Hanley Ramirez

A few weeks back, respected columnist Joe Posnanski took his shot at projecting the 2010 Major League Baseball season. 

He called his projection system perfect, because it was flawed, pointless, and will quickly be forgotten about. 

Hey, that could all be true. 

For now, at least, we'll remember. And we'll talk about one pertinent subject in Posnanski's article. 

No disagreements with Posnanski on his projection that the Phillies will win 96 games; that may even be a little generous. 

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?

Beyond Hanley Ramirez and the mammoth 2005 deal that sent the slugging shortstop to Florida in exchange for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and Guillermo Mota, who are the best former Red Sox toeing the rubber and flashing their leather today?

You know some of these, but some may surpise you. Who else in your fantasy draft was once a Red Sox? Who should have called Fenway home, but Fenway shut the door?

Here are my top ten.

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As time went by this offseason, many of my predictions and hopes for the Florida Marlins did not happen.

The first being Josh Johnson's contract negotiations reaching an impasse and not getting any starting pitching help.

In past posts, I had mentioned what I had expected from the Marlins' front office, some of these posts talk about Nick Johnson, Dan Uggla, and other players who are on the trade block or their contracts are up. 

So, during the span of time since those posts, a lot has changed. 

One question, hundreds of answers: Which Marlin had the greatest offensive season at his position?

Major League baseball has been asking fans this same question in an effort to choose each team's best-ever collection of stars.

They are calling it MLB 9s.

How has Hanley Ramirez revolutionized shortstop? How many members of the 1997 and 2003 championship teams make the list? Was Preston Wilson's power more important than Juan Pierre's speed?

For Latinos living in the United States it is fiesta time.

This week it just started the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

In the world we live in, we get a lot of choices to make. What do you prefer: Burger King or McDonald's? iPod’s or Zune’s? Xbox 360, Wii or PS3? Two percent or whole milk?

Ok, I’m kidding about the last one.

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.

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).

The Florida Marlins were off to a hot 13-1 start and playing well until they ran into the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Obviously, the Pirates’ advance scouts saw holes in Bonifacio’s swing as the Bucs handcuffed both Hanley Ramirez and Emilio Bonifacio. 

The Marlins have been struggling to get wins from their rotation as they went through 20 straight games without a win from a starter, 14 short of the Major League record.