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With the Marlins’ season opening Friday, we solicited views of three respected scouts for other teams, who have seen the Marlins this spring. Some feedback:
• Third base, outfield defense (excluding Mike Stanton) and Leo Nuñez’s consistency were the biggest concerns raised. Two scouts said the Marlins would be making a mistake by sticking with internal third-base candidates ( Donnie Murphy, Emilio Bonifacio, etc.) instead of pursuing an external solution.
“You cannot go with those options at third if you’re serious about winning a division,” one scout said. Another scout said the Marlins should sign Pedro Feliz if he parts ways with the Royals this coming week, as some expect, because “at least he will give you defense, and your defense has been shabby all spring. You won’t get very good defense from Murphy or Bonifacio at third, and Wes Helms should play in the field no more than two days a week.’’ The Marlins are weighing options, including external ones.
• On Chris Coghlan’s move to center, one scout said, “He was a poor second baseman and wasn’t that great in left. I don’t know how that equates to being a good center fielder. And the center fielder has to cover a lot of ground because Logan Morrison is a first baseman playing left.”
• One scout said he didn’t like how Hanley Ramirez (six errors) “turned it on and off this spring. Low energy some days.” That should change starting Friday.
• On Stanton: “I won’t be surprised if he tops 40 home runs this season. He has Mark McGwire-like power.”
• On Gaby Sanchez: “Some people say why not trade him for a center fielder and move Morrison to first? But you would be giving up too much power if you do that. Sanchez should be in the 20s in home runs, close to 30. Morrison will be a productive hitter, but he probably will be a10 home run guy. Sanchez is so much better defensively than he was a year ago.”
• On John Buck: “He’s never been above average throwing out runners, and he’s not going to be. He’s more of a dangerous hitter, with power, than a good hitter.”
• One scout said Javier Vazquez “will be fine; he knows how to pitch. I don’t worry about the drop in velocity.” But another said, “He’s a .500 pitcher now, half as good as he was in Atlanta” in 2009.
• All agree the bullpen has better depth, but one said, “I don’t think Nuñez will ever be consistent. Ryan Webb has looked the best of the new guys. Mike Dunn has the arm and could be a closer eventually, but he hasn’t turned it on yet. I’m seeing him 91, 92 [mph] and last year he was 95.” Another warned: “ Brian Sanches has overachieved. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sanches and Clay Hensley don’t perform as well as’’ in 2010.
• Bottom line? The scouts love Josh Johnson and the Ramirez- and Stanton-led nucleus of good young hitters, like the rotation’s potential and see Omar Infante as a quality everyday player. “But the only way I see them finishing higher than third is if Philadelphia has big health problems,” one said. All say Atlanta is clearly better than Florida.
• Third base, outfield defense (excluding Mike Stanton) and Leo Nuñez’s consistency were the biggest concerns raised. Two scouts said the Marlins would be making a mistake by sticking with internal third-base candidates ( Donnie Murphy, Emilio Bonifacio, etc.) instead of pursuing an external solution.
“You cannot go with those options at third if you’re serious about winning a division,” one scout said. Another scout said the Marlins should sign Pedro Feliz if he parts ways with the Royals this coming week, as some expect, because “at least he will give you defense, and your defense has been shabby all spring. You won’t get very good defense from Murphy or Bonifacio at third, and Wes Helms should play in the field no more than two days a week.’’ The Marlins are weighing options, including external ones.
• On Chris Coghlan’s move to center, one scout said, “He was a poor second baseman and wasn’t that great in left. I don’t know how that equates to being a good center fielder. And the center fielder has to cover a lot of ground because Logan Morrison is a first baseman playing left.”
• One scout said he didn’t like how Hanley Ramirez (six errors) “turned it on and off this spring. Low energy some days.” That should change starting Friday.
• On Stanton: “I won’t be surprised if he tops 40 home runs this season. He has Mark McGwire-like power.”
• On Gaby Sanchez: “Some people say why not trade him for a center fielder and move Morrison to first? But you would be giving up too much power if you do that. Sanchez should be in the 20s in home runs, close to 30. Morrison will be a productive hitter, but he probably will be a10 home run guy. Sanchez is so much better defensively than he was a year ago.”
• On John Buck: “He’s never been above average throwing out runners, and he’s not going to be. He’s more of a dangerous hitter, with power, than a good hitter.”
• One scout said Javier Vazquez “will be fine; he knows how to pitch. I don’t worry about the drop in velocity.” But another said, “He’s a .500 pitcher now, half as good as he was in Atlanta” in 2009.
• All agree the bullpen has better depth, but one said, “I don’t think Nuñez will ever be consistent. Ryan Webb has looked the best of the new guys. Mike Dunn has the arm and could be a closer eventually, but he hasn’t turned it on yet. I’m seeing him 91, 92 [mph] and last year he was 95.” Another warned: “ Brian Sanches has overachieved. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sanches and Clay Hensley don’t perform as well as’’ in 2010.
• Bottom line? The scouts love Josh Johnson and the Ramirez- and Stanton-led nucleus of good young hitters, like the rotation’s potential and see Omar Infante as a quality everyday player. “But the only way I see them finishing higher than third is if Philadelphia has big health problems,” one said. All say Atlanta is clearly better than Florida.
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