SCOTT JACOBS

Last Thursday Dan Uggla won the Silver Slugger for 2nd basemen.  Today he was dealt away, another fish caught in Jeffrey Loria’s never-ending icy pond.  He briefly joined Gary Sheffield (‘93, 96), Mike Lowell (‘03), Miguel Cabrera (‘05, ‘06) and Hanley Ramirez (‘08, ‘09) as Marlins to win the honor.  You know what all those former Fish stars have in common?  They’ve all been traded away, made as expendable as a prom night dumpster baby.  Hanley is the only one left in Florida amidst the wreckage and waste of space that is the Florida Marlins franchise.  The team that makes millions, and yet continues an unparalleled run of offseason ineptitude that has to make any true sports fan cringe.

While the offs-season is like Christmas in November (and okay, even December) for baseball fans, the months in between baseball’s final pitch and the start of Spring Training usually leaves Florida’s roster bare boned.  It’s hard to get mad if you’re a fan.  We all know it’s coming every year.  You bang your head against a wall enough and you’re bound to stop.  But some Marlins fans refuse to give up, despite everything, the yearly house-cleanings, the cheap-skate owners, the horrific trades (more on that in a moment), and the baffling upper management decisions.

Loria runs the Marlins like a crappy sitcom.  Very few Marlins ever make it past year three.  If the Marlins were actors, the good ones are always sent away, left to create big budget Hollywood blockbusters for the biggest studios in Hollywood.

I wanted to believe that with a new stadium on the horizon the Marlins have a plan to create a team that will not only win, but remain in place for more then it’s 15 seconds of annual mediocrity.

You see, Uggla was actually offered something in the neighborhood of $48 million over 4 years to remain in Florida (so that he could get dealt next season), and instead opted to be sent away to a team that cares about winning: Atlanta.  And hey, look at that, they too play in the south.  I want to give the Marlins the benefit of the doubt on this one, I really do, but I just can’t.  If Pittsburgh shut down operations and stopped playing baseball, the Marlins would be the annual offseason laughingstock of the sport. Last offseason they had to be told by the commissioner, “spend more!” This off-season maybe Bud Selig will make them sign a contract that says their payroll has to be X amount of dollars when this new palace of a stadium that they’re building opens up in 2012.

Then again, the Marlins building a stadium set to open in 2012 is kind of fitting don’t you think?  There seemed a better chance of getting struck in the face by a hockey stick wielding penguin than the Marlins getting their own stadium not to long ago, and lo and behold, after a few delays, its supposed to open the year the world ends.

So while the Yankees do their annual chase after the prettiest diamond in the case, the Marlins are left to send away one of the few recognizable faces on a team of relative nobodys.

And the Marlins have no room for error.  With their penny-pinching payroll their trades have to be perfect.  Their last mega-trade wasn’t even good.  Remember that ill-fated Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera trade for six guys? Well the two cornerstones of that trade, Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin were both shipped away this past weekend, for a bag of chips and a handful of relievers.  Such is life for a team that can’t won’t go after big time talent, or for that matter keep their own.

Hanley and Josh Johnson remain, but just two years away from moving into their new crib and renaming themselves the Miami Cheapskates (ahem, Marlins), Florida is not exactly inspiring hope for their grand opening.

Cody Ross who was dealt away for nothing but cap relief only had the offseason of a lifetime for the Giants and Jorge Cantu had a chance to taste October as well with Texas.  They must have loved playing in front of huge crowds, backed by owners who actually want to win and then back it up.

Maybe Uggla felt the same way.  Afterall, who can blame him?  Feeling loved is a nice feeling.  Now excuse me, I think the Marlins just traded away their bat boy.  More at 11.

Photo: Getty

SCOTT JACOBS

Just 159 more, just 159 more.  Take it one game at a time would ya guys!  If the Marlins are to go undefeated this season, they’re the only ones left with an unblemished record, then they might want to schedule the Nationals 140 more times.

Okay seriously, at 3-0 the Marlins are an iceberg in an ocean filled with melting ice.  But their iceberg too will melt, and soon, probably tonight, there will be no one left among baseball’s undefeated.

It took the Titans a few months before they lost to the Jets.  But baseball teams can’t even make it unscathed out of the first week.  Think about it, in what other sport is the first week of your season more meaningless?  I’m waiting.  Still waiting?  Got nothing?  Yeah, me neither.

For those of you marking the answers down in your program the answer is baseball.  The Marlins could finish this weekend at 6-0, and I don’t think a single person would look at them differently then when they started the season, with minimal expectations and the lowest payroll in the game.   Why?  Because the season is so damn long that your average sports fan doesn’t truly get into it until halfway into the year, when there’s still 81 games left, which is one game less than the NBA plays over it’s entire regular season!

And while we’re at it, the Nationals (who the Marlins swept) and the Indians (who also got swept, duh!) are the last two teams who have yet to win.  Come to think of it, it seems like teams lose a lot to start the year, compared to winning a lot.  How many undefeated teams do you see on a yearly basis even into the second week?  Think about it.

Not many.

Most of the time, not any.

SCOTT JACOBS

You can’t help but wonder what is in the water in Florida. Or what they’re feeding these guys in Florida. Or something, anything at all, to explain the state that just refuses to lose. We’re talking about Florida. The same state that decided the 2000 election, is also the same state that just refuses to lose when October comes around. What am I talking about? Well, after Tampa Bay won today, the Sunshine State improved to 27-13 in the playoffs, and a perfect (make that sterling) seven for seven in playoff series.

The Marlins won the World Series in both 1997 and 2003, and have made the playoffs twice since their inception in 1993. They’ve had just five winning seasons, and every time they break 90 wins, they win the Wild Card and take home the World Series. Tampa Bay’s story is just as amazing. Sure, they haven’t won anything — yet– besides a huge fanbase cheering on the underdogs, but after nine years in the basement and one year in fourth, this year’s first place Rays are two wins away from the Fall Classic, and six away from another Sunshine State post-season romp.

The moral here: it’s a bad idea to bet against Florida. You don’t mess with Florida. The Marlins were underdogs in every series they played, and they won ‘em all. The Rays were given some chance to beat the Red Sox, but most people weren’t going to go against the defending champs. Well, how about now?

And it would be a shame to forget about Philadelphia’s stunning come from behind win over the Dodgers on Monday. With their 7-5 win, the Phils took a commanding 3-1 series lead in this best of seven NLCS, and took one step closer to advancing to their first World Series since 1993. But this is bigger then just the pennant. The Phillies are closing in on a chance to end a long string of Liberty Bell sports infamy, 25 years without a NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL championship.

And wouldn’t it be ironic? The Phillies have been around for 125 years, and have one World title. The Rays, in their eleventh season of play, are six wins away from tying them.

There’s a lot of baseball left to play, but it looks like that Dodgers-Red Sox series that so many of you predicted last week, is growing more unlikely by the day.

SCOTT JACOBS

The Yankees found out earlier this week that nothing lasts forever.  The Mets are wondering why they keep getting trampled by the Marlins, who stomped on New York’s post-season hopes for the second year in a row.

That means, that the Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the Chicago Cubs behind another brilliant performance from C.C. Sabathia 3-1, are going to the playoffs for the first time, since 1982!

For the Mets and their fans, it was another devastating way to close the season. New York looked well on its way to a playoff spot (and redemption) a couple weeks ago, but yesterday the Phillies sealed off another NL East crown, and today, the Marlins dusted off the “ol’ does any team play in bigger in games that you’re not supposed to win” jerseys to end Shea Stadium.

So here’s how the NL Playoffs will look.  Two teams from the same division cannot face each other in the first round, so here are the NLDS matchups:

3) Los Angeles Dodgers versus 1) Chicago Cubs
4) Milwaukee Brewers versus 2) Philadelphia Phillies

I said at the beginning of the year, that the only way the Mets don’t win the division is if they collapse again.  Well, they did.  More interestingly though our the picks we made at around the All-Star Break .  Surprisingly, some of us did very well.

SCOTT JACOBS

So this just in: the Mets did it! They won. They finally won. The Mets won their coin flip determining the tie breaker between them and the Brewers in terms of who would play where if the two tied to end the regular season. O, you thought I meant they clinched something of relevance? Ha!

This just in too: Pat White probably regrets his decision to come back for his senior year. Look, school and graduation is all fine and dandy, but c’mon, two losses in the first three games? It’s not like West Virginia is playing USC and Texas. No, they’re playing (and losing) to the likes of East Carolina and Colorado. What’s a matter? North Dakota was taken?

The Marlins are pulling a Will Ferrel and they’re going streaking! They’ve won nine in a row and have crept slowly back into the “they actually still have a mathematical shot if they basically win the rest of their games” discussion. Not on the list: Detroit. And you thought the third highest payroll in baseball bought you the post-season? Yeah, right, you can’t even buy the post-season with the highest. Back to the drawing board in Detroit.

Interesting news out of New York where the Yankees have announced they will allow fans onto the field for the final home game at Yankee Stadium. It’s a fascinating idea given the nature of pro sports’ “look don’t touch” mantra, and I think it’s great. Allowing the fans access to the field and monument park one last time before the tare the whole kitten cabodle down is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a throwback to Yankee Stadium’s earlier years where running onto the field during a game wasn’t that unheard of.

Auburn plays LSU in a top 10 match-up Saturday. What’s missing? The “these truly are two top 10 teams part.” I certainly don’t feel like the Tigers (of Auburn) are top 10 caliber. Three points? Three points in a 3-2 win over Mississippi State is top notch? Uh, no. Which is why the Tigers (who I think are also over-rated) will trounce the Tigers this weekend, before falling out of the top 10 shortly thereafter. Did you get that? Tigers over Tigers. It’s a bold pick, but I feel good about it happening.

Kansas State running back Leon Patton was dismissed from the team yesterday after get this- he abused a baby. You know the stupid line, “I’m so angry I could kick a baby.” Well, Patton took the idea pretty literally. He shook a two month old boy. And Riley County Police charged the running back with child abuse. Not surprisingly Patton was already on you guessed it- probation- after the former Wildcat was issued a citation for driving with a suspended license and it was discovered he stole two video games from Walmart. And people wonder where the idiot-jock stereotype comes from.

Joey Harrington has found a new gig. In the Crescent City. Yup, Harrington signed with the Saints yesterday, and is now their number three backup. So let’s summarize Harrington’s once promising career.

2002: Number three pick in the draft to Detroit. Epic failure as Lion.
2006: Traded to Dolphins
2007: Cut by Dolphins, Falcons sign him, and after Mike Vick saga he becomes the starter.
2008: Harrington fails horribly as the starter in Hot ‘Lanta and is released. Now he’s with the Saints.

I think it’s finally safe to say: Joey Harrington was a major draft bust!

SCOTT JACOBS

If you follow baseball, you’ve heard the rumor. The Marlins, Red Sox, and Pirates are talking a blockbuster three team swap that would net Florida Manny Ramirez.

I’m going to say something that might surprise a lot of people: I don’t think Florida should do it.

Forget the fact that Manny is a head-case and he doesn’t run out ground balls or play even a solid outfield. Forget that you never know from one day to the next what Manny will bring to your team, that is, if he tries. Put aside the fact that Ramirez is getting older and finishing up an eight year deal he signed back in 2000 that made him one of the highest paid players in pro sports. Forget that all.

The Marlins should NOT trade for Ramirez. Why you ask? I have my reasons, o I have my reasons.

Reason #1:When you have no expectations it’s a lot easier to play loose and relaxed (especially for a young team)
The Marlins know this better then anyone. Even though they play in South Florida the Marlins regularly finish in the bottom pits of the baseball attendance standings, and their payroll rarely dips above $60 million (this year it’s $21 million, lowest in baseball). The Marlins are the best bang for your buck team in the sport. With the $21 million they are loaded with young arms, and quality hitters. And they lead the league (all of baseball that is) in home runs. So just how are they doing it? Lack of pressure.

Tell me the last time the Marlins were on a national broadcast on ESPN. Can you do it? I can’t. You know why that is? It’s not because the Marlins always stink. In fact, in 2006 the Marlins were in the wild card race much of the year and that was with relocation looming over them. This year they’re the surprise of baseball. They have taken guys like Jorge Cantu and Alfredo Amezega, and have turned them into key contributors. The Marlins get their guys on the cheap, and they have a sensational eye for young talent.

And because the Marlins do things so shrewdly (you can call them cheap if you wish) they avoid the spot-light, because they never seem to have major egos or high paid players on their team (Hanley Ramirez’s deal doesn’t kick in until 2009).

Thus, they are unattractive to ESPN and other national media because they’re not fueled by any one guy.

They play loose and relaxed, because let’s face it: no one expects anything of them. All of a sudden you put a Manny on that team, and the media is all over you. All of a sudden the free-flowing, over-achieving, no pressure Marlins run into a media feeding frenzy. The Marlins are at their best when they do things their way: a few very good players, and a cast of quality guys around them. They have never been known as a dysfunctional group or a divided clubhouse. The guys like each other. They get along. That is a major team dynamic in this day and age. Adding Manny could completely change that.

Reason #2: They can’t resign him after the season is over. If the Marlins picked up Manny’s option for next year (no way in hell that would ever happen if they did acquire him), then he would be making just a million dollars less then Florida’s entire team this year. Even if he settled for a hometown discount (he does have a house in Fort Lauderdale) the Marlins would still be looking at probably $15-17 million a year, and they’re not going to pay that. If a guy like Outfielder Jeremy Hermida is part of the package to get Manny, all of a sudden you’re trading a young number two guy, who’s under contract at a bargain basement price, for a two month rental. Throw in the fact that you know what you’re getting with Hermida (decent batting average, above average power, quality fielding) and you have no idea what Ramirez will choose to bring, and it makes the trade a little dicey for Florida.

Reason #3: The Marlins may not need Manny. They’re in the thick of things in the NL East, just a game and a half back of the Phillies, and they’ve done it with horrendous defense, shaky starting pitching (though it’s been great of late) and a bullpen that is incredibly inconsistent. But here’s the thing. The Marlins have heart. And they’re on a mission: to prove all the doubters wrong. Starting Monday the Marlins take on the Phillies for three games in Philly, and may have a shot at first place by then. And they’ve done it with a superstar who bats less then .200 with RISP (Hanley) and a lot of young guys with a nice mix of veterans.

Florida gets back Anibal Sanchez tomorrow for the first time since 2006, and their starting pitching has dramatically improved of late. Ricky Nolasco has been great, Scott Olsen has been solid, Josh Johnson has been superb since coming back a few weeks ago, and even rookie Chris Volstad has performed admirably.

What the Marlins really need is a catcher that can hit. John Baker and Paul Hoover are probably the worst catching duo in baseball right now, and starter Matt Treanor (who is hurt right now) is far from a consistent threat. Thus, the Marlins should be looking at a quality, on the cheap catcher that can hit, and throw out some runners. Maybe even a lefty setup guy too.

But an outfielder for two months that can hit great, but is the biggest enigma in his sport: that’s not what they need.

SCOTT JACOBS
First in a week long series as we approach All Star weekend at Yankee Stadium

5. Josh Hamilton
The best comeback story of the year. Hamilton has had a whirlwind career, starting as a super prospect drafted number one by Tampa Bay in 1999, all the way to never getting to the bigs, and watching drug addiction nearly ruin his life. But the powerful outfielder put his life back together, and got back on track. And now, after a brief stint with the Reds in which he got to the majors, proved his worth, and then was dealt to Texas, Hamilton has become one of the best hitters in the game. At least for this season. Chicago’s rule 5 pickup (yes, you heard that right: the Cubs picked him and then dealt him to the Reds for cash) has resurrected himself into a triple crown contender, torturing opposing pitchers to the tune of .312 with 19 home runs and 80 RBI’s. Hamilton is living proof that some people do indeed take advantage of second chances.

4. Sunshine State Surprises
The Rays and Marlins have the two lowest payrolls in baseball respectively, so not only is it stunning to see them have winning records, it’s shocking to see them in contention. Tampa’s fans are starting to notice, as they packed the house that Tropicana sponsors last night in a thriller against the second place Red Sox. That’s right: not only is Tampa winning, they’re 18 games above .500, and own the best record in the Bigs. This from a team that has no winning seasons in franchise history to their name. In fact, Tampa Bay is so serious about their new found success and image, that anyone who calls them (Devil) Rays from 2008 into the future will be fined a dollar.

And then there’s the Marlins. With zero expectations thrust upon them, an incredibly inconsistent bullpen, mediocre starting pitching, and a defense that leads the bigs in errors, how in the world can the penny pinching fish be in the race? The long ball, and lots of it. Florida leads the league in dingers with a potent lineup of wild swingers. They even locked up Hanley Ramirez to an extension earlier in the year, giving hope to Marlin fans that the best may be yet to come. The Marlins aren’t winning conventionally, and everyone is waiting for them to fail, but until they do, the ratings nightmare (that would probably end the world as we know it) known as a Marlins-Rays Fall Classic remains a slim, albeit potential World Series match up.

3. The steroids issue is no longer a distraction
Barry Bonds is willing to play for the minimum, for any team, yet no one wants him. It’s a refreshing reboot that baseball has taken on this year, along with a tougher drug policy, that is clearing up doubts, and bringing in fans. Home runs may be down, but attendance is way up, and new exciting up and comers, like Florida’s Ramirez, Tampa’s BJ Upton, and Chicago’s Carlos Quentin are reinvigorating the old game with youthful exuberance.

2. Big spending doesn’t buy what it used to
The early 2000’s threatened to send baseball spiraling out of control, with ludicrous spending sprees, and threats of taking baseball out of the Twin cities. The same teams were winning every year, and baseball fans in smaller markets began to feel doom and gloom for their team’s chances. But now? Well, having a small payroll is the hip thing to do. The Rays (2nd lowest opening day) have the best record in baseball. The Marlins (lowest payroll) have a winning record, Oakland (third lowest) is surprising everybody. Minnesota’s playing great ball without Johan Santana (You do mess with the Johan, says Minnesota’s success!) and Arizona’s 8th lowest payroll has them atop the atrocious NL West.

Division leaders as of the start of July with Opening Day payrolls:

AL East: Rays (29th)
AL Central: White Sox (5th)
AL West: Angels (6th)
NL East: Phillies (13th)
NL Central: Cubs (7th)
NL West: Diamondbacks (23rd)

Notice something? Teams with the three highest payrolls, both New York teams and Detroit, aren’t able to buy what they once could. But still, it would be foolish to say baseball is cleansed of its issues. The fact that the Marlins are able to field a payroll which is twice as low as Tampa’s is a joke, and needs to be looked at in the off season.

And number one…

1. Hope springs eternal (in most places that is)
Fifteen teams are either leading their division or within 5 games of the leader. And let’s be real: during the course of a grueling Major League season five games can be erased in a couple weeks span. And as of the end of June, more teams took winning records into July then losing ones. That my friends is a win-win situation for everyone… unless you’re the Nationals, or Pirates, or Mariners…

SCOTT JACOBS

This week was a crazy and exciting week to be a sports fan. To cap it all off, Juiced Sports introduces a new weekly segment, JUICED NUMBERS. Because like Quiznos copying Subway’s five dollar foot longs, we too can copy. Thanks Sports Illustrated for the idea. We’re just 20 years late to join the party.

-24- Millions it took to buy Mike D’Antoni from the dessert to the Big Apple. According to an Arizona newspaper, D’Antoni refused to comply with GM Steve Kerr on two things: he refused to dedicate 15-20 minutes extra on the defensive side of the ball in practice, and he had no interest in giving more minutes to youngsters D.J. Strawberry and Alando Tucker. And just like that, he was gone in Seven Seconds or less from the declining Suns to the atrocious Knicks.

-5- Number of NBA teams who have hired new off-season coaches. Phoenix and Chicago are still looking for a new leader, after D’Antoni and Scott Skiles (who was fired in midseason) reached deals to coach the Knicks and Bucks respectively. Eric Spoelstra is the only one amongst the bunch who has no previous head coaching experience.

-70- Hanley Ramirez’s new contract with the Marlins which pays him $70 million over six years. Not only was it a shocking move made by the notoriously “cry poor” Marlins, but it is the largest contract EVER handed out to a player with less than three complete years in the Bigs. Maybe things are changing for the Marlins who have won seven straight and now own the BEST record in the National League and all of baseball, not to mention a three game lead in their division.

-1- Games below .500 the Nationals would be if they didn’t have the Marlins on their schedule. The Nats dropped to 0-6 at home versus the flying Fish on Sunday, after they blew a 4-1 lead en route to a 5-4 loss. Washington’s only win against the Marlins in nine games this season: April 18th.

-15- Points in overtime scored by the usually sluggish Utah Jazz in their overtime thriller against the Lakers. The win evened up their series with Los Angeles, and added yet another win for home teams in the second round. With San Antonio’s game four win over the Hornets late Sunday night, the road team is an astonishing 1-14 with Detroit’s win on Saturday over Orlando the only victory for the team wearing a darker jersey.

-2- Number of people who I hope will never be on Baseball Tonight again: Chris Berman and Juan Marichal. The two put together one of the worst sports programs I have seen in recent memory. Why ESPN wanted the slow, choppy English speaking Hall of Famer on a sports highlight show is beyond me. As for Berman, I love the guy when it comes to football, but simply put baseball is not his thing. About the Marlins, Berman said, “How about those Marlins. They are a team swimming impressively,” or something like that. Berman may have been talking about Florida, but he was the one who looked like a fish out of water.

-10- Games below .500 and 14 wins total for the offensively challenged San Diego Padres. Ever since the Pads blew that epic NL playoff tiebreaker last year to the Rockies, they have been on the decline. Just how bad has it been? Before their series win against those same Rockies this weekend, San Diego had lost eight straight series. Their two consecutive wins match their longest winning streaks all season. And they still have the worst record in the Majors. With Jake Peavy and Chris Young how the heck is that possible?

-1- Years in college it took for NBA prospect O.J. Mayo to bolt from USC to the NBA. But it’s also taken just a year for the latest scandal involving a Trojan to take place. Following in the footsteps of former USC great Reggie Bush, Mayo is the latest Southern Cal star to find himself in a big time scandal, following an Outside the Lines report that he received cash and other things dating back all the way to high school. One however, does not represent the number of players who never seem to learn, or the schools that turn a blind eye towards these problems.

-0- Mentions of the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, or Cubs in this article until now.

-7- Days till we get to do this again.

It was fun. Hope you enjoyed the first ever installment of JUICED NUMBERS. Inflated sports statistics offering high quality information for the sports’ masses. We’ll see you next week. In the meantime enjoy SportsCenter’s never ending coverage of Joba Chamberlain.

Goodnight everybody.

SCOTT JACOBS

There’s been some fun stories lately coming out of the sporting ranks, but none is as bizarre, confusing, and downright compelling as Florida’s rise to the top of the National League East. In case you’re anti-family and don’t know what baseball is, you’re probably aware of Florida’s unbelievably low 21 million dollar payroll. Teams don’t win with that little support from their owner. But would you look at that. No, not the shooting star, I’m talking about the baby Marlins jumping out to the greatest start in team history!

With 21 wins to their name in just 35 games, the Marlins, the Marlins!, are not only leading the NL East, but they’re amongst the best in all of BASEBALL. Let me repeat that. The Marlins have one of the best records in baseball.

It’s stunning, and absolutely devastating news to teams like Pittsburgh who have lost and lost and lost some more over the span of a decade, all while trying to develop young cheap talent. The Marlins, who pay to lose, are winning. A lot.

Florida’s 7-3 win over Washington on Friday not only extended the Marlins win streak to five but it pushed their road record to six games above .500. Generally young teams have success at home, but to be this good on the road? All kinds of crazy.

Florida’s opening day starter Mark Hendrickson is 5-1. Question: did you know who he was before this season started? I didn’t. The Marlins have scored 20 runs in their last three games, and have won five out of their last six, but what’s most impressive is the way they’re pitching. The Marlins have allowed the opposition to put more then four runs on the board just once in their last 10 games! The Pads, Brewers and Nats scored a combined 12 runs on the Fish in Florida’s last six game. Anyone a math major? That’s 2 runs a game. Absolutely amazing from a team that was getting torched earlier in the year.

So, here’s the deal. The Marlins have 21 wins faster then any season in team history. They’re playing with house money. No one expected anything from this team. Washington National fans have to be sick to their stomach, watching their team in their new ballpark, fall to the team who’s owner doesn’t care. Tigers fans have to be a little nauseas. They wrangled away Florida’s last two cogs from their World Series championship team in 2003, and they’re in last place in the AL Central. Their payroll, well, let’s not get into specifics. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings here.

What’s even more amazing, is that the Marlins have been successful without two quality players of late: Josh Willingham and Mike Jacobs. Jacobs believe it or not has nine home runs. But that’s okay, because this team is loaded with fresh faced youngsters, and classy veterans (mainly Luis Gonzalez) who have been there to pick up the slack.

With the Marlins up 3-1 late in the game, Luis Gonzalez delivered with a clutch double with the bases loaded to break open a tight game. How good have the Marlins been lately? Well, I haven’t even mentioned Hanley Ramirez, and he’s the superstar on the team.

Scott Olsen is 4-1, Kevin Gregg, their closer has had so little work recently that Florida put him in a non-save situation against the Nats just to give him some work! Even Jorge Cantu, the former Devil Rays great, is contributing.

Its even more startling when you take a look at some of the players who have been on Florida’s lineup card this season. We’re not just talking about players who played a couple games either. Take a look with games played in parentheses.

C: Mike Rabelo (17), Matt Treanor (15), Paul Hoover (2)
1B: Wes Helms (22)
3B: Jorge Cantu (32)
CF: Alfredo Amezaga (28), Cody Ross (14)

Did we mention that the Marlins have sent out Burk Badenhop and Rick VandenHurk to start games?

So there’s that too.

Anyway you look at it, the Marlins are, well, they’re leaving the baseball world speechless.

It’s a stunning turnaround for a team expected to get trampled in the National League East.

In contrast the Marlins were 71-91 last year.

They look a heck of a lot closer to their 91-71 2003 record this year.

That team won the World Series.

This team is already defying the odds. But if they ever sustained this, and gulp, made the playoffs… would that be the most unbelievable cinderella story in pro sports history? Afterall, the team that tries not to win, some how refuses to lose, and with nothing to lose, this year’s Florida Marlins are quickly becoming one hell of a story.

It’s early, just five weeks in to a long season. But the Marlins have the chance to make a mockery of New York’s crazy payroll, and the Mets’ ludicrous spending. Could you imagine if the Marlins win the division and the Yanks don’t make the playoffs? It’s a crazy thought, but the hottest team in the National League, and this season’s greatest surprise, is no longer a cute story.

The 2008 Marlins, built with the idea of winning years away, just might be legit.

SCOTT JACOBS

Hey everybody! Wow, saw the Florida State Seminoles Garnet and Gold scrimmage today, and yeesh, not pretty. If that team is going to score some points on offense, it sure wasn’t obvious from their play today. Anyhow, college football is a mere months away, and baseball has just started. Some crazy stuff happening too. Let me get right to it.

Arizona is Awe-some!
It’s early, but guess who has not only the top ERA in the NL but also the highest runs per game average? Yup, you didn’t guess it, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The season is young, but Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton have 5 home runs a piece and Arizona has been raking right through the NL Champion Colorado Rockies this year (5-0 as of Saturday night). Brandon Webb is 3-0, Dan Haren is 2-0 and Randy Johnson is about to come back and things are looking great for the D’backs who early on have justified my World Series pick. Only time will tell, but at 9-2 they are the hottest team in baseball and have won 8 in a row and counting. And because I said that they will probably lose their next game.

21 Million reasons to smile
Okay, so it’s early. Really early, but if you had the Marlins a 7-4 and with a cushy little 1.5 game lead in the NL East at ANY POINT in the season, go to Vegas, buy a lotto ticket, and buy a few raffle tickets, because you sir/ma’am have vision. Now, no one picked them to start this way. And if you would have thought that the Fish (who are basically playing with house money: no one expects them to win, no one even expected them to compete) would be in this position with the worst ERA in baseball, you’d be lying. It’s amazing what Fredi Gonzalez has done for the Marlins in this young season. And if the season ended and they made the playoffs, it would be the biggest mockery of baseball’s payroll situation in sport history. Just letting everyone know.

Rockie Start in Denver
We’ll get to Detroit’s stunning start in a minute, but its hard to overlook Colorado’s slow start. At 4-7, and 0-5 versus Arizona (a team they swept in the NLCS last year) the Rockies look more like a dud then last year’s stud. And if you count their sweep to the superior Red Sox in last year’s Fall Classic, the Rockies are 4-11 in their last 15. Not quite, uh, 21 out of 22.

Toothless Tigers in Detroit
World Series favorites? Division favorites? Playoff locks? It sure seemed like Detroit was in great shape after landing the biggest fish in the offseason when they dealt their star prospects for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. At 2-9, Detroit is the worst team in baseball right now, and just got shut out by the surprising White Sox 7-0. With their offense looking more like Detroit LIONS teams of the past, the Tigers are in danger of putting themselves in an insurmountable hole. Why the problems? Well, that amazing middle of the order (Cabrera, Sheffield, and Maglio Ordonez) are batting a respective .167, .167, and .244. Talk about numbers that scare no one. With the second highest payroll in baseball and massive dollars invested into a veteran club, this experiment which looked brilliant, could turn out to be a horrible failure. Too early to tell, but the early returns are not good.

Oops!…

Early looks at my pre-season picks

The A’s would be unwatchable (They’re in first place in the AL West, albeit very early)
The Cardinals would sink to dead last in the awful NL Central (they’re 9-3 and 8-2 in their last 10)
Kansas City would not finish last (with a strong early start and some early promise the Royals may not even finish 4th)
The Twins would be awful (They actually have a winning record)

A couple initial thoughts at the first two weeks
Who needs big free agent signings, Arizona’s Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton could be the Majors next great 1-2 punch
The Yankees look pretty, uh, mediocre. Then again, so does that entire division.
Andrew Jones is done. He’s batting under .200 and recently got benched in favor of Juan Pierre. O where have you gone Mr. Jones?
The two lowest scoring teams in baseball are… the Mile High Colorado Rockies and revamped Detroit Tigers (33 runs so far for both). Who saw that coming?
The two teams playing not to win are leading the way (Marlins, A’s, are a combined 15-8.)

One final thought
Arizona is the only team to win their division last year, and currently lead it this year. Of course, with 150+ games to go a lot of things could change.

If the season ended today…
Arizona, St. Louis, Florida, and Milwaukee (WC) would represent the NL in the playoffs
Oakland, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore, and Minnesota, KC, and Toronto (All tied at 6-5 for WC) would represent the AL in the playoffs.

A Florida-Oakland World Series anyone?
It’s a good thing the season doesn’t end today.