Lineup Shuffle: Hanley Hits Third

Is this a good idea? Well, only if the Marlins are planning to play Alfredo Amezaga everyday at center.

Fredi Gonzalez adapted his lineup to suit his current situation - which is losing Josh Willingham to the 15 day DL (retroactive to Sunday) and nursing along a banged up Mike Jacobs who is having problems with an irritable finger. (Jacobs received cortisone treatment on the finger and is cleared to play, returning last night to the lineup.)

So what did the lineup look like? Amezaga lead off followed by Jeremy Hermida, Hanley Ramirez, Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla, Luis Gonzalez, Jorge Cantu and then the pitcher spot.

The Marlins put 6 runs on the board last night, so it seems it shook things up. Four of those runs, however, came from one man - Dan Uggla - who crushed 2 pitches for home runs last night. But here is what does work also - hitting Hermida second.

Hermida is a patient hitter who can work the count. He is also a dynamic enough hitter to be able to do what a #2 needs to do - adapt. He can work the count and get on base if he needs to or he can drive in a run if the lead off hitter gets on. As a lefty, you could also squeeze a runner with a bunt or possibly put a hit and run on as he will be coming out of the left-handed box which can by more time. More importantly, Hermida looked comfortable in the 2nd slot going 3 for 4 last night. He has the ability to drive in runs and put the ball in play, which means more action at the top of the lineup for the Marlins, too.

Uggla also looked like the same hitter in the 6th spot as he was in the 2nd spot. Which he admitted in a post game interview last night. So, if Uggla is going to have the same hitting approach, why put him back at the #2 spot?

This was also a chance for Hanley to become more of a run producer instead of a table setter. Despite his excellent on-base percentage, Ramirez also has excellent numbers that project to good run production. With the Marlins missing Josh Willingham at the moment and testing Mike Jacobs' health, they needed some kind of protection in the middle of the order, something they may have lacked in the Dodgers' series. Although I think Hanley is better suited to hitting first, as he is a potent weapon, we can try (again) to see him at the third spot as long as Willingham is out.

Also, it was interesting to finally see Amezaga lead off. The guy is a scrapper and makes pitchers work. What better person to have lead off than some one like that? The problem is, he is not an everyday player and when he isn't in the lineup, who will lead off?

For now, it seems Fredi is experimenting. It paid off last night against the Dodgers but Hanley still is showing signs of being in a slump (which doesn't matter where he hits right now).

Cabrera Leaving? ARod Returning?

Right now, we should be asking ourselves, is it really in the best interest of the Florida Marlins to trade Miguel Cabrera? How is the franchise with the lowest turnout and impending stadium issues going to communicate that it is here for the long haul?

By trading Cabrera?

The obvious answer is no. But if the scenario is painted correctly, perhaps not - let's dare to dream a bit.

Let's say Cabrera is dealt for a starting pitcher and a young stud center fielder. You fill two voids in the lineup but create another one. We need a third baseman and Matt Dominguez is a few years away.

Is there any real possibility that the Marlins sign Alex Rodriguez?

There is a very faint rumor - and it is probably just that - that ARod would not only be given the salary he is looking for (upwards of $30M) but also a stake in the franchise.

Let's examine that possibility. That would mean not only the likely AL MVP would be playing for the Marlins, not only be their team leader, but also he would return home and would have a vested interest in the franchise being successful. Local boy makes good, brings hope to the millions and puts a face with the organization - with a possible chance at competing for years to come.

It is viewed as a longshot right now, but so where the 2003 Marlins.

Yet, could ARod actually return to Miami? There is enough here, believe it or not, to persuade him to do so. We have lots of young talent in Miami, and it just needs a leader to congeal the team. This void of leadership is evident from the way Fredi Gonzalez runs this team - he seems to require a veteran roster to fit his managerial style. With a player of ARod's stature, that need would be met. Not to mention the Marlins would now compete as a draw and its PR campaign would mirror the Heat's with its star players Shaq and Dwyane Wade drawing international attention.

All of this, of course, hinges on the Marlins trading Miguel Cabrera and possibly even Dontrelle Willis to free up some space in the treasury to sign a guy like ARod. And surround him with young (cheap) talent to compete. Maybe that would be enough to get Marlins fans and los politicos to push for a stadium solution.

Or maybe trading Cabrera and DTrain is a prelude to contraction.

Either way you look at it, both possibilities are long shots as of right now. But there could be some good in entertaining the idea of trading Cabrera as a catalyst to positive change for this franchise.

Bad Loss Shows Fredi is Not Ready

There is no such thing as a good loss. I know some will say there it, but there really isn't. You lost.

Tonight's game against the Freds was a good example of terrible. Mitre started off demonstrating what that adjective means, but pulled it together and got through 6 innings while only surrendering the 3 runs from the first inning. The Marlins' bats woke up and they took back the lead to make it 5-3.

Then it all went wrong.

Armando Benitez comes trotting out and immediately gives up hit after hit after hit. Nothing was fooling the Freds batters, Benitez might as well have been throwing beach balls up there. Yet, Fredi did not budge. He kept Benitez in and the lead evaporates and becomes a 7-5 deficit.

Now, we could go on about how the Marlins threated to come back and that they made some noise but ultimately, they still choked. Then again, why blame it all on the team when it was clearly Benitez who couldn't do anything other then throw ropes at the plate.

Yet, even that wouldn't be right. Fredi Gonzalez never made a move. Never even blinked. Tommy Hutton, long time Marlins announcer, was on the border of criticizing Fredi but let's face it, the things he said on the air were scathing criticisms, if we want to twist words like media pundits do.

And all that criticism is worth it because the Marlins never got to keep that lead and really it shouldn't have gotten that bad. In the 7th Tank loaded up the bases and Gonzalez had nothing else better to do but trot out Justin Miller. And quicker than a case of beer at a frat party, the Freds bases-loaded threat was over.

Yet, in the 8th Fredi went too long with Benitez and it cost his team a win. The lack of direction and the unwillingness to embrace confrontation when needed is keeping Fredi from growing as a manager and retarding the growth of this young Marlins ballclub. Of that, I am totally convinced now.