How come some of my peers are so shouty about Adam Dunn's 1.12 strikeouts per game, yet none of them seem to have noticed that the Marlins might employ six 100-strikeout hitters by the time the season is out? ... Josh Johnson has looked positively frisky in his first two 2008 starts, but he's still more of a breakdown candidate than anyone not surnamed Harden ... Look for reality to set in courtesy of back-to-back series against the Cubs and Metsies starting Friday.
07/09/2008
15
13
We have often criticized their rotation because of the likes of Mark Hendrickson. But Josh Johnson, returning from elbow surgery, and top prospect Chris Volstad have potential long term and can help in the short term. If they prove to be Ricky Nolasco-good -- talent-wise they are superior -- the Marlins can be a real threat to the Phils and Mets.
07/01/2008
13
12
A real favorable schedule now through the All-Star break, even though it is mostly on the road -- vs. WAS (3), at COL (4), at SD (3) and at LAD (4) -- should help them stay on pace in their division. Then they come out of the break against the Phillies. The NL doesn't want to keep their hungry young group in the mix, because GM Larry Beinfest was very good at pulling some triggers in the 2003 championship year.
06/24/2008
12
10
This nine-game homestand is hugely important, not only because the Phillies have looked vulnerable of late, but a season-long 11-game road trip follows and takes them into the All-Star break.
06/18/2008
10
10
Andrew Miller and Ricky Nolasco are making strides, but they still need more pitching help -- especially when the streaky offense isn't there for them.
06/10/2008
10
10
We were slow to move them up and expected to merely move them back down, but we will give them a reprieve from the brutal NL East road trip they are still licking their wounds from.
06/03/2008
10
6
We just knew once we bought into the improvement of the pitching staff, it would come back to haunt us. Their road trip to N.Y. Mets, Philly and now Atlanta is off a 2-5 start. We just can't see them sweeping the next three in Atlanta to get where we thought they had to be (.500) for the trip to be considered legit. This has to hurt their confidence.
05/27/2008
6
14
We have to say they can surge even higher if they go even .500 on their brutal to New York, Philly and Atlanta. This comes on the heels of sweeping former No. 1 Arizona last week. They had to prove they can beat those teams. Philly and Atlanta should be much stiffer tests than this cakewalk in Queens.
05/20/2008
14
13
The starting pitching is improving, save for the No. 5 spot, but not fast enough. Going 1-5 against the Reds and Royals is just pitiful.
05/13/2008
13
16
We keep harping on the lack of consistency with their starting pitching, but the fact remains they have lost just three series all season. That is either a sign their pitching isn't as bad as the numbers suggest, or they have just been on a six-week offensive tear. They have the best slugging percentage in baseball at .459.
Preseason Power Rankings
Date
Ranking
Previous
02/28/2008
29
-
About 18 months ago, when Joe Girardi has his team streaking down the stretch and he was streaking to manager of the year, things looked so much better. The young pitching never panned out, unless you count it stretching out across the surgical table in the cases of Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez. Another rebuild has them hoping Cameron Maybin is the second coming of Hanley Ramirez and latter isn't the next big name to be shipped out of town.
