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The Florida Marlins finished 80-82 in 2010, which put them in third place in the division race. They have decided to stick with Edwin Rodriguezas manager, who took over for Fredi Gonzalezlast season.

Like years past, Florida could surprise with young talent all over the field, but it is not going to be easy for this team to jump the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.

Here is a quick look at Florida’s 2011 starting lineup and starting rotation, plus our MLB predictions on how they will end the season in the NL East.

Starting Lineup

The Marlins lost a lot of power with the trade of second-baseman Dan Uggla, but they are hoping a lot of different players will make major improvements this year. It all begins with shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who has the talent to become one of the elite players in the game, but struggles to consistently bring it on a daily basis.

Ramirez batted .300 with 21 home runs in 2010, but has the potential to hit hit .330 with 30 or more home runs and carry the Marlins to a surprise finish.

Other players Florida is hoping will really turn it on this season are first baseman Gaby Sanchez, newly acquired catcher John Buck and right-fielder Mike Stanton, whom we think could be in for a much better season if he doesn’t get hurt.

The Marlins got Omar Infante in the trade that sent Uggla to Atlanta, and while he doesn’t have the pop, he hits for a great average and should really help this offense put some runs on the board.

What the Marlins get out of guys like Matt Dominguez, Logan Morrison and Chris Coghlan will make a huge impact on just how good Florida’s offense is this year, which will in turn play a huge role in their chances on winning the division. 

Starting Rotation

The Marlins rotation is top-heavy this season with the likes of Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco, who returns from a solid season. Johnson finished 11-6 with a 2.30 ERA and 9.1SO/9, and if the offense would help him out, he has a great shot at becoming the NL Cy Young winner this season.

Nolasco has brought in an average of 14 wins over the last three years, including a 14-9 campaign in 2010 where he posted a 4.51 ERA. That high ERA is a concern, but it’s hard to look past the 14-win average. 

The Marlins acquired veteran Javier Vazquez to help solidify the rotation, and it could go either way for the 34-year-old this season. Vazquez went 10-10 with a 5.32 ERA with the New York Yankees last year, but should benefit from no longer pitching in the AL East. 

The final two spots in the rotation should go to Anibal Sanchez and Chris Volstad. Sanchez went 13-12 with a 3.55 ERA last season, but also could have had a lot better run support.

If he can stay healthy, something he has struggled with in the past, he could be in for a monster season.

Volstad showed some great improvements last season, going 12-9 with a 4.58 ERA. He improved his ERA from 5.21 in 2009, and at just 24 years of age, we like his odds of getting even better again this year. 

2011 Projections: Third Place NL East

Florida has proven in its brief history that they can strike out of nowhere to make the playoffs and contend for the World Series.

While that isn’t out of the question in 2011, we just don’t know enough about this team to pick them ahead of Phillies and Braves.

The Marlins’ MLB odds to win the NL East this season are plus-700.

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We are still a little over a year away from the Florida Marlins entering their new stadium; however, noteworthy is their recent trip which involved members of the Marlins brass (Jeffrey Loria and David Samson) and players Hanley Ramirez, John Buck, Gaby Sanchez, Logan Morrison, Chris Coghlan and Mike Stanton who took the unofficial first batting practice at the new stadium while being on hand for the first seat installation. 

Now it was just batting practice, but a few home runs throughout the process may have forecasted a potential flaw with the plans of the stadium. Of note: a few baseballs came close to leaving the stadium, specifically one hit by Mike Stanton which cleared the stadium by essentially shooting through the invisible glass panels in left field and exiting the building. 

Even Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria felt worried his “Pitcher Park” would end up being something else, perhaps being a repeat of what happened to the Yankees in their first season at Yankee Stadium.

“Some of those fly balls—I’m not sure this is a pitcher’s ballpark anymore,” Loria said. “The building is gorgeous.”

Let’s examine the future home of the Marlins and current one for a second, shall we? Sun Life Stadium, while mostly considered a pitcher’s park is really a neutral park. 

According to ESPN’s Park Factor, which measures a stadium’s ability to be a hitters paradise or a pitcher’s park, the Marlins’ Sun Life Stadium ranked 10th in runs scored but 24th in home runs per game with 0.822. 

In terms of dimensions, the Marlins new stadium will be 10 feet further in left field (340 feet), 23 feet further in left center (384), 12 feet further in center (416 feet), 17 feet further in right center (392 feet), and 10 feet less in right field (335 feet). 

Nevertheless, dimensions aren’t the full cause of a stadium’s ability to be hitter-friendly or pitcher-friendly. The Marlins haven’t truly played baseball in South Florida indoors, so only time will tell how playing indoors and outdoors in the stadium will effect playing conditions come 2012.

Last season the Minnesota Twins opened their new stadium, Target Field, and ranked last of all 30 Major league ballparks in home runs per game, with 0.641 per game. Target Field’s dimensions are a bit closer to home plate than the Marlins’ new ballpark, but again, only time will tell whether the Marlins’ new stadium is truly a hitter’s or pitchers paradise in South Beach. 

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It may come as a bit of shock, but the Florida Marlins aren’t done with their offseason shopping. Foxsports.com is reporting that the Marlins are interested in Texas Rangers third baseman Michael Young who recently demanded a trade. 

Currently, the Marlins are entering Spring Training with the intention to have 21-year old Matt Dominguez, who hit .252 with 14 home runs and 81 RBIs in Double A Jacksonville last season, become the starter. 

The Marlins interest in Young comes a surprise since the team is entering Spring Training set with their revamped bullpen and complete starting rotation from the first time in years and seem to have met their budget in terms of payroll for the upcoming season, projected to be in the $50-$60 million range. 

However, for a trade to happen, the Marlins would need the Rangers to take on the majority of the remaining salary, diminishing the chances a trade would happen anytime soon. 

The 34-year-old Young is due $16 million in each of the next three seasons, and he currently has a no trade clause which he would have to waive in the Marlins case since they are on his no-trade list for approval being any action is made.  

Such a trade would have to involve players not relevant to the Marlins to compete, so minor leaguers would be at the forefront of trade discussions. A trade would also surely keep Dominguez in the minor leagues for a season more, possibly at Triple A New Orleans, a level he hasn’t played in yet. 

Long-term scenarios would impact Omar Infante’s tenure with the Marlins who is playing on the last year of his contract. He would be the odd man out after this season with Young likely sliding back to second base and Dominguez playing at third base in 2012. 

If a trade seems far fetched, remember, the Marlins will be entering their new digs in 2012, when they move into their 37,000 retractable dome stadium in downtown Miami and such move would likely pave the way for Young to take his talents to South Beach. 

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This is it, the Florida Marlins final season. After 2011, there will be no more baseball in Sun Life Stadium, no Major League baseball in Miami Gardens, no more empty stadiums or the perception of the team being known as second class citizens on welfare.

In 2011, the Florida Marlins have one last chance to win a championship before their big transformation.

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When the Florida Marlins traded CF Cameron Maybin to the San Diego Padres this offseason, many wondered who they were going to put in center field to replace him? The obvious choices were moving either Logan Morrison or Mike Stanton to center.

But as we all know, the Marlins don’t always do the obvious things.

Instead of moving Morrison or Stanton to center, the Marlins currently plan to play Chris Coghlan in the middle of the outfield in 2011. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see it.

This is the same Coghlan who was hasn’t mastered playing left field in his two years in the Major Leagues. He has a career -8.0 UZR in 213 games in left field. Now he is going to move to center where he has to cover more ground and cover ground in one of the biggest center fields in baseball? No thanks.

Usually, it’s the other way around. Usually, it’s a player moving from center to left or right, not the other way around.

Listen, the San Francisco Giants won a World Series with Pat Burrell playing left field and the Boston Red Sox accomplished the same feat with Julio Lugo playing short, so it can be done.

However, the difference between what appears to this year’s version of the Marlins and those World Series teams is that those teams had dynamic pieces (Giants with their pitching and Red Sox with their overall talent) to help counter their deficiencies.

Over the past three seasons, the Marlins have had one of the worst defensive teams in baseball. I look at the 2011 Marlins and see a team that will once again struggle defensively.

Putting Coghlan in center won’t help the situation.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Everybody knows about Hanley Ramirez: 2009 batting champ, five-tool stud and perennial first rounder.

Everybody should know about Josh Johnson: Cy Young contender, career ERA of 3.10, a ton of potential.

But what else, if anything, do the Marlins have to offer fantasy owners?

In spite of the organization’s everlasting dedication to penny pinching, the Marlins have a handful of players that are sure to impact this year’s fantasy season.

Here they are, by order of importance, along with their 2011 projection:

1. Michael Stanton—.265 BA, 36 HR, 93 RBI 

The first thing you notice when you watch Michael Stanton is how hard he hits the ball. He is listed at 6’5″, 235 pounds, and he’s only 21-years-old. The guy is like an athletic version of Adam Dunn. However, his plate discipline is abysmal. He’s going to challenge Mark Reynolds for the major league lead in strikeouts. Nevertheless, his upside is still tremendous. He’s going to hit his fair share of home runs this year, but it’ll just be the tip of the iceberg. If you’re in a keeper league, Stanton is your guy. 

2. Javier Vazquez—15 W, 3.65 ERA, 194 K 

So the guy with a 4.41 ERA in three years with the White Sox wasn’t a success as a Yankee? Big shocker there! Yes, he was coming off of a career year with the Braves, but let’s face it, no one expected much out of him, and the NL is a pitcher’s league. I’m not counting on Javy to replicate his superb 2009 season, but he will be successful as a Marlin. He won’t have to worry about New York City expectations or intense media scrutiny. He will get comfortable in front of embarrassingly small crowds and become the No. 2 starter. 

3. Chris Coghlan—90 R, .283 BA, 11 HR, 62 RBI, 13 SB

The party was over very quickly for the 2009 Rookie of the Year as he hit .195 to start 2010. His 2009 batting average was impressive, .321, but he only hit nine HR and stole eight bases in 128 games. We know that he has the potential to hit for big average, as confirmed by his .377 average last June, but his season ended in July because of a torn meniscus (it’s hard to throw a pie sometimes, you know). His erratic performance makes it hard to predict how he will do long-term, but he is an extremely hard worker, so don’t count him out. He will likely be a top of the order staple, in front of three powerful hitters (Ramirez/Stanton/Sanchez). I’d look to steal him in the mid-to-late rounds because he has the potential to contribute in multiple stat categories. 

4. Gaby Sanchez—.278 BA, 23 HR, 88 RBI

Everybody in South Florida fell in love with Gaby Sanchez when he rushed to Chris Volstad’s defense and violently clothes-lined Nyger Morgan (MLB villain and 2010 fantasy disappointment). Aside from his WWF moves, Sanchez had a productive rookie year (.273/19/85). He likely will bat cleanup or fifth, behind three players with the potential to consistently be on base (Prado/Coghlan/Ramirez). He represents a favorable option for those teams who were unable to secure a top 1B. 

5. Ricky Nolasco—14 W, 4.41 ERA, 182 K

Some people picked Nolasco over Josh Johnson in last year’s draft. That would not be a good idea this year, to say the least. Nolasco is very streaky as he usually puts together a string of good starts, but he will similarly devastate you with a few awful starts here and there. Depending on where he is projected, fantasy owners may pay a high price for a largely over-rated pitcher. I’d steer clear unless you can pick him up late. 

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How many people remember when Anibal Sanchez exploded onto the scene in 2006 by posting 10 wins with a 2.83 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 114.1 innings (including a no-hitter)? 

Of course, focusing on the numbers would be ignoring his .240 BABIP or his miniscule 5.67 K/9, but those numbers aren’t important, right?

His numbers were impressive, but the three subsequent years were marred by injuries (including shoulder surgery) and inability.  He made a grand total of 32 starts (167.2 innings) over the three-year span, though 2009 showed signs of hope.  He posted a 3.87 ERA overall, including a 2.94 ERA in six starts over the final month of the year. 

He rode his strong finish into 2010 and Sanchez showed that he had potentially put his past behind him:

13 wins
195.0 innings
3.55 ERA
1.34 WHIP
157 strikeouts (7.25 K/9)
70 walks (3.23 BB/9)
.305 BABIP

It took quite a long time, but Sanchez may have finally fully recovered from the arm issues that cost him nearly three years of his career.  He averaged 91.3 mph on his fastball in 2010, faster than he was throwing back in ’06 (90.8 mph). 

That alone gives us hope.

Over his minor-league career he posted a 10.12 K/9, showing that the strikeout potential was certainly there.  How much stock can we actually put into that?  Probably very little, given what he has been through, though it gives us reason to think that his 7.25 mark from ’10 is probably his floor more than his ceiling.  I wouldn’t anticipate him taking a huge step forward, but an improvement certainly is possible.

He had always shown great control prior to his surgery.  Over his minor league career he posted a BB/9 of 2.91.  It is not a surprise that he struggled rediscovering his location after the surgeries.  While it may have taken longer than many others to find it again, 2010 was no fluke.  He has good control and should continue to do so in 2011.

The one number that jumps out that could be concerning is perhaps his home/road split:

• Home – 2.65 ERA, 1.23 WHIP over 91.2 innings
• Road – 4.35 ERA, 1.44 WHIP over 103.1 innings

There was some luck at play (.319 BABIP on the road vs. .286 at home), but it was more that he struck out fewer batters (6.27 K/9 vs. 8.35) that jumps out at you.  Exactly what is the explanation?  Could it be that sitting in the dugout for the first half of an inning threw off his rhythm? 

Anything is possible, but it is something that is worth monitoring.  We’ve seen it before where a pitcher is a must use at home and a bench option when on the road, so keep that in mind.

Obviously, none of the numbers he posted in 2010 are elite marks.  In fact they are far from it—but even if he could just replicate them he should be a solid option to fill out your fantasy rotation.  With his potential to take the next step forward as he puts his surgeries further in the rear view mirror, there is a lot to like.  Yes, there is risk, but late in your draft there is also a lot of potential reward.

What are your thoughts of Sanchez?  Is he a player you would draft?  Why or why not?

**** Make sure to order your copy of the Rotoprofessor 2011 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide, selling for just $5, by clicking here. ****

Make sure to check out some of our 2011 projections:

• Buchholz, Clay
• Butler, Billy
• Choo, Shin-Soo
• Ethier, Andre
• Freese, David
• Hughes, Phil
• Jaso, John
• Johnson, Chris
• Morrow, Brandon
• Uggla, Dan
• Reyes, Jose
• Suzuki, Kurt
• Wieters, Matt
• Willingham, Josh
• Young, Michael

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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Last August Florida Marlins fans and the whole South Florida area were furious with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria.

Financial documents had been released showing that the Marlins had actually been making money, when Loria and the front office had insisted that the team was losing money.

The Marlins front office had used that “losing money” sympathy to secure tax dollars to finance a brand new stadium for the Marlins.

Once the documents were released by Deadspin.com, South Florida residents and Marlins fans were irate. The local media went crazy in bashing Loria.

This was all helped by the fact that the Heat had just landed its “Big 3” and the Dolphins had made a splash with Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby.

The Marlins fans felt betrayed and ripped off. The other Miami teams were spending money to win, the Marlins were hoarding money for profit while trying to play a sympathy card to secure taxpayers’ money.

Have no fear Mr. Loria, here comes Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to help you.

The way Stephen Ross has handled the offseason has taken all attention away from Loria. The Jim Harbaugh fiasco drew ire. Then the letter to season ticket holders promising an explosive offense next year then hiring a boring offensive coordinator has made fans completely forget about Loria. 

Even as baseball season is right around the corner, all the fans and media want to talk about is Ross.

Loria probably has Ross on speed dial to thank him everyday for taking the spotlight.

It is really hard to determine which owner is more of a sleaze/idiot.

One thing is for sure, there is going to be a lot of empty orange seats in Sun Life Stadium over the next year.

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In 2010, most of the Florida starting pitchers looked like fish out of water on the mound. The Marlins’ starting pitchers were behind the league average in ERA, quality starts, and innings pitched per start.

For a team with such wellknown starters, each of whom has found success at some point in his career, the Marlins of 2011 have a good chance of improving from last season’s woes.

Josh Johnson has been fantasy gold the last two years. Despite a drop in wins in 2010, he had a 2.30 ERA, the second best in the majors,(King Felix was first with a 2.27 ERA). He was also second to Hernandez in quality start percentage,(82 percent to Felix’s 88 percent).

Some of his drop in wins is on the shoulders of the Florida Marlins offense. He had six games, the most in the majors, which were considered to be “wins lost”, meaning the Marlins’ bullpen cost Johnson the game he was in line to win.

He’s a strikeout machine, averaging more than nine strikeouts per nine innings, and his fabulous home run per nine innings rate,(0.3), led the majors.  It might be difficult for Johnson to have as good a year as he did in 2010, but assuming he can stay healthy, Johnson is in line to be a top ten pitcher for 2011.

Marlin newcomer Javier Vazquez will look to rebound from his 5.00 plus ERA and 6.9 K/9 rate with the Yankees last season. Before his 2010 New York Yankees stint, Vazquez had five straight seasons of 200 plus innings and at least eight strikeouts per nine innings.

Re-entering the NL East in 2011, Vazquez will likely be the Marlins’ second or third starter. He has a career 3.74 ERA against the rest of the National League East. For a guy who has had multiple seasons of high ERAs, Vazquez can still be considered a good play because of his strikeouts.

His 2009 season with Atlanta was the best season of his career with personal bests in ERA (2.38), WHIP (1.03), K/9 IP (9.8), and BB/9 IP (1.8). I like him as a nice fantasy baseball sleeper in 2011 with the Fish.

Continue Reading >>>

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In our first debate, we take a look at the top two shortstops in fantasy baseball as both should be top 10 picks. However, Troy Tulowitzki’s strong finish in 2010 has struck a lot of discussion on whether the 26-year-old should dethrone perennial top-two selection Hanley Ramirez. Bryan and I discuss who you should draft first.

Bryan: Last season, Ramirez had an ADP of 2.4 in ESPN leagues. He was coming off a great 2009 season in which he batted .342/.410/.543 with 24 homers and 23 steals. Florida had finally bumped him back to third in the lineup, and he rewarded the Marlins with 106 RBI. We all expected more of the same in 2010, but Ramirez disappointed with sub-par RBI production. All players, except Albert Pujols, of course, hit speed bumps in their professional careers, and if 2010 is Ramirez’s speed bump—and his career numbers show us no reason to think it was anything other than that—then the most electric shortstop in the game will be the best fantasy option at the position once again.

George: While it’s clear that these two are tops among shortstops, Tulowitzki has one big advantage over his counterpart—home field. In his six-year career, Tulowitzki has batted .312/.383/.544 at Coors Field, and his home/road power splits (.213 ISO/.179 ISO) show that he hits for power no matter where he plays. In a year where a lot of hitters disappointed, Tulowitzki actually exceeded expectation despite missing a month with a broken wrist. And now that he is staying in Colorado through the 2020 season, he should continue to meet them for years to come.

Bryan: I’m with you on one point, George. If you’re fortunate enough to have one of these two shortstops on your roster, you already have a significant advantage over the rest of your league. No other position offers such a gap between the elite and the near-elite, and no matter how much you love Jose Reyes, Alexei Ramirez, Derek Jeter or any other shortstop, you’d be lying if you said anyone else was even in Hanley and Tulo’s class. However, with Tulowitzki’s spotty injury history (122 games last year and just 102 in 2008), I consider it far too big of a risk to go with one of baseball’s newest $100 million men. Give me Ramirez’s average 152 games per season every time.

George: Take a quick look at Tulo’s injury history and you’ll realize that they are fluke injuries that have no ill-effect on how he presently plays. In 2008, he had his worst offensive season as a pro while missing 42 games with a torn tendon in his left quadriceps and then 16 days after he gashed his hand open on a broken bat. He showed no lingering issues in 2009, where he enjoyed his best offensive season. Last year, Tulo fractured his wrist and missed 33 games, but after about a month his power returned and he hit 14 home runs in September. It’s safe to say that Tulo has no lingering injury issues that owners need to worry about come draft day.

Bryan: To say Tulo has no lingering injury issues might be a stretch, but point taken. Still, if consistency is your thing, you’ll be hard-pressed to find more consistently great numbers those put up by Ramirez. In 2007, 2008 and 2009 he had OPSs of .948, .940 and .953, respectively, he’s stolen between 27 and 35 bases in each of the last three seasons, he’s batted at least .300 in four straight seasons, his K:BB ratio has remained stable and his strikeout rate in 2010 was the lowest its been since 2007. Tulo’s torrid September makes him the better choice if you subscribe to the “What have you done for me lately?” school of thought, but I’m a proponent of “What have you consistently done for me over the last few seasons since you’re just entering your prime?” It would probably be more popular if it had a better name.

George: If it’s the last couple of seasons you want to look at, then we can talk about Ramirez’s declining ISO (from .239 to .175) over the last three years. When it comes to shortstops, power is where these two players really separate themselves from the rest of the group as only four hit more than 20 home runs last season. The only season Ramirez hit over 30 home runs, his 19.2 HR/FB percent was much higher than his career average (13.4 percent), which suggests that he was lucky. If Ramirez’s power doesn’t return to a near-30 form, there is no major difference between him and Tulowitzki. I would rather take the player who excels more in home runs, rather than the one who will win out in steals. Also, in keeper leagues it should be noted that while Tulo is a perennial gold glove threat at shortstop, Ramirez is an average fielder at best and could be moved to the outfield and lose his position eligibility.

Check out our 2011 Fantasy Baseball Rankings:

• Top 30 Catchers
• Top 30 First Basemen
• Top 30 Second Basemen
• Top 30 Third Basemen
• Top 30 Shorstops
• Top 60 Outfielders
• Top 60 Starting Pitchers
• Top 30 Relief Pitchers

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