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You know what you'll get from Dontrelle Willis every time he takes the pill to the hill
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STARTING PITCHING
Projected
Rotation
- Dontrelle Willis, LH
- Scott Olsen, LH
- Sergio Mitre/Josh Johnson, RH
- Anibal Sanchez, RH
- Ricky Nolasco, RH
2007 TEAM PROSPECTIVE
The Marlins look like a team
with a lot of potential.They have a
plethora of young talent, along with some great young, starting pitching.You know what you'll get out of Dontrelle Willis but when you add in Scott Olsen, Anibal Sanchez and the emerging Ricky Nolasco, you've got a great young rotation in Miami.Miguel
Cabrera, by the time it's all said and done, is going to have ridiculous
numbers by the time he's 30-years-old if he stays healthy enough, Hanley
Ramirez could emerge as a top fantasy pick in the next couple of years a la Jose Reyes, and with power guys like
Josh Willingham and the up-and-coming Jeremy Hermida, Fredi Gonzalez looks like
he's inherited a team with a lot of potential.
BULLPEN
Projected
Bullpen
Closer: Jorge
Julio, RH
Setup 1: Kevin
Gregg, RH
Setup 2: Matt
Lindstrom, RH
The Marlins acquired Jorge Julio from Arizona in order to give the team a more reliable
closer.He has a great deal of closing
experience with Baltimore and Arizona during his career, even if he is erratic.Should Julio struggle, Taylor Tankersley is the most likely pitcher to get save chances if
he gets healthy.
SLEEPER
I saw Ricky Nolasco pitch
against the Mets last season in the second game of a doubleheader, and he was
phenomenal.His numbers last season were
less than inspirational, but he was better than his ERA suggested, and his walk
rate was exceptional.He's a young righthander
playing in a pitcher's park, where he had a 50/19 K/BB ratio in 66 1/3 IP, good
enough for a BB/9 of 2.6.
BUST
The obvious choice across the
board here is 'Big Ugg' Dan Uggla.Not
only did he post a very poor second half last year, his power dipped while at
home, so the natural pick to bust it up all over 2007 would be Big Ugg here.
TOP PROSPECT
Chris Volstad,
RH, 20, is a long way from the majors, and even
in A-ball he could work on that K/BB ratio a bit.His GB% looks good thus far at around 60
percent. His main attribute is his
ability to keep the ball in the ballpark, he's allowed just
12 homers in 190 career innings.
FIRST OFF THE BENCH
Alfredo Amezaga can play anywhere at anytime.This guy can flat out rake.Without a full-time job, he ended up stealing 20 bases last season.There is no reason why he can't do it again
considering Florida's outfield situation.
