Florida Marlins

As the fantasy baseball trade deadline approaches, its getting closer and closer to the time when you need to lock-in your rosters. As always, benching the bad and starting the good can keep your team atop the standings for your stretch-run into the playoffs. Let’s take a look at some players you can acquire through trades or just through free agency.

Start ‘Em

Shortly after securing their future long-term home, Marlins Ballpark, in Little Havana near Downtown Miami, the Marlins began their long-term deals with their marquee players. 

In 2008, the Marlins signed their all-star shortstop Hanley Ramirez to a six year, $70 million extension that goes through the 2014 season. It was their first such long-term deal since they signed first baseman Carlos Delgado to a five year deal in 2005. 

The Marlins continued that trend by locking up their ace, Josh Johnson to a four year extension worth $39 million in 2010. 

Shortstop is a top heavy position in fantasy baseball. After five or six elite guys and three to four more decent options, the bottom falls out fast. Those playing in the popular ten-team mixed leagues might not have too much trouble filling their SS spot, but those in deeper leagues will most likely be scrambling for production. At this point in the roto season, the best thing you can do is to see which categories you can still pick up points, and use your SS spot to go after those category-specific needs.


TIER 1

Another game, another loss.

At this point in the season, this seems to be a common theme for the Florida Marlins.  Shoddy pitching by a starter not named Josh Johnson (in last night's case, Sean West), no offensive prowess and a bullpen with names like Jose Veras and Burke Badenhop not helping the cause. What makes it worse is that the Marlins lost 6-1 to a Philadelphia Phillies team missing All-Stars Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino.

A Chance for the Marlins to Improve

By Keith McGowan

A few weeks ago, amid all the Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross trade speculations, an idea randomly popped into my head. Hanley Ramirez is arguably the most explosive bat in the Marlins line up.  Unfortunately, his defense is…we’ll just go with “less than stellar.” 

In 2012, the Florida Marlins will move into a new ballpark in downtown Miami and will be renamed the Miami Marlins with an all new logo, color scheme, and young nucleus.

Most of their stars will be 30-years-old or younger, and I will highlight that here. Certainly, they have one of the most talented nucleus of players in the Major Leagues, and there is no telling what they can do once they move into a new environment, a true baseball stadium with the top players in the game.

So the 2010 non-waiver trade deadline has come and gone.

Amid all of the speculation, Dan Uggla and Cody Ross still remain in the Florida Marlins lineup. The club remains on the fringe of both the divisional and Wild Card races heading into tonight's tilt with the Padres out west. 

According to latest reports filtering out from the 4PM Trade Deadline, the Florida Marlins have acquired left-handed reliever Will Ohman from the Baltimore Orioles for right-handed reliever Rick Vandenhurk. 

Will Ohman arrives as a much needed arm to very shaky bullpen which is at the top of most lists when it comes to blown saves. Ohman appeared in 51 games for the last-place Orioles, with 29 strikeouts in 30 innings and an ERA of 3.30. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports , the Chris Coghlan injury effects the Yankees in more ways than just answering a few questions about pies (he was injured in a walk-off pie throwing celebration), it takes away one of their trade options at the deadline – OF Cody Ross .

If you haven’t already heard, young Marlins star Chris Coghlan may require surgery after he tore the meniscus in his left knee while applying a shaving cream pie to the face of teammate Wes Helms during a postgame TV interview.  Here’s the video .

The only thing positive you can say about this injury is that at least it isn’t a cover-up for even stupider, more reprehensible cause of injury.