Florida Marlins

The Rockies lackluster performance in game one of the doubleheader on Saturday was made up for in game two.

What is up with Jorge Cantu?

He now has at least one hit and one RBI in each of the Florida Marlins' first nine games.

That is a record. That's right, he is the first player to accomplish that in the history of Major League Baseball.

Mike Piazza of the New York Mets has the longest streak of a hit and an RBI. On Jun. 14, 2000, Piazza went 2-for-5 with three RBI against the Chicago Cubs. Then for 15 consecutive games, ending on Jul. 2, he managed to get at least one hit and at least one RBI. 

The most successful team in baseball is the Florida Marlins.

Why?

Money.

Professional sports are a business. Businesses make money. The Florida Marlins almost always have the lowest payroll. Last season, the Marlins finished with a payroll of 37 million dollars.

The only team lower then them was the Pirates with 25 million dollars. The Marlins have finished over .500 each of the past two seasons.

How do they keep doing it?

Like the Rays, they stock up on young talent.

Just to make things clear, I am not talking about the mediocre lefty for the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox who all of a sudden became unhittable in the postseason for the New York Yankees.

I am talking about the big outfield prospect for the Florida Marlins.

If you are not familiar with the Marlins’ version of Mike Stanton, then you will be very shortly. He is a big man who can hit a baseball very far.

Today’s edition of “Fish Bytes”, the Miami Herald’s daily blog that covers the Florida Marlins, says that the club had a scout in Fort Myers yesterday watching Mike Lowell throw the leather at first base. As was reported here last night, Lowell made his spring training debut at first base in the game, going 1-for 2 and playing three innings in the contest.

Lowell played seven seasons with the Marlins from 1999-2005 and was a very popular player both in the clubhouse and in the community. He hit .272 with 143 HR and 578 RBIs while with Florida.

The Florida Marlins opted not to sign a veteran first baseman to fill their need, so they will instead turn within the organization to plug the hole. 

The most likely player to open the season is Gaby Sanchez, the team's 2005 fourth-round draft pick.  The question fantasy owners have to ask is, does he have the potential to make an impact in 2010?

He spent the bulk of the 2009 season at Triple-A, posting the following line:

Here's the situation: You're a general manager for a new expansion baseball team and Bud Selig has decided to give you the choice to pick any player in the league on any team with your first pick.

Sounds easy enough, right?

Then the real problem arises:

Whom do you pick?

Do you go with an elite hitter like Albert Pujols, or do you take a lights-out starter like Roy Halladay? Do you take a money closer like Mariano Rivera, or do you go with a young stud like Joe Mauer?

This continues my 2010 MLB preview. I intend to touch every team in the major leagues in installments by division.

The lineups I provide will be what I predict to be the most productive for each team for the MAJORITY of the season (e.g., Jason Heyward will be listed as the Braves RF even though he may not begin the season as the starter).

I will also provide the stereotypical letter grade to each team's lineup, rotation, bullpen, and depth/bench. Though it is trite, I think all baseball fans can identify with the letter grade system.

The Marlins have earned a reputation of making the most out of having the least.  The fact is that you don't win 87 games in the major leagues without some bona fide talent.  We all know the two stars, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, but where else can you find some impact fantasy players on this team?  The largest unknown this spring is how the pitching rotation will turn out.   Here is what you can expect from the Marlins pitching rotation.

Josh Johnson

Dreams became reality in 1997 when then-rookie Cuban pitcher Livan Hernandez cried out, “I love you Miami” in front of a national television audience

Marlins fans woke up and realized their Florida franchise really did win its first World Series in history.

“I love you Miami” probably can be heard again this season from Major League Baseball.