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With Marlins season opening April 5, one thing is clear: This team better not be languishing below .500 in May or June, or Fredi Gonzalez's job will be in serious jeopardy. ``They're setting him up to replace him if they don't get off to a fast start,'' one team source said of ownership.
Let's be clear: The Marlins' top baseball executives believe in Gonzalez. Immediately after last season, they told owner Jeffrey Loria he should keep Gonzalez because they believe he's the right manager at the right time for this team. Loria didn't suggest firing Gonzalez but believed all options should be considered and a decision should not be rushed.
Loria's baseball people then told him it would send the wrong message if he didn't come out in support of Gonzalez after reports two days earlier that Bobby Valentine was talking to the Marlins about a job. (Valentine never was offered Gonzalez's job.) Three days after the report, the Marlins announced Gonzalez would return but two coaches would be replaced.
Now, when Loria talks about Gonzalez, he says, ``Fredi is the manager,'' but did not praise Gonzalez when he spoke to reporters this spring. In fact, it's no secret that Loria -- who treats Gonzalez very respectfully -- has disagreed with some of Gonzalez's strategic decisions.
Fact is, there's a fundamental difference in expectations between Loria and some of the team's on- and off-field baseball staffers. Several Marlins people believe the team performed at or above realistic expectations in finishing 87-75 last season. This spring, one Marlins position player said, in disbelief, ``Fredi had basically two starting pitchers'' who were consistently good after the All-Star break, ``and they still thought about firing him.''
But Loria believes the team underperformed and said he was ``disappointed.'' There's a belief among some Marlins people that Loria needs to be more patient and also accept that with such a low payroll, staying in contention until late in the season should be good enough most years.
Loria doesn't seem to agree and said, barring injuries, ``I expect us to make the playoffs'' in 2010, even though the Phillies appear stronger, and there are several serious wild-card contenders. Las Vegas Sports Consultants has set the Marlins' over/under for victories at 83.5, behind the Phillies (90.5), Braves (86.5) and five other National League teams.
Even Marlins ace Josh Johnson said this spring, ``You've got to go with Philly as the best team in the division'' on paper. ``We'll be a little behind with the guys they picked up.''
If the Marlins dump Gonzalez, whose contract runs through 2011, nobody would be surprised to see him managing the Braves -- where he once coached -- in 2011, with Bobby Cox set to retire after 2010.
• A couple factoids on Gonzalez's style: He has called for 185 intentional walks in three years, behind only Cox among all managers. He had nonpitchers sacrifice less than any other manager in 2008 and '09.
Let's be clear: The Marlins' top baseball executives believe in Gonzalez. Immediately after last season, they told owner Jeffrey Loria he should keep Gonzalez because they believe he's the right manager at the right time for this team. Loria didn't suggest firing Gonzalez but believed all options should be considered and a decision should not be rushed.
Loria's baseball people then told him it would send the wrong message if he didn't come out in support of Gonzalez after reports two days earlier that Bobby Valentine was talking to the Marlins about a job. (Valentine never was offered Gonzalez's job.) Three days after the report, the Marlins announced Gonzalez would return but two coaches would be replaced.
Now, when Loria talks about Gonzalez, he says, ``Fredi is the manager,'' but did not praise Gonzalez when he spoke to reporters this spring. In fact, it's no secret that Loria -- who treats Gonzalez very respectfully -- has disagreed with some of Gonzalez's strategic decisions.
Fact is, there's a fundamental difference in expectations between Loria and some of the team's on- and off-field baseball staffers. Several Marlins people believe the team performed at or above realistic expectations in finishing 87-75 last season. This spring, one Marlins position player said, in disbelief, ``Fredi had basically two starting pitchers'' who were consistently good after the All-Star break, ``and they still thought about firing him.''
But Loria believes the team underperformed and said he was ``disappointed.'' There's a belief among some Marlins people that Loria needs to be more patient and also accept that with such a low payroll, staying in contention until late in the season should be good enough most years.
Loria doesn't seem to agree and said, barring injuries, ``I expect us to make the playoffs'' in 2010, even though the Phillies appear stronger, and there are several serious wild-card contenders. Las Vegas Sports Consultants has set the Marlins' over/under for victories at 83.5, behind the Phillies (90.5), Braves (86.5) and five other National League teams.
Even Marlins ace Josh Johnson said this spring, ``You've got to go with Philly as the best team in the division'' on paper. ``We'll be a little behind with the guys they picked up.''
If the Marlins dump Gonzalez, whose contract runs through 2011, nobody would be surprised to see him managing the Braves -- where he once coached -- in 2011, with Bobby Cox set to retire after 2010.
• A couple factoids on Gonzalez's style: He has called for 185 intentional walks in three years, behind only Cox among all managers. He had nonpitchers sacrifice less than any other manager in 2008 and '09.