing time was a real treat to watch. The experience didn’t go particularly well for either of them, and unfortunately, it may have been Borchard’s last shot to prove himself as a Major Leaguer. One can only hope the gifted Abercrombie listened, learned, and is ready for his next chance, which he will definitely get at some point in the near future.

19.Joe Girardi? Manager of the year. Hands down.

20.And lastly, Pokey Reese. Why? Without his dispiriting retirement circa Spring Training, either Hanley Ramirez or Dan Uggla may not have gotten their most deserved chance to play. At the time, Reese’s sudden departure from the Baseball landscape was seen as further indictment of the Marlin franchise. Were they scaring players into quitting now too, just as the ghosts haunting the Devil Rays had spooked Danny Bautista and Robbie Alomar in 2005? Turns out, even when situations run astray from the Marlins, the paths they pave wind toward success.

They could be blessed.

Or Beinfest could be a genius.

– Matt Waters