It's way too early to make serious predictions, but the Marlins look like they will be a contender in the National League East this season. They won the weekend series against the Mets with a dominant pitching performance from Josh Johnson - I'm already regretting dropping Johnson from one of my fantasy baseball teams before the season started!
The starting rotation might end up being among the best in baseball - all five starters are young and all five starters have the potential to be very good. Johnson has looked the sharpest early on, but Ricky Nolasco had a fine season last year and Anibal Sanchez might finally be back from arm surgery that temporarily derailed a once-promising career in 2007. Chris Volstad and Andrew Miller don't have a lot on their resume yet, but if either one lives up to potential than the Marlins can lay claim to the best rotation in the division.
The bullpen is still an adventure and the lineup is a little light once you get past Cameron Maybin, Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla, but good starting pitching will keep your team in every game. I can see this team picking up 85 to 90 wins in 2009 - right around the same total that I see for the Mets.
2 comments:
They are going to be tough everytime Johnson pitches. Nolasco will probably come back to earth, Sanchez is tough if healthy and Volstad has star written all over him once he gets his feet steady.
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