Fantasy Forces:
2B-Luis Castillo (27)- Coming off his second NL stolen base crown in the last three years, Castillo was the only real threat on the
basepaths on the Marlins roster. The presence of Pierre in the #2 hole should provide an exciting segway to the hitters in the middle of the
lineup and leave Castillo primed to piece together his best season yet.
CF-Juan Pierre (25)- It's not too often that a player can hit .287 with 170 hits and 47 steals and still have an off year. Some
have said he was a victim of the big outfield at Coors, if so he should be helped by the smaller Pro Player Stadium where he can slap and
use the tight quarters to his advantage. The slap-happy hitter will hit behind Castillo and will be running lights out while
challenging Castillo for the stolen base title once again.
C-Ivan Rodriguez (31)- Perhaps at no point in history was a player of Pudge's standing been so irregarded in the free agent market.
With Irod opposed to a position switch at this point of his career, the career .305 hitter was considered far too big of a health risk to
warrant the contract he would surely command. The Marlins decided to take that risk and Rodriguez who instantly becomes the best hitter in
the Marlins brief history and will be a major force four out of every five days.
1B-Derek Lee (27)- Overcoming a slow start, Lee continued to show he is on his way to being one of the top talents in the game.
He enters his seventh season with a wealth of movers and shakers ahead of him and is primed for a monster season.
SP-A.J. Burnett (26)- With the departure of Ryan Dempster and the failures of Brad Penny, Burnett has taken over the ace role in
Florida. Not only did he lead the NL in shutouts but continued to develop his control while becoming one of the top young pitchers in
the game. With the improved offense 16-17 wins isn't out of reach.
Risky Business:
SP-Carl Pavano (27)- Groomed to be an ace in Montreal, Pavano's once bright future keeps hanging by a thread following numerous
injuries. Freed from one potential contraction candidate to another, his best shot will come with a trade of Penny but appears to be
on the outside until then.
SS-Alex Gonzalez (26)- Once considered the shortstop of the future, Gonzalez, now a 6 year veteran, has failed to fulfill the high
expectations. He swings big, makes contact seldom, and is now coming off a severe shoulder separation that wiped out nearly all of
last season. He will battle Andy Fox in the spring for the starting job.
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Supporting Cast:
SP-Josh Beckett (22)- Beckett entered 2002 as one of the favorites for the ROY award but struggled with blister problems throughout,
leaving him far short of expectations. Despite the finger woes, he proved he is one of the top strikeout pitchers in the game and is
going to be an ace before too long.
3B-Mike Lowell (29)- While taking a backseat to the big names at the hot corner, Lowell has built a reputation as one of the grittiest
players around. He set a career high in homeruns and will take advantage of the quartet in front of him resulting in improved numbers
across the board.
RF-Juan Encarnacion (27)- Shed of the hot prospect label that hounded him throughout his early days, Encarnacion may have finally
found a home in Florida. Playing full-time in right, he is a second tier five-tool talent and will continue to put up steady numbers.
SP-Brad Penny (24)- While Burnett and Beckett's stars keep rising, Penny's steadily flutters downward. Questions in regards
to work habits and conditioning have arisen from injuries and less-than-stellar performances. He still has a wealth of talent he needs
only to harness into a tougher approach but will likely change places at some point.
SP-Mark Redman (29)- The senior of the Marlin's rotation, Redman's presence provides a reliable inning-eater from the tail end of
the rotation while making a trade of Penny more possible. While he won't win any Cy Youngs, Redman has as much talent as nearly every
fourth starter in the league.
CL-Braden Looper (28)- For years the "closer in waiting", Looper got his shot after Vladmir Nunez blew his and made the most
of it. By converting 13 of the 16 saves opportunities he faced, he will enter the 2002 season as the sole fireman and is a prime
sleeper.
Better Days Ahead:
SP-Michael Tejera (26)- After missing the entire 2000 season with major elbow surgery, Tejera made his way back to the Marlins
and pitched well enough between the rotation and the bullpen to go to spring as the favorite for the last spot in the rotation. He has
big strikeout potential and excellent control but his smallish size creates questions as to his longterm durability.
Past Their Prime:
LF-Todd Hollandsworth (29)- Hollandsworth revived his career between injuries in Colorado but failed miserably in his first taste of
the Junior Circuit. Signed to play left field, he will be a steady performer but take note- he hit .369 in his home stadiums (Coors
and Arlington) but just .239 everywhere else. Hollandsworth's career has been in a downward slope for years now. |
