Kuzul

Throughout the history of the game and the history of sports, there have been over a million trades done which have forever changed the direction of a sports franchise or landscape forever. You can call it the butterfly effect because thats what it is, a small trade here and there can cause big changes later on (managerial changes, free agent signings, new stadium, or even a World Series).

In the case of the Florida Marlins, a Major League Baseball franchise that has been around since 1993, they have won a couple of World Series (1997 and 2003). The little known story behind both of those titles have been the trades they made in order to win them. I’ll chronicle that here and run down over the trades that forever changed the Florida Marlins and made up what they are today.

Without these trades, this franchise, would not be here right now. In the spirit of the Trade Deadline and trades period here are those trades that have forever this MLB franchise, the Florida Marlins…

Begin Slideshow

Just when you thought you’ve seen it all. BAM!

The latest injury: a torn meniscus during the now common celebratory pie to the face.

That is the unfortunate fate suffered by the pie giver, Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan.

There is no question this ranks amongst the most bizarre/embarrassing injuries of all time, but how does it impact fantasy circles?

After a red hot .377 and 30-run June, Coghlan reverted back to his April form in July hitting .209 with one RBI.

He’ll miss six to eight weeks, but regardless, his deficient production and wild inconsistency made him a nearly unreliable fantasy option in thinner leagues.

The Marlins have promoted sterling prospect Logan Morrison to the big club to replace Coghlan on the active roster.

A first baseman by trade, Morrison’s 2010 call up had been thwarted to this point by the excellent play of Gaby Sanchez.

At one time trading Sanchez to clear the path for Morrison seemed like a viable option for the Marlins, but that seems far-fetched now with his .301, 11 HR, 45 RBI stat line.

Sanchez played some third base in the minors, and a return to the hot corner could be entertained—but not mid-season.

Morrison is expected to split time in left field with Emilio Bonifacio in the immediate future. If Jorge Cantu is dealt prior to the July 31 deadline, Bonifiacio could be moved to third base and open regular playing time in the outfield.

Morrison played seven games in the outfield for Triple-A New Orleans prior to Coghlan’s injury, so expect the Marlins to be wheelers and dealers this week.

Morrison is an excellent athlete for his size (6’3″, 235 pounds), but it’s unclear whether he can hold his own defensively in the outfield. One thing that is abundantly clear is his mastery in the batter’s box.

He was hitting .307 with six home runs and 45 RBI in the Pacific Coast League prior to getting the call. He injured his shoulder (collision) in May and has played in just 68 games.

He’s incredibly seasoned for a 22-year-old, drawing 48 walks against only 35 strikeouts. A left-handed stick, he hit .314 in 70 at-bats against left-handed pitching.

If the numbers are any indication, Morrison should make a swift adjustment to big league pitching.

Bottom Line:

1. Coghlan is not in danger of losing a starting job when healthy. Despite his on/off play in 2010, he possesses excellent bat control and provides versatility defensively. He can see time at second or third base and left field. However, none of these qualities help the fantasy owner.

2. If Morrison hits, he’s going to play. Bonifacio was wallowing in the minors for good reason. He provides a speed element, but his plate discipline, or lack thereof, will be exposed over the course of regular at-bats. He has yet to draw a walk in 2010. The Fish didn’t call up Morrison to sit and disrupt his maturation. 

3. Who bats leadoff when Bonifacio sits? Does Hanley occupy that spot? If so, this injury could have a confounding effect on his fantasy value and run production.

4. Roster assembly issues likely won’t come into play until 2011. The aftermath of the trade deadline could change matters, but it’s a good bet Sanchez will be taking grounders at third base come spring training.

Written by Adam Ganeles exclusively for TheFantasyFix.com.  Adam is the epitome of awesome and anyone who doubts it can take it up with him personally on any street corner at any time.

Think Logan Morrison can make it in the BIGS?
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As the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches, the question is, will the Marlins ultimately become buyers or sellers? The team is currently 10.5 games out of first place in the National League East Division with the Braves, Mets, and Phillies ahead of them.

Also, they are seven games back in the National League wild card race. My prediction is that they are going to be sellers at the deadline, which will be to the chagrin of many Marlins fans. The season is pretty much over and it would take some kind of cataclysmic disaster and a miraculous downfall by the teams ahead of the Marlins, in order for the Marlins to get back in the conversation.

The fact is,they need to acknowledge the cold hard facts. The team looked listless and uninspired. Most importantly, they need to give their talented young players the necessary amount of Major League experience. The Marlins should take advantage of the opportunity to analyze and scout some of the young prospects the team currently has in its system.

For example, I think it would be a good idea to give Logan Morrison an opportunity to prove himself as the Major League level. Therefore, it’s time for some of our young players to face the music. 

The Marlins have been extremely disappointing and frustrating to watch this season. The biggest reason why the team has struggled this season is because of the terrible bullpen in which the front office put together over the offseason. The bullpen has caused cardiac arrests and the increase of Pepto Bismol.

The bottom line is, they failed miserably in putting together a legitimate bullpen. They have the second worst bullpen in baseball, right behind the Arizona Diamondbacks. Believe it or not, only Arizona has more blown saves this season than the Marlins. As a result, the Marlins have blown 13 save opportunities, while Arizona has blown 14 saves.

In addition, the team has committed the second most errors in baseball, with 71 on the season. Another aspect the Marlins have struggled mightily in this year is the situational hitting department. For example, with runners on second and third with two outs, the Marlins have failed to come through in this type of situation.

Also, the clutch hitting factor has been absolutely nonexistent.  All of these glaring weaknesses summarize why the Marlins are sitting in fourth place in the National League four games under .500 with a record of 42-46.  Despite the team’s struggles in certain offensive categories and despite the team’s erratic defense, the biggest problem has been the bullpen. 

Don’t be shocked if the Marlins ultimately decide to deal Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross, Ricky Nolasco, Nate Robertson, and even slugger Dan Uggla.

I think the Marlins should hang on to Uggla because of his tremendous power.  He leads all National League second basemen in home runs with 16 and he has done a nice job driving in runs. I still believe you need to have a legitimate power source in your lineup. I strongly believe Dan Uggla’s value is irreplaceable.

There is no way you are going to be able to replace his power at second base.  However, if they were to hypothetically move Uggla to another team, then they would have last year’s NL rookie of the year, Chris Coghlan, move to second base. Coghlan has bounced back from a rough start to the season. He is currently hitting .270 with 87 hits, five home runs and 28 runs batted in.

I’m completely against the idea of moving Coghlan from the outfield to second base, especially because his infield defense is basically just as mediocre as Uggla’s. I don’t see how this potential position move would improve the team.

Interestingly, what has become very apparent is the fact that Marlins are starting to change their offensive philosophy. The focus is beginning to shift toward situational hitting and moving runners over. As a result,their goal is to develop  more consistent and productive hitters such as rookie sensation Gaby Sanchez, who is batting an impressive .302 on the year.

Except for Dan Uggla, the Marlins should be opened to trading Cantu, Ross, and Nolasco as long as they can receive sufficient value in return. I don’t want to see any salary dump deals. 

As we approach the deadline, the Marlins have some very tough decisions to make. It will be very interesting to see which prospects the Marlins decide to promote as the season moves on. Will Logan Morrison get called up? Will Cameron Maybin get another shot to prove himself?

The Marlins will be open to making deals with the goal in mind toward building and planning for the future. You can take that to the bank. At this point, it is all about 2012.

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Mike Stanton is on his way to the Florida Marlins.

No, not that Mike Stanton. 

It’s the 20-year-old Los Angeles native, an outfielder currently in the Florida Marlins farm system. 

Several outlets have recently announced that Florida would call up Stanton sometime next week.  Some say they might be rushing the young outfielder who can’t even legally consume alcohol yet, but who can blame them for rushing?  In 50 games this season at double-A Jacksonville, Stanton is hitting .299 with 20 HR and 51 RBI. 

While Mr. Stanton will be given a starting job in the outfield from day one, that also means that one of the current Marlins outfielders will be losing a very decent amount of playing time. 

Florida isn’t calling this kid up just to give him a taste; they plan on keeping him here. 

Florida’s current three starting outfielders are Chris Coghlan, Cameron Maybin, and Cody Ross, from left-to-right. 

In less than a week, one of those starting outfielders will be a fourth outfielder. 

So who’s the most likely candidate to take a seat while Stanton gets to show off his stuff?

Let’s look at each guy’s credentials.

Chris Coghlan

.254 BA, 3 HR, 15 RBI

He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2009, leading the entire National League in hitting in the second half of last year. 

He certainly didn’t look like ROY material in the beginning of 2010, batting just .195 with 3 RBI in the first month of the season. 

He’s definitely straightened up since, though. 

In his past 26 games, he’s hitting .310 with 11 RBI, mostly coming out of the one or two-hole in the lineup.  He’s also been reliable in left field, recording five outfield assists and only one error on the season, thus far. 

Cameron Maybin

.227 BA, 5 HR, 19 RBI

Talk about a long way to fall. 

In 2005, Maybin was tabbed the third-best hitting prospect in the MLB draft.  Two years after being selected 10th overall by the Detroit Tigers, he was traded after the 2007 season, as one of the main cogs in a package that netted the Tigers Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins. 

Maybin has disappointed in his first three years in Florida thus far, hitting only .261 with 9 HR and 33 RBI in 110 games.  He’s still only 23, so his talent is still extremely attractive to keep in the lineup. 

Cody Ross

.299 BA, 5 HR, 30 RBI

The veteran of the three current outfielders, 29-year-old had a career year in 2009, nailing 24 homers with 90 RBI.  Ross has been a starting outfielder for Florida since 2008, which is seniority, which might give him an edge in keeping his job once Stanton finds his way to the bigs. 

The only downside the Marlins could see to keeping Ross in the starting outfield would be they see the potential of Coghlan and Maybin to be more valuable than the assets they already know they would get from Ross. 

Coghlan has proven he can hit big league pitching for an extended period of time, and that swing of Maybin that had scouts calling him one of the best players in the 2005 draft has to still be there somewhere… right?

Not an easy call for Marlins’ manager Fredi Gonzalez to make.  But it’s sure an easy call for me to make, because I don’t have to make the lineup card everyday. 

In my opinion, Maybin has struggled for a little too long to be ignored now.  Very few players come up to the majors, struggle mightily for the first few seasons as Maybin has done, and then have successful big league careers. 

Coghlan is a current .301 career hitter and maybe the best defensive outfielder on the team right now, so you’d be crazy to take him out. 

Ross is currently the right fielder, but can easily move over to center field to accommodate Mike Stanton, who is also a right fielder. 

These next couple of years will be Ross’ prime, and when he gave you decent power and RBI numbers last year, it’s not fair to sit him either. 

Maybin has performed the worst of the three, it’s just a fact.  It’s not in the stats, but as a nightly viewer of MLB highlights, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen Maybin overrun or misjudge a fly ball in the outfield. 

When Stanton gets called up within the next few days, Maybin should be the one to take a seat. 

If he’s not, it’ll be a pretty big injustice, because the choice wouldn’t have been made due to baseball priorities. 

Sorry Cameron, but right now, you are the weakest link.

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The rumor mill is swirling with talk of the Marlins potentially recalling super prospect Mike Stanton as soon as today (Mike Lamb was recalled instead). 

It never made sense (especially considering the financial implications of waiting another week), but there is no doubt that now is the time to stash him away if you are in need of a power boost.

Chris Coghlan has been awful this season, hitting just .212 with two home runs, 12 RBI, 18 R and five SB over 165 AB. The 2009 NL Rookie of the Year was buoyed by a .365 BABIP last season, but that has taken a huge hit as expected (.266 in 2010), helping lead to the poor average. The other issue is the strikeouts, increasing to a rate over 24 percent.

Coghlan lacks big speed and power, meaning he never had much of an opportunity to be a must-use fantasy OF option, even in five-outfielder formats.

The fact that he could be the odd man out to make room for Stanton should be music to fantasy owners’ ears, because they no longer would need to decide on his potential value.

Cameron Maybin, the perpetual breakout option, has shown signs of coming around and has the potential to force Coghlan to the bench full-time. Still, the likelihood is that the two share time in LF, as neither has been overly impressive. In 155 AB, Maybin has hit .239 with four home runs, 16 RBI, 29 R and four SB.

The major problem with Maybin is that he continues to simply look overmatched at the plate.  He’s currently striking out 31.6 percent of the time, consistent with his 31.3 percent career mark. He’s only gone back-to-back games without a strikeout twice this season. He is currently tied for 10th in the league with 49 Ks, an unacceptable number considering his lack of power.

The only other way he could get around it would be with exceptional stolen base totals (like Will Venable, who has 12 SBs despite 50 Ks), but he’s not doing that either.

The current Marlins OFer who appears safe is Cody Ross, who would likely take over full-time duty in center field. Ross has been heating up of late, with his average up to .308 with four home runs, 26 RBI, 23 R and two SB. 

There is a concern with his power, a big reason why fantasy owners were originally drawn to him, but there’s an anomaly in his underlying statistics. 

Ross’s HR/FB rate is consistent (currently at 11.8 percent), but his fly-ball rate has seemingly fallen off a cliff. Just look at his last three years:

2008 – 43.3 percent
2009 – 47.6 percent
2010 – 25.6 percent

There’s just no way that continues. He’s shown that the power is there, he just needs to start getting the ball in the air once again.

For his major league career he’s at 42.3 percent. From 2005-2007 in the minor leagues he was at 50.1 percent.

There’s little doubt that the power is coming, all the Marlins (and fantasy owners) need to do is not panic. He has been productive in other areas thus far, but the best is yet to come.

The Marlins aren’t going to recall Stanton to have him platoon, so someone is going to lose playing time. In looking at the numbers, the move that makes the most sense, at least offensively, is for Coghlan and Maybin to share time (unless one gets hot), leaving Ross and Stanton to play virtually everyday.

While we still don’t know exactly when Stanton will join the Marlins, in all likelihood it will be sooner rather then later. If you are in a five-outfielder format and are using either Coghlan or Maybin, it’s time to start looking at a potential replacement before it’s too late.

What do you think?  Should the Marlins use a Coghlan/Maybin platoon or should one play more then the other?

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