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Calling all southpaws.
The Marlins will be looking for a few good left-handers during the offseason to bolster a pitching staff that was noticeably one-sided in terms of performance.
``It is something that we're going to have to address this winter,'' said Larry Beinfest, president of baseball operations for the Marlins.
Collectively, the Marlins' left-handed pitchers -- starters and relievers -- rank last in the majors with a 5.98 ERA, more than a half-run higher than the next-worst team, the Pirates and their 5.31 lefty ERA.
The Marlins' cast of lefties was filled with disappointment.
Nate Robertson and Renyel Pinto were released when they failed to cut it. Dan Meyer and Taylor Tankersley ended the season in the minors. And Andrew Miller, who is out of options after the season, could be making his final appearance in a Marlins uniform when he takes the mound Wednesday in Atlanta. Miller is 1-4 with an ERA of 8.19.
Even Will Ohman, whom the Marlins acquired from Baltimore at the trading deadline and was largely successful when he was healthy, has missed a big chunk of September with a sore elbow. As a result, manager Edwin Rodriguez has had not a left-handed reliever at his disposal since Sept. 12. Ohman, a free agent after the season, is all there is.
Beinfest said he can live with a five-man rotation that doesn't include a southpaw, just as long as the right-handers can do the job against the juggernaut of lefty wall-busters -- Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, Brian McCann and Jason Heyward -- who play in the National League East.
The Marlins could feature an all right-handed starting staff next season with Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad and perhaps Alex Sanabia, who has turned heads in the organization. Armed with an effective changeup, Sanabia has been tough on left-handers, who are hitting .204 against him.
But Beinfest said the bullpen is another story.
``Obviously, we have some work to do in the pen,'' Beinfest said.
The Marlins will be looking for a few good left-handers during the offseason to bolster a pitching staff that was noticeably one-sided in terms of performance.
``It is something that we're going to have to address this winter,'' said Larry Beinfest, president of baseball operations for the Marlins.
Collectively, the Marlins' left-handed pitchers -- starters and relievers -- rank last in the majors with a 5.98 ERA, more than a half-run higher than the next-worst team, the Pirates and their 5.31 lefty ERA.
The Marlins' cast of lefties was filled with disappointment.
Nate Robertson and Renyel Pinto were released when they failed to cut it. Dan Meyer and Taylor Tankersley ended the season in the minors. And Andrew Miller, who is out of options after the season, could be making his final appearance in a Marlins uniform when he takes the mound Wednesday in Atlanta. Miller is 1-4 with an ERA of 8.19.
Even Will Ohman, whom the Marlins acquired from Baltimore at the trading deadline and was largely successful when he was healthy, has missed a big chunk of September with a sore elbow. As a result, manager Edwin Rodriguez has had not a left-handed reliever at his disposal since Sept. 12. Ohman, a free agent after the season, is all there is.
Beinfest said he can live with a five-man rotation that doesn't include a southpaw, just as long as the right-handers can do the job against the juggernaut of lefty wall-busters -- Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, Brian McCann and Jason Heyward -- who play in the National League East.
The Marlins could feature an all right-handed starting staff next season with Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Chris Volstad and perhaps Alex Sanabia, who has turned heads in the organization. Armed with an effective changeup, Sanabia has been tough on left-handers, who are hitting .204 against him.
But Beinfest said the bullpen is another story.
``Obviously, we have some work to do in the pen,'' Beinfest said.
I also can live with the all right-handed rotation of JJ, Ricky, Anibal, Volstad and Sanabia. They've been better than anyone else we've thrown out there as starters this year. I'd much rather focus on the bullpen and bench than the rotation.
Yeah, I don't really care about this kind of shit. When they actually do shit, that's when to care
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