Fish Net: Marlins updates 9/28/06

Mike Jacobs takes leave

Mike Jacobs has been excused for the final series of the season, citing personal reasons. It seems he recieved news about his family and needed to tend to them. We hope all is well, Mike, you're a stand up guy and a great part of this team.

There will no doubtedly be speculation about why a leave was granted, and even with the Perry Hill situation there has been whispers that it was due in part to Girardi. But let's not make that mistake here.

2007 Marlins, World Champs?

MarlinAddict made this interesting point which I think we should chew on during the offseason as we have probably another turbulent one:

"Just for the record, and in keeping with baseball superstitions:

The Marlins best two losing seasons have been followed by their two WS championships.

Prior to winning the 1997 WS, the Marlins 80-82. We sweep the Phillies, and we're there.

Prior to winning the 2003 WS, the Marlins were 79-83. We win the series with the Phillies and we're there.

SAT question: The Marlins won 80 games before their first WS, 79 games before their second WS, how many games will they win before their third WS? Answer 78 - we win one game against the Phillies, and we're there.

Next year is 2007, and we only win WS in odd-numbered years."

LINK

No chance at .500

With the loss last night, the Marlins ended their search for a .500 season. At the start of the season, even sniffing anywhere over 70 wins would seem miraculous based on the prognostications. And with all the rookie records being set and the team in line to break its franchise record for runs scored, there is no doubt that the team was a success this year.

Girardi done as a Marlin but why?

The latest report from the Sun-Sentinel, courtesy of Mike Berardino, is that Girardi is going to be booted as manager of the Marlins at the end of the season.

Berardino cites an unamed source who gives several reasons as to why this will take place: from the incident where Loria was actually yelled at by Girardi and Tuck to stop arguing with the umpire (which has several various accounts), to personnel decisions debated internally by the Marlins front office and Girardi. There are even growing concerns about Girardi's in-game managerial skills where he has shown his inexperience most at times. For example, Abercrombie being implemented in CF at the end of a game which saw him make 2 huge errors to help blow a 4 run 10th inning lead on the Braves; bringing Josh Johnson out to continue pitching after an 82 minute rain delay which may have resulted in him landing on the DL to end the season.

But these are seemingly only reasons for Girardi's job security to come into question, not reasons to fire him.

There are a lot of mistakes that Joe has made over the course of this season that must be factored in for a rookie manager to make. Of course, the Marlins have themselves to blame for that decision since they knew Girardi had NEVER managed anywhere prior to this season.

What is puzzling however, is what precisely the level of expectation was within the organization. What was the main objective for this franchise this season and for the front office? If they had actually foreseen their success, then firing Girardi would be excusable since they expected to get to the postseason and Girardi failed to get them there.

The success that came this season was never a realistic option. Beinfest has said as much that the success of this season is a shock to them, but only in terms of wins - not in regards to the talent level of this team.

Such a comment would only undercut any endorsement of Girardi at all, the suggestion being that the manager is almost redundant. This obviously is not the case since the Marlins are working on shipping Girardi off.

Yet before we can decry "Say it ain't so, Joe!", let's not loose sight of something very important - Joe Girardi was the favorite to manage this team. He was handpicked by Jeffrey Loria a year ago and the Marlins brass were very excited in bringing him in and with the possibility of managing this team.

So what is the story here? Why exactly is Girardi being fired? For being a malcontent employee who crossed the line? For being inept and performing at an unsatisfactory level? To guide a team full of rookies above and around .500 and into the wild card chase - with only a $15M payroll - is almost unheard of. To do it as a rookie manager yourself is just short of miraculous.

Yet some feel that Joe Girardi is not the main impetus behind the Marlins success - and they would be mostly right. The Marlins are on pace to score the most runs in franchise history. They also have a guy who has grabbed 30+ saves for this organization for the 3rd straight season (each one being a different player). The young starting rotation has pitched at a very high level, too.

In other words, the talent has been there. Hanley Ramirez and Mike Jacobs were both highly touted prospects coming out of the Red Sox and Mets organizations, respectively. Anibal Sanchez was a big bonus hitching a ride to south Florida along with Ramirez - and in fact, wasn't expected to stay for too long as he was called up to make an emergency start against the Yankees in a double header. Throw into the mix Scott Olsen, Josh Johnson, Josh Willingham and you have three home grown contributors to this team. Ricky Nolasco, another Cub gift, blossomed once he took over a spot in the rotation.

The front office went out and got the talent to load up on and compete on the field. It was made easier by the capital they traded away in assets like Lo Duca, Delgado, Beckett, Lowell, Mota, Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo.

But they were also the ones that grabbed Girardi to manage this team, too.

And lots of people are going to point the finger at Loria for having a big ego or not being man enough to somehow compromise on this issue. To fire Girardi just because his feelings got hurt is a little ridiculous. I am inclined to expect a little more from Loria as well as believe he would be more tolerant of the situation if the sentiment within the clubhouse was mutual: that being it is water under the bridge and let's move on.

That is precisely the problem, however - there doesn't seem to be any sentiment for tolerance where Joe is concerned. The front office has been documented to be at odds with him for some time now in dealing with personnel choices. Joe wanted Miguel at 1B instead of 3B. He wanted Willingham at catcher. He wanted Billy the Marlin to pitch the 8th.

Simply put, time has run out and so has any tolerance from the guys who own the ball to the guy who wants to manage how it is played. Girardi doesn't seem to fit in with the franchise's philosophy at best, or its just devolved into a mud-slinging campaign between two factions. What is strange is that the team has had a very successful year, this is the kind of thing you see develop within organizations that are struggling.

Stay tuned.

Finish what you start

A tenth inning meltdown to the Braves and the Marlins' season is on life support.

Oooppss...I think we lost them.

Maybe there is a chance to resuscitate this team, but most likely they are DOA. The loss to the Braves was a defensive implosion that cost them the game and ultimately their playoff hopes. Borowski, performing his best impression of himself in 2003 with the Cubs, couldn't find the plate and when he did it was like Tball.

Still, there is no reason to respond the way they did. They lost to the Mets tonight 4-0 in what looked to be a quicker foldup than a tent in a hurricane. There was no life in this team, none of the accustomed fight we have become used to seeing from this young ballclub.

And this is even more vital to their development - finish what you start.

Even if you are down and have no chance, you still have to come to the park and play hard and be professional. That is what it is all about. They still have a goal to shoot for - finishing above .500. No one expected them to be this close to the playoffs, let alone this far under the 100 loss marker. They have done a fine job and should be commended.

Unless, they finish badly.

You cannot let your mind be distracted by plays that could have been, should have been or what would have been. You have to go out and focus on today and if this team is going to capitalize on its vast potential for next season, they have to start by finishing this season strong. The experience of being in a pennant race - even on the outside looking in - is invaluable. They will be more hardened and battle-ready next season. They will be less likely to make the boneheaded plays that have costed them their chance this season during the next season.

That is a part of their development. Joe Girardi knows this and basically said that this only means they have to win an extra game to make up for the loss to the Braves. His team responded flat tonight. He needs to find a way to rally them to a strong finish - something he needs to learn to do since he is a rookie manager with no experience.

Don't hang your heads low, guys - be proud of where you are. But don't be satisfied either. Finish strong; finish what you started.

No! Anibal Makes History

103 pitches, 6 K's, 4 BB's, 9 IP, and 0 hits. That is the line for Anibal Sanchez tonight as he chokes the Diamondbacks out of Miami and the Marlins continue to play meaningful baseball in September. And on a night that they needed a win, they got so much more.

This night belongs to Anibal "Dirty" Sanchez. Or is it Anibal the Animal? He pitched like a beast tonight, like he was playing for blood. The best illustration of this was the last better he would face - Eric Byrnes.

It was the top of the 9th, the small but hearty crowd was all abuzz. The din growing louder and louder and the excitement and emotion of everyone at the game was thickening like the night's humidity. Byrnes stepped in - 2 outs and only 1 more to go for Anibal and the Marlins to make some history on a Wednesday night in northern Dade county. Like a meteor, Anibal's fastball roared towards homeplate sizzling the air along the way. A 95 MPH heater that found the back of Miguel Olivo's glove while Byrnes twisted and contorted in vain to make contact.

This was Anibal's night.

And to think, he was a relatively obscure rookie that impressed everyone with his poise in spring training. This would prove valuable since it was for this reason he was called up to make his major league debut against the Yankees. Hey, the Marlins had to play a double header and were in need of an emergency starter after all. All Anibal did back then was impress and hold the Yankees scoreless through his 5 inning debut.

Now, at 7-2, he has a no hitter under his belt in only his 12th career start. He has a good friend in Miguel Cabrera, a fellow Venezuelan who has helped him adjust while young Anibal was away from his beloved wife. But Sanchez has made a lot more friends tonight. Well, at least in South Florida anyway.

But no nickname...

The 4th no no in Marlins history; the others being by Al Leiter (1996), Kevin Brown (1997) and AJ Burnett (2001). The Marlins are tied with the most no hitters in baseball since 1993 - with the Yankees.

But how many rookies have been able to achieve such a feat? That is what makes this young pitcher so special, as he ends the night with cream all over his face, courtesy of one Dontrelle Willis.

And it is just another reason why this 2006 Marlin team is so special. Congratulations, Anibal - you made your fans and your countrymen proud tonight.

Oh yeah, and thank you Red Sox for making that trade back in November.

I watched the whole game online (congrats MLB on your Mosaic feature). I called people and told them "something special" was going on with the Marlins game. I wouldn't even tell my girlfriend what was going on - I wrote it on my hand and showed her. Hey, I wasn't going to jinx Anibal. Not this night.

Only the 19th rookie since 1900 to throw a no hitter. And the first Venezuelan to do it.

Marlins' run is one for the books

History. In this new age of information, it is the data that you create that seems to be the next frontier of the human experience to be explored and quantified. And the 2006 Marlins are certainly creating ripples through the minds of many observers.

Never. That is the last time a team in MLB went from 20 games under .500 to over .500 in the same season. There is mention of the 1899 Louisville Colonels as the last team to do something similar - they were 22 games under .500 but finished the season under .500 at 75-77-3 - but even they did not do what the Marlins have just done.

Since May 22, back when the Marlins where 11-31, they have run the table at a 58-37 pace. They have the best team ERA in the NL at 3.99 - which is the biggest clue as to what this team has done to get where they are.

All of this on a Labor Day where the Marlins erased a 5 run deficit, their biggest of the season, to win. Borchard and Uggla brought the fireworks.

This team is hot, this team is confident. This team is historical.

They have the lowest payroll in all of baseball - $15M dollars. They are also playing the most rookies of any team out there and have the most rookies in their lineup that fans of teams have seen in a long time. They are on the verge of another record break - having three rookie position players with 20 or more home runs. They already have three rookie starters with 10 or more wins, another record.

Record after record is being taken by this Marlins team. Chronicled by the observers, this team that was pegged to lose over 100 games is now on pace to grab about 83+ wins.

So the Marlins are turning more heads than a Shakira spread these days. With this kind of perspective the only question remains - where are you?