Left-handed Pitching a Priority to Acquire This Offseason

[nny]

What he did last year doesn't matter.

What matters is what he does next year.

More than likely he'll be closer to his career numbers than his 2010 numbers in 2011.

Where the difference is basically that he's a career .300 BABIP, and last year he had a .330 BABIP. Power, walk, and strike outs were essentially replicated from his career rates.

That's certainly still a good hitter but let's not get carried away here.

Also fun fact I just noticed: Uggla has hit into exactly 10 double plays every year for 4 years running.

[rmc523]

Beinfest: Acquiring left-handers is priority

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.

I don't really want to trade one of our two most important hitters for an area that doesn't necessarily need that much shoring up. Our starting rotation is pretty good.
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I highly doubt Uggla would want to DH.

I agree with both of these statements - the rotation was not the problem this year (until the injuries to JJ and Nolasco happened and we had to throw in Miller and whoever else besides Sanabia, who pitched well), it was the 25-blown-saves bullpen. Lets say they convert even 12 of those 25 saves (just under half), that means the fish are 92-70, beating out Atlanta for the wild card by a game.

Keep the guys that have had a good year (Hensley, Sanches, Veras after being sent down and called back up), get rid of those that didn't perform, keep Nunez out of the closer role if he's brought back (he may fall into that "didn't perform" category and be let go/traded anyway), put another halfway consistent/dependable reliever or two (including lefties obviously), and they'd be sitting pretty well between the offense, starting pitching, and improved bullpen.

Heck, if they actually wanted to show an attempt at truly improving the bullpen, go after Rafael Soriano or try to acquire Joakim Soria (maybe Kansas City would take Nunez back? LOL). I don't see either of those happening though.

[Miamarlin21]

We pick 14th so our first round pick is protected if we were to sign a Type-A free agent.

[emkayseven]

I'd think that would hurt our chances at signing a FA, as we'd be paying the FA contract AND a hefty signing bonus.

[Jay]

I'd think that would hurt our chances at signing a FA, as we'd be paying the FA contract AND a hefty signing bonus.

Dont worry about it. If the sign a FA, they will probably pick someone everyone else has listed in 3rd round or later.

[lou]

I'd think that would hurt our chances at signing a FA, as we'd be paying the FA contract AND a hefty signing bonus.

If they're signing a Type A, i.e. giving Carl Crawford $100 million, I don't think they would all of a sudden cheap out on a $1.8 million signing bonus in the draft. But I guess that's so Marlins.

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And regardless just to post something thread worthy, I think Jorge De La Rosa is perfect if they can get him on a reasonable contract ($7-8ish). Throws fire, career path shows improvement. He could break out like Jon Sanchez easy. Rotation looks pretty good if they can do that, and I like the added bonus of being able to use West as one of the lefties in the bullpen. I kind of like the idea, on paper, of moving forward with a young bullpen core of Sanabia, West, Ceda, Marinez, and Jennings. That could be pretty serious by the new stadium.

[wanks1212]

I also like the idea of signing De La Rosa. He's the type of guy they need to add to the rotation.

It will not happen, though.