Tweet
By BARRY JACKSON
bjackson@MiamiHerald.com
For objective analysis of the Marlins, we spoke to three respected talent evaluators -- two major-league scouts who watched them a lot this spring and ex-Indians general manager John Hart of MLB Network. Despite elite players Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, all three envision Florida again behind the Phillies:
• Biggest concerns raised? The bullpen (Hart calls it questionable, though he likes Leo Nuñez's stuff) and the back end of the starting rotation. Is their bullpen good enough? Probably not, one scout said: ``Nuñez isn't the ideal closer; he gives up too many home runs, leaves too many pitches up. Defensively, they're shaky -- Jorge Cantu is always a liability.''
The other scout also raised questions about ``how much production you're going to get from first base and center field, and whether [catcher] John Baker can improve his defense, which is subpar. Cameron Maybin should be an above average center fielder and he has become a better hitter because he shortened his swing. You have to find out what [first baseman] Gaby Sanchez can do, but I could see Logan Morrison supplanting him next year.''
Hart said Sanchez is a ``nice player; odds are he will do a solid job'' but lacks big power.
• One scout said he didn't see a pitcher sharper than Ricky Nolasco this spring. ``But I don't have much hope for Andrew Miller,'' who was demoted. ``Besides the physical questions, his makeup is too soft.''
• Hart said it's critical Chris Volstad ``bounces back. I never thought he was a top-of-the-rotation guy. He's a workhorse No. 3. Anibal Sanchez's health history gives you pause for concern.'' One scout said former Tiger Nate Robertson will be more effective in the National League ``and you needed a left-hander in that rotation because some of the best hitters on Philadelphia and Atlanta are left-handed.''
• One scout called Mike Stanton ``as good as any prospect I saw this spring. The only thing he has to do is learn to handle the breaking ball away. He will be their right fielder next year, if not before.'' Both scouts raved about outfield prospect Bryan Peterson; ``the guy is going to be a starter eventually,'' one said.
• One scout warned, ``Mike Lamb will hit a little, but he's not a well-liked player in the clubhouse. He was a whiner in the past. Emilio Bonifacio isn't an instinctive player; not as good as Alfredo Amezaga was.''
• The evaluators believe Chris Coghlan is unlikely to have a sophomore slump after he hit .321 as a rookie. ``I saw him fight off a couple of high inside fastballs and put them over third base this spring,'' one scout said. ``Most left-handers can't. He handles up and in and down and away. He looks like a consistent .300 hitter.'' One scout said the Marlins must leave Coghlan in left field long-term; his defense at second ``isn't good.''
• One scout on Dan Uggla: ``He was lucky to hit .243 last year because he tried to pull everything and hit everything out of the park. All you had to do was pitch him on the outside part of the plate and he would be out. This spring, for the first time in two years, he's hitting balls to right and right center. That shows me he's starting to make adjustments.''
But Hart said, ``I'm not happy with him if you have to hit him in the middle of the order. You would like to hit him sixth or seventh on a good club.''
bjackson@MiamiHerald.com
For objective analysis of the Marlins, we spoke to three respected talent evaluators -- two major-league scouts who watched them a lot this spring and ex-Indians general manager John Hart of MLB Network. Despite elite players Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, all three envision Florida again behind the Phillies:
• Biggest concerns raised? The bullpen (Hart calls it questionable, though he likes Leo Nuñez's stuff) and the back end of the starting rotation. Is their bullpen good enough? Probably not, one scout said: ``Nuñez isn't the ideal closer; he gives up too many home runs, leaves too many pitches up. Defensively, they're shaky -- Jorge Cantu is always a liability.''
The other scout also raised questions about ``how much production you're going to get from first base and center field, and whether [catcher] John Baker can improve his defense, which is subpar. Cameron Maybin should be an above average center fielder and he has become a better hitter because he shortened his swing. You have to find out what [first baseman] Gaby Sanchez can do, but I could see Logan Morrison supplanting him next year.''
Hart said Sanchez is a ``nice player; odds are he will do a solid job'' but lacks big power.
• One scout said he didn't see a pitcher sharper than Ricky Nolasco this spring. ``But I don't have much hope for Andrew Miller,'' who was demoted. ``Besides the physical questions, his makeup is too soft.''
• Hart said it's critical Chris Volstad ``bounces back. I never thought he was a top-of-the-rotation guy. He's a workhorse No. 3. Anibal Sanchez's health history gives you pause for concern.'' One scout said former Tiger Nate Robertson will be more effective in the National League ``and you needed a left-hander in that rotation because some of the best hitters on Philadelphia and Atlanta are left-handed.''
• One scout called Mike Stanton ``as good as any prospect I saw this spring. The only thing he has to do is learn to handle the breaking ball away. He will be their right fielder next year, if not before.'' Both scouts raved about outfield prospect Bryan Peterson; ``the guy is going to be a starter eventually,'' one said.
• One scout warned, ``Mike Lamb will hit a little, but he's not a well-liked player in the clubhouse. He was a whiner in the past. Emilio Bonifacio isn't an instinctive player; not as good as Alfredo Amezaga was.''
• The evaluators believe Chris Coghlan is unlikely to have a sophomore slump after he hit .321 as a rookie. ``I saw him fight off a couple of high inside fastballs and put them over third base this spring,'' one scout said. ``Most left-handers can't. He handles up and in and down and away. He looks like a consistent .300 hitter.'' One scout said the Marlins must leave Coghlan in left field long-term; his defense at second ``isn't good.''
• One scout on Dan Uggla: ``He was lucky to hit .243 last year because he tried to pull everything and hit everything out of the park. All you had to do was pitch him on the outside part of the plate and he would be out. This spring, for the first time in two years, he's hitting balls to right and right center. That shows me he's starting to make adjustments.''
But Hart said, ``I'm not happy with him if you have to hit him in the middle of the order. You would like to hit him sixth or seventh on a good club.''
Comment