• Chris Coghlan Named National League Rookie of the Year

  • Chris Coghlan has earned a well deserved recognition after being named the National League Rookie of the Year. Coghlan’s rookie year started in May and took off after the All-Star game when he lead all of baseball in hits and batting average.

    While this year’s NL rookie crop was very strong, Coghlan’s record setting run in August and September combined with his overall .321 average (as well as 9 homeruns and 47 RBIs) pushed him over the edge. Coghlan’s patient and consistent approach at the plate made him a strong presence in the Marlins’ lead-off spot. He quickly began to accumulate multi-hit games and avoided long slumps. He recorded 47 his in both August and September, the most the league has seen in 30 years.

    Coghlan edged out J.A. Happ of the Phillies 105-94 after receiving 17 first-place votes, 6 second-place votes, and 2 third-place votes. Amazingly, he still won even though he wasn’t named on 7 ballots (while Happ was named on all 32).

    Coghlan is the third Marlin to win the ROY aware, joining Dontrelle Willis and Hanley Ramirez.

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  • Photo by Flickr user DJClear904

  • Hanley and Uggla Brawl

  • Well, they didn’t throw punches but Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla got into a nasty fight before today’s game and it all centered around Hanley’s hamstring.

    From the Sun-Sentinel:

    “A couple of the guys did like this when I came out,” said Ramirez, throwing his arms up in the air. “I’m not happy with the team.”

    Overhearing Ramirez, Uggla chimed in: “I was one of them.”

    Addressing the reporter, Ramirez answered: “You got it. Showed me up.”

    From that point, Ramirez and Uggla continued exchanging barbs. The altercation never escalated beyond the verbal back-and-forth, but they were shouting by the time manager Fredi Gonzalez emerged and politely asked the three reporters present to vacate the clubhouse about three minutes after the argument began.

    On one hand, if a couple of the guys questioned Hanley, you have to wonder if there’s more to it. Remember, Hanley has been called out before for not hustling. On the other hand, you don’t show off a teammate like that and it didn’t seem like anyone complained 14 at-bats ago when Hanley was still hitting.

    Perhaps we’re just seeing frustrations from the recent losses and rapidly declining playoff chances. Today’s effort will tell us whether the team is about to give up or can use this as catalyst to turn things around.

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  • Marlins Trade Pools

  • Marlins Die-Hards is running a Marlins trade pool. Our suggestions for players to be traded prior to deadline are:

    1. Dan Uggla
    2. Jeremy Hermida
    3. Dan Meyer
    4. Wes Helms
    5. Ross Gload

    Why? I think Uggla and Hermida are no-brainers. In fact, the Fish should trade them regardless of whether they’re in contention. The rest are veterans who can fit nicely on a bench/bullpen of contending team. I would also throw in Kiko Calero into the mix.

    You can share your thoughts of our list here or go to Marlins Die-Hards to submit your own.

  • Fun & Games

  • SI Hacks Continue to Push Loria Urban Legend

  • I’ve always thought that Jeffrey Loria‘s bad reputation in the media was highlight exaggerated. Therefore, I’m not surprised to read that Sports Illustrated just named him as one of the 5 worst owners in MLB. Here is what they had to say:

    Despite the best efforts of another crop of youngsters, Loria may be running a second franchise into the ground. The art dealer turned a nation of fans against him with his first team, the Expos, before forcing their move from Montreal and selling them back to Major League Baseball. He then took control of the Marlins and watched his exciting team shock the Yankees in the 2003 World Series and then became Miami fans’ worst nightmare: the second coming of Wayne Huizenga. The Marlins slowly have been rebuilding themselves with more young talent, despite the lowest cash outlay provided by any owner, and could be turning a corner soon. That is, until Hanley Ramírez and Dan Uggla are shown the door like Josh Beckett, Derrek Lee and Miguel Cabrera.

    =It is clear that the SI team just phoned this one in. After all why do any research and thinking when you have this urban legend about Mr. Loria. While he didn’t make the best moves in Montreal, he was, in the end, nothing more than a caretaker for a dying franchise. His time with the Marlins has been a mix — a couple of fire sales on one hand, but a championship and a new ballpark on the other. We can debate his decision to keep a low payroll for most of his tenure but it is the results on the field and talent today that matter. Despite not being a serious contender since winning it all in 2003, the team still outperforms many MLB teams over this period.

    Today, the Fish are looking at a new ballpark which secures their existence in South Florida for the long run. Hanley Ramirez is locked up for the next 6-years of his potential Hall of Fame career. Larry Beinfest and Mike Hill continue to run and excellent front office which has built a nice core of young players that allows the Fish to compete. Yes, we will miss Josh Beckett, Derrek Lee and Miguel Cabrera but no team (other than the Yankees, perhaps) could have kept all these guys. In fact, in baseball, you can be good one day and terrible the other. See Dontrelle Willis. And SI, since you liked ripping Dan Uggla for his All-Star errors, but now elevate him to a star, I will point out his sub .200 average today.

    I’m not elevating Mr. Loria on a pedestal. He, like every MLB owner, has made mistakes and clearly he hasn’t spent as much money as everyone would like him to spend. But his performance as the owner of the Marlins has been a successful one. He has a championship, a great front office, a new ballpark and talent for the future. It’s something very few teams have today.

  • Opinion

  • Opening Day 2009: Marlins vs. Nats

  • It’s the best day of the year and we’re going to cover the Marlins first game of the season versus the Washington Nationals.

    Pitchers: Ricky Nolasco starts for the Fish against John Lannan for the Nats.

    Marlins Lineup: 1. Emilio Bonifacio (3B) , 2. John Baker (C), 3. Hanley Ramirez (SS), 4. J. Cantu (1B), 5. D. Uggla (2B), 6. J. Hermida (LF), 7. C. Ross (RF), 8. C. Maybin (CF), 9. Ricky Nolasco (P)

    4:11 PM: Chicago is singing the national anthem.

    4:18 PM: Here we go! First pitch is an out. Ground ball to Uggla.

    4:25 PM: Bonifacio gets the first hit of the season.

    4:26 PM: Bonifacio steels second. Exactly what the Marlins wanted from him.

    4:27 PM: Baker drives in Bonifacio. 1-0 Marlins.

    4:28 PM: Hanley bunts. That’s not something you would expect from a number 3 hitter.

    4:30 PM: Cantu drives in Baker. 2-0 Marlins.

    5:02 PM: Hanley doubles in Bonifacio. Emilio is really giving the Fish the kind of speed they needed so badly. Two hits, two steals, two runs.

    5:05 PM: Cantu hits a 2-run home run. 5-0 Fish!

    5:08 PM: Hermida adds a solo shot. It’s now 6-0 Marlins.

    5:16 PM: Dunn doubles in Guzman so the Nats are on the board.

    5:21 PM: Nats score again. Ricky was on a roll until this inning. Wiley out to the mound. Bonifacio makes a nice catch to end the inning. 6-2 Fish.

    5:30 PM: Inside the park home run for Bonifacio! Speed kills. Wow! Nice curtain call from the crows. Emilio is 3-3 with his first career HR. 8-2 Marlins.

    6:00 PM: Adam Dunn’s 3-run shot has made it an 8-5 lead. Bonifacio’s bad stab at a ball put the Fish in a bad situation. Nolasco is out of the game.

    6:16 PM: Hanley Ramirez grand slam! First of his career. 12-5 Fish. Another curtain call from the crowd.

    6:26 PM: Kiko is in.

    7:05 PM: So we’ve reached the top of the ninth and Logan Kensing is in to close this one out.

    7:13 PM: Ballgame! The Marlins win on opening day, beating the Nats 12-6 in front of over 34,000 fans. The fish used some small ball and some big bats. Big debut for Emilio Bonifacio who went 4-5 with 4 runs, 2 RBIs
    and 3 stolen bases.

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