Florida Marlins

It is hard for a baseball player to get attention playing in South Florida. You have to be good, real good, before the baseball world starts to notice.

Just ask Josh Johnson. He is one of baseball's best pitchers, yet even the local Miami Herald did not include him in a comparison of the league's best.

Last season, he returned to the Marlins after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2007 after beginning the season 0-3 with a 7.47 ERA. Look at what the kid has done since then:

Jeremy Hermida is probably one of the better-hitting outfielders in the league; while Jeff Francouer is a Gold Glove caliber outfielder, his offense has never been as good as it was in 2006. Francouer has been rumored to go the the Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, Royals and now the Marlins. Maybe Francoer can turn around his hitting with Florida, but I doubt it. Hermida is a better hitter than Francouer and is very good defender in right field.

Is Hanley Ramirez talking his way out of South Florida? 

Marlins fans would certainly hope he is not, though his antics this season are certainly a growing concern.

In yet another bout of immaturity, the Marlins star player chose to speak out to the media regarding an 88 mph fastball he took off of the elbow in the sixth inning of yesterday's game. The pitch, coming from Toronto Blue Jays reliever Dirk Hayhurst, came two innings after a pitch found its way into Jeremy Hermida.

Let's keep this this short and sweet. Where did the Marlins Fans Go?

While watching the game between the hometown Brewers and the Florida Marlins on my raggedy blue couch, a thought swirled around in my mind.

Wasn't it just six years ago that the Fish were in the World Series, and their makeshift baseball field was filled with a capacity crowd, each of the members of the turquoise-clad group on their feet, rooting on their Marlins.

Yes, the stadium they play in is still the same dump as in that glorious title year of 2003, but the fans have not shown up.

Two weeks into the young MLB season I was predicting a World Series Championship for my hometown Florida Marlins.

1997, 2003, 2009—that's every six years! It made sense that 2009 would be the Marlins' year.

Even if you did not want to believe the Marlins were World Series contenders, they sure looked like a playoff team. They were five games ahead of everybody in the NL East, they had a pitching staff that looked incredible, and they had a productive lineup.

The Mets had been on a roll so far this homestand, sweeping the Nats and taking the first one in extras against the Fish.

So it makes sense to send out their B squad to face Marlins’ ace Josh Johnson, who has manhandled the Mets so far this season, right? 

It seems like every player who has been on a hot streak got the day off. Sheffield was replaced in the lineup by Tatis, who hit clean-up and played third. David Wright sat because his last few games have been out of character for him.

Today the Phillies announced that they would honor Harry Kalas by placing him on the Wall of Fame in Ashburn Alley.

Clayton Kershaw was wild on Sunday. At times, he struggled with his control and had thrown over 100 pitches by the eight inning. Yet, after seven innings, he still had not allowed a hit.

While not having the best contro,l Kershaw still pitched an effective game. So effective that many at LandShark Stadium were preparing to witness history.

Friday night I was at the Dodgers-Marlins game and saw firsthand the farce that baseball umpiring is. I was compelled to shout at the sky to whoever may be listening in the heavens. Unfortunately stadium security was clearing out the remaining thousand or so fans remaining so I have to direct my rumblings towards the internet heavens.

Despite becoming a baseball fan sixteen years ago with the arrival of the Marlins to my South Florida neighborhood, I’m still somewhat of a novice when it comes to the rules and details of the sport.

After a great 11-1 start and subsequent seven game losing streak, the Florida Marlins are 17-15 and in second place in the National League East. They are a half game behind the first place New York Mets.

The Marlins lineup is a good mix of veterans (Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross), players just coming into their primes (Hanley Ramirez, Alfredo Amezaga, Jeremy Hermida) and young players getting their first full time chance in the big leagues (Cameron Maybin, Emilio Bonifacio).