COMMENTARY: 347 Reasons Why Nobody is Safe From the Internet Media

I was at the Marlins game yesterday...all 18 innings in fact. When I got home from an 8 hour day at the ballpark, I had no idea the firestorm I had created. Perhaps you'll recognize this tweet:

"Unofficial count of 347 at sunlife for first pitch... myself included! Counted by hand. Still not the smallest crowd I've seen here"

It was my tweet, and a factual tweet. Maybe I should've thought twice but I've tweeted about Marlins attendance before and never gotten any attention from it. I figured the journalists who normally find any reason to bash the Marlins would understand the game was rescheduled for the DAY BEFORE its original date and that the weather forecast was still iffy. Now I didn't expect them to know school has already started down here and most college students have begun to return to campus (Actually it was also the first day of UM classes).

The original "400 person game" which made headlines.
Which game had more people? I think yesterday!

As I continued to tweet and check my twitter replies, like I always do, from my spot in section 110 on my phone, I noticed something peculiar. People I didn't know were RT-ing me and I got many comments about my tweet. I was just stating the facts, remember. As I checked my newsfeed, I noticed some of the twitter handles I follow for sports "juice" were mentioning links about Marlins attendance. Keep in mind, this was during the 1st game of a doubleheader. I was floored to see my tweet mentioned. Something I am used to, embrace, and enjoy, was turning into the joke of the nation. Heck, even SportsCenter only mentioned game 1 on the air and did that just to talk attendance.



So, with that all in mind, I'd like to share with you a few facts:

• FACT: Yes, 2500-3000 isn't a lot of people, but by the end of game 1 (the SCHEDULED start time), that was the approximate attendance. 

• FACT: I had to switch work shifts to go to both games. Most people don't have that luxury, and I am grateful to the people who helped me switch.

• FACT: I am also a member of the media, but I was a fan yesterday.

• FACT: Yes, I do love small crowds. So what? I'm honest! I love baseball, I am a diehard, and I work in baseball! If anyone tells you they enjoy going to a sold out game (other than for financial reasons), they're lying. It's so much more fun to be amongst a small crowd! 

• FACT: They only had 1 concession stand open...so yes there were still lines! But you get to park right up close (easy exit), and you get to know your fellow fans. Can you do that in Philly, NY, or Boston?

However, I do have to give credit to one member of the media who covered this right. Dan O'Leary of the NY Daily News (@DanOLeary25) reached out to me for an interview. His column is the only one on this topic that I endorse. However, I even got a bit of backlash for that.

People have asked me why I didn't bash management. Here is your true answer: The same reason I don't bash fans. Yes, Marlins management has made some stupid moves, which may or may not have had an effect on this season. However, I am not going to get suckered into tying a long time argument with another long time argument. Management does not control the weather, after all! One article asked why a city of 2.5 million people can't draw more fans? People work and attend school, a storm is coming, and the team's bad.

Believe it or not, people HAVE shown up for Marlins games
in the past!

So why am I posting this? Well as a diehard fan, I am pleading to the media to go easy on us. In my lifetime, my home team has won 2 WS championships. Who cares how many people show up? This team won't get contracted (read the agreement for the new stadium if you wonder why.). This will probably go down as one of the 3 worst years for this Marlins franchise, but if you in the media take away attendance, you'll see this has consistently been a team that competes well into September and is respectable despite its low payroll.

I feel like I can't win here. My tweets turn into bash attendance, and the Marlins fans who read my tweets and the articles want me to bash management. That's not what sports are all about! What ever happened to sitting back, enjoying the game, and just having fun! That's what makes baseball so great. There's no point in complaining. I got to enjoy 18 innings of baseball for $1 yesterday (I used a rain delay ticket which you can exchange for another game). I don't care if 300 or 30,000 people show up, as long as I get my money's worth and have a good time, it makes no difference!

Last Minute Add: I want to share this tweet I received from @Davejshea

@790Justin was at a Marlins game in 2003 against Expos, 185 fans. Also a DH and also counted by hand.

2003 was the WS year. Weather causes havoc and that DH was due to weather (believe it was another hurricane, actually). It happens. No need to place any blame or make a scene out of it. If they had played the game today as scheduled, there'd be either no complaints, or people would complain that they played in the middle of a hurricane. The bottom line, is the Marlins and their fans will never win. Ever! 

The Week (and a half) That Was - Florida Marlins 4/1-4/11

April 14, 2011

Work sucks! Well, not really, but it did keep me from blogging for a few days...or a week and a half. So, here is what you missed from the Marlins: (By the way, as a testament of how busy I am...it took me three days just to write this!)

Friday, April 1 - OPENING DAY

MIAMI GARDENS - The Florida Marlins took the season opener against the New York Mets, 6-2. After ceremonies that included the National Anthem (as performed by Clarence Clemons from The E Street Band), the Marlins took the field and Josh Johnson took control of the game, allowing no hits until the 7th inning. His new battery mate, John Buck, was not too shabby either. He blasted a grand slam for his first Marlins hit in his 2nd at bat in the 4th. Gaby Sanchez added an RBI single in the next inning, and following 2 Met runs in the second, Logan Morrison hit a big fly in the 8th. Mike Stanton left the game in the 6th with a tight left hamstring, he would not return the rest of the weekend. Josh Jonson earns the win for Florida and improves to 1-0 on the year.

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Saturday, April 2 - Could They Stay Undefeated?

MIAMI GARDENS - The Florida Marlins could not remain undefeated following their final opening day at Sun Life Stadium. They fought hard but reached a brick wall in the 10th inning, falling 6-4. The Marlins got on the board quickly, as Logan Morrison had a 2 RBI single in the 1st against Met Starter Jon Niese. The Mets, however, came back against Ricky Nolasco. David Wright hit a home run in the 4th, and Ike Davis doubled in the 6th to tie the game. Leo Nunez came in to keep the game tied, but he allowed Josh Thole's RBI single to give the Mets a late lead. To add insult to injury, K-Rod came in to pitch. Greg Dobbs came in to pinch hit, and, well, made the best of it. His single allowed Brett Hayes to score, and while the Marlins left Emilio Bonifacio at 3rd, they gained a second life, going into the 10th...where Ryan Webb, for lack of a better word - Failed. A David Wright single and Willie Harris double allowed three runs to score. Webb could not get through a half inning, and finished with an ERA of infinity. Mike Dunn prevented further damage and Hayes' single in the bottom of the inning kept things interesting, but it was too little too late. The Marlins fell and Webb was tabbed with the loss. Despite K-Rod's best efforts, he received the win and Blaine Boyer saved the night.

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Sunday, April 3, 2011 - Rubber Game

MIAMI GARDENS - This was a huge game for the Marlins. Well, maybe I'm overstating it, but the Mets looked like a bad team all weekend, so taking game 3 of the series and the season would be a big momentum booster. That was not to be, though, as the Mets and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey took care of the Marlins 9-2. Willie Harris continued to look like the best thing since sliced bread, as he blasted a 2-run home run in the first. The Mets went on to score 1 more in the inning as Javier Vazquez was rocked in his Marlins and 2011 debut. Ike Davis' home run, Daniel Murphy's ground rule double, and Dicky's RBI fielders choice coupled with an Emilio Bonifacio throwing error put the Mets up by 7 and knocked Vazquez out of the game. Despite an Omar Infante sacrifice fly and Gaby Sanchez's single, the Mets cruised to victory, bookending the game with 2 more runs in the late innings. Dickey earned the win and Vazquez took the loss as the Mets take the series and the Marlins fall to 1-2 on the year. 

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Tuesday, April 5 - New Opponent, New Life

MIAMI GARDENS - The Florida Marlins welcomed the Washington Nationals to town for the first of a three game set, and like with the Mets series, expected to cruise to victory. Game 1 was a victory, but it was hardly a cruise. Anibal Sanchez looked good, allowing only 2 runs. But he could not get out of the 5th inning because of a high pitch count. Fort Lauderdale native Michael Morse led the scoring off with a first inning RBI single, but Logan Morrison countered in the second with a home run. Marlin killer Ryan Zimmerman added a homer of his own to take a 2-1 lead and the bats were silenced until the 7th when Greg Dobbs tied it with a sacrifice fly. The game was tied until the 10th when, none other than Donnie BLEEPING Murphy drove in the winning run in walk off fashion. His single with the bases loaded and Drew Storen pitching allowed Omar Infante to score and the Marlins win game 1 3-2. Edward Mujica was tabbed with the win in relief. A crowd of 10,482 paid to see the game, although the crowd appeared much smaller, and while I do not attack the team for lack of fan support...this is one of the smaller crowds I have seen in my lifetime of following the Fish.

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April 6 - Still Looking Alright

MIAMI GARDENS - It seemed like a long night ahead, as Chris Volstad got rocked for 4 runs over 5 innings of work, but a twist of fate, patient hitting, and a bases loaded RBI triple turned the game around. The triple came shortly after Hanley Ramirez started the fifth inning scoring with an RBI double off starter Livan Hernandez. Later, John Buck came to bat and blasted a ball to dead center. It hit off the wall and was initially ruled a triple. The play went to review where it was discovered that the ball had not crossed over the yellow line and it was a game-tying, bases clearing triple. In the 6th, the Marlins brought in Brian Sanches, who got the win, while the Nats countered with Chad Gaudin, who allowed two runs, one of which was on an Omar Infante single. An infield error allowed the second run to score. Florida added a run in the eighth, and Leo Nunez closed the door. The Marlins took the victory and series.

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April 7 - First Sweep? Maybe Not

MIAMI GARDENS - The Florida Marlins fell short in their attempt for their first sweep of 2011 as they fell to the Washington Nationals 5-3 in 11 innings. Hanley Ramirez got the ball rolling with a double in the first and Gaby Sanchez drove in another run to make it 2-0 quickly. Jayson Werth's solo homer in the 4th and single Nationals runs in the 5th and 6th gave them the lead but the Marlins tied it with a run in the bottom of the 6th. It stayed tied until the 11th. And amazing leaping catch by Chris Coghlan was overshadowed by Adam LaRoche's 2-run home run which set the Fish straight and ended their run at a sweep. Florida takes a 3-3 record on the road, first stop: Houston...

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April 8 - Favorable Schedule Continues...Opening Day at 1-5 Astros

HOUSTON - The Marlins put a damper on Opening Day in Houston...barley. Ricky Nolasco pitched an impressive 8 innings with just two blemishes; a 3rd inning solo homer by J.R. Towles and a single in the 7th. With the Astros up in the 8th, Logan Morrison's RBI double and an infield singly by Gaby Sanchez turned the lead around. Chris Coghlan added insurance with a solo homer in the 9th, and it turned out to be the game winning run, as Brett Wallace hit one of his own in the bottom of the inning off Leo Nunez, who earned the save.  Hanley Ramirez was slid into by Bill Hall in what some call a dirty play. He did not play the rest of the series.

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April 9 - Marlins Try to Keep Rolling

HOUSTON - The Florida Marlins continued to take care of the "easy" teams...beating the Houston Astros winning 7-5, and despite a sluggish start, Javier Vazquez earned the win by laboring through 6 innings. Hunter Pence doubled to start the scoring in the 1st, but Donnie ("bleeping") Murphy tied it in the second. Pitcher Bud Norris followed in the bottom of the inning, helping his own cause with a double and then scoring later on to take the lead back. Houston tacked on an insurance run in the 5th, but the Marlins erased the deficit in the 6th with a Mike Stanton RBI double and a Greg Dobbs home run. A 2 run 7th an one run 8th sealed the deal, and despite tacking on a run in the bottom of the 8th, Houston could not overcome the Marlins "doubles party" as the Marlins take their second series in a row. 

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April 10 - First Sweep? Maybe Not (Part 2)

HOUSTON - Michael Bourn received his gold glove Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, but it was the pitcher; J.A. Happ, who stole the show offensively and on the rubber. Happ, who coming in had just 4 hits and 2 RBI in his career, collected two hits (including his second career double) and 2 RBIs. His only blemish was the Marlins only run in the 1st, when Logan Morrison singled home Omar Infante. The Astros got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Bourn scored a Hunter Pence single. Then, Happ stepped up offensively, with a 2 RBI double. That ended up sealing the deal as the Astros were up 3-1. They tacked on 3 in the 5th and 1 in the 7th to win 7-1. The game got chippy in later innings, when Marlins reliever Edward Mujica came in and, in the eyes of Home Plate Umpire Jim Joyce, thew at Bill Hall, who had been involved in the slide that took out Hanley Ramirez on Friday. Mujica was ejected and later fined. Astros reliever Aneury Rodriguez then "retaliated" by throwing at Gaby Sanchez. He was ejected along with manager Brad Mills. Both were later suspended by the league. 

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April 12 - Marlins Fall in Opener for the first time this season

ATLANTA - The record may not show it. The final score may not show it. But Chris Volstad pitched a good game, having a few breaks go against him Tuesday night in the opener in Atlanta. It didn't help that the Marlins bats fell silent. Volstad allowed 5 runs over just under 5 innings. Nate McLouth doubled in a run in the 3rd and Chipper Jones followed with an RBI single. Jason Hayward hit a solo home run in the 4th and Jones collected another RBI in the 5th before Brian McCann belted his first home run of the season. That was all the scoring. Braves pitching was fantastic, as Tommy Hanson allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5 over 7 innings.

FISH AND CHIPS - The paid attendance: 13,865. It was the smallest paid attendance for a game at Turner Field ever.

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April 13 - The Amazing Josh Johnson

ATLANTA - In the end it was Josh Johnson vs. a pitchers worst enemy: his pitch count. JJ went 7 1/3 inning without allowing a hit, but with 109 pitches under his belt, I'd gather to think Edwin Rodriguez was happy he didn't go any further. But Johnson seemed to get stronger as the night went on, with a 1-2-3 7th inning, striking out Dan Uggla and Jason Hayward in the process. It was the rookie, Freddie Freeman, who got the first hit for the Braves, prompting Edwin to the mound to take the ball from JJ. He got a loud standing ovation from the Atlanta fans, and pats on the back from his teammates. Meanwhile, the Marlins gave JJ more than enough run support to get his second win of the season. Hanley Ramirez had an RBI single in the first, and JJ helped his own cause in the 2nd. Chris Coghlan followed with an RBI single of his own and Logan Morrison followed with a solo home run in the 3rd. I'd be a bad reporter if I failed to mention Chipper Jones hit a home run in the 9th, the Braves only other hit. It was his 1500th RBI. Marlins win 5-1

I Apologize...

April 2, 2011

Everyone,

I apologize for not having my updates done this weekend. Panthers and Marlins updates will return on Monday. I've been working 12 hour days and will finally see off time Monday. Look for a LOT of catching up then. For now...enjoy your weekend!

Justin

Here it is, Your 2011 Florida Marlins 25 Man Roster & Starting Lineup!

March 30, 2011

The final Opening Day in FLORIDA Marlins history is tomorrow. Edwin Rodriguez finalized the roster yesterday. So...presenting your 2011 Florida Marlins:

#1 Emilio Bonifacio - OF

• Bonafacio enters his third season with the Florida Marlins. In 2010, he hit .261 with 0 HR and 10 RBI in 73 games. Bonifacio has 1 career home run...an inside the park homer on opening day 2009. Look for Bonifacio to be the super-sub once again, filling in at 2nd base and shortstop, along with center field. He needs to be better at his bunting for a hit and stolen bases to be successful in 2011 (his fielding stats don't matter too much for a guy like him).

#2 Hanley Ramirez - SS

• Hanley is Hanley. He has played all but 2 games of his career with the Marlins. His batting average last year was down to the 2nd lowest of his career. He hit "only" .300 with 21 HR and 76 RBI. Look for that batting average to rise as he is a career .313 hitter. Although the shortstop committed only 10 errors in 2009, he was up to 16 in 2010, still down from 26 in his rookie campaign. He has to keep the errors down to be successful in 2011.

#8 Chris Coghlan - CF

• Coglan played just 91 games before  he tore the meniscus in his left knee during a freak "pieing incident" after a Marlins walk-off win. Coghlan hit an impressive .394 this spring but his legs kept him from stealing bases and he spent half of the spring playing in minor league games as he had arm problems. Between his legs and arms, Coghlan is a GIANT "?" in his new position of Center Field. Coghlan had never played the outfield, except for 1 game a few days prior, before joining the Marlins in 2009. He won the ROY award that year. Time Will tell if he can be successful in center, but Marlins fans should be concerned about Coghlan, at least at the start of the season.

#9 Brett Hayes - C

• Hayes earned the backup catchers spot after John Baker was put on the 60-day DL. Hayes was sidelined late last year after then National Nyjer Morgan ran into him, sparking the now infamous brawl. Hayes should not have a huge impact on the team this year, as is the case with most backup catchers.

#13 Omar Infante - 2B

• Infante had a STELLAR spring and has proved to live up to the hype given when he was traded from the Braves in the Dan Uggla deal. Infante hit a career best .321 last year and followed up with a .414 spring training. Infante also brings with him great defense. He committed just 7 errors at 2nd base in 2010 and has experience in various infield and outfield positions. He won't hit the ball out of the park too often, but he will be a very important part of the Marlins in 2011.

#14 John Buck - C

• Buck was also an off season acquisition. He was signed by the Marlins to a 2 year contract. Buck's main goal is to work with the still young pitching staff. He has a .991 career fielding percentage. But the career .243 batter added a new skill last year. He hit .281 with 20 HR and 66 RBI last year 

#15 Gaby Sanchez - 1B

• Gaby returns for his 2nd full season with the Fish. In 2010, the rookie hit .273 with 19 home runs and 85 RBIs. He also settled in at 1st base, committing 11 errors in 149 games. Gaby followed up his near ROY season with a .368 spring training. Look for him to be impressive once again in 2011.

#18 Wes Helms - INF

• "Uncle Wes" returns for his 3rd season in this 2nd stint with the Marlins. He began his career in Florida hitting .329 in 2006. This was following stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. In 2009 he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and played the season before being re-acquired by the Marlins in 2010 for...$1. Helms had a horrid spring, but is a professional and a great locker room guy. He won't have any trouble staying with the Marlins this year.

#19 Anibal Sanchez - SP

•  The Marlins #4 starter is expected to face Washington's Jason Marquis on Tuesday at Sun Life Stadium. Anibal has been battling back from injury, finally playing a complete season last year, his first in his career. He went 13-12 with a 3.55 ERA in 2010. He is also the only active Marlin with a no-hitter (2006). I can see him getting to 15 or more wins this year, after his great spring. He went 3-0 in 5 starts with a 1.89 ERA.

#20 Logan Morrison - LF

• LOMO is just 23 years old, but he has already made his impact on the Marlins. He hit .283 last year while committing just three errors in left field over 62 games following Coghlan's injury. Perhaps that was the best thing to come from the injury, but now he is teamed up with Chris and Mike Stanton in the outfield. Logan needs some seasoning, hitting just .233 this spring, but he is an up-and-coming young star and will make an impact on the Marlins roster for years to come.

#22 Donnie Murphy - 3B

• Perhaps the biggest surprise this spring was Donnie "Bleeping" Murphy! He was sidelined with injury following a .318 season as a pinch hitter, his best yet. He had 2 walk off games in a week. But Murphy basked into the starting lineup this year. With Matt Dominguez's struggles, and Omar Infante wanting to stay at second base, the job became open. So, the non-roster invitee went from possibly not being able to play ... to becoming the starting third baseman, joining greats like Mike Lowell and Miguel Cabrera.

#23 Javier Vazquez - SP

• Javy will be the #3 starter for the Marlins. He will face R.A. Dickey on Sunday against the Mets. He had a rough spring going just 1-1 with a 4.57 ERA this spring, but finished with a solid 6 2/3 inning outing Tuesday. The 34-year old pitcher has lost velocity in recent years, but if he can keep his fastball around 90 MPH, Javy can continue his streak of 11 straight seasons with 10 or more wins.

#27 Mike Stanton - RF

• Not to state the obvious, but this guy is the REAL DEAL. He hit 22 HR in 100 games. This will be his first full season in the bigs, and look for him to approach the team record. Stanton missed most of spring training after hurting his leg running the bases against the University of Miami in the first game of the spring. In his return, he belted 2 home runs. The power hitter also has speed, with 22 doubles and even a triple! Stanton had just 4 errors in Right Field in 854 2/3 innings last year. He will be a stud this year and for years to come.

#29 Greg Dobbs - INF

• Dobbs' primary role in 2011 will be a lefty bat off the bench, and he will serve that position well. The non-roster invitee worked hard to earn his 2011 roster spot, hitting an insane .453 with 7 doubles, 1 home run, and 7 RBIs. Dobbs spent the past 4 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, hitting an abysmal .156 last year, but fits a pinch hitting role perfectly with a career .260 average. Dobbs has played in 190 games at 3rd base, and could fill in as a platoon or if Donnie Murphy fails at the position, until Matt Dominguez comes up.

 #32 Clay Hensley - RP

• Clay returns to the Marlins for his second season after making the team as a non-roster invitee last year. Hensley pitched in 68 games last season, holding a 3-4 record with a 2.16 ERA. He also earned 7 saves filling for Leo Nunez late in the season. Hensley is a valuable asset, able to pitch long and middle relief, as well as having capability to be a setup man or closer. He can also start in a pinch, so look for him in doubleheaders or as an emergency starter.

#33 Scott Cousins - OF

• Cousins snuck into the 2010 25-man roster as the 4th outfielder, a position many thought would go to DeWayne Wise. Cousins hit .297 in limited action in 2010. He spent most of the season at AAA before being called up for his first stint with the club. Cousins appeared in 27 games but only played 11 of those in the field. I don't know much about him, so it will be fun to watch

#34 Edward Mujica - RP

• Mujica was acquired in the Cameron Maybin Trade from San Deigo. After a tough start to his career, he found new life in San Diego. Mujica had a horrible outing last time out against the Mets. He gave up 4 runs in 1 inning, blowing a save in the process. His spring ERA ballooned to 9.26. Look for him to be a last option until he proves himself.

#35 Randy Choate - RP

• Choate is a veteran reliever. the Left Handed Pitcher is the true definition of a lefty specialist. He only appeared in 44.2 innings despite playing 85 games last year with the Tampa Bay Rays. He has a high ERA (4.39). One positive is opponents are batting .245 against him in his career. He should fit his position well, but I would not expect Choate to be used too often in other roles of the bullpen.

#40 Michael Dunn - RP

• Dunn struggled to start his spring training, but did not allow a run in his last 7 starts. The lefty was acquired from Atlanta in the Dan Uggla trade after an impressive rookie season. With the Braves, the 25-year-old has a 1.89 ERA in 25 games. He has limited experience but looks like a real good talent out of the pen, and should be a staple in the 2011 season.
  

#41 Chris Volstad - SP

• "Vol-Stud" will be the number 4 starter and enters his fourth season with the Marlins. He brings a career 27-26 record with a 4.47 ERA. The 24 year old from Palm Beach Gardens needs to keep the ball down. In 2009 he allowed on average a home run per game, and although his home run total went down in 2010, he still needs to work on that number (17 in 2010 and 5 this spring).

#44 Brian Sanches - RP

• Sanches has found life in Florida! But he made this 2011 team by the skin of his teeth. Perhaps his track record speaks for itself, though. After abysmal seasons in Philadelphia and Washington, the NL East Journeyman posted a 2.56 ERA in 56.1 innings in 2009. He followed that up with a 2.26 ERA in 63.2 innings in 2010. He has a 6-4 record in his time as a Marlin. This spring he did go 2-0 but had a rough 4.22 ERA in 9 games. He was able to beat out Bruke Badenhop for the final bullpen spot, so maybe another chance at new life will continue to help the 32 year old out.

#46 Leo Nuñez - CL

• Nuñez enters his 6th season in the majors and second as a closer. He compiled 30+ saves in each of those years. Nuñez has 71 saves as a Marlin. He spent the off season working on mixing up his pitches, but his main problem is the fastball. Sometimes, he gets over-exicted, causing him to overthrow his fastball. Other times, his lack of energy causes him to leave meatballs. He needs to finally get his energy down pat and control his fastball to be a superstar closer in 2011.

#47 Ricky Nolasco - SP

• Nolasco faught off injury, appearing in just 4 games. He is expected to face Jon Niese on Saturday night at Sun Life. This start will tell if he was rushed, but Edwin Rodriguez has faith that the starter who signed a contract extention this off season WILL be the number two. Ricky has a career 59-34 record, and ended up with a 14-9 record last year. Nolasco completed 1 game last year. This is a big year for him after his contract. He needs to continue his success to show he is worth the money owed to him over 3 years. I can see him being a 15 game winner easily.

#55 Josh Johnson - SP

• If you have been living under a rock and just read JJ's numbers for the first time, you'd think Nolasco was a better pitcher. But the reality is JJ is the better starter, he just has not been healthy. Josh hopes that is changing. Last year he had an 11-6 record with a 2.30 before he was shut down September 4. If Johnson can stay healthy, he will be a cy young candidate once again. People around baseball continue to call him a glorified ace, and he can be...again if he stays healthy. I think he can flirt with 20 wins in 2011.

#58 Ryan Webb - RP

• Webb is entering his third big league season. In 9 games this spring, he went 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA. Webb is a career 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA over 82 career games. He will be a key piece of the bullpen this year. Look for him to possibly be a setup or at worst 7th inning man this year.

What's to come this weekend: Later today I will post my series notes for the Marlins-Mets and today or tomorrow I will post my 2011 projections (Marlins and otherwise). On Sunday I will post my Marlins Wanna Be's post, previewing who will be and who should be on this team at some point in 2011. Also on Sunday, I will recap the Marlins-Mets opening series and on Monday, expect the Marlins-Nats series notes.

*ONLY 78 GAMES REMAINING AT SUN LIFE STADIUM*

Marlins Gameday - Final ST game @ Mets 12:10 PM 3/30

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins (15-14-1)

vs.

New York Mets (16-15-2)

Wednesday, March 30 12:10 PM, Digital Domain Park, Port St. Lucie, FL

TV: SNY/MLBN

RADIO: WAXY 790 The Ticket, WFAN 660 (New York - With the Great Howie Rose!)

PITCHERS - FLORIDA - Joe O'Gara NY METS - Chris Young

Fish and Chips - Ozzie Martinez was sent to AAA and DeWayne Wise was sent over to minor league camp. Burke Badenhop was also sent to AAA, paving the way for Brian Sanches to be the last reliever added to the roster. 

WEATHER PERMITTING - Marlins gameday...2 more until OPENING DAY! vs AA Cards 1:05 PM 3/29

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins [SS] (14-14-1)

vs.

St. Louis Cardinals [SS](14-15-1)

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 1:05 pm Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL (Florida home)

NO TV/RADIO

STARTING PITCHERS: FLORIDA - Javier Vazquez vs. ST. LOUIS - Lance Lynn

I will be at the game, and will probably have a recap tonight!

Marlins (rainy?) Gamedays - at Mets and at Cardnials 1:10 and 1:05 PM 3/28

***MLB updated their team websites with a more modern look. Check out the new Marlins site. Looks great! A+++!!!***

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins [SS] (13-14-1)

vs.

St. Louis Cardinals (14-14-1)

Monday, March 28, 2011 1:05 pm Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL (St. Louis home)

RADIO: WAXY 790 The Ticket (Miami)

STARTING PITCHERS: FLORIDA - Ricky Nolasco vs. ST. LOUIS - Jake Westbrook

* * *

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins [SS] (13-14-1)

vs.

New York Mets (15-15-2)

Monday, March 28, 2011, 1:10 PM, Digital Domain Park, Port St. Lucie, FL

CANCELED - RAIN

Marlins Game Day vs Nationals 1:05 PM 3/27

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins (12-14-1)

vs.

Washington Nationals (15-12)

Sunday, March 27, 2011, 1:05 PM, Space Coast Stadium, Viera, FL 

Radio: WAXY 790 The Ticket (Miami) WAQI 710 (Miami-Spanish), WFED 1500 AM (Washington) 

STARTING PITCHERS: FLORIDA - Adalberto Mendez vs. WASHINGTON - Ross Detwiler

Marlins Game Day: vs. Cardinals 1:05 PM 3/26/11

MARLINS GAME DAY

Florida Marlins (11-14-1)

vs.

St. Louis Cardinals (13-13-1)

March 26, 2011 1:05 pm Roger Dean Stadium, Jupiter, FL (Florida home)

 TV: FS-Florida, FS-Midwest (St. Louis)

RADIO: WAXY 790 The Ticket (Miami), 710 WAQI (Miami-Spanish), KMOX 1120 AM (St. Louis)

STARTING PITCHERS: FLORIDA - Chris Volstad vs. St. LOUIS - Chris Carpenter