Mike Stanton Wants to Be a Major Leaguer Now

[Party]

::wipes brow::

[kylekash]

Glad we put that behind us. Go kill people and we'll see you in September.

Any news on why Cody was pulled yesterday?

Minor calf strain I believe... he should be fine.

from cbs sportsline.... Ross leaves with calf cramp: Marlins OF Cody Ross left in the bottom of the third inning Tuesday vs. Baltimore with a cramp in his right calf. He is expected to be fine.
(Updated 03/23/2010).

[Swifty]

Fredi's quote on Stanton

“It’s just a matter of getting some at bats, putting up some numbers or decapitating somebody down there,” Gonzalez said. “Maybe the league president will say get this guy out of here before he hurts somebody.”

[Ramp]

Strike Two -- The Worm Turns Dept.

For some reason, the phenom in the Marlins' camp, 20-year-old masher Mike Stanton, isn't getting the hype this spring that Jason Heyward, Aroldis Chapman or Strasburg are attracting. But here's a prediction:

That'll change.

The Marlins' coaching staff just hung a new nickname on Stanton, a guy who whomped 67 minor league home runs over the last two years, at age 18 and 19 respectively. And that nickname is: "Wormy." Or, occasionally, "Big Wormy."

All right, so it isn't quite up there with "The Sultan of Swat." But Stanton can blame Bill Parcells for that.

South Florida's resident football legend pulled into the Marlins' camp last week. And Stanton was then promptly summoned to manager Fredi Gonzalez's office to meet him. Earwitnesses report that the conversation went something like this:

"What position do you want to play?" Parcells asked Stanton. "Wideout or tight end?"

"Wideout," Stanton replied.

"I don't know," Parcells told him. "You're kind of wormy."

"I'm 6-5, 240," Stanton informed him.

"You know what those defensive backs would do to you?" Parcells said. "They'd jam you up at the line of scrimmage and you'd never catch a pass."

Stanton's mild-mannered reply: "Bring it on."

Well, it won't be long before this guy is telling the pitchers of America the same thing. He's hitting .316, with three gargantuan homers and an .842 slugging percentage, this spring. And while Gonzalez hasn't ruled out having him make the team, a more realistic ETA is late this season, seeing as how he just turned 20 and has only gotten 342 at-bats above A ball.

But it's hard to find anyone around the Marlins who doesn't expect greatness for this guy.

"As talented as he is," said coach Carlos Tosca, "his determination outstrips his talent. This kid's work ethic is off the charts. I mean, I get here early. I'm usually on the treadmill by 7:15 in the morning. And I can already see him next door in the [batting] cages. And he's already worked out. He's in the weight room before he goes out there. So he's here between 6:30 and 7 every day. It's very, very impressive for a young kid."

People who have seen a lot of Stanton don't view him as quite as complete a package as Heyward. But for sheer, raw, middle-of-the-order type power, there are very few prospects in this sport who have the upside of Mike Stanton. Remember the name.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?...son&id=5003910

[The Hanram]

That reply to Parcells is awesome.

[BigGameFish]

I dont get what makes Heyward a more complete package? Doesnt Stanton project for plus defense? And with his size and athleticism he could swipe some bags too.

[nny]

Heyward has better defense than Stanton

[BigGameFish]

Oh. How so? Range? Arm strength? Something else?

[nny]

basically everything