MIAMI (AP) -Luis Gonzalez has been playing against the Florida Marlins since their first season in 1993, so he knows all about the perennially low payroll and low expectations.
“This team,” Gonzalez says, “isn’t expected to do anything.”
He’s a member of the Marlins now, with the second-highest salary on the roster at $2 million, even though he’ll play only part-time as a fourth outfielder.
Such extravagance by the Marlins is rare. Even with a new ballpark finally on the horizon – opening perhaps in 2011 – the franchise remains as frugal as ever, which will make it tough to compete in the NL East.
This year the rotation is a mess. Ace Dontrelle Willis and slugger Miguel Cabrera are gone. The lineup could often consist entirely of twentysomethings.
“That’s what makes this so much fun – if you go out and play well, nobody expected you to do that,” Gonzalez said. “If you play bad, you weren’t supposed to play well anyway.
“Everybody is looking at the Mets and the Phillies and the Braves. This team might surprise some people, because it has some great young talent.”
As usual, raw youngsters might make the Marlins worth watching. For starters there’s 22-year-old Andrew Miller, a 6-foot-6 left-hander acquired in the budget-cutting trade that sent Willis and Cabrera to Detroit. Likely to be promoted from the minors at some point this season are 20-year-old Cameron Maybin, a center fielder touted as a five-tool talent, and 21-year-old right-hander Chris Volstad, Florida’s No. 1 draft pick in 2005.
Established youngsters also make the Marlins worth watching. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez would already be a superstar in most cities, and second baseman Dan Uggla, first baseman Mike Jacobs, left fielder Josh Willingham and right fielder Jeremy Hermida also remain – for now, at least – from the precocious rookie class of 2006. All become eligible for arbitration after this season and might soon be deemed too expensive to keep.
Even without Cabrera, the Marlins should score some runs. They set a franchise record last year with 790, and hit a team-record 201 homers. But Florida still lost 91 games.
“Everybody knows what went wrong last year,” left-hander Scott Olsen said. “It’s not a secret – defense and starting pitching.”
Florida finished last in the majors in fielding, and the departure of good-hit, no-field third baseman Cabrera will alone improve the defense.
But the rotation will be difficult to salvage. Last year Marlins starters had the highest ERA in the majors, and that was with Willis. The wave of injuries that plagued the rotation last season continued in spring training, and right-hander Sergio Mitre will be out until at least May because of a strained forearm.
The likely starters are Olsen, Miller, Mark Hendrickson, Ricky Nolasco and Rick VandenHurk. They went a combined 24-36 last year, with ERAs ranging from 5.21 to 6.83.
The bullpen will likely be better than the rotation – and busy. Seven returning relievers all had ERAs below 4.00 last year, including Kevin Gregg, who totaled 32 saves in his first year as a closer.
“A lot for us will depend on our starting pitching,” Gregg said. “Everybody knows we have a talented team offensively. Our starting pitching was a problem last year. That plays a role in our defense not being very good, too. You’re looking at starters throwing 100 pitches through three innings, and your defense gets lackadaisical, and there’s a snowball effect.
“If we can get our starting pitching consistent, we can compete in the division.”
More likely, the Marlins will again finish last in the East. Their 71 wins in 2007 might be tough to match.
Players shrug off such low expectations.
“It doesn’t bother us,” Uggla said. “Nobody is ever going to give us any credit. We have a low payroll. They’re going to say we’re a bunch of no-name guys. Who cares?”
In truth, not many. The team has finished last in the major leagues in attendance the past two years; fan apathy is another Marlins tradition.
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