It's only spring training, but the Marlins hope it was a microcosm of how they might play in the regular season if the team's starting pitching stays healthy.
The team played well, taking a 17-8 record into the final week of Grapefruit League action, on the strength of solid pitching and timely hitting. That's reason for optimism for a team that lost 91 games and led the majors with 137 errors last year. But whether it can continue that consistency into the grind of the regular season, of course, is entirely another matter.
Two key starters went down early in camp with injuries, and prospects such as Chris Volstad and Burke Badenhop -- both projected for Class AA Carolina -- rose to the occasion and were contending for roster spots in the final week of camp.
The team lacks a true ace, but Mark Hendrickson, the team's Opening Day starter, allowed just three runs in 16 innings, an indication he might do more this season than just provide leadership.
Andrew Miller adjusted and pitched well after overcoming wildness in his first three starts. The big question this year will be how Scott Olsen fares after being limited to two starts because of left shoulder tendinitis. Ricky Nolasco and Rick VandenHurk were inconsistent early in camp but pitched well in late March, offering hope they'll start the season strong.
The bullpen returned intact and pitched well this spring. So the bottom line is this: Without innings-eater Dontrelle Willis, there's still no guarantee the rotation won't prove to be a burden to the bullpen for a second consecutive year.
The post-Miguel Cabrera lineup seemed to click just fine without him. Hanley Ramirez stayed at the top of the batting order and kept on producing, taking a .404 batting average into the final week of the spring. Non-roster invitee Jorge Cantu emerged as the offensive surprise, hitting better than .400 to win the starting job at third base. Alejandro De Aza had another solid spring, but he must prove he can hit as well in the regular season, which he did not do last year.
But Jeremy Hermida continued his history of spring struggles, compounded by a tight left hamstring that had kept him out of action going into the final week. And Cameron Maybin, who could wind up starting in center field later this year, appeared to be headed to the minors after a mostly inconsistent spring.
After last year's error-fest, the team still played sloppy defense, in particular, second baseman Dan Uggla was inconsistent. Jose Castillo showed slick glovework at third, but the team let him go on waivers (the San Francisco Giants claimed him) because of concerns he might not accept a bench role. The team is hoping Cantu, even though he has limited experience at third, will be a defensive upgrade from the 27 errors made at the position by the 2007 Marlins.
As well as the team did all spring, the rotation is still young, inconsistent and prone to injuries. The lineup can hit all it wants, but the starters have too much to prove before the team can consider itself a contender.
PRIMED FOR A BIG SEASON
INF Jorge Cantu arrived at camp as a non-roster invitee and never stopped hitting. He ended up winning the starting third base job. After two disappointing seasons, he appears ready to put up the kind of numbers he did in Tampa Bay in 2005, when he hit 28 homers and had 117 RBIs.
ON THE DECLINE
Few players work harder than LF Josh Willingham, but the Marlins slugger known as "The Hammer" went into the final week of spring still looking for his groove. Willingham hit 21 home runs last year -- five fewer than his career-high from 2006 -- but he was still looking for his first spring bomb through March 23. A bad back kept him out of action the last two weeks in September. He says the back has not been an issue this spring, but his poor production (.227-0-4) going into the final week is not a cause for optimism for a guy who will bat fourth and fifth this year.
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