Alex Carver

Cast your vote for best #Marlins to ever wear the number 4 and get them on the All-Fish Team! — Fish On The Farm (@marlinsminors) November 29, 2016 The bench. A place that, although being extremely important to the overall success of a team, loses all limelight to those in the starting lineup, pitching rotation and even bullpen. However, every once in a while, a utility player comes along and forces people to notice him. This was the case with the guy who has been voted as the Marlins' best wearer of the number four, Alfredo Amezaga. Born on January 16, 1978 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, Alfredo Amezaga immigrated to South Florida in his high school years with nothing but a tourist visa and a pile of pesos in his hand, money his parents had been since he was toddler with the intention to send Alfredo to the United States to learn English when he was of age. Upon landing in America as a freshman in high school, life wasn't much easier. His days consisted of waking up in a small room he shared with four other teenagers, going to school, then spending most of the rest of his days working at a car wash just to be able to eat one meal a day. The only solace Amezaga found was on the baseball field and despite having to quickly adjust to a tough life on his own, he was able to get to work on making his dream of becoming a professional ballplayer a reality by attending every practice, playing every game and putting in all the necessary work for the Miami High Stingarees. All of that work paid off in his senior year when he was recognized by the Colorado Rockies late in the draft and recruited by St. Petersburg college with the help of a student visa. The school was modest, one of the smallest in the area and to this day remains so without any resident students and four small campuses each of which offer a handful of specialized degrees but to Amezaga, it might as well have been Florida State. And they had a baseball program. Amezaga spent the next two seasons in that program and turned his 36th round draft stock from high school into a 13th round draft stock in his sophomore year of college. In the 1999 draft, he was selected by the Angels one spot ahead of Albert Pujols. At that moment, Amezaga was ready to fulfill his destiny. After a decorated .279/.352/.376, 149 SB start to his big league career in Anaheim's system which included a .322/.402/.420 All-Star worthy effort in his first pro season, a 73 stolen base effort in A+ in 2000, and a .312/.370/.425 effort in his first 70 games in AA in 2001 which earned him Texas League All-Star honors at both mid and postseason, a Futures Game invite the Angels' MiLB Defensive Player of the Year award, Amezaga signed his first big league contract in 2002. Upon doing so, he repaid his family's investment -- multiple times over -- by sending nearly $4 million back to his parents in Mexico. Honoring his parents with nearly half of his yearly earnings that season was the first time Amezaga showed that he remembered his roots, the very meager accommodations he cut his teeth in and the sacrifice his family made in favor of his baseball career but it certainly wouldn't be the last. Amezaga went on to pay tribute those former circumstances and that endowment during every single game of his career, whether he got on the field or not. After spending parts of three seasons with the Angels and a short single season stint in Colorado, in a a spout of poetic justice, Amezaga returned to where his baseball dreams were fulfilled, to Miami. There, he endeared himself to Marlins fans not only with good play off the bench as the franchise's best portrait of a Superman-like utility player but also as one of it's easiest to like people by way of his antics while in the dugout, namely those with his partner in crime, Miguel Cabrera. In 2006, Amezaga got his Marlins' tenure started by posting a .260/.332/.332 line in 334 ABs. He stole 20 bags, an MLB career high and second on the team to Hanley Ramirez. In the field, Amezaga spent most of his time in center field, platooning with Reggie Abercrombie but he also flashed his versatility by playing at six additional positions. In his first full season's worth of Major League games, the scrappy 28-year-old contributed 11.9 runs and a full win above replacement level. The following year, Amezaga did an even better job of showing his all-around resourcefulness. In 133 games and a career high 448 ABs, he hit .263/.324/.358. On most days, he was the Marlins' starter in center field but his adaptiveness to virtually any position allowed manager Fredi Gonzalez to move him all around the field late in contests in order to get advantageous offensive weapons into the game. Again that season, Amezaga fielded a total of seven different defensive spots and nearly all of them very well. At his usual home in center field, Amezaga saved 14 defensive runs, tied for fourth best among qualified center fielders (min. 600 innings played). By way of ranking third in both arm runs above average (+6) and range runs above average (11), Amezaga posted a ridiculous 15.8 UZR, making him the third best defensive CF in baseball, second best in the NL. The speedster who got amazing reads off the bat, allowing him to cover every bit of the infamous Bermuda Triangle at Sun Life Stadium appeared on NL leaderboards in a number of range dependant stat categories, including first in range factor per nine innings (3.02) and fourth in total zone runs (7). In addition, Amezaga contributed a positive DRS at two other positions, second base and shortstop. All in all that year, Amezaga was 20.5 runs above replacement level which ranked him as the 21st best all around CF in baseball and 9th best in the NL among those with at least 200 PAs. His 2.3 WAR made him the fourth best full time player on that Marlins team ahead of the likes of Dan Uggla, Josh Willingham and Dontrelle Willis. The mark also placed him amongst the top 10 most valuable center fielders in the National League. Amezaga's last full season with the Fish came in 2008. Again, he was of positive value to the club, posting a 1.2 WAR. It came by way of a very Amezaga-like .264/.312/.367 slash line and, although he took a bit of a step back, still above average defense as he posted saved 9 defensive runs which ranked fourth in the NL and posted a 3.5 UZR which ranked 12th. Though he was slightly better a year previous at more positions played, all of Amezaga's still plenty solid defensive work lead to a 1.7 dWAR, making him the 10th best fielder in the NL. In 2009, Amezaga appeared in 27 games for the Marlins. He got off to another good start defensively before an injury caused him to miss the remainder of the season. That offseason, the Marlins released him. After time in Colorado and Los Angeles, he was brought back to Miami in 2011 for a swan song 20 games. Those few handful of games appropriately played in the area where Amezaga was nationally noticed and where played his best pro ball closed the book on both his baseball career and his Marlins career that isn't storied in the same way as guys we have previously added to the All-Fish team but storied in its own right nonetheless. From the time he joined Florida in 2006 to the time he played the final game of his final full season, Amezaga was one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. Over that span, his 23 defensive runs saved ranked fourth, his UZR of 25.3 ranked third and his Def rating of 28.1 ranked fourth. Statistically, he was the best center fielder in the game behind Andruw Jones, Carlos Beltran and Grady Sizemore. He also saved 12 runs at other positions over that same three year span, which arguably makes him the best all-around defender in Marlins history. Amezaga wasn't a flashy player. He isn't a guy who will get many Hall of Fame votes and he isn't a guy fans outside of Florida will ever speak of. But within the fanbase, Amezaga successfully built a reputation as being a guy willing to do whatever was necessary to help the team whether it be being up on the top railing of the dugout, finding a way on base by any means necessary or simply sacrificing himself for the greater good at the plate or performing Gold Glove worthy defense in the field while all the while smiling, appreciating what baseball had given him. Even to this day at age 40, Amezaga still can't get stay away from his one true love as he continues to play in the Mexican leagues. For those reasons, Amezaga adorned himself as a fan favorite and for those reasons, he makes our All-Fish Team as the greatest all time wearer of the number four. Be sure to cast your votes on Twitter this week (@marlinsminors) and check back here next week to find out who will join our All-Fish Team as the greatest wearer of the number six.

Due to the untimely death of ace Jose Fernandez and because of the ineffectiveness of Andrew Cashner, Justin Nicolino and others at the anchor position of the rotation, the Marlins have some work to do with their rotation this offseason. They began that work on Friday when they signed free agent Edinson Volquez to a two-year, $22 million contract. There's no getting around it. Edinson Volquez wasn't very effective last year. And that is putting it very nicely. Without using any more adjectives to describe Volquez, let's just let his stats speak for themselves: In 2016, Volquez went 10-11 in 34 starts and 189.1 IP. His 5.37 ERA was the second highest in all of MLB. It came by way of a .282 BAA, fifth highest in baseball and a 1.55 WHIP, second highest only to James Shields. Only Shields eclipsed Volquez for the dubious honor of most earned runs given up. The 113 surrendered by Volquez were a career high. Though there is something to be said for the fact that the damage he allotted came as a result of a heightened .319 BABIP and the fact that his defense didn't help him at all but moreso hindered him as proven by his 4.57 FIP, Volquez was a shadow of the pitcher he was just from 2014-2015. In those two seasons combined, Volquez was a quality asset, holding down a 3.30 ERA in 393 IP, making him the 25th best pitcher in the game in that regard. It came by way of a respectable 1.27 WHIP, a .238 BAA which was 32nd lowest in baseball and by way of a 75.2% LOB%, which was amongst the game's top 30. In both '14 and '15, Volquez was an integral part of teams that each reached the postseason. In the latter of those years, he was arguably the world champion Royals' best postseason arm posting a 3.85 ERA in 28.2 innings, including 12 innings with an even 3.00 ERA in the World Series. So what happened to Volquez to cause him to go from being a guy who contributed nearly three more wins to his team than the average major league pitcher in two straight seasons (2.5 WAR in both 2014 and 2015) to a guy who cost his team nearly a full one full win (-0.8 WAR in 2016) over the course of just 162 games? Volquez is traditionally a three pitch pitcher. He owns a straight and narrow mid-90s sinker with very little movement, a debilitating out-pitch changeup and a curveball. The sinker has almost always been subpar and more of a setup pitch. Over the course of the last six years, the best value the pitch has held has been just -0.2 RAA. In other words, it was slightly worse than a league average pitch. That was in 2012. In every other season from 2011 until now, the pitch has been much worse than league average. Over the last three seasons, the pitch has been a total of 31.1 runs below league average. Volquez has a fourth pitch which is technically classified as a four-seamer that he throws interchangeably with the sinker. but in similar fashion to the sinker, it holds very little value. It has only once been a better than league average pitch over the course of those same past six seasons. The changeup is by far Volquez's best offering. Even in a career worst season for him ERA and WHIP wise last year, it was still the 11th best changeup in the game, clocking in at 5.2 RAA. In 2015, the Volquez change was the even better. With a value of a whopping 11.4 RAA, it was the sixth best offering of its type in baseball and the fourth best in the American League. The company around him on the pitch value leaderboard that year -- Greinke, Sale, Hamels, etc. -- spoke for itself. To round out the three-year time frame we are mostly discussing here, in 2014, the changeup was a bit less valuable for Volquez but, probably due to the success of his fastball which he threw 18.4% of the time, he threw the changeup a lot less. It accounted for just 18% of his total pitches thrown, a career low. This stands a good reason why Volquez didn't have as good a feel for the pitch as he had both earlier and later in his career. Still, it was an above average pitch for Volquez, ranking at 1.3 RAA. Between 2014 and this past season, Volquez's 18.5 RAA changeup has been the 12th best changeup in baseball. So far, we have a guy who has one (or two, if you count the four-seamer as a separate pitch) very mediocre to bad pitches and one very good pitch. Unfortunately, that isn't going to get it done for a big league starter of any type, let alone one who hopes to be affective on the mound. A second plus pitch needs to be in his arsenal. Thus we arrive at what has either made or broken seasons for Volquez -- his temperamental curveball. Again, we go back to the 2014-2015 time frame when Volquez was very effective. Taking a look at the total pitch value on his curve over that span, it was nearly as good as his changeup. At 10.3 total RAA (6.7 in 2014 and 3.6 in 2015), the Volquez breaking ball was the tenth best of its type in MLB, seventh best in the AL. Looking at the pitch itself, it's easy to see where the value came from. For further recognition of the affectiveness and value of the pitch, here is Volquez's curveball (most of the time classified as a knucklecurve) RAA by pitch location from 2014-2015. Looking at batted ball stats on the pitch using PitchFX, we find that amongst 1,558 curves thrown between 2014 and 2015, Volquez gave up just 70 hits including five homers. The rate at which opponents successfully hit the pitch? A dazzling .193. Now let's fast-forward to last season. Ouch. Very ouch. As you can see, the pitch has evidently lost virtually all of its downward movement and bite. Instead, it flattened out and caught tons more of the strikezone. In just one season, the batting average against the pitch rose from the aforementioned collective .193 in the two years previous to .274. Where hitters touched him up for just 22 total XBHs on curveballs from '14-'15, they got 17 off of it in 2016. The problem with the pitch wasn't velocity. In fact, the 80.2 average velo on the pitch was right in line with its average velo in the two seasons prior. Consequently, it was location which stemmed from a faulty release point and arm angle. Comparing the two versions of the pitch, the good version from '14-'15 and the bad one from last year, Volquez appeared to be releasing the ball much later into his stride last year and not at the advantageous apex of his delivery as he was a little earlier in his career. This led to the swing-and-miss pitch turning into a swing-and-hit pitch by way of the ball losing its downward bite and catching far too much of the strikezone. For proof of this, we can refer to the 80.1% contact rate on the pitch and the 61.7% contact rate on curves out of the zone. Both were Volquez's worst percentages posted since he was first learning the pitch as a second year player in 2006. As a result, batters began waiting out Volquez's quality changeup, sitting on his mediocre at best sinker, laying off the few good curves he threw and taking advantage of the many more bad ones. All in all, it resulted in Volquez, who was not too long ago a fantastic middle of the rotation starter, becoming one of the worst starters in baseball. So the question is now that Volquez has a new home, can he reclaim the glue that holds his rotation together by successfully rebuilding his curveball? By giving him a $22 million contract at 32 years old despite the egg he just laid on the field last season, the Marlins obviously seem to think so. And they have good reason to. A Volquez signing in Miami means that he will be reunited with Marlins' VP of pitching development Jim Benedict. Benedict has a familiar task ahead of him: Fixing Edinson Volquez. Benedict, known as the pitcher whisperer, was successful in doing so for the first time in 2014 when Volquez came to the Pirates. A year after Volquez's curveball ranked as one of the worst in baseball with a -9.5 RAA, Benedict turned it into the pitch that has been revered throughout this article. In addition, Benedict molded the Volquez changeup, which was nearly as bad as his curve in 2013 (-8.1 RAA), and made it one of the best in the game. So if anyone can fix Volquez (again), Benedict is the man. While the Marlins could have gotten likely similar value for a cheaper price by signing Doug Fister (whom the Marlins may still be a player on regardless of this signing) and while the surplus could have gone to some of their many arbitration eligible players, Volquez is a guy who is still low risk, high reward. Should he not work out in the rotation, a move to the bullpen and a re-introduction of David Phelps to the rotation could be in the cards. In the twilight of his career, Volquez should at least be able to perform well in that capacity.

Here are your choices for best #Marlins to ever wear #3. Winner joins the All-Fish team! — Fish On The Farm (@marlinsminors) November 17, 2016 October 26, 1997. Game seven of the World Series. Tie game. 11th inning. Bases loaded, two outs. A 20-year-old Edgar Renteria steps to the plate against Charles Nagy. Four years earlier, it appeared that his lifelong dream was realized as he was signed at the age of 16 out of high school in Colombia now here he was at the age of 20 in his second season in professional ball with baseball history within his grasp in a situation that every ball player wants to find himself in yet and many never do, even after storied Hall of Fame type careers. Somehow still, Renteria was able to put his fear, excitement, nerves, and about a million other feelings aside and deliver. He drove an 0-1 slider back up the middle, scoring Craig Counsell from third and winning the Marlins their first ever world championship and writing their name along with his own into baseball record books forever. The AB which was Edgar's 1,048th of 1,565 in a Marlins' uniform painted a perfect picture of the kind of player he was: a scrappy hitter who could be counted on to get on base by any means necessary in order to both start innings or extend them. On top of the image of Renteria streaking down the first base line with tears streaming down his face being ingrained in every Marlins' fan's memory forever, it is for that reason, for being one of the best catalytic bats the team has ever seen that Edgar makes the All-Fish team as the best all-time wearer of the number three. Edgar Renteria was born on August 7, 1976 in Barranquilla, Colombia. He played high school ball at Instituto Los Alpes High School in Barranquilla. Not long after his graduating year in 1992, Edgar was signed at the age of 15 by the Marlins. He was the first of just three Barranquilla residents (the others being former Marlin Donovan Solano and his brother Jhonatan) to have ever made American professional baseball, aptly earning him the moniker The Barranquilla Baby. With what he would go on to accomplish in a storied 15-year MLB career, he did that nickname more than justice and did his homeland proud, so much so that his name is now attached to the region's brand new $45 billion ballpark which is set to be completed next month, named Estadio de Beisbol Edgar Renteria (Ballpark of Edgar Renteria). If you ask any child in the region whom their all-time hero is, you will be greeted with the name Edgar Renteria before you can even finish the question. Barranquilla little leaguers revere him above all others as their all-time hero and pull on their cleats for practice hoping to one day follow in his footsteps. Upon his arrival in America, Edgar was sent to the Gulf Coast League Marlins to begin a very short but very impressive minor league career. There, he hit .288/.329/.350. The .288 BA was second best on that year's GCL Marlins and 34th in the league. His 47 hits in 175 ABs ranked 27th in the league. Again, he was by far the league's youngest player, only turning 16 a month before the season ended. The shift to full season ball proved to be a bit difficult for Edgar at first as he hit just a collective .229/.288/.264 through his first 244 games between 1993 and 1994 but that didn't stop the Marlins from giving him the call to AA Portland to start the 1995 season. Renteria rewarded that confidence by having his best season as a pro at the highest level he's ever played at and once again against much older competition. That season, the 18-year-old, playing in a league against guys who averaged the age of 24, hit .289/.329/.388. He smashed a career high 29 XBH including seven homers and seven triples. He also turned many of his singles into at least doubles by swiping 30 bags, a total which ranked fourth in the Eastern League and just behind the likes of Nomar Garciaparra. He also appeared on top 20 leaderboards in triples (6th), RBI (13th with 68) and BA (20th) as he helped the Portland Sea Dogs to a league title by way of an average of over five runs a game. This was the first glimpse Marlins fans got of just how great of a catalyst Edgar could be as he also contributed eight sacrifice hits, sixth most in the Eastern League and eight sacrifice flies, third most. After getting another call up, his fourth in four years and officially making him a frequent flyer through the minors, Edgar got off to a similar start as his year previous as he hit .280/.326/.386 with eight doubles, two homers, 16 RBI and 10 SB in his first 35 games in AAA. On pace for career highs in all of those categories, the Marlins gave him his major league call after Kurt Abbott went down with an injury. Despite being just 19, Major League Baseball's youngest player and still to this day the youngest Marlin ever, Edgar spent the next 106 games becoming one of the very best shortstops in baseball. In 431 rookie year ABs, Renteria slashed .309/.358/.399. Amongst shortstops with at least 400 plate appearances, those marks ranked third, just behind Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, seventh just behind Omar Vizquel and Barry Larkin and 10th. Despite playing in less games than any of the competition that topped him, his countable stats were equally as impressive as his hit count of 133 placed 13th amongst all shortstops, his stolen base count of 16 tanked sixth and his walk total of 33 ranked 17th. His exports barely kept his hands off the Rookie of the Year trophy. He placed second to Dodgers' outfielder Todd Hollandsworth. However, a season later, Renteria would get his mitts on an even more prestigious prize: the World Series trophy. The honor came after a regular season in which Edgar hit .277/.327/.340 as a 20-year-old atop the Marlins' lineup. With 45 walks in 691 PAs, his BB% of 6.5 ranked ninth amongst MLB shortstops. Despite seeing the most ABs amongst baseball's #6 players, he managed to hold down a 15.6 K%, good for eighth lowest amongst them. Accordingly, his 0.42 BB/K was 11th best amongst shortstops. The impetus Renteria also scored 90 runs that year, tied for most amongst NL shortstops. He also stole 32 bags, tied for second most in the NL with Shawon Dunston. All of this preceded his aforementioned heroic World Series moment. However, dramatically amazing as it was, the series clinching hit wasn't Renteria's only positive moment of that championship series. For the seven game span, he hit .290/.353/.355 with two doubles, three RBI and a 3/5 K/BB and he not so arguably deserved the World Series MVP Award over Livan Hernandez, who, despite a great performance in game five, gave up eight earned runs on 15 hits in 13.2 innings. Renteria played in his final season with the Marlins in 1998, a year in which he was the only Marlins' All-Star by way of a .302/.366/.358 slash line at the break. He went on to hit .282 that year, which was, at the point in his career, a career high and which ranked eighth amongst MLB shortstops. In that same regard, his .347 OBP ranked seventh and his 41 steals, another career high, ranked second again only to A-Rod of the American League Mariners. His 13.4 K% was 10th lowest amongst shortstops and his 8.3 BB% was seventh highest leading to a 0.62 BB/K that was sixth best amongst shortstops. Upon being traded to the Cardinals that offseason, his Marlins' career came to an end but it didn't come without a legacy left behind. That legacy is made up not only by way of arguably the best World Series performance in team history but also by way of the team's seventh most career stolen bases (89), its ninth best career BA (.288), its seventh best AB per strikeout ratio (6.2) and its sixth most sacrifice hits (30). His final Marlins slash line reads .288/.342/.357 with 89 steals and 114 RBI. Edgar went on to similarly great things as a member of the Cardinals hitting .290/.347/.420, marks which ranked sixth, eighth and 13th for an MLB shortstop and again putting him in the conversation for the best #6 man in the league for the span of 1999-2004 and awarded him three All-Star Game invites and two appearances in MVP voting (including 15th in his career best .330/.394/.480 season in 2003). However, perhaps his greatest personal accomplishment occurred in 2010 as a member of Giants when he righted the wrong of missing out on the World Series MVP award in 1997. That year, Renteria hit game winning homers in two separate games and was honored with the award. A season later, Renteria's baseball career came to an end. The first people he announced it to were his countrymen in Colombia. And as revered as he is there, he is equally as revered by Marlins fans. Being the ones who discovered him from humble beginnings in his tiny native city and bringing him to the professional ranks as merely a teenager only to watch him blossom in to a World Series hero and one of the baseball's best top of the order incendiaries, Renteria could become the first player ever to enter the Hall of Fame, which he is eligible for this year, donning a Marlins' cap. Participate in the poll on Twitter this coming week and be sure to read next week where your votes will reveal the greatest Marlin to ever wear the number four.

Moving on in our quest to assemble the best @Marlins' all-time roster, I submit for your vote the best wearer of the number 2. #Marlins — Fish On The Farm (@marlinsminors) October 26, 2016 Watching a guy become the hero of your team not only during the regular season but also during the postseason, leading the squad to a World Series title like Josh Beckett did in 2003, you hope he stays in your city and in your favorite uniform for his entire career. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case for the Marlins who, after both times they went all the way, decided to quickly part with most of their assets, including Beckett. Just a year and a half after he was hoisted into the air after a dramatic game seven victory over the Yankees and less than a year after he paraded around Miami with the World Series MVP trophy in his grasp, the Marlins dealt him to Boston along with another Marlins' hero, Mike Lowell in one of the 2005 offseason's most blockbuster trades. Although it wasn't the first time, Jeffrey Loria had left a sour taste in Marlins' fans' mouths despite just recently giving them their second title in six years. Little did Marlins fans know at the time though that the center return piece for the Fish, a lanky, young, baby-faced kid named Hanley Ramirez, would be soon remedy that taste and make the pill a lot easier to swallow. Before he was an early Christmas gift to the Marlins in November 2005, Hanley Ramirez was a Christmas baby. Born on December 23, 1983 in Samana, Dominican Republic, Hanley came to the United States as an international signee by the Red Sox at the age of 19 in 2002. In his first year as a pro, Hanley made an instant impact. In 45 games with the GCL Red Sox that season, Hanley hit .341, ranking him fourth in the league. His 20 total XBHs were second to only Joey Votto and paved the way for a .555 SLG which also ranked second in the GCL. With an OBP over .400 (.402), he OPSed .957, third in the league. Before moving on to short season single A Lowell late that year, he was named a Rookie League All-Star. Upon arriving in Lowell, Massachusetts just a few hours away from his presumed future Major League home, Hanley hit .371/.400/.536 in 22 games, showing the Red Sox enough to begin his full season career in 2003. Ramirez rewarded his club's confidence by slashing .275/.327./.403 in 111 games with the Augusta Greenjackets of the Sally League. Among full time starters, his .275 BA ranked second on his team and among the top 50 in the league. His .403 SLG also ranked 47th in the Sally. Most impressively, Hanley swiped 36 bags, a total which ranked fifth in the league and scored the league's 14th most runs (69). Another jump in level greeted Hanley in 2004 when he moved on to the single A advanced Florida State League as a member of the now defunct Sarasota Red Sox. In 62 games and 239 ABs in the pitcher-friendly FSL, Hanley hit .310/.364/.389. Again, the now 21-year-old found himself as one of another league's best for-average hitters as his BA ranked 9th in the FSL. His OBP was also amongst the top 30 (29th) and his 12 steals in less games than most of his competition ranked inside the top 20. "What a young talent. He makes the game look so easy," Jose Marzan, manager of the FSL's Fort Myers Miracle said at the time. Hanley backed up that assertion in the middle of the 2004 season and, despite making the toughest jump there is to make in MiLB, greeted AA by slashing .310/.360/.512 with five homers in his first 129 ABs as a Portland Sea Dog. Between 62 games in A+ and 32 in AA along with another six back in the GCL, Hanley hit an overall .314/.369/.436 with six homers and 25 steals. Those exports earned him top-10 prospect accolades as he ranked 10th in all of baseball, per Baseball America heading into 2005. Despite posting a career low full season slash line in '05, Hanley still hit a very respectable .271/.335/.385 with a BA that ranked 34th in the Eastern League, stole another 26 bags, 10th most in the league and scored 66 runs, 18th most league wide, enough to earn him another All-Star nod, the second of his career. At season's end, the Red Sox awarded Hanley with a September call-up. He got into two games and got two at bats, striking out in both. Little did Red Sox fans know at the time that may be the only look they ever got of Hanley but in the 2005 offseason, that became a very distinct reality. On November 25, 2005, Ramirez was traded to the Marlins along with Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia in return for Beckett, Lowell and Guillermo Mota. Upon his arrival in Miami, Ramirez quickly began paving the way for what would become one of the best rookie campaigns to date by hitting .311/.354/.568 in spring training and beating out Robert Andino to become the Marlins' Opening Day shortstop. From there, he validated his top-10 prospect status by becoming the best rookie in the league by way of a .292/.353/.480 slash line. Among the records he broke or tied included the Miami rookie record for highest BA, most lead-off homers ever by s Fish (7), and, most impressively the first and only Marlin ever still to this day to reach double digits in homers (17), triples (11) and steals (51), the last two of which also ranked seventh and fifth in all of baseball. He joined the likes of four Hall of Famers, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Lou Brock and Craig Biggio as just the fifth player since 1900 to crack at least 45 doubles and swipe at least 50 bags. Equally as impressive, Hanley put himself in a class of his own becoming the only NL player ever to steal 50+ bags and score 110+ runs. In addition to triples and steals, he appeared in the top 10 in all of baseball in doubles with 46, a total which ranked second among Marlins' rookies and was just six fewer than the all-time baseball rookie record. Accordingly, the best offensive rookie season in a Marlins' uniform earned him the NL Rookie of the Year as he topped Ryan Zimmerman and his double play partner Dan Uggla. Including a .332/.386/.562 season in 2007 in which he avoided the sophomore slump by tying for third in BA, placed ninth in SLG and placing second in total hits and third in total bases in the entirety of Major League Baseball, Hanley spent the next five seasons as the all-around best offensive shortstop in baseball. Hitting .309/.386/.512, his slash line figures ranked first, first and a very slight second (Troy Tulowitzki slugged .001 higher than him). He also hit the second most homers (117) and stole the third most bases (165). He was the most valuable player to play the number six position over the span, posting a cumulative 24.9 WAR. Despite his Marlins' tenure beginning to come to a sour end in 2011 as he failed to develop much of a rapport with with managers Edwin Gonzalez and Jack McKeon helped along by some very lackluster play (who could forget the benching of Hanley as McKeon's first major move as manager that year which resulted in just a 92 game season, the least he'd ever played in in a full season in his career), before finally being driven out of town by the signing of Jose Reyes after an equally disastrous experiment as a third baseman in 2012, Hanley's Marlins' legacy had already long since been cemented. Along with the aforementioned best rookie campaign in club history, Hanley still to this day owns single season team records in extra base hits (83 in 2007), runs (125 in 2007) and total bases (359 in 2007). He also owns the second best career batting average as a Marlin at .308, the third best team career slugging percentage at .527 and the third most team stolen bases at 137. Present day, Hanley is a bit of a different player as his limited defensive ability has seen him made the conversion to first base, a conversion that has come with a lot of added mass. That said, the hits have still kept coming for Ramirez who just hit 30 homers and drove in 100+ runs for the second time in his career this past season. Despite doing it out of a Marlins uniform, many Fish fans still rejoiced at the sight of Hanley's success as they recall where his Hall Of Fame career in the making began and gained its momentum. Despite coming to the Fish under hard to stomach circumstances and leaving during a similarly gloomy situation, Hanley Ramirez goes down in history as one of the greatest Fish of all time and as the best Marlin to ever don the deuce. Join me in the coming week on Twitter to vote then join me here to see whom you chose as on the best Marlin to ever wear the number three.

Marlins baseball may be over for the next five months on the east coast of the United States, but out west in Arizona, it rages on. Here is a look at what has occurred in the Arizona Fall League so far. Brain Anderson has built on his productive third season as a pro which saw him make the most difficult jump in the minors from A+ to AA and in which he posted an overall .265/.348/.389 line with 11 homers and a 97/58 K/BB and earning 2016 organizational MiLB Player of the Year honors by getting off to a .367/.426/.592 start with the Mesa Solar Sox. With a 1.018 OPS that ranks is tops on his team among full time starters and also ranks fourth among qualifiers in the entire AFL and riding a 13-32 streak, Anderson earned an invitation to play in this week's Arizona Fall League All-Star game as an AFL Rising Star among the likes of Yankees phenom Gleyber Torres and Baseball America's #25 overall prospect, the Blue Jays' Anthony Alford. As evidenced by the fact that 28% of his hits went for extra bases this past MiLB season which included 8 homers as a Jacksonville Sun, third most on that squad in 86 games despite being a fresh call up from Jupiter (and despite a rough initial learning curve to life in the upper minors as he hit just .165 over his first week in black and gold) and the fact that he already has two long balls in 11 games and 36 ABs this fall, Anderson is learning to harness some truly special power. As he is also proving in his second stint in the AFL so far, Anderson is getting his free swing a bit more under control. Working counts and gaining a better knowledge of the strike zone has evidently become a focal point for Anderson. With a huge 2.09 K/BB on his career in full season ball so far, Anderson has actually walked more than he has struck out as a Solar Sox, a notion that once seemed improbable, no matter how small the sample size, for the pure power swinger. Committing to swings less often has been the focus of Anderson's coaches since 2015 when he struck out 109 times as a Hammerhead. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk9TzvoRILQ&w=560&h=315] The work of his coaches paid dividends this past season. Again, even though he made the hardest jump there is to make in the minors, he posted his best full season K/BB total (1.68). This included a 1.63 mark at the highest level he's ever played at. The 6'3", 185 and growing 23-year-old is an athletic sight to behold at the plate. His swing is of the uppercut variety and his strength allows him to shorten up well on balls inside. With the K rate in check, I foresee more doubles than homers but if Anderson can continue to make good choices at the plate and maintain the softness in his hands through an opposing pitcher's delivery and up until a viable point of commission of a swing, he could turn in to a 20+ long ball threat. Anderson has been put through the ringer defensively as well in an attempt to get him to be more consistent with his throws. He has good instincts and vision of balls off the bat and makes all the plays necessary at the hot corner. He has the arm strength necessary to play third but the arm accuracy isn't quite there. In 2016 full season ball, he made a career high 27 errors, most coming as a result of a throw. He's performed pretty well in the AFL so far and has been taking on extra drills and conditioning in order to succeed at third. But, even though he likely holds more value as a third baseman, as he grows into his body, I foresee him becoming a more realistic option at first base where he has begun seeing time this fall as a Solar Sox. Joining Anderson on the 2016 East Rising Stars Team is Jarlin Garcia. After a solid 97 innings in Jupiter (18 starts, 3.06 ERA, 1.23 WHIP), Garcia, a lefty and a Miami international signee in 2010, made it to Jacksonville to end that season. He returned to Jacksonville to start 2016 but after just 39.2 IP in 9 starts, Garcia hit the DL with a triceps injury in his throwing arm. After missing two full months, he returned to the mound on August 8th initially in the GCL and then back in Jupiter to end the season. In those eight outings, he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen. With the injury, which came after the posting very sub-par 330 IP, 4.09 ERA, 1.26 WHIP career stat line as a starter in leagues that weren't the extremely pitcher friendly Florida State League including a 76.1 IP, 4.73 ERA, 1.367 WHIP start to his career in the upper minors, it's looking like the pen is where Garcia belongs. That assertion is backed up by the 3.12 ERA, 6/2 K/BB and .975 WHIP Garcia has posted in 8.2 innings for Mesa this fall. A somewhat lanky 6'3", 215, Garcia starts off with a slow slide step delivery to the third base side before performing a high leg kick and dropping the his arm to a complete 6:00 position, hiding the ball completely behind his back leg, ala Carter Capps. He completes a near full arm circle as he strides home. Up until this point, his delivery is mechanically sound and hard for hitters to solve but as he releases from his high 3/4 arm slot and pushes off from his plant leg, Garcia's mechanics take a dive. His delivery loses its fluidity as he snaps through to the plate violently. The smooth liquid motion he has up until that point gives way to a jerky follow through which sometimes results in him falling off the rubber to the third base side. It isn't much of a problem for him in the beginning of his outings but as his pitch count rises he tries to compensate for the max effort release by overthrowing. This results in him missing his catcher's glove and overall bad command. Despite still being able to hit the zone, he catches too much of it and hitters take advantage. Thus oppositions start waiting him out, forcing him to throw as many pitches as possible in his first two innings of work then teeing off on him in the third. Unless he reinvents his delivery, the lefty who turns 24 this year isn't rotation material. For at least 25 pitches though Garcia has a late breaking 12-6 power curve which has seen ups and downs but is currently a plus pitch. He piggybacks that with an even better and more consistent changeup which he spins and fades nicely. His heater sits in the low to mid 90s with a max velo of 95 and an average of 92. Should he make the full transition to the pen, Garcia could contribute to the Marlins as early as 2017. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRGBNf5Bxx8&w=560&h=315] Somewhat shockingly not joining Anderson and Garcia on the Rising Stars team is the third of eight Miami participants in the AFL this season, speedster Yefri Perez. After stealing 197 bags in 249 attempts including a record 71 for the Hammerheads in 2015 and another 39 for the Suns in 84 games in 2016, Perez received his first call to the majors as a pair of very apt legs off the bench for the Fish this September. He served in that capacity almost exclusively (he got just 3 ABs in 12 games appeared in) for the on-the-brink Marlins and stole his first four MLB bases. The 5'11, 170 25-year-old has zero power to speak of but if speed equated to homers, he would be a 50+ home run threat. Thus, all Perez needs to do to succeed in any league is get on base. And to do that, all he needs to do is put the ball in play and make an infielder make a somewhat difficult play. Watching Perez in Jupiter in 2015, I even saw him reach base on routine ground balls. That's the level this guy is at when it comes to his running game. He is by far the fastest guy the Marlins' organization has ever seen, faster than Luis Castillo, faster than Juan Pierre and a perennial 50 stolen base threat. But only if he can avoid the strikeout. That has been what has held Perez back until this season and has been the focal point of his coaching staffs. Before this season began, he boasted 255 career Ks (including 95 as a Hammerhead in '15) to just 139 walks or a 1.83 K/BB. Discounting his 28/30 K/BB season in the Dominican in 2009 or the only time he walked more than he K'd in his career, his K/BB figure rises to 2.08. However, the work that has been done with him both in Jacksonville this past season where he walked a career high 39 times to 66 Ks and in the AFL this winter where he is hitting .340/.417/.377 with a BA and OBP that rank fourth in the league just below Anderson and a very respectable 11/7 K/BB as well as seven steals which unsurprisingly ranks second in the league through is first 13 games seems to be paying dividends. Perez's knowledge of the strike zone has more than doubled since that ugly season K-wise in Jupiter. Although all he knows he has to do is get the bat on the ball to most likely reach base, he's not going nearly as far out of his way to do so and it seems that he has learned that taking four balls will allow him to reach indefinitely. With an approach that continues to mature and the willingness and desire to continue to learn as well as already providing some exciting moments in a Miami uniform Perez has shown the organization that he wants to make a big splash in the coming year. With the ability to play all three outfield spots as well as three infield positions (though his speed is most advantageously used in center field), Perez should almost definitely be part of the Marlins in 2017. With the work he did in AA and the work he is currently doing in the Arizona Fall League though Perez could be destined for more. With the potential trade of Adeiny Hechavarria incoming as well as the almost guaranteed trading of Marcell Ozuna, with a good spring campaign, Perez could find himself in the conversation for a starting job. At the very least, he will serve as a switch hitting bat off the bench who will steal bases virtually at will. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMGZZlBJp84] As Today's Knuckleball laid out earlier this week, baseball hasn't been kind to Drew Steckenrider for most of his career. After a dim start to it as a starter from 2012-2014 which included Tommy John and saw him spending almost two years recovering, it was looking like Steckehnrider would need to pursue a different way to spend his working days. Then this year happened. With a firmly reconstructed throwing elbow and upon finally making a full-time transition to the a late inning relief role, Steckenrider found his inner peace. As a result, opposing batters have found their hell. In 52 frames mostly in AA Jacksonville but also in AAA New Orleans and a few in A+ Jupiter, Steckenrider held down a 2.08 ERA with a ridiculous 71-19 K/BB and a lowly 0.85 WHIP. He converted 14 of 15 save opportunities and held batters to just a .141 BA. So far in the Arizona Fall League, it's been more of the same for the Marlins' eighth rounder out of Tennessee. In seven games and nine IP, Steckenrider has yet to allow a run and has walked just one while striking out 11. He's converted both of his saves successfully, including the latest on November 1st which came as he closed out a combined no hitter. Tall and athletic at 6'5" 215, Steckenrider is a sight to stare down as an opposing hitter. He backs up that menacing appearance with equally menacing stuff. His running fastball holds good plus velo, sitting in the 96-98 MPH neighborhood and is backed up with filthy slider that runs and dives away from hitters. See the devastation of the pitch starting at the :30 second mark of the above video as he strikes out a pair of Yankees, prospect Miguel Andujar by running it inside and hitting the glove perfectly, buckling his hitter's knees and then at 1:14 as he gets former MLBer Greg Bird with it by running it outside and generating an off-balance swing. The 84-85 MPH offering is Steckenrider's best pitch and he will use it at both ends of an AB. Steckenrider's third pitch is a 75 MPH curve that he likes to bury low in the zone or even in the dirt. Again, the pitch owns late break and generates tons of swings and misses. With great arm speed and command over the slow pitch, it is a fantastic mix in and piggyback to the slider. See it in action again in the Bird AB as he gets a lefty who once hit .871 in the majors to look bad fishing out of the zone on it for a second strike before the aforementioned set-down with the change. With three complete pitches all of which flash plus and a free and easy repeatable windup and delivery, Steckenrider has a fantastic future as a late inning set up man or closer, a future which shouldn't be too far away for a Marlins team which has some filling out to do in their bullpen after the release of Fernando Rodney, the possible release of Mike Dunn who becomes a free agent this year, and a possible trade of AJ Ramos who holds great value. After a bit of soul searching and a lot of bumps in the road along the way to get where he is today, Steckenrider is a feel-good story and a very easy guy to root for. With a good spring training, the Marlins, who have stayed committed to him throughout, would love nothing more than to give him his major league debut next season. With a career .244/.330/.321 slash line over 1975 MiLB ABs, Austin Nola has exhibited pretty limited offensive capabilities. However, what the 26-year-old 6th round pick from 2012 has exhibited is a fantastic throwing arm and versatility in the infield playing five different positions. This fall, the Marlins are adding another position to that resume: catcher. Where at one time the 6'0", 195 pounder would be far too undersized for the backstop position, the evolution of baseball including the rulebook has made it a reality. For a guy with average to just above average at best offense at the upper levels of the minors, this could be the best thing to happen to Nola and should he succeed, his ticket to the majors. So far, it's been a mostly behind-the-scenes project for Nola as he has played just one full contest at the position and seen just a few more innings as a replacement in actual game action. Judging by that one full game though, it's going to take some time for Nola to get the feel for the position. The game he called was an 8-3 loss in which his only potential base stealer was successful and in which he contributed a catcher's interference error and allowed a passed ball. The silver lining for Nola this fall in limited action (six games) has been the fact that he has gone 6-16 with 2 RBI and four walks and has yet to strike out. While it is a small sample size, the posting of a .375 BA and .938 OPS has to feel good for a guy who has never OPSed above .700. Playing mostly against younger competition though, this likely isn't a corner-turning moment for Nola's offensive game. He did show a bit more power this past full minor league season in New Orleans, hitting six homers and did post a career high BA. But those figures equated to just six long balls and a .261 average. Nola will probably be in spring training with the Fish and his versatility gives him a good shot to either be with the club on Opening Day and if not, definitely later in the year as a defensive replacement but, unless his offense takes another significant and sustained jump or the catching experiment works out (which the Fish may not be willing to wait on), that will likely be his ceiling.

To hold us over the course of the long MLB offseason, I will be featuring a series of articles in a once-a-week segment labeled the All-Fish Team. Before writing these pieces, I will poll my Twitter audience (if you don't already follow me, follow @marlinsminors to participate) asking whom they think was the best player to wear a specific jersey number. The winner's career as a Marlin and before and/or after will then be detailed in the feature length post. Earlier this week, I held our first poll, querying whom you think was the greatest Marlin to wear #1. The winner, in resounding fashion, was Luis Castillo. To get us started, I submit for your vote the poll for greatest @Marlins to wear number 1. — Fish On The Farm (@marlinsminors) October 5, 2016 After being glossed over during the draft Castillo was signed non-drafted free agent at the age of 16. Despite plus speed, scouts doubted the soft hitting Castillo's ability to contribute on the plus level from the bat at the major league level. Castillo responded to skeptics beginning in his very first season in 1994 by hitting .264/.371/.301 for the GCL Marlins while walking more than he struck out (37/36 BB/K, the former of which ranked third in his league). Putting on display an attribute that was never a product up for discussion, his plus plus speed, Castillo stole 31 bases, third most in the Gulf Coast League. Those 31 steals came on 43 tries, giving Luis a 72% success rate and setting the tone for an amazing career on the bases. In 1995, Castillo made the move to low A where, with Kane County, he hit .326/.419/.362. The adjustments made by Castillo in his second year as a pro were unmistakable. In 142 more plate appearances, he more than doubled his hit total from his true rookie season, going 111 for 340. The walks still came at a fantastic rate of 16% and his speed was still plenty abundant as he stole 41 bags (a total which ranked fourth in the Midwest League) in 60 tries (68% success rate). His BA (.327) and OBP (.419) both ranked 5th in the Midwest League. In his third year in the professional ranks in '96, Castillo saw his most extensive time on the field, playing in 109 games and seeing 495 ABs. He responded by posting a .317/.411/.393 line at the highest level he had ever played at. That year with the Portland Sea Dogs, his .317 BA ranked 8th, his .411 OBP ranked 6th and the speed kept coming as he stole a league high 28 bags. He also walked 66 times, eighth most in the Eastern League. Those exports earned his initial major league call-up as he reached the Marlins that August. In 41 games with the Fish, he hit .262/.320/.305 with 46 Ks to just 14 walks. With that cup of coffee, the 20-year-old, who had only struck out 2 times more than he walked in 495 AA plate appearances in the minors that year and had been boasting a 163/153 K/BB in his career to this point, already seemed to be destined for great things. Those great things came the next season where in 1997, the 21-year-old made it back to to the majors with the Fish out of camp. He enjoyed a great month of April, a month in which he reached safely in 21 of 23 games which included him hitting safely in seven of his first eight MLB games to open the season (a 12-37 run) and beginning to May as he hit an overall .289/.357/.325 and stole 11 bags out of the top of the Marlins' lineup and and looked to be on his way to fulfiling his potential. However, on May 6th, he was placed on the DL with a troublesome bruised left heel. He missed nearly the rest of the month of May, not returning until the 23rd. From there, Castillo struggled to get things going again. He hit just .200/.272/.227 and stole just five bags from that point until July 27th. On June 28th, the Marlins optioned Castillo back to AAA which left him off that season's World Series roster. He lived out the rest of the year getting his legs back under him by hitting .354/.425/.392 with the Charlotte Knights. After selling off that entire World Series winning team in the first of two infamous post-series winning Marlins firesales in 1998, Florida was very cautious with the health of one of their best young assets, leaving him in AAA for the majority of the year even after he reached safely in 32 straight games from May 24th to July 3rd and hit an overall .287/.403/.326. Amongst batters with at least 300 ABs, that OBP ranked 12th in the International League. He also racked up 41 steals, second most in the IL. Castillo finally returned to the Marlins as a cup of coffee recipient in August. In 153 ABs, he hit .203/.307/.268. In 1999, a 23-year-old Castillo made his second Opening Day roster. This time, he stuck around for good. Over the course of the next six seasons, he turned himself into a fan favorite, one of the best second basemen in baseball and one of its fastest base burglars. From '99 to 2004, Castillo had the best OBP of all major leaguers to regularly man the number four position. Additionally, his .302 BA ranked fourth in MLB. On the basepaths, Luis blew the rest of his competition away. Over this six year span, he stole an average of 39 bases for a total of 235. Tony Womack, who stole 213 bases was second on the stolen base leaderboard. Defensively, his +16 DRS ranked fourth, his +13 UZR and +19.5 Def rating both third. He saved 4.4 runs on double plays, a metric which ranked second in baseball. For the 2003 World Series winning Marlins, Castillo was a key contributor. Playing in 152 of 162 games, he led the team in BA (.314, a mark which also made him the fourth best hitting 2B in MLB) as did his .381 OBP out of the leadoff spot. His .397 SLG was a career high. As well as being selected to his second All-Star team that season, Castillo won the NL Gold Glove at second base by saving nine runs, saving two runs on double plays and by posting an +11.5 UZR and a +12.7 Def rating. His exports as a whole earned him a small share (2%) of first place MVP votes. After another All-Star (.301/.362/.359 and a career high 108 OPS+) and Gold Glove winning (+7 DRS, +2 DPR, +10.4 UZR, +12.1 Def) season in 2005, Castillo's Marlins career came to an end. His career sort of fizzled out thereafter as he posted a .285/.362/.341 slash line and stole just 89 bases over that four year span. Defensively, Castillo's game took a huge hit away from Miami as he never again posted a positive DRS and instead posted numbers as ugly as a -13. His best season UZR wise over that span was a meager +2.8 and his best Def. rating in a season was a +3.8. Despite all of this though, Castillo's legacy was cemented because of what he did in teal and black. He ended his career after the 2010 season at age 35 with a career .290 BA, which ranked 43rd all time among second basemen, and a .368 OBP which ranks 32nd in that same regard. In the stolen base category, Castillo is the 17th best second baseman all time with 370. When it comes to Marlins career franchise records, Castillo is present in nearly every major leaderboard. To this day, he ranks as the franchise's third best WAR player at a +22.3, it's fourth best defensive WAR player at +3.6, its sixth best career hitter by batting average (.293, by way of a franchise most 1273 hits) and its fifth best by OBP (.370). All of those career records came as he played in the most franchise games (1128), saw its most ABs (4347) and made its most plate appearances (4966). He also owns the record for most total runs scored by a Marlin (675), the record for triples (42), the record for walks (533), and of course stolen bases (281). His reputation as a catalyst is cemented by the fact that he was on base a franchise most 1,814 times as a Fish and has the club record for most sacrifice hits (65). When it came to patience, Castillo was one of the best hitters the Marlins have ever seen. He went nearly seven ABs in between strikeouts in his Miami career, a mark which ranks fourth best in franchise history. The accolades keep coming for Castillo as a Marlins' defender. His +23.4 UZR is a franchise best, His +23 DRS is second second best in team history as is his +31.7 Def. rating as well as his 6.4 DPR. With one of the best all-around skill sets of any second baseman in the league during his tenure as a Marlin, Castillo makes our list as the unanimous favorite for best Marlin to ever don the number 1. Cast your votes on Twitter and join me here in the coming week where I will add the best wearer of the number 2 to our all-time franchise team.

With the tragedy of Jose Fernandez still fresh in our minds, we look back on a Marlins' season and team that was much alike teams from years past: good but just not good enough. After sitting pretty at 57-48 on July 31, a true contender for their first postseason in 13 years, the injury bug and their lack of minor league depth bit the Fish and they fell back down to earth. At season's end, the Marlins were 7.5 back of the second wildcard spot. So the question is with very little of a minor league system to speak of, the question is, after several years of mediocrity, where do the Fish go from here? There's no denying it: the Marlins don't have very much of a minor league system. After failing to have a single prospect crack top 100 lists this past offseason, Miami only has one sure-fire top 100 prospect (Luis Castillo), a potential second (Braxton Garrett) and a longshot third (Dillon Peters) headed in to 2017. There's also no getting past the fact that this team has glaring holes in their starting rotation and bullpen (and each of the aforementioned pitchers at least a season away), a huge question mark at shortstop, and a very short bench which has the likes Chris Johnson leading it in ABs. So, without the talent to fill those holes in the lower levels of the system and a very thin free agent class at the spots they need to address, the most logical decision for a team that wants to do more than just tread water would be to sell off its biggest assets and go in to rebuilding mode. However, sometimes the best thing isn't necessarily the right thing. While baseball is still a business and Jeffrey Loria is still a businessman, this is a community that will be turning to him and the rest of the Marlins' front office to heal the wound left behind after it lost one of its biggest heroes, not to mention a guy who did everything he could, no matter how tall the task, in order to succeed whether it be successfully fleeing Cuba on his third attempt or returning from Tommy John surgery without losing a single step in his game. Add to that the fact that Loria who isn't a young man anymore (he turns 76 in November) has recently re-signed the likes of Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich long-term, re-inking Martin Prado, and traded young assets for proven stars like Dee Gordon, it is pretty obvious that the Marlins' owner, staring retirement in the face in the next two to three years, wants to win and win now. Like Fernandez's aforementioned pilgrimage from communist Cuba to the United States, making the Marlins a viable contender this offseason will be tough. Tough but not impossible. It will take a carefully constructed and busy offseason (one which, with all hope, Mike Hill won't be overseeing), the Marlins can partially rebuild their minor league system with players on the verge of their call as well as improve at the major league level immediately. Here are a few potential moves the Miami could make in order to make that a reality. Trade Marcel Ozuna, Adeiny Hechavarria and Kendry Flores to Tampa Bay Rays for Willy Adames and Brandon Koch Marcell Ozuna, the Marlins' 25-year-old outfielder who enters his first of three arbitration years this season making him one of many arbi eligible Marlins this year which, in addition to the contracts of Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich, will cause payroll to jump significantly this year, was rumored to be a potential trade candidate last offseason after the Marlins came to odds with Ozuna's agent, Scott Boras. After an even better season in 2016, one which earned him his first All-Star Game nod, teams in need of outfield help will definitely be interested in Ozuna, who in addition to a .266/.321/.452, 23 HR year by way of below-average .296 BABIP (18th lowest of 27 qualified NL outfielders), has eligibility at all three outfield positions and is in total a +5 DRS and a 10.8 UZR career player. With a surplus of in-house talent in the outfield including Derek Dietrich who just had a career best .279/.374/.425 year in 128 games and 351 ABs, the most extensive action he's seen in his career, and who has definitely played himself into contention for a starting spot, and Xavier Scruggs who received his call-up late this year after becoming the second best player in all of AAA and who, with a good spring, could be in the discussion for the Opening Day roster, shopping Ozuna presents the Marlins their best chance to bring back quality young talent. As for Hechavarria, his egg lay of a season slash-line wise albeit by way of a low .270 BABIP and batted ball stats which showed he should have hit significantly better (as I laid out here), makes him a huge question mark offensively headed into 2017. One thing is for certain, though: Hech is a wizard defensively at shortstop, definitely one of the best gloves and quite possibly the best at the position in baseball. He proved that this year by way of a +9 DRS (sixth best in the game) an 8.8 UZR (10th best) and a 15.1 Def rating (9th best). Over the last two years, Hech's 36.7 total Def rating is fourth best in MLB as is his 24.6 UZR and his +18 DRS. Because of the uncertainty surrounding his bat though, this offseason may present the most advantageous time for the Marlins to trade high on Hech. The inclusion of Kendry Flores, a fringe player so far in his career who has decent stuff but who struggled mightiliy with control above the AA level as well as injuries and may be destined for a long-relief type bullpen role, is of the low-risk loss for the Marlins, potentially high-reward gain for the Rays throw-in variety. Willy Adames is a 21-year-old shortstop, is the best prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system and the number 46 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America. A Dominican Republic native brought over as an international signee in 2013, Adames has made it to AA in just three short seasons, jumping two levels in 2014 by way of a .271/.353/.429 line and by posting the 13th best OBP (.342) and OPS (.721) in the FSL despite being one of its youngest players in 2015. Most recently, Adames has continued his surge towards the majors by becoming the Southern League's second best OPS (.802), its fifth best SLG (.430) by way of 31 doubles (third most in his league) six triples (fourth most) and 11 homers (eighth most) and it's fifth best OBP (.372) by way of a league-most 74 walks. His exports in 2016 also earned him a spot on the World Team in the 2016 Futures Game. Staring AAA in the face this coming year, Adames is a career .265/.366/.409 bat with a 13% BB% . A current gap-to-gap threat who exhibits quick hands and great bat speed, fantastic patience and a knowledge of the strike zone well beyond his years especially considering he's spent the last two years playing against much older competition (which stands the reason his 22% K% should almost certainly improve), Adames, who also possesses slightly above average speed (he had a career high 13 steals this year) and is currently just 6'1", 180, has the ability to grow in to a rare all-around hitting middle infielder with plus power and a great eye. Scouts have rated his MLB ceiling at as high as a plenty impressive .270/.350/.450. Adames' fantastic offensive skill set is rivaled by the work he does with his glove and arm. Touted as one of the best infield guns in all of baseball (a 60 on the 30-80 scale), Adames makes accurate on line throws when given time and makes life incredibly easy on his first baseman. Up until this past season, the only knock on Adames' defensive game was the fact that his average speed limited him from covering the necessary ground at short. He silenced that criticism by posting his best year range wise, committing the fewest errors he ever has in full-season ball. His speed, made relevant by the fact he stole the most bases he ever has (13) took a slight jump and his throws from the hole were less rushed. While a move to third base still isn't out of the question for Adames later in his career, he will at least start his career at short which, again at just barely 21, makes him a long term answer for the Marlins' somewhat long term woes at the position come 2017. With a bevy of talented middle infielders among their ranks including Lucius Fox, Daniel Robertson and Adrian Rondon, all shortstops who rank among their top 15 prospects, the Rays, who aren't expected to contend within the next few years, will likely sell on Adames if the price is right. That price is young outfield talent (Ozuna) which the team as well as its system lacks as well as a shortstop who could bridge the gap to one of the aforementioned young future stars expected to arrive in 2019 (Hechavarria). Along with plenty of talent at the shortstop position, the Rays also possess plenty of B-type talent at the starting pitcher spot. In a trade such as this, it would give the Marlins a pick of the litter among several talented future B-type arms scattered between the rankings of 5-13 in their organization. My choice would be Chih-Wei Hu, currently Tampa's 6th best prospect and a guy who is coming off a great year this past season in AA. Signed internationally by the Twins in 2012, Hu advanced through Minnesota's lower minors by way of a 8-2, 2.15 ERA, 65/15 K/BB 2014 season between rookie ball and low A including a very succesful 55 IP in the Midwest League which saw him holding down the Cedar Rapids Kernals' lowest ERA (2.29) among those with at least 50 IP as well as its best WHIP (0.96). Despite the somewhat short stay, his seven wins tied him for second most on that team. The Taiwan native continued impressing the Twins' brass in 2015 when he posted a 2.44 ERA in 84.2 IP for the Fort Myers Miracle of the A+ Florida State League, making him the best starter on his team and on pace to be the second lowest ERA in his entire league. His exports impressed the Minnesota front office so much he was called upon to make a spot start all the way up in AAA Rochester, a start in which he went a quality six frames and allowed just one run. The Rays came calling for Hu's services at the deadline and successfully acquired them in the Kevin Jepsen trade. This past season, Hu held down a 2.59 ERA in 142.2 IP by way of a 1.15 WHIP. In Southern League's seventh most IP, his ERA raked eighth amongst full time starters and his 1.15 WHIP ranked tenth. Amongst those who went at least 0.8 IP per league game, his ERA was th all around best and his WHIP was third best. His 107 Ks ranked eighth. Once again, for a different club, his full season exports impressed the organization enough to earn him a look in AAA. He will get more than a look there in 2017 and, if his success continues, he could earn his MLB debut as early as the beginning of the second half of the season. [youtube Stuff wise, Hu is as intriguing as they come. While he won't blow anyone away with velo, (his heat can hit as high as 96 but usually rests in the 90-92 MPH area) the command and control he has over of all of his pitches is what has and what will in the future make him an effective hurler. Accompanying his heat which he throws fairly interchangeably with all of his other offerings which keeps hitters on their toes, is a changeup (probably his best secondary pitch), a low 80's offering from the circle-change grip which consistently shows drop-off-the-table type movement and which he can run to either corner. Again, with the command and control he has over it like all of his other pitches, it is already a plus plus pitch. Hu also has a rare commodity -- a palmball -- which currently projects at a 50 on the 20/80 scale. Thrown from the same arm slot as his fastball and changeup, the pitch is straight but painfully slow, sitting around 69-72 MPH. One more, he locates it nicely and it is a nice mix-in for a guy who likes to get in the head of his opposition. Piggybacking this nearly eephus type pitch with his high 90s heat early in counts makes Hu incredibly frustrating to face and pick up. Add to his offspeed repertoire a slider which he developed just this past year and, thanks to hard late movement both in and out in the 83-85 MPH range, has already become a plus pitch and moved ahead of his about average but still very useable curveball on the list of his best assets. With five complete pitches, all of which he throws with complete confidence, a slow deceptive delivery, the ability to live all around the zone and induce swings and misses when he deliberately goes out of it, the ability to make up for a lack of fiery heat because of a tricky mix of offspeed velocities which allow him to easily go deep in to starts, great arm speed and a great feel and head for pitching that allows him to get under the skin of opposing hitters and which allowed him to succeed against older competition for two years running, Hu more than makes up for his unathletic frame (already 6'1, 209 at age 22) and is on the verge of making his MLB debut far ahead of schedule. With continued success in AAA this year, Hu could contribute at the professional level as early as the second half of 2017 as a back end starter with the potential to become more. Sign Andres Blanco to stop-gap at shortstop After three years in Philadelphia which have equated to a .274/.337/.457 slash line, Blanco becomes a free agent. The earliest of those seasons began in 2014 after Blanco spent the start of that season in AAA and, after just a .598 start, in a return to overseas ball in Venezuela. A .293/.383/.415 tenure there attracted the Phillies to his talent. His exports thereafter, albeit in limited time, speak for themselves. He enters free agency at 32 years old as a career .264/.317/.388 bat. More impressive when it comes to Blanco's game is his glove which has lead to him being a defensive replacement and pinch hitter at this spot in his career. In 914 career innings at shortstop, he is a +7 DRS player. His UZR at short is a +3.9 and his double play runs above average (DPR) is an impressive +4. Although Blanco's power at the plate which has spelled a .457 SLG along with 12 of his 15 MLB homers would likely even out here in the pitcher friendly Marlins Park, Blanco does enough at the plate to warrant signing him for his glove and making the Marlins not miss Hechavarria. There is some question as to Blanco's stamina and ability to perform in an every day role considering he has only appeared in more than 100 games once at the major league level which will likely allow him to come at a thrifty price but that 100 game season was his best as a pro. It came in 2015 when he hit .292/.360/.502. After what we have seen at short offensively this past year, I would more than take that and even take a slightly lesser version of that for a single season (and perhaps less depending on how fast Adames progresses). Think of Blanco as a older but better offensive version of Hech and the perfect situational signing for the Fish. Sign Doug Fister to fill out a back end rotation spot Doug Fister is a guy who the Marlins pursued last offeason and a name whom will come at an even cheaper price this season. The reason for that is because Fister was signed by the Houston Astros who play in a hitters' heaven and because of the career low K/BB Fister posted there. Even still, Fister was able to post a positive WAR season (+1.1). Fister posted a decent 4.19 ERA out bullpen role for the Nationals in 2014 by way of a .310 BABIP, second highest in his career, leading up to that signing last offseason but before that, he was a Cy Young candidate. In 2014, he went 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA, sixth lowest in the National League. His 1.08 WHIP that year was also an NL 11th best. Fister isn't a guy who is going to dominate games or even strike out a lot of guys as is evident by his 16% career K rate and 10.8 career K/BB% but, despite some ups and downs, he is a still effective back end rotational innings eater who has never posted a negative WAR in a single season. After struggling in Houston he should, as a thrifty option, thrive in pitcher friendly Miami. In three career starts at Marlins Park in which he has held the opposing Fish to a .204/.278/.347 line, Fister has already begun to build that reputation. Target Ivan Nova After a somewhat successful minor league career, Nova, a 2008 rule 5 draft pick, had an overall miserable career with the Yankees. It equated to a 4.41 ERA by way of a 4.40 FIP and a 1.388 WHIP and included injury in 2013 and in 2014, Tommy John surgery which kept him out until June of 2015. Despite pitching with the best velo he's ever had coming off of his shoulder repair that year, Nova struggled mightily with control, having only 40.6% of his pitches hit the strikezone, by far a career low. This spelled an ERA over 5 (5.07) by way of a 4.87 FIP and a 1.40 WHIP. After experimenting with him out of the bullpen to begin 2016 which again, was subpar (5.14 ERA in 14 IP) and giving him his last shot in their rotation which was equally as bad as he has ever been (45 ER in 82.2 IP, 4.92 ERA) and an overall 4.90 ERA, 5.10 FIP, 1.356 WHIP in his first 97.1 2016 innings, the Yankees cut their losses with Nova and dealt him to the Pirates. In Pittsburgh and in a contract year, Nova revived his career pitching to the tune of a 3.06 ERA, a 2.62 WHIP and a 1.096 WHIP in 11 starts. All three stats were by far the best he has posted in his major league career. His work with the Pirates also improved his peripherals to a 9.4 swinging strike percentage, tying a career high, an 80.9 contact percentage, his lowest since his only effective season in Yankee pinstripes in 2013, and a career high 43.9 zone percentage (the percentage of pitches he threw in the strike zone). He also threw first pitch strikes at a career high 61.7 rate. He also either equaled or improved upon his career high velocities with every one of his pitches, including a 92.5 MPH two-seamer, an 87 MPH slider, and an 86 MPH changeup. Judging by all of this as well as his 2.2 WAR season in slightly hitter friendly PNC Park, Nova's change of scenery and change of league has done Nova wonders and his career is back with a vengeance. Dismally short of veteran pitching talent, the Marlins, who play in pitcher friendly Marlins Park, should be a major player for Nova's services, which should come at a fairly thrifty rate because of his rich injury history, this offseason. Should his health stay intact and should his effective work continue, at just 29, he still has several years ahead of him. Offer Tim Lincecum a minor league deal After four straight All-Star worthy seasons from 2008-2011 including two Cy Young Award winning seasons in '08 and '09, Lincecum hit the schnide in 2012 when he allowed a career high 107 runs in 186 innings. His sudden spike in ERA came by way of a 4.18 FIP (proving most of it was his fault) and by way of a 1.468 WHIP, over a half a point higher than any total he had posted to this point. That theme continued from 2013-2014 when Lincecum posted a collective 4.53 ERA and 1.315 and 1.394. Over those two years, Lincecum's fastball velo dropped nearly a full mile an hour from 90.4 to 89.6. His slider also fell from 83.4 to an even 81 and his changeup from 83.2 to 82.5. His control also took a dive as hitters made contact at an increased 78% rate in 2014, up nearly a full 4% from his 2012 mark. His swinging strike percentage also fell from 11.5% to a career low 9.7%. After an equally ineffective start to his 2015 campaign which equated to a 4.13 ERA by way of a 4.29 FIP and a 1.48 WHIP and a 60/38 K/BB, Lincecum elected to undergo surgery on a troublesome hip. Lincecum entered free agency at the end of that season and was picked up by the Los Angeles Angels. The two-time Cy Young winner signed for a chump-change figure of under $2 million. Despite some decent work in the AAA on his way back (38.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 37/14 K/BB), Lincecum struggled mightily in nine games with the Angels, posting an ugly 9.63 ERA by way of a 7.16 FIP and a hideous 2.374 WHIP. His peripherals looked even worse as he hit the zone just 39.2% of the time and, despite the small sample size, got ahead with first pitch strikes just 49.5% of the time, both career lows. The lack of stuff was on full display, evident by his 26% swing rate outside of the zone and 71% swing rate on pitches in the zone as well as a career high 87.5% contact rate on stuff inside the zone. The only reason I inlcude this 32-year-old in this series of suggested moves is because he is an a-typical Jeffrey Loria signing as a career reclamation project, because the Marlins pitch in an extreme pitchers' park, and because of their complete lack of veteran starting pitching help. Despite his recent past and injuries and the fact that he is a shell of his former self, Lincecum's distant past speaks for itself and shouldn't be ignored when it comes to him being a low-risk, high-reward signing. If he can learn that he is never going to be what he once was and learn to harness a slower, more deceptive offspeed arsenal, he can still be effective as a spot starter or a long relief bullpen option. Potential 2017 Starting Lineup 2B Dee Gordon 3B Martin Prado CF Christian Yelich RF Giancarlo Stanton 1B Justin Bour LF Derek Dietrich C J.T. Realmuto SS Andres Blanco Potential 2017 Pitching Rotation Adam Conley Wei-Yin Chen Tom Koehler Ivan Nova Doug Fister LRP/Spot Starter: Tim Lincecum/Justin Nicolino/Austin Brice It should be noted that any rotation additions should come on deals of two years maximum. In addition to, in this situation, Hu being on the cusp of entering the majors and potentially making an impact as early as the midway point of the season, the Marlins are also biding their time until they can enlist the services of their top prospect, fireballing Luis Castillo, who, after earning FSL Pitcher of the Year honors as a Jupiter Hammerhead, received his call-up to AA late in the year in 2016. Castillo, who is 23, has the ability to reach triple digits with his heat which already ranks at a maximum of 80 on the 30/80 scale, has a debilitating 10-6 sinking slider. He exhibits fantastic control over a nearly complete (his changeup could use to gain some more rotational spin and run) four pitch arsenal. If the wiry 6'2", 170 pound 23-year-old grows into his frame as well as the great arm speed he flashed this past year, the strikeout totals which were just average this past season (103 in 131 IP), should improve. A bulldog on the mound with a great competitive spirit, Castillo will tend to overthrow but, again, improved command is something that will come with more experience. With a few slight tweaks and grooming, he could find himself in the rotation this coming September if not sooner. It is for these two reasons that I include the likes of Nova and Fister, guys who are far more likely to accept shorter contracts, in this series of offseason moves rather than the likes of Jeremy Hellickson and Gio Gonzalez who will undoubtedly be seeking long term extensions. These moves are hardly a means to an end. The Marlins still have some questions that need to be answered concerning their bench which is being led by Chris Johnson and their bullpen. Rather, these moves are a good start to what should prove to be a very interesting offseason for an on-the-cusp team looking to rectify major losses in more ways than one. Whatever the Marlins do in the wake of the loss of Jose, one thing is for sure: this offseason will be one we will be paying very close attention to.

My first glimpse of Jose Fernandez came in the summer of 2012. As I sat in my usual seats over the third base dugout at Roger Dean Stadium, I remember remarking out loud to myself, "Wow, this kid is going to be something special." Last Thursday night, as I sat in Diamond Club and peered over my left shoulder into the dugout, watching Jose perform his usual antics, on the railing for every play, in to the game the same amount as he is on nights he pitched, the first to congratulate players when they get back to the bench on positive plays and the first one to pick his teammates up with some words of encouragement on negative ones and all the while flashing his smile, so infectious that at the sight of it you couldn't help but laugh yourself, still so young, still so full of life, I turned to my girlfriend and said the same exact thing I had said four years before. Five days later, Jose is gone, the victim of a boating accident off Miami Beach. The story of Jose's early life, how he went through hell to make it to his own personal heaven, is the stuff of Hollywood movie scripts. He was born in 1992 in Santa Clara, Cuba where he lived on the same street as Cardinals' infielder Aledmys Diaz. His love for the game of baseball was borne in him by Diaz's father who helped coach the youth baseball teams in the area. After some coercing of Jose's mother to allow him to play, he and Diaz became teammates on a team head coached by Diaz's uncle and Jose's road to the show began. Last spring training, Jose commented that if not for Diaz's father, he would not be where he was that day, one of the game's most intriguing young talents with a personality to match. "I’m here because of his dad," Fernandez said in March 2015. "I’m pretty sure that I’m a baseball player today thanks to his dad." But that road didn't come without some bumps. In fact, it came with bumps, potholes and craters. Attempting to escape the oppressive Castro regime for a better life in America like so many Cuban families do, Jose and his mother and sister were unsuccessful three times, all before Jose was the age of 15. With each failed attempt, Fernandez served time in Cuban prisons where living conditions are described as subhuman, food is labeled unfit for human consumption and where receiving abuse from prison employees is far from rare. Jose and his family finally made a successful pilgrimage to America on their fourth attempt in 2007. During the voyage, Jose heard a body fall off of the flotilla carrying him, his kin and many of his countrymen. Not knowing who it was, Jose risked his own life, jumping into the Atlantic to save them. Upon pulling that person back on board their makeshift raft, it was revealed that that person was his mother. This act of heroism was the first of many for the then 15-year-old and set the tone for the brand of selflessness he would exhibit every time he pulled on his jersey whether it be in order to pitch, to come face-to-face with a fan, to help children learn to read, or to make a terminally ill patient's wish of meeting him come true the day before she passed away. After first reaching Mexico, the Fernandez family made its way to America where they made a brief stop in Texas before finally settling in the northern region of Florida, close to Tampa. There, Fernandez attended Braulio Alonso High School where he quickly became one of the nation's top standout players and got his first taste of stardom while getting acclimated to baseball in North America, something his high school baseball coach Landy Faedo took some time. Speaking on a local radio show this week, Faedo recounted the moment when Jose hit his first home run. Upon doing so, he rounded the bases in such a fashion that saw him throwing his helmet and leaping up and down through the air. "I had to tell him this is America," Faedo said laughing. "We don't do that here." Aside from confining those celebrations to the dugout, Jose didn't listen. Faedo also recounts a regular habit for Jose was greeting opposing players at the second base or third base bag moments after the rare occasion they doubled or tripled off of him. "Nice hit, he would say." Faedo remembers. "But I'm gonna strike you out next time." No matter if he is in the lineup or not, Fernandez's level of gamesmanship and his love of competition has never waivered. Eight years later, Jose's close friend and countryman Yasiel Puig says he has been in the habit of doing that same exact thing as well making other friendly quips to opposing players as recent as this season. "I think after [Clayton] Kershaw, he was the best pitcher in the big leagues," Puig said. "I liked to face him, we joked around a lot, had a lot of fun. Sometimes he would throw balls, I would tell him to throw strikes. The next time we play Miami, it won't be the same." And that's just who Jose is -- who he was, who he always will be. Forever blissful. Forever young. Following a high school career which saw him boasting a 28-3 record, a 1.34 ERA and a 278/34 K/BB and in which two of his three years involved a state championship, Jose was drafted by the Marlins in 2011. After a brief stint in the minor leagues during a 2012 season which saw him post a 7-0 record and a 1.59 ERA with low A Greensboro and a 7-1 record and 1.96 ERA with high A Jupiter, Jose skipped both AA and AAA and made his major league debut in 2013. After just six years in the United States and one full season in the minors, it appeared as though Jose was being rushed in favor of the Marlins saving face from that offseason's fire sale. Jose proved that theory wrong. In 2013, he made his major league debut. That April 7, he went 5 innings, allowed one earned run and struck out eight to become the seventh player under the age of 21 with at least eight strikeouts in his MLB debut. The 20-year-old went on that year to post a 2.19 ERA, the ninth best ERA in the league in 28 starts. His 0.979 WHIP ranked seventh in baseball, and his 2.73 FIP ranked sixth. His 187 Ks, which tied him for 14th, came by way of a slider, aptly nicknamed 'The Defector', which held the third best value in the league based on Fangraphs' pitch value metrics. He generated swings on 47% of the pitches he threw, the sixth highest figure in MLB and swinging strikes 10.2% of them, the 15th highest total in the pros. Among NL pitchers, Jose led the league in K/9 (9.75) and H/9 (5.7). His ERA ranked second. Amongst rookies with at least 80 IP, Jose was in a class completely his own. His next competition ERA-wise was .8 away, K total was 17 away, and the gap to the next lowest WHIP was 2.1 points. He also held the best K/BB% of 18.9% and best WAR amongst first-year starters at 4.1. That figure placed him amongst the top ten all-time amongst pitchers under 21 years old. His 14 strikeout performance on August 3 that year, he set a Marlins' rookie record, his second team record that season. The first came when Jose was named to the 2013 All-Star team, the lone Marlins' representative and the youngest Miami representative in team history. Following the year, the accolades kept coming for Jose as he was unanimously named Rookie of the Year with 26 of the 30 first place votes. He placed third in Cy Young voting, being the only rookie to receive votes. Jose set another "youngest ever" record on Opening Day of 2014, becoming the youngest ever Opening Day pitcher since 1986. At just 21, he went 6 IP, allowed just five hits and had a 9/0 K/BB on 94 pitches. He became the first pitcher since Bob Gibson and just the fourth pitcher in the live ball era to have such a K/BB on Opening Day. Jose went 4-2 in his first eight starts with a 2.44 ERA and a 70/13 K/BB only to have his season ended in May due to an ulnar ligament injury. He underwent Tommy John that month. One year and a few weeks later, Jose returned to the mound. Coming back from TJ, one would figure his velocity would be down and his control and command would be a bit shaky. But, save one rocky start at the end of the year, Jose was as phenomenal as ever. He responded to skeptics by throwing his hardest heat to date, an average of 95.9 MPH and compiled 5.64 K/BB. He rode that momentum into this season where, in 29 starts, despite some struggles on the road, he owns MLB's best K/9 (12.5), it's 10th best K/BB (4.6), it's second best FIP (2.30), eighth best ERA (2.86), and is tied for the 15th lowest WHIP (1.12). He is once again throwing one of baseball's best pitches, his slider, which owns a value of 24.4 (again based off of Fangraph's pitch value projections). He is generating swings and misses at a career high 14.2%, a mark which ties him at second most in the league. The lowly rate of 69% at which hitters make contact with his pitches is the very best in all of baseball, which, proves just how great Jose's stuff really is when it is on. Despite a career high BB/9% of 2.71 (which is still below league average), Jose is 16-8 in 182.1 IP this year. 19 of his 29 starts were of the quality variety. His 253 total strikeouts are another Marlins' record. He ends his career by being in the conversation for the award given to the best pitcher in the league, the Cy Young. In 471.1 career innings, Jose owns a 2.58 ERA on a 2.44 FIP, a 13.9 WAR, an 11.25 K/BB (589/140), and a 1.05 WHIP. For those keeping track, those numbers are the making of a legend. Statistics aside, for me personally, the spectacle of watching Jose both on his throw days and when just observing him whenever I went out to a park he was present at, before or after games or even during games when he was watching from the dugout is what I will always remember about him. No matter the situation, this man was always a joy to watch and just a joy to be around. I can honestly say, without personally knowing this young man or even having the privilege of conversing with him save a handful of times, I was a better person when I was in the same building, in the same company of Jose Fernandez. Along with being a master on the mound, he was a master at getting people to smile along with him. Just the sight of his infectious grin was enough to get a smirk across your face, even on your worst night. As an individual who often attends baseball games as an outlet for every day life, I'm one of the best witnesses to that. Regardless of how he performed on the mound, which happened to be at as high a level as anyone Marlins fans have ever seen, this man rounded out his game by being one of the best ambassadors to it by exhibiting nothing but pure love and pure joy for it -- for everything about it. But being one of the happiest people I've ever observed wasn't enough for Jose. He wanted to share that joy with others. With everything he did both on the field and off, whether it be by hanging Ks or by making those who adored him happy such as the little boy whom Jose saw crying and responded by asking him to trade autographs, he was able to accomplish that in his own spectacular way. It is for this reason that the amount of smiles that he brought to faces equaled the number of tears shed for him this week. It is for this reason so many of us who never met Jose feel like we know Jose as well as anyone. And it is for this reason that that Jose was and will always be a success, a winner, in baseball, in life, always. "He had his own level, one that was changing the game," Giancarlo Stanton wrote on Instagram. "Extraordinary, as a person before the player. Yet still just a kid, who's joy lit up the stadium more than lights could." Where the Marlins go from here, where his family goes, where we go as fans, I honestly don't know. It's been nearly three full days since I first got the news and I, now, have the same reaction I did then: it just cannot be not only that he isn't here any more but that the same waters that brought him to us have taken him away from us. Clearly, it is going to take some time to come to terms with this for all of us, friends, family and fans alike. Where we can all take solace though is in the fact that in everything Jose did from escaping Cuba for a better life, to being a good son and grandson, to perfecting his craft on the mound, to being a great teammate and friend, to being everything an athlete should be, he was successful. By never taking one hour of any day for granted and by filling each one with as much joy and happiness then projecting that unto others, he lived well beyond his years and his spirit will live on in each of us that came to know just how incredible he was forever. Rest easy, Jose. You're the best.

Shortstop. Arguably the toughest position to play on a baseball diamond. For the past three years, Adeiny Hechavarria has made a career of playing it not only well but spectacularly. However, due to an apparent dismal season with the bat this year, not even a young career full of dazzling plays and highlight reel catches has been enough to stop people from calling for the replacement of Hech next season. Hechavarria came to the Marlins as part of the blockbuster 11 player trade in 2012 that also brought Henderson Alvarez, Anthony DeSclafani, Yunel Escobar, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis and Justin Nicolino to the Fish in return for Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck. He joined the National League after making his Major League debut with the Blue Jays in 2012. He began flashing his plus plus glove that earned him top 10 organizational prospect honors in each of 2009, 2010 and 2011 by becoming a plus DRS player (+2) and a plus dWAR player over his first 114 innings played at short. Curiously, though, Hech saw more time at second base during his cup of coffee (156 innings), a spot which he had only played a total of 17 games and 142.2 innings at coming up and even saw time at third base a position which he had never played before in his career. Perhaps the Blue Jays were attempting to feel out exactly what they had in Hechavarria as a defender or perhaps they were trying to play him off as a multiple position defenseman. In any event, this may have hurt Hech's overall defensive game and set him back a considerable amount. This proved to possibly be true in 2013, Hech's first year with the Marlins and his first year as a full-time pro starter. Playing in 1291.1 innings as Miami's primary shortstop, Hech placed sixth from the bottom of the league with a -3 DRS. His 15 errors that year were by far a team high and tied him for sixth most among MLB shortstops. Even with a pretty dismal rookie year under his belt, there was little worry that Hech wouldn't eventually grow in to his skillset. Perhaps the mismanagement by the Jays went a bit deeper than had been apparent. Then 2014 happened when an even worse defensive year for Hech unfolded. Then, in a comparable 1294.2 innings, he again posted a -3 DRS, a lowly .763 revised zone rating and committed another 14 errors (second most on the Marlins). His ability to contribute to double plays took a nosedive that year too, as, for the first time in his career, he was worse than the league average player at turning them (3 runs worse to be exact). As a result of his first three seasons in the bigs, Hechavarria, a -4 career DRS player, including -6 in his first two full years, a total of 31 errors on his record, and a very subpar .776 RZR, Hech was the second worst shortstop in baseball from 2012-2014 based upon Fangraphs' very reliable Def formula which sums up a player's defensive value by adding together runs above or below average adjusted to that player's position. Over the aforementioned three year span, Hech was a -4.5 in that metric. Accordingly, although Hech would occasionally flash his in-grown skills by making a spectacular play, the excuse that the Jays moving him around the field hindered him was no longer valid and it didn't appear he was in any way shape or form capable of becoming the kind of defender scouts predicted him to become over the course of a full season. However, even with two straight full seasons of below average defensive ball behind him, with every metric seemingly working against him and even finding him as one of the worst at the position in the league, the Marlins' brass stayed committed to Hechavarria. Not only that, they still took to calling him one of the best at the position even though statistical evidence proved exactly the opposite. In 2013, Perry Hill, one of the most respected infield gurus of all time, even blamed himself for Hech's subpar play. "I guess the numbers don’t lie," Hill told a local newspaper that offseason. "I need to do a better job getting him in the right place, bottom line. I saw a lot of good shortstops. I didn’t see anyone that was any better than him." In 2014, after Hechavarria's even worse season, Hill again threw away stats in favor of what he physically sees out of him. "They’ve got all these fancy numbers you measure stuff by and I guess I’m just a dinosaur," Hill said during that year. "I go by what I see. I know what my eyes see and my eyes tell me he’s an elite shortstop." A few months after Hill made that comment, the 2015 season started. One hundred and sixty-two games later, it ended and finally, to a resounding "I told you so" from the Marlins' front office and coaches including Bone, the numbers matched what they were observing. That season, in 1,120.1 innings, Hech posted a +9 DRS, fourth best in baseball and he limited his error count to nine, which tied him for fourth fewest in baseball. His RZR was the best in the game and he was 1.4 runs above average on double plays. All of that accompanied by his Def metric of 21.6, he was the second best overall shortstop in the game. This year, Hechavarria is proving that his 2015 season in the field was no fluke. Through 147 games, although he has taken a bit of a stumble as of late, the error count is a bit more profund (12 so far) and he is almost right at replacement level when it comes to turning double plays (-0.1 DPR), Hech's name is again present in the top 10 of the leaderboards of every other reliable defense metric. His +10 DRS ranks sixth, his .844 RZR ranks third, his 14.7 Def ranks ninth. So, the long story short on Hechavarria defensively is that after being one of the worst gloves at shortstop through the first two seasons of his career, he has suddenly become one of the best which the Marlins seem to have always knew he would. Now let's look at the other side of the ball. Offensively, the story has been quite the opposite for Hechavarria. Rather than struggling his first few years before realizing his full potential, Hech improved at the plate slash line wise with each passing full year only to seemingly sink into mediocrity faster than a Clayton Kershaw curveball. In his first full big league season, Hechavarria, by way of a .565 OPS, a 15% K rate, a -1.7 oWAR and a -34 Off, another Fangraphs metric which accounts for both batting and base running above average, Hech was the second worst offensive shortstop in baseball. However, rookies will be rookies. The next two years were much kinder to Hech. From 2014-2015, he hit a combined .278/.311/.365, which made him the fourth best for-average hitting shortstop in ball over that span. However, the K rate stayed constant at 15.3% and it came via a heightened .324 BABIP, second highest among all of the MLB's shortstops This year, his BABIP has fallen back down to .270, a figure which is slightly low but is more realistically in line with the 2016 major league shortstop's average BABIP of .290. On the surface, that would normally mean this year's version of Hechavarria is a more pragmatic example of what we can expect from him going forward. And it isn't good. In fact, Hech has been so bad numbers wise that he is barely hitting better than he did in his rookie season when he hit .227/.267/.298 and his BABIP was .270, the exact same it is right now. His -28.8 Off rating is dead last in baseball among shortstops as is his .312 SLG. His .237 BA and .312 OBP are both third worst. Based on these facts alone, no matter how good his defense is, willingly making a spot in the lineup a black hole to this affect (a a very, very, deep and dark black hole) is simply unsustainable and something must be done about Hechavarria and the shortstop position this offseason. But if we look at Hechavarria a little bit closer, things don't appear to be as bad as they seem. In fact, it is mind-boggling and seemingly impossible that he could be where he is offensively. Firstly, let's take a peek at his plate vision and patience. This season, Hech's strikeout rate has improved quite a bit from seasons past. Whereas he used to be a perennial strikeout victim in 15% of his ABs, he is now only K'ing at a 13.6%. He's also posted a 6.2% walk rate which is a career best. He is also making contact at a career high rate of 86%, including 91% of the time he swings at balls inside the zone. Both of those figures are well above the league averages of 86% and 78% respectively. When he does swing at balls outside of the zone, it appears he isn't going fishing that far. In those situations, he is putting bat to ball 76.9% of the time, also well over the league average (63.9%). Overall, he is only swinging and missing pitches 6.7% of the time, by far a career best and far improved from 9.9% as early as last season. All of this together proves Hech has vastly improved his knowledge of the strike zone. Season Team O-Swing% Z-Swing% Swing% O-Contact% Z-Contact% Contact% Zone% F-Strike% SwStr% 2012 Blue Jays 36.7 % 69.5 % 52.2 % 74.7 % 84.6 % 80.9 % 47.4 % 70.1 % 10.0 % 2012 Average 30.3 % 64.7 % 45.6 % 66.8 % 87.2 % 79.6 % 44.4 % 59.8 % 9.2 % 2013 Marlins 36.0 % 66.2 % 49.5 % 77.3 % 90.4 % 85.1 % 44.6 % 62.5 % 7.3 % 2013 Average 30.4 % 65.5 % 45.9 % 66.5 % 87.0 % 79.4 % 44.2 % 60.2 % 9.4 % 2014 Marlins 38.5 % 73.2 % 54.8 % 75.5 % 88.4 % 83.6 % 47.1 % 66.7 % 8.9 % 2014 Average 30.7 % 65.7 % 46.2 % 65.7 % 87.3 % 79.3 % 44.3 % 60.6 % 9.5 % 2015 Marlins 34.6 % 70.6 % 51.9 % 74.5 % 87.2 % 82.8 % 48.1 % 65.1 % 8.8 % 2015 Average 30.6 % 66.9 % 46.9 % 64.9 % 86.7 % 78.8 % 44.7 % 60.9 % 9.9 % 2016 Marlins 34.0 % 67.8 % 50.3 % 76.9 % 91.6 % 86.4 % 48.1 % 60.3 % 6.7 % 2016 Average 30.3 % 66.7 % 46.5 % 63.9 % 86.3 % 78.2 % 44.7 % 60.2 % 10.1 % And all of that sounds great. But it doesn't mean anything if he can't make solid contact, right? Well, he is. Across the board of his batted ball stats, Hech is hitting the ball at career best rates. His line drive percentage of 22.1% is seventh best among shortstops and well over the average of 20.5%. According to Baseball Info Solutions, he is making soft contact on just 19% of the pitches he touches and medium contact on 47% balls he comes into contact with. His hard contact rate of 33.1% is by far a career high. 2016 marks the first year of his career he's ever been above league average in that metric. Season Team GB/FB LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB IFH% BUH% Pull% Cent% Oppo% Soft% Med% Hard% 2012 Blue Jays 1.55 21.3 % 47.9 % 30.9 % 3.4 % 6.9 % 6.7 % 16.7 % 43.0 % 35.0 % 22.0 % 10.0 % 66.0 % 24.0 % 2013 Marlins 1.86 20.4 % 51.8 % 27.8 % 11.4 % 2.4 % 5.7 % 20.0 % 33.2 % 39.2 % 27.7 % 19.9 % 57.7 % 22.3 % 2014 Marlins 2.26 22.3 % 53.9 % 23.9 % 5.7 % 1.0 % 7.2 % 30.0 % 26.3 % 39.6 % 34.1 % 17.8 % 54.8 % 27.4 % 2015 Marlins 1.78 20.3 % 51.0 % 28.6 % 8.2 % 4.5 % 6.6 % 75.0 % 30.3 % 38.6 % 31.1 % 19.9 % 55.3 % 24.7 % 2016 Marlins 1.58 22.1 % 47.7 % 30.2 % 3.3 % 2.5 % 7.4 % 0.0 % 29.1 % 38.3 % 32.6 % 19.0 % 47.9 % 33.1 % Low and behold, where we were once asking ourselves, "Just exactly what kind of defensive player is Hechavarria?" only to see him grow into one of the game's absolute bests, here we are a few years later asking ourselves, "Just what kind of offensive player is Hechavarria?" In line with that, if Hechavarria is striking out a career low rate, walking at a career best rate, making some sort of contact on more than the league average amount of pitches he swings at, and is hitting the ball harder than he ever has in his career, why does he find himself owning a horrific .237/.283/.312 slash line with a handful of games left to be played? While the answer isn't simple (just as nothing regarding Hechavarria ever has been), the only explanation possible is his BABIP, which is 20 points lower than the league average, is 50 points lower than either BABIP he posted in his two full seasons previous, and is very nearly the only advanced stat that is working against him. Many will argue that a .320-something BABIP for a guy like Hech who has very little power to speak of is nearly impossible for him to post on an annual basis. But, again, with as good an eye as he has ever had and making the best contact he ever has, I argue that is is sustainable and that the version of Hech we saw slash line wise over the last two years previous to this one is more in line with the kind of hitter he is, a .270-.280 for-average bat. Due to the improved walk ratio and better contact rates, I see Hech capable of OBPing in the .330-.340 neighborhood. For a guy that provides the kind of defense Hech does, that is all that should be asked of him at the plate. In turn, I contend this season for Hech is nothing but a run of bad luck and frustration for a guy swinging a very good shortstop's bat by way of a great approach. Having just turned the magical age of 27, it would be a mistake for the Marlins to give up on him right now.

Although it took nearly a month and a half's worth of extra games during which time the undoubtedly frustrated 28-year-old slugger was forced to watch as the likes of Don Kelly, Robert Andino, Yefri Perez and others inexplicably received call ups to fill his rightful roster spot, Xavier Scruggs, who not only held down the .284/.388/.507 line he had at time time of Justin Bour's ankle going bum on July 6th, but improved upon it to the tune of .290/.408/.565, finally became a Miami Marlin on August 18th. He came to the Fish as the second best OPSing bat (.973) in the Pacific Coast League with its sixth most homers (21) and a 1.55 K/BB. Other than switching his navy and white garb for orange and black, nothing has changed in Scruggs' first 12 games, his first in the majors in over a year. Headed in to play on September 1st, Scruggs is hitting at a pace very reminiscent of that which he enjoyed with the Zephyrs. He is 10 for his last 34 with three XBHs which includes his firs MLB homer and a 4/8 K/BB which equates to a .294/.368/.441 slash line. Combined, Scruggs has hit safely in 12 of his last 17 games and is 18 for his last 52 (.346) between the top two levels of competition professional baseball has to offer. As I wrote earlier this month, the timing of Scruggs' call and the circumstances surrounding it are eerily similar of a Marlins' GM-ism from 2014. Then, then Marlins' head honcho in charge of player decisions Dan Jennings left Bour down in the minors despite his hitting .320/.397/.559 in the first half in AAA despite the fact that, in the bigs, Miami's first baseman, Garrett Jones hit just .253/.321/.423. At most, Jones contributed a very sparce power threat while striking out over twice as much as he walked (2.3 K/BB) and playing terrible defense. Even though Jones' power production fell off even further in the second half as he hit just .234/.288/.391 in 57 games, it wasn't until the rosters expanded in September that Bour finally got called up. After Bour presumably burst onto the scene by hitting .284/.361/.365 in his first 39 MLB games, he took over the starting job in 2015. A year later, Bour is in danger of losing his starting job in a very similar fashion. Not only could he lose that spot, it is my opinion that he should lose that spot this offseason. Coming in to this year, Bour was a 219/.287/.288 bat in his major league career against lefties. This included a 2015 season in which teams started playing the pull shift against him. Against it, he had 15 hits in 68 ABs. This season, the Marlins have cut their losses and made Bour a platoon partner to Chris Johnson and Derek Dietrich. This season, he has gotten just a sparse 22 ABs vs southpaws. In that handful of chances, he has just five hits, no walks and eight Ks. Struggling vs lefties is nothing new for Bour. Looking at his minor league numbers, it would appear as though the jury on Bour vs lefties was out before his major league career even started. As an MiLBER, his slash line was a very meager .237/.301/.359 and his yearly career high OPS was .753 in single A. Comparatively, Xavier Scruggs is a much more complete hitter. In 921 career ABs vs lefties, Scruggs has homered 68 times or once in every 13 ABs. His best power producing seasons against LHP came as recent as 2014 when he hit 11, tying a career high from 2011 in A+ when his OPS was over 1.000. He had hit six homers in 83 ABs vs lefties for the Zephyrs this year prior to his call-up. In addition to the 55 career long balls, Scruggs added 64 doubles and a triple. In his eight year minor league career, his slash line vs lefties sits at a robust .271/.368/.520. Add the hot start to his Marlins' career and the fact that he's much better against lefties to the fact that Scruggs against the other side in the minors (.252/.351/.455) rivaled Bour (.294/.359/.493) who played in 313 less games and got 925 less at bats, and Scruggs is making a serious case for taking over the primary job at first base in 2017. And that's just based on statistics alone. Now add in the injury factor. Bour, who stands at 6'3" and carries nearly 270 pounds worth of weight, is just returning from missing two months' worth of action due to a high ankle sprain. According to a trio of professionals, from two prestigious universities, the risk for the common patient athlete, let alone one who sports nearly 300 pounds of mass, is most common in the year following the initial sprain. For those doing the math, that would make Bour a prime candidate for another trip to the DL in 2017. Despite his ineptness against lefties and his injury this year, if the Marlins do decide to replace Bour with Scruggs this year, Bour carries increased value because of his contract situation. The 28-year-old signed a $500K contract with the Marlins this year and is under team control next year before entering the first of three arbitration years. For a team in need of a righty killing 1B such as the Nationals who are counting on an aging Ryan Zimmerman to carry their left-handed production flag, the Red Sox, who face the prospect of a retiring All-Star DH in David Ortiz (Bour is a career -2.0 defensive WAR player and, especially considering the ankle, could make the switch to becoming an exclusive offensive threat advantageously), or the Cleveland Guardians who could use a platoon partner for Mike Napoli, as well as other clubs, Bour could prove to be an attractive asset as the Marlins seek to bring in quality rotation talent.

7/1/2016 @ Colorado Springs L 7-13 Robert Andino, SS: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R Austin Nola, 2B-3B: 3-4, 2 2B, 3 R Xavier Scruggs, LF: 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 K Kendry Flores, SP: 4.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 3 K Chris Reed, RP: 2 IP, H, R (0 ER), BB, K 7/2/2016 @ Colorado Springs L 6-8 Xavier Scruggs, LF: 2-5, HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 R Adrian Nieto, C: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K Kenny Wilson, CF: 2-4, 2 R, BB, 2 SB (22, 23) Dylan Axelrod, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K 7/3/2016 @ Colorado Springs W 12-8 Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 4-5, 2 HR (9, 10), 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, K Isaac Galloway, RF: 2-4, RBI, 3 R, BB, SB (22) Kenny Wilson, CF: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB (24) Robert Andino, SS: 2-4, 2 RBI, BB Tomas Telis, C: 2-3, 3 R, 2 BB Jeremie Guthrie, SP: 5 IP, 12 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 3 K Craig Breslow, RP: 3 IP, H, 3 K 7/4/2016 vs Round Rock W 3-2 Destin Hood, LF: 1-3, HR (13), 2 RBI, R Matt Juengel, DH: 1-3, HR (5), RBI, R, K Robert Andino, SS: 2-4, SB (6) Chris Narveson, SP: 6 IP, H, BB, 5 K Cody Ege, RP: 2 IP, SV (5), H, BB 7/5/2016 vs Round Rock L 0-8 Elliot Soto, 2B: 2-3, BB, K Isaac Galloway, RF: 1-3, 2B, BB Kenny Wilson, CF: 1-4, K Asher Wojchiechowski, SP: 2.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R (6 ER), 2 BB, 2 K Greg Nappo, RP: 4.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K Raudel Lazo, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K 7/6/2016 vs Round Rock W 9-3 Matt Juengel, 3B: 3-4, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI Robert Andino, SS: 2-5, HR (10), RBI, 2 R Elliot Soto, 2B: 3-5, 3 R Destin Hood, LF: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, K Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R Kendry Flores, SP: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K Brian Ellington, RP: IP, H, 3 K 7/7/2016 @ Nashville W 1-0 Peter Mooney, 2B: 1-4, RBI, K Tomas Teis, C: 1-3 Isaac Galloway, RF: 1-3, BB, K, SB (23) Adrian Nieto, DH: 1-2, R, BB, K Jose Urena, SP: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 6 K Bullpen: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K 7/8/2016 @ Nashville W/6 5-1 Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 3-3, 2 HR (11, 12), 4 RBI, 2 R Kenny Wilson, CF: 3-3 Garret Weber, DH: 1-2, R Dylan Axelrod: 6 IP, CG, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K 7/9/2016 @ Nashville W 8-6 Robert Andino, SS: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 K Austin Nola, 2B: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 1-3, 2B, R, 2 BB, K Destin Hood, LF: 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI, BB, K Matt Juengel, 3B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, K Peter Mooney, DH: 1-3, 2 RBI, R, BB, K Jeremie Guthrie, SP: 5 IP, 12 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 K Brian Ellington, RP: IP, SV (2), BB, 3 K 7/10/2016 @ Nashville L 2-8 Isaac Galloway, RF: 1-4, HR (6), RBI, R, K Garret Weber, DH: 2-4, 3B, R, 2 K Destin Hood, LF: 2-4, 2B Asher Wojchiechowski, SP: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, K Raudel Lazo, RP: 2 IP, H 7/14/2016 vs Fresno L 2-6 Matt Juengel, 3B: 1-4, HR (6), RBI, R Pedro Ciriaco, SS: 2-4, 2B, K Kenny Wilson, CF: 1-2, 2B, R, BB, SB (25) Austin Nola, 2B: 1-4, RBI, K Jose Urena, SP: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 3 K Kendry Flores, RP: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K 7/15/2016 vs Fresno W 9-5 Robert Andino, SS: 3-5, 2 HR (11, 12), 3 RBI, 3 R Xavier Scruggs, LF: 1-4, HR (13), RBI, 2 R Austin Nola, 2B: 3-5, R Destin Hood, DH: 2-5, 2 RBI, R, K Tomas Telis, 1B: 2-4, 2 RBI Jarred Cosart, SP: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K 7/16/2016 vs Fresno W 5-1 Matt Juengel, 3B: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R, K Adrian Nieto, C: 2-3, RBI, R, K Robert Andino, SS: 2-4, RBI, K Destin Hood, LF: 1-3, R, BB Tomas Telis, DH: 1-4, RBI Justin Nicolino, SP: 6 IP, 3 H, 4 K Cory Luebke/Raudel Lazo, RP: IP, K 7/17/2016 vs Sacramento PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/19 7/19/2016 vs Sacramento Game 1 L/7 0-1 Team: 1-21, 5 K Dylan Axelrod, SP: 4 IP, H, BB, K Game 2 W/7 3-0 Austin Nola, 3B: 1-3, HR (5), RBI, R Destin Hood, RF: 2-2, 2 2B, BB Pedro Ciriaco, SS: 1-3, R Adrian Nieto, C: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI Kendry Flores, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K Jo-Jo Reyes, RP: 2 IP, SV (4), H, BB, 2 K 7/20/2016 vs Sacramento L 4-10 Carlos Corporan, C: 2-3, HR (3), 2 RBI, R, K Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 2-4, 2B, R, K Robert Andino, SS: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K Isaac Galloway, CF: 2-4, R, 2 K Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 1-4, R Jarred Cosart, SP: 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R (3 ER), BB, 2 K 7/21/2016 vs Sacramento L 4-5 Tomas Telis, C: 2-4, 2 2B, R, 2 K Kenny Wilson, CF: 2-4, R, K Robert Andino, SS: 2-4, R, BB, 2 K Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 1-4, RBI, BB, 2 SB (1, 2) Justin Nicolino, SP: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 K Bullpen: 4 IP, H, 4 BB, 5 K 7/22/2016 @ Oklahoma City L 5-8 Carlos Corporan, C: 1-4, HR (7), 2 RBI, R, K Destin Hood, RF: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R, SB (8) Xavier Scruggs, LF-1B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, 2 K Jeremie Guthrie, SP: 3 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 5 BB, K 7/23/2016 @ Oklahoma City L 3-4 Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 2-4, HR (14), RBI, R Robert Andino, SS: 2-4, 2B, 2B Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 1-4, 2B, R, K Isaac Galloway, CF: 2-4, HR (7), RBI, R Dylan Axelrod, SP: 2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 K Greg Nappo, RP: 4 IP, 4 H, 9 K Chris Reed, RP: 2 IP, 2 K 7/24/2016 @ Oklahoma City L 3-5 Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 2-5, 3B, R, K Carlos Corporan, C: 3-4, 2B, 2 R, K Austin Nola, SS: 2-3, 2 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K Kendry Flores, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 3 K 7/25/2016 @ Oklahoma City W 9-3 Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 1-4, HR (15), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K Tomas Telis, C: 4-5, RBI, R Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 2-5, 2 R, K Robert Andino, LF: 2-5, 2 R Matt Juengel, 3B: 3-5, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 R Cole Figueroa: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, K Chris Narveson, SP: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 K 7/26/2016 vs Iowa W 9-5 Tomas Telis, 1B: 2-3, HR (4), 4 RBI, 2 R, BB Matt Juengel, 3B: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R Destin Hood, RF: 2-5, 2B, 2 K Robert Andino, LF: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K Dee Gordon, 2B (rehab): 2-5, RBI, 2 R, K, SB (3) Carlos Corporan, C: 2-3, BB, K Isaac Galloway, CF: 2-3, 2B, R, BB, K Justin Nicolino, SP: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 4 K Jo-Jo Reyes, RP: 2.2 IP, 3 K Brian Ellington, RP: IP, 2 H, 3 K 7/27/2016 vs Iowa L 2-8 Kenny Wilson, CF: 2-3, R, BB Destin Hood, LF: 1-4, RBI, BB, K Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 0-1, R, 3 BB, K, SB (2) Jeremie Guthrie, SP: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K Asher Wojciechowski, RP: 2 IP, H, 2 K 7/28/2016 vs Iowa W 7-1 Destin Hood, LF: 3-5, HR (14), RBI, 2 R, K, SB (9) Cole Figueroa, RF: 1-2, 3B, 3 RBI, R, 2 BB Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 1-3, 2B, R, 2 BB Isaac Galloway, CF: 1-3, 2B, R, K Dylan Axelrod, SP: 5 IP, 6 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K Greg Nappo, RP: 3 IP, 2 H, 4 K 7/29/2016 vs Iowa W 7-5 Xavier Scruggs, LF-1B: 2-4, HR (16), 2B, 4 RBI, R, K Matt Juengel, 3B: 2-4, 3B, RBI, 2 R Austin Nola, SS: 1-3, 2 RBI, R, K, SB (1) Isaac Galloway, CF-RF: 2-4, R, 2 K, 2 SB (27, 28) Kendry Flores, SP: 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K Jo-Jo Reyes, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K 7/30/2016 vs Nashville L 0-2 Destin Hood, RF: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 K Matt Juengel, DH: 2-4 Justin Bour, 1B (rehab): 1-4 Pedro Ciriaco, 2B: 1-4, K Chris Narveson, SP: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K 7/31/2016 vs Nashville L 2-6 Isaac Galloway, CF: 1-2, HR (8), RBI, R, BB, K Destin Hood, LF: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K Xavier Scruggs, 1B: 1-3, R, BB Austin Nola, 2B: 1-3 Justin Nicolino, SP: 6 IP, 10 H, 6 R (5 ER), 2 BB Drew Steckenrider, RP: 2 IP, BB, 3 K 7/1/2016 vs Tennessee L 3-5 Austin Dean, LF: 2-5, HR (9), 2B, RBI, 2 R Peter Mooney, SS: 2-4, 2B Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 2-5, R, K Chris Curley, 1B: 2-5, 2B, 2 K Cam Maron, C: 2-4, K Eric Jokisch, SP: 4 IP, 2 H, 5 K Drew Steckenrider, RP: 2.2 IP, BB, 3 K 7/2/2016 vs Tennessee W 7-2 Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 2-3, HR (1), 2B, RBI, 2 K, BB Alex Glenn, CF: 2-3, HR (1), 4 RBI, R, BB, K Austin Dean, LF: 1-2, RBI, 2 R, BB Peter Mooney, SS: 1-3, RBI, BB, K Matt Tomshaw, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K 7/3/2016 vs Tennessee W 9-2 Alex Glenn, LF: 4-5, HR (2), 4 RBI, 2 R J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-5, 2 2B, 2 R Peter Mooney, 2B: 1-2, 2 RBI, R, BB Garret Weber, 1B: 1-4, 3B, 2 R, BB Jake Esch, SP: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K Austin Brice, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, K 7/4/2016 @ Biloxi L 1-5 Francisco Arcia, C: 2-3 J.T. Riddle, SS: 1-4, 2B, R, 2 K Alex Glenn, RF: 1-4, R, K Hunter Adkins, SP: 5 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 3 K 7/5/2016 @ Biloxi W 4-1 Yefri Perez, CF: 2-5, 2B, RBI, R, 2 K Francisco Arcia, C: 1-3, 2B, BB, K J.T. Riddle, SS: 1-4, R, BB Peter Mooney, 2B: 1-3, R, BB Patrick Johnson, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 K Bullpen: 3 IP, H, 3 K 7/6/2016 @ Biloxi W 3-1 Ronnie Mitchell, LF-RF: 2-4, HR (2), 2 RBI, R J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-4, R Cam Maron, C: 1-2, BB Matt Tracy, SP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K Bullpen: 4.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K 7/7/2016 @ Biloxi W 9-1 Yefri Perez, CF: 3-5, R James Roberts, 2B: 2-5, R J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-5, 2B, 2 R, K Moises Sierra, RF: 2-4, 2 RBI, 3 R, K Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, BB, 2 K Ronnie Mitchell, LF: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, BB Francisco Arcia, C: 1-5, 2B, 2 RBI, K Matt Tomshaw, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 6 K Sean Donatello, RP: 2 IP, H 7/8/2016 @ Biloxi W 4-2 J.T. Riddle, SS: 4-5, RBI, 2 R, BB Moises Sierra, RF: 2-4, BB, 2 K Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4, R, BB, K Chris Curley, 1B: 1-4, 2 RBI, 3 K Jake Esch, SP: 7 IP, 6 H, BB, 3 K 7/9/2016 @ Birmingham L 8-9 Alex Glenn, RF-CF: 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R Brian Anderson, 3B: 3-5, HR (2), 4 RBI, R, K J.T. Riddle, SS: 1-3, 2B, R Yefri Perez, CF-2B: 2-4, R, BB, K Ronnie Mitchell, LF: 1-4, BB, K Hunter Adkins, SP: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K 7/10/2016 @ Birmingham L 4-7 Alex Glenn, RF: 1-4, 2B, RBI Austin Dean, DH: 3-5, RBI, R, K Moises Sierra, CF: 2-4, RBI, R, BB, K Yefri Perez, SS: 0-2, 3 BB, SB (39) Cam Maron, C: 2-4 Patrick Johnson, SP: 2 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), K Tyler Higgins/Cory Luebke, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, K 7/11/2016 @ Birmingham W 11-8 Austin Dean, LF: 3-5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R Moises Sierra, CF: 2-4, 2B, R, BB, K Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI, R, 3 K Peter Mooney, SS: 2-5, 2 R, K Chris Curley, 1B: 2-5, 2B, RBI, R, K Cam Maron, C: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R Matt Tracy, SP: 6 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), BB, 4 K 7/12/2016 @ Birmingham W 1-0 Chris Curley, 1B: 1-2, HR (4), RBI, R, BB, K Alex Glenn, RF: 1-3, K Matt Tomshaw, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K Bullpen: 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K 7/13/2016 @ Birmingham W 6-5 Moises Sierra, RF: 3-5, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (5) Austin Dean, DH: 2-4, 3B, 2 R, BB Alex Glenn, CF: 1-5, 2B, 2 K Chris Curley, 1B: 2-5, 2 RBI, K Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4, 2 R, BB Cam Maron, C: 2-5 Jake Esch, SP: 5 IP, 5 H,2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K Cory Luebke, RP: 2 IP,3 H, 2 K 7/14/2016 vs Pensacola L 0-9 Alex Glenn, CF: 2-3, BB Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4 Hunter Adkins, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 7 K 7/15/2016 vs Pensacola PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/17 7/16/2016 vs Pensacola L 2-5 Cam Maron, C: 1-3, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, BB, K Moises Sierra, RF: 1-4, 3B, 2 K Francisco Arcia, 1B: 2-4, 2B, R, K Alex Glenn, CF: 1-4, 2B, 2 K Matt Tracy, SP: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 K Austin Brice, RP: 2 IP, K 7/17/2016 vs Pensacola Game 1 W/7 1-0 Alex Glenn, CF: 2-3, 2B Austin Dean, LF: 1-2, R, BB, K Peter Mooney, SS: 1-3, 2 K Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, K Patrick Johnson, SP: 5 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K Game 2 L/10 6-7 Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, 2 R Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 3-5, R Moises Sierra, CF: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R Peter Mooney, SS: 2-5, 2B, K Cam Maron, C: 1-4, BB, K Matt Tomshaw, SP: 4 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, BB, 3 K 7/18/2016 vs Pensacola W 3-2 Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, HR (5), 2 RBI, R Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 2-3, 2B, BB Garret Weber, 2B: 2-3, 2B, R, K Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, 2 RBI, R Austin Dean, LF: 1-4, RBI Jake Esch, SP: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K 7/20/2016 @ Mobile W 4-3 Moises Sierra, RF: 2-3, 2B, R Alex Glenn, CF: 2-4, RBI, R, K Francisco Arcia, C: 2-4, 2 RBI Hunter Adkins, SP: 7 IP, 3 H, BB, 2 K 7/21/2016 @ Mobile PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/23 7/22/2016 @ Mobile PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/24 7/23/2016 @ Mobile Game 1 L/7 5-6 Chris Curley, PH: 1-1, HR (6), 2 RBI, R Cam Maron, C: 2-2, 2B, RBI, R, BB Moises Sierra, RF: 2-4, R, K, SB (6) Garret Weber, 1B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, 2 K Brian Anderson, 3B: 1-2, R, 2 BB Peter Mooney, SS: 1-3, R Matt Tracy, SP: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 R (1 ER), BB, K Game 2 L/7 1-3 Ronnie Mitchell, LF-RF: 1-2, 2B, R, BB, K Alex Glenn, CF: 1-2, RBI Team: 3-23, RBI, R, BB, 9 K Patrick Johnson, SP: 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 3 K 7/24/2016 @ Mobile Game 1 L/7 1-6 Moises Sierra, RF: 2-3, RBI Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, K Garret Weber, 1B: 1-3 Peter Mooney, SS: 1-3, R Jake Esch, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K Game 2 L/7 1-4 Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-3, 2B Chris Curley, 1B: 2-3, 2B, R, K Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 1-4, 2B, K Austin Dean, LF: 1-4, K Matt Tomshaw, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R (2 ER), 5 K 7/26/2016 vs Jackson W 8-3 Austin Dean, LF: 2-4, HR (10), 3 RBI, 2 R Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 2-4, 2B, 2 R Garret Weber, DH: 2-4, RBI, 2 R, K Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4, R, K Peter Mooney, SS: 1-3, RBI, BB Hunter Adkins, SP: 4 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, K Patrick Johnson, RP: 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 4 K 7/27/2016 vs Jackson L/7 1-6 Garret Weber, 2B: 2-2, RBI, BB J.T. Riddle, DH: 2-3 Brian Anderson, 3B: 1-2, R Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, K Chris Mazza, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 3 K 7/28/2016 vs Jackson L 3-6 Chris Curley, 1B: 1-3, HR (7), 2 RBI, R, BB, K J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-4, RNI Austin Dean, LF: 1-4, K Alex Glenn, CF: 1-4, R Matt Tracy, SP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 2 K Sean Donatello, RP: 2 IP, H 7/29/2016 vs Jackson L 1-11 Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 1-4, 2B, R Brian Anderson, 3B: 2-4 J.T. Riddle, SS: 1-3, RBI, K Garret Weber, DH: 1-3 Jake Esch, SP: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, K 7/30/2016 vs Jackson W 4-1 Sharif Othman, C: 3-3, 3B, R Alex Glenn, CF: 3-4, RBI, R, K J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-4, RBI Peter Mooney, 2B: 1-4, 2B, RBI Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, K Hunter Adkins, SP: 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K Travis Ballew, RP: 2 IP, BB, K 7/31/2016 vs Biloxi W 5-3 Alex Glenn, CF: 2-4, HR (3), 3 RBI, R J.T. Riddle, SS: 2-4, HR (3), RBI, R Ronnie Mitchell, RF: 1-3, HR (3), RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, K, SB (1) Chris Mazza, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 K 7/1/2016 @ Ft. Myers L 4-7 Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, K Arturo Rodriguez, C: 2-4, 2 RBI Rehiner Cordova, SS: 1-4, RBI, R John Norwood, RF: 1-5, 2B, RBI, K Jorgan Cavanerio, SP: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, K Ben Holmes, RP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, ER, K 7/2/2016 @ Ft. Myers L 1-10 Jeremias Pineda, CF: 2-3, BB John Norwood, RF: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K Rehiner Cordova, SS: 1-3, R Michael Mader, SP: 4 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, BB, 3 K 7/3/2016 @ Ft. Myers L 0-3 Brian Schales, 2B: 2-4, K Rehiner Cordova, SS: 1-2, BB, K Avery Romero, 3B: 2-4, 2B Luis Castillo, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, 8 K 7/4/2016 vs Palm Beach L 4-5 John Norwood, RF: 1-4, HR (7), 2 RBI, R, K Taylor Ard, 1B: 1-3, 2B, BB Avery Romero, 3B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, K Chris Hoo, C: 1-3, RBI, BB, 2 K Jeremias Pineda, CF: 0-4, BB, R, 2 K, 2 SB (3, 4) Dillon Peters, SP: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K 7/5/2016 vs Palm Beach W 4-1 Chris Hoo, C: 1-3, HR (1), RBI, R, BB, K Brad Haynal, 1B: 3-4, RBI, R, SB (2) Jeremias Pineda, CF: 2-4, K, SB (5) John Norwood, RF: 2-4, R, 2 K James Roberts, SS: 1-3, RBI Jeff Brigham, SP: 5.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 7 K 7/6/2016 vs Palm Beach W 4-0 James Roberts, SS: 2-3, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, BB Brad Haynal, DH: 1-3, RBI Avery Romero, 3B/Brian Schales, 2B: 1-3 Jeremias Pineda, CF/Junior Sosa, LF: 1-4, R Scott Squier, SP: 5 IP, H, 2 BB, K Bullpen: 4 IP, H, K 7/7/2016 @ vs St Lucie L 5-8 Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 2-4, 3B, RBI, R, K Arturo Rodriguez, C: 1-3, 2 RBI, BB John Norwood, DH: 2-4, RBI, R, K Brian Schales, 2B: 1-3, RBI, BB Brad Haynal, 1B: 1-4, 2B, R Cory Luebke, SP: IP, 2 K James Buckelew, RP: 4 IP, BB, 2 K 7/8/2016 vs Tampa W 4-0 Avery Romero, 3B: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R Rony Cabrera, SS: 1-4, 2B, 3 RBI, K Chris Hoo, C: 1-3 RBI Junior Sosa, RF: 2-4, K, SB (2) Michael Mader, SP: 7 IP, 4 H, BB, 6 K Andy Beltre, RP: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 K 7/9/2016 vs Tampa W 3-2 Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI Jeremias Pineda, LF: 4-5, 3 R Junior Sosa, RF: 3-5, BB Brad Haynal, DH: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K Chris Hoo, C: 1-3, BB Jarred Cosart, SP (rehab): 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K Ben Holmes, RP: 3 IP, 2 H, 3 K 7/10/2016 vs Tampa W 4-2 Jeremias Pineda, CF: 2-4, R, SB (6) Junior Sosa, RF: 1-2, R, BB, 2 SB (3, 4) Brian Schales, 2B: 1-4, RBI Rony Cabrera, SS: 1-3, BB, K Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 0-2, RBI, R, 2 BB, K Luis Castillo, SP: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 4 K Jeff Brigham, RP: 4 IP, SV (1), 3 BB, 7 K 7/11/2016 vs Tampa W 5-3 Brad Haynal, 1B: 2-3, 2 RBI, K Dexter Kjerstad, DH: 1-4, RBI, 2 K John Norwood, RF: 1-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, K Avery Romero, 3B: 1-4, 2B, K Rehiner Cordova, 2B: 1-3, 2 R, BB Dillon Peters, SP: 5.1 IP, 8 H, ER, 7 K 7/13/2016 @ Brevard County L/13 3-4 Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 3-5, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, K Rodrigo Vigil, C: 2-6, 2B, RBI, BB John Norwood, RF: 2-6, R, BB, 3 K Jeremias Pineda, DH: 1-6, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (7, 8) Jorgan Cavanerio, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 5 K Andy Beltre, RP: 2 IP, 4 K Esmerling De La Rosa/Jose Adames, RP: 2 IP, H, K 7/14/2016 @ Brevard County W 3-1 Brad Haynal, 1B: 1-2, RBI, 2 BB Rony Cabrera, SS: 1-2, RBI, BB John Norwood, RF: 1-4, R, K Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 1-4, R Michael Mader, SP: 7 IP, 7 H, R, 6 K Ben Holmes, RP: 2 IP, SV (1), H 7/15/2016 @ Brevard County L 3-4 John Norwood, RF: 3-4, R, SB (10) Rony Cabrera, SS: 2-4, R, K Avery Romero, 3B: 1-3, RBI Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 1-4, HR (10), RBI, R, 2 K Junior Sosa, DH: 1-3, R, BB, K Luis Castillo, SP: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K 7/16/2016 @ Brevard County W 3-1 John Norwood, RF: 2-4, 3B, R Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 2-2, 2 RBI, 2 BB Brad Haynal, DH: 1-3, RBI, R, BB, K Jeff Brigham SP: 5 IP, 5 H, R (0 ER), BB, 4 K Bullpen: 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K 7/17/2016 @ Daytona W 3-0 Chris Hoo, C: 1-3, HR (2), RBI, R Avery Romero, 3B: 1-4, 2B, RBI Junior Sosa, DH: 2-4, RBI, K Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 1-4, R, 3 K Dillon Peters, SP: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K Bullpen: 2 IP, K 7/18/2016 @ Daytona L 5-11 John Norwood, DH: 4-5, 2B, RBI, R, K Taylor Ard, PH-LF: 1-2, RBI, K Avery Romero, 3B: 1-2, R, BB, SB (1) Rony Cabrera, SS: 2-5, 2 K Brian Schales, 2B: 1-4, RBI Jorgan Cavanerio, SP: 2.2 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 BB James Buckelew, RP: 3.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K 7/19/2016 @ Daytona L/11 2-3 Dexter Kjerstad, DH: 2-5, 2B, 2 K Avery Romero, 3B/Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-5, RBI, K Rony Cabera, SS: 1-4, BB, K Michael Mader, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K Ben Holmes, RP: 3 IP, 2 BB, 2 K 7/20/2016 @ Daytona W 5-1 John Norwood, RF: 2-3, R, BB, SB (11) Rodrigo Vigil, C: 3-4, 2B, RBI Avery Romero, 3B: 2-4, RBI, R, BB, K Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-4, 2B, RBI, R, K Rony Cabrera, SS: 1-4, 2 RBI, R Luis Castillo, SP: 6 IP, 2 H, 7 K 7/21/2016 vs Dunedin W 1-0 Brian Schales, 2B: 1-3, 2B, RBI Chris Hoo, C/John Norwood, RF: 1-3 Taylor Ard, 1B: 1-3, K Jeff Brigham, SP: 7 IP, 4 H, BB, 10 K Scott Squier, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K 7/22/2016 vs Dunedin W 9-3 Junior Sosa, LF: 4-5, 4 RBI, R John Norwood, RF: 1-4, 2 RBI, K Justin Bohn 3B: 2-4, 3B, R Brian Schales, 2B: 2-3, 3 R, BB Jeremias Pineda, CF: 4-4, RBI, 3 R, BB Dillon Peters, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 5 K 7/23/2016 vs Dunedin W 10-0 Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 1-4, HR (11), 2 RBI, R, BB, K Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-4, HR (10), 3 RBI, R Rony Cabrera, SS: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, K Junior Sosa, CF: 2-5, R, 2 K Brad Haynal, DH: 1-4, RBI, 2 R, BB Brian Schales, 2B: 1-3, RBI, R, BB, K Jorgan Cavanerio, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, BB, 5 K Bullpen: 4 IP, H, 6 K 7/24/2016 vs Dunedin W 5-0 Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 1-3, HR (12), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K, SB (6) Junior Sosa, CF: 2-4, 2B< RBI, K Taylor Ard, DH: 1-4, RBI Chris Hoo, C: 1-2, 2 R, BB Michael Mader, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 5 K Bullpen: 4 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K 7/26/2016 vs Charlotte W 3-1 Brad Haynal, DH: 1-2, HR (2), 2 RBI, R Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 2-4, H, K, SB (8) Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-3, 2B, R Junior Sosa, CF: 1-4, RBI Luis Castillo, SP: 6 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 6 K Scott Squier, RP: 2.2 IP, 4 K 7/27/2016 vs Charlotte L 3-8 Junior Sosa, CF: 2-3, R, BB John Norwood, RF: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R, K Taylor Ard, DH: 1-3, RBI, 2 K Brad Haynal, 1B: 1-3, 2B, R, BB Justin Bohn, SS: 1-3, RBI Jeff Brigham, SP: 6 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K 7/28/2016 vs Charlotte W 3-0 Justin Bohn, 3B: 3-3, RBI, R, SB (4) Dexter Kjerstad, LF: 2-4, 2 K Rony Cabrera, SS: 2-4, 2B, R Jeremias Pineda, CF: 1-4, RBI, 2 K Dillon Peters, SP: 6.1 IP, 4 H, BB, 4 K 7/29/2016 @ Dunedin L 2-3 Taylor Ard, 1B: 2-3, HR (11), 2 RBI, R, K Rodrigo Vigil, C/Brian Schales, 2B: 1-3 Jorgan Cavanerio, SP: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 K 7/30/2016 @ Dunedin L 3-9 Brad Haynal, DH: 1-4, HR (3), 2 RBI, R, 3 K Avery Romero, 3B: 1-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB, K Michael Mader, SP: 4.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R (6 ER), 3 BB, 2 K 7/31/2016 @ Dunedin L 5-6 John Norwood, RF: 1-4, HR (8), 3 RBI, R, 2 K Taylor Ard, DH: 2-2, 2B, RBI, 2 BB Brad Haynal, 1B: 1-4, RBI, 2 K Scott Squier, SP: 3 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), BB, K Ben Holmes, RP: 3 IP, 3 H, BB, 2 K 7/1/2016 @ Lakewood W 8-4 Josh Naylor, 1B: 3-4, HR (9), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB Isael Soto, RF: 3-4, 2 2B, RBI, R Casey Soltis, LF: 1-4, 2 RBI Angel Reyes, DH: 2-5, 2 RBI, R, K Justin Twine, 2B: 1-5, 3B, R, K Anfernee Seymour, SS: 1-5, R, K, SB (30) LJ Brewster, SP: 4 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 2 K 7/2/2016 @ Lakewood W 9-2 Angel Reyes, DH: 2-4, HR (4), 5 RBI, R, 2 K Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, 2B, 2 R, BB, K Roy Morales, C: 2-4, 2B, 2 R Casey Soltis, LF: 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI, 2 K Zach Sullivan, CF: 1-4, 2 RBI, R, 3 K Aaron Blanton, 3B: 1-3, 2B, 2 R, BB Steven Farnworth, SP: 6 IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K 7/3/2016 @ Lakewood W 4-3 Giovanny Alfonzo, SS: 2-4, R, K Zach Sullivan, CF: 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K John Silviano, C: 1-4, 2B, K Isael Soto, RF: 1-3, R, BB, 2 K Justin Jacome, SP: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K Ben Meyer, RP: 4.1 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K Jose Quijada, RP: 2 IP, H, 2 K 7/4/2016 vs West Virginia W 5-2 Aaron Blanton, 3B: 2-4, HR (5), 3 RBI, R, K Roy Morales, C: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K Isael Soto, RF: 2-4, 2B, R, K Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, R, K Cody Poteet, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 4 K 7/5/2016 vs West Virginia W 2-1 Aaron Blanton, 3B: 2-2, 2B, RBI, BB John Silviano, C: 1-4, 2B Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, RBI, 2 K Chuck Weaver, SP: 6 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K Bullpen: 3 IP, BB, 3 K 7/6/2016 vs West Virginia W 3-0 Aaron Blanton, 3B: 1-3, HR (6), 2 RBI, R, K John Silviano, DH: 1-3, R, BB, K Justin Twine, 2B: 1-3, RBI, R, K Kyle Barrett, LF: 2-3 LJ Brewster, SP: 5 IP, H, BB, K Bullpen: 4 IP, H, BB, 5 K 7/7/2016 vs Kannapolis W 5-2 Kyle Barrett, CF: 1-3, HR (1), RBI, R Angel Reyes, DH: 2-3, 2 2B, R, BB Anfernee Seymour, SS: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, K, SB (33) Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-3, RBI, K Steven Farnworth, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, K Ryley MacEachern, RP: 2 IP, 2 K 7/8/2016 vs Kannapolis W 7-4 John Silviano, C: 2-5, HR (2), 2 RBI, R, K Kyle Barrett, LF: 2-3, HR (2), 2 RBI, R Isael Soto, RF: 1-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, R, K Aaron Blanton, 3B: 2-3, 2B, R, BB Justin Twine, 2B: 2-3, 2B, BB, K Anfernee Seymour, SS: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R Justin Jacome, SP: 3 IP, 3 H, K Ben Meyer, RP: 4 IP, H, 5 K 7/9/2016 vs Kannapolis L/7 0-1 Team: 1-22, BB, 9 K Cody Poteet, SP: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 6 K 7/10/2016 vs Kannapolis L 2-10 Aaron Blanton, 3B/Angel Reyes, 1B: 2-4, 2B Roy Morales, C: 2-3, R, BB Justin Twine, 2B: 1-4, RBI, R Anfernee Seymour, SS: 1-5, RBI, K Chuck Weaver, SP: 3.2 IP, 12 H, 8 R (7 ER), BB, 6 K 7/12/2016 @ Greenville L 5-6 Angel Reyes, DH: 1-5, HR (5), RBI, R, 3 K Justin Twine, 2B: 3-3, RBI, 2 R Aaron Blanton, 3B: 1-3, RBI, K Zach Sullivan, CF: 1-3, RBI, BB Isael Soto, RF: 1-4, 2B, R, K LJ Brewster, SP: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K Jose Quijada, RP: 2.2 IP, 2 H, ER, 6 K 7/13/2016 @ Greenville L 4-6 John Silivano, C: 2-3, 2 HR (3, 4), 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K Josh Naylor, 1B: 3-4, 2B Isael Soto, RF: 1-4, HR (6), RBI, R, 2 K Steven Farnworth, SP: 3 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K Ryley MacEachern, RP: 3 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K 7/14/2016 @ Greenville L 1-3 Anfernee Seymour, SS: 2-5, 2B, R Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, RBI Isael Soto, RF: 1-3, BB Casey Soltis, LF: 2-4, 2B, K Justin Jacome, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K Parker Bugg, RP: 2 IP, BB, K 7/15/2016 @ Kannapolis PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/17 7/16/2016 @ Kannapolis PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/28 7/17/2016 @ Kannapolis Game 1 L/7 2-3 Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-3, 2B, RBI, K Roy Morales, C: 1-3, R, K Aaron Blanton, 3B: 1-3, RBI Angel Reyes, DH: 1-3 Cody Poteet, SP: 4.1 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 7 K Game 2 W/7 5-4 John Silviano, C: 4-4, 2 2B, HR (5), 3 RBI, R Justin Twine, 2B: 2-3, 2B, RBI, R Giovanny Alfonzo, 2B-SS: 1-3, 2B, R Zach Sullivan, CF: 1-3, 2B, K LJ Brewster, SP: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K Bullpen: 3 IP, 4 K 7/18/2016 @ Kannapolis W 7-3 Isael Soto, RF: 3-4, HR (7), 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB Josh Naylor, 1B: 5-5, 2 2B, RBI Kyle Barrett, LF: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R Angel Reyes, 3B: 1-5, RBI, R, K Steven Farnworth, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K 7/20/2016 vs Greenville W 8-3 Aaron Blanton, 3B: 1-3, HR (7), 4 RBI, R, K Casey Soltis, LF: 1-4, HR (1), RBI, R, 3 K Josh Naylor, 1B: 2-4, 2B, RBI, R Roy Morales, C: 2-4, RBI, R Isael Soto, RF: 1-3, 2 R, BB Kyle Barrett, CF: 2-3, RBI, R, BB Justin Jacome, SP: 4 IP, 2 H, ER, 5 BB, 5 K Parker Bugg, RP: 2 IP, H, 2 BB, K 7/21/2016 vs Greenville L 0-2 Kyle Barrett, LF: 1-3, BB, K Team: 2-28, 3 BB, 11 K Ben Meyer, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 3 K Tyler Kinley, RP: 2 IP, H, K 7/22/2016 vs Greenville W 4-3 Giovanny Alfonzo, 2B: 2-3, HR (1), RBI, 2 R Kyle Barrett, LF: 2-4, 2B, RBI Anfernee Seymour, SS: 2-4, 2 R Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-3, RBI Angel Reyes, DH: 1-4, RBI Cody Poteet, SP: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K Ryley MacEachern, RP: 2 IP, 2 K 7/23/2016 vs Augusta W 6-5 Kyle Barrett, LF: 3-4, 3B, 2 RBI, R, K John Silviano, C: 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, R Isael Soto, RF: 2-4, RBI Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, RBI, R LJ Brewster, SP: 6 IP, 2 H, 2 K Parker Bugg, RP: IP, K 7/24/2016 vs Augusta L 3-4 Isael Soto, RF: 3-4, HR (8), 3B, 2B, 3 RBI, R Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-4, 2B, 2 R Roy Morales, C: 1-3, BB Steven Farnworth, SP: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 ER) Tyler Kinley, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K 7/25/2016 vs Augusta L 1-5 Giovanny Alfonzo, 3B: 1-3, HR (2), RBI, R Justin Jacome, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER (1 ER), BB, 2 K Ryley MachEachern, RP: 2 IP, BB, 2 K 7/26/2016 vs Augusta L 1-3 Zach Sullivan, CF: 2-4, HR (3), RBI, R, K Angel Reyes, 1B: 1-3, 2B, K Isael Soto, RF: 1-3, BB Ben Meyer, SP: 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 4 K Bullpen: 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K 7/28/2016 @ Kannapolis Game 1 L/7 1-2 Anfernee Seymour, SS: 1-2, 2B, K Josh Naylor, 1B: 2-3, K Justin Twine, 2B: 1-3, K Cody Poteet, SP: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K Game 2 W/7 4-2 Justin Twine, 2B: 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI Josh Naylor, 1B: 1-3, RBI, R Anfernee Seymour, SS: 1-4, 2B, R Giovanny Alfonzo, 3B: 1-3 Trevor Richards, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K CJ Robinson, RP: 1.1 IP, SV (20), BB, K 7/29/2016 @ Kannapolis L 4-6 Kyle Barrett, LF: 3-5, RBI, K Giovanny Alfonzo, 3B: 3-4, RBI, R, K Anfernee Seymour, SS: 2-5, 2 R, SB (34) Angel Reyes, 1B: 1-4, 2 RBI, BB Justin Twine, 2B: 1-4, 2B, R Roy Morales, C: 1-3, BB LJ Brewster, SP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB Kyle Keller, RP: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 4 K 7/30/2016 @ Kannapolis W 11-2 Justin Twine, 2B: 4-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R, K Angel Reyes, 1B: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 3 R Roy Morales, C: 3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R Giovanny Alfonzo, 3B: 2-5, 3B, RBI, R, 2 K Zach Sullivan, CF: 1-4, RBI, R, 2 K, SB (7) Kyle Barrett, LF: 2-5, RBI, R, K, SB (11) Steven Farnworth, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K Marcus Crescentini, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, 2 K 7/31/2016 @ Kannapolis L 1-2 Justin Twine, 2B: 3-4, K Giovanny Alfonzo, SS: 3-4 Anfenree Seymour, DH: 1-4, 2B, RBI, K Justin Jacome, SP: 3 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, K Isaac Gil, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, K 7/1/2016 @ Williamsport L 1-3 Samuel Castro, SS: 3-4, K J.J. Gould, 3B: 1-4, 2B, 2 K David Gauntt, C: 2-4, 2B< 2 K Rony Cabera, 2B: 1-3, K Jhonny Santon, LF: 1-4, R Jose Diaz, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 K 7/2/2016 @ Williamsport L 1-4 Corey Bird, CF: 1-4, 2B, R, K Jhonny Santos, RF: 1-4, 2B Aaron Knapp, DH: 1-3, BB, 2 K Javier Garcia, SP: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K Brent Wheatley, RP: 2 IP, H, R (0 ER), BB, K 7/3/2016 @ Williamsport W 6-2 Aaron Knapp, CF: 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R Pablo Garcia, C: 2-4, RBI, R Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 2-4, 2B, 2 R Corey Bird, DH: 2-4, RBI, R Travis Neubeck, SP: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, K 7/4/2016 vs Brooklyn L 1-5 Isaiah White, DH: 2-3 Team: 4-31, 11 K Reilly Hovis, SP: 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, BB, K Parker Bugg, RP: 2 IP, K 7/5/2016 vs Brooklyn L 1-5 Corey Bird, CF: 2-4, R, K Pablo Garcia, C: 1-3, 2B Aaron Knapp, RF 1-3 Ryan McKay, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, R (0 ER), 4 BB, 2 K Shane Sawczak, RP: 1.2 IP, H, K 7/6/2016 vs Brooklyn W 15-2 Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 3-3, HR (1), 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB (1) J.J. Gould, SS: 1-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, R, BB Kris Goodman, DH: 3-4, RBI, 3 R, BB Joseph Chavez, 2B: 2-3, 2 RBI, R Aaron Knapp, RF: 3-5, RBI, 4 R, 2 K Jordan Holloway, SP: 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 7 K Bullpen: 4.1 IP, H, 6 K 7/8/2016 @ Vermont L 1-4 Kris Goodman, 2B: 2-3, 2B Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 1-4, RBI, 2 K Jose Diaz, SP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K Sam Perez, RP: 2 IP, 2 K 7/9/2016 @ Vermont L 3-8 J.J. Gould, 3B: 3-3, 2 2B, 2 R, BB Jhonny Santos, RF: 1-3, 2 RBI Isaiah White, LF: 2-4 Travis Neubeck, SP: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, K Shane Sawczak, RP: 3 IP, H, BB 7/10/2016 @ Vermont W 6-5 Javier Lopez, 3B: 2-4, 2 2B, R, K Aaron Knapp, RF: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, K, 4 SB (3, 4, 5, 6) Reilly Hovis, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 7 K Trenton Hill, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K 7/11/2016 @ Williamsport L 6-10 Corey Bird, CF: 2-5, 3 RBI, R, K Joseph Chavez, 2B: 2-4, RBI, 2 R Javier Lopez, 3B: 1-4, RBI, R Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 1-4, RBI, BB Ryan McKay, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 4 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K 7/12/2016 @ Williamsport L 4-9 J.J. Gould, 3B: 4-5, 2B, RBI, R Jhonny Santos, RF: 2-4, HR (2), RBI, R, K Kris Goodman, 2B: 1-5, 2B, K Jordan Holloway, SP: 3 IP, 7 H, 4 R (3 ER), BB, 3 K 7/13/2016 @ Williamsport L 7-8 Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 2-4, HR (2), 4 RBI, 2 R, BB, K Pablo Garcia, C: 2-5, R Colby Lusignan, DH: 1-4, RBI, BB, 2 K J.J. Gould, 3B: 1-4, 2 RBI, K Corey Bird, LF: 0-3, 2 BB, 2 R, K, 3 SB (3, 4, 5) Jose Diaz, SP: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, K 7/14/2016 vs Aberdeen L 2-8 Colby Lusignan, DH: 1-3, RBI, BB, 2 K Aaron Knapp, RF: 1-4, R, K Javier Garcia, SP: 3 IP, 6 H, 8 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 2 K Trenton Hill, RP: 3 IP, 2 H, 4 K 7/15/2016 vs Aberdeen L 2-4 J.J. Gould, SS: 4-4, 2 2B, R Aaron Knapp, CF: 1-4, RBI Mike Garzillo, 2B: 1-3, K Travis Neubeck, SP: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 3 K Alejandro Mateo, RP: 3 IP, 3 H, K 7/16/2016 vs Aberdeen L 0-9 Javier Lopez, 3B: 2-3 Pablo Garcia, C: 1-3, 2B Corey Bird, LF: 1-2, BB Reilly Hovis, SP: 3.1 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, BB, 3 K Dustin Beggs, RP: 2 IP, H, BB, K 7/17/2016 @ Tri-City L 8-9 Colby Lusignan, 1B: 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI, R, 2 BB, 2 K Pablo Garcia, C: 2-4, R Mike Garzillo, 2B: 2-4, 2 R, K Aaron Knapp, RF: 2-4, RBI, R, SB (7) Isaiah White, DH: 2-5, 2 RBI, K Ryan McKay, SP: 3 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K Trevor Richards, RP: 3 IP, H, BB, 3 K 7/18/2016 @ Tri-City L 3-6 J.J. Goud, 2B: 3-4, HR (2), RBI, 2 R Samuel Castro, SS: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 1-3, K Jordan Holloway, SP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K 7/19/2016 @ Tri-City W/10 6-4 Alex Jones, C: 3-4, RBI, R J.J. Gould, 3B: 1-4, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K, SB (1) Kris Goodman, DH: 2-4, R, BB, K Eric Gutierrez, 1B: 1-4, 2B, R Jose Diaz, SP: 4 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 6 K Chad Smith, RP: 2 IP, 2 K Dustin Beggs, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 K 7/21/2016 vs Williamsport L/10 0-1 Jhonny Santos, RF: 2-4, K Corey Bird, LF: 1-4, K Trevor Richards, SP: 4 IP, H, BB, 6 K Travis Neubeck, RP: 3 IP, H, 4 K 7/22/2016 vs Williamsport L 0-8 Javier Lopez, 3B: 2-4, K Samuel Castro, 2B: 1-2, 2 BB Eric Gutierrez, DH: 1-4, K Reilly Hovis, SP: 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 K 7/24/2016 vs State College L 6-8 Mike Garzillo, 2B: 3-3, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R Alex Jones, C: 2-3, R, 2 BB Corey Bird, LF: 1-3, 2 RBI, R, BB Ryan McKay, SP: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R (3 ER), 3 BB Alejandro Mateo, RP: 2 IP, H, 2 K 7/25/2016 vs State College PPD (rain) Rescheduled to 7/26 7/26/2016 vs State College Game 1 W/7 4-1 J.J. Gould, 3B: 2-3, 2B, 3 RBI Aaron Knapp, RF: 1-1, RBI, R, 2 BB Isaiah White, CF: 1-3, 2B, R, K Jose Diaz, SP: 4 IP, 2 H, K Shane Sawczak, RP: IP, 3 H, 2 K Dustin Beggs, RP: IP Game 2 L/7 2-8 Branden Berry, 1B: 2-3, 2B, R, BB Alex Jones, DH: 1-3, 2B, RBI, K Kris Goodman, LF: 1-3, BB, K Travis Neubeck, SP: 3 iP, 2 H, 2 R (0 ER), BB, K 7/28/2016 @ Lowell L/10 3-5 J.J. Gould, 3B: 1-2, R, 2 BB, K Corey Bird, CF: 1-4 Sam Perez, SP: 2.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER 7/29/2016 @ Lowell W 7-5 Isaiah White, DH: 2-5, 3B, 2B, 3 RBI, R, 2 K Jarrett Rindfleisch, C: 2-4, HR (1), 2 RBI, R, BB Aaron Knapp, CF: 2-5, R, K Mike Garzillo, 2B: 2-5, R, K, SB (1) Branden Berry, 1B: 1-4, RBI, R, BB Samuel Castro, SS: 1-3, RBI, BB, K Dylan Lee, SP: 4 IP, H, BB 7/30/2016 @ Lowell L 3-4 Branden Berry, 1B: 2-4, 2B, RBI, K Javier Lopez, 3B: 2-3, RBI, SB (2) Corey Bird, CF: 1-3, R, K, SB (7) Aaron Knapp, RF: 1-4, R, 2 K, SB (10) Ryan McKay, SP: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, BB, 4 K Trenton Hill, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 2 K 7/31/2016 vs Hudson Valley L 1-4 Eric Gutierrez, SS: 2-4, 2 2B, R, K Corey Bird, CF: 1-3, BB J.J. Gould, SS: 2-4 Jose Diaz, SP: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB Reilly Hovis, RP: 2 IP, 2 H, K

The baseball world is very familiar with the exports of the Bad News Bears, a bumbling fictional team who just can't seem to do much of anything right. This year, in reality, a very non-fictional Kyle Barrett, although being similarly named, somewhat thanks to a .342/.405/.474 month of July, has become the polar (pun intended) opposite and is proving himself to be one of the best players in the Marlins' minor league system this season. Andrew Kyle Barrett, who just celebrated his 23rd birthday on August 4th, is the Marlins' 2015 fifth rounder out of Kentucky. Prior to his collegiate days, Barrett attended high school in Douglasville, GA. After playing basketball as a freshman, he hit .485 as a junior and as a senior he hit .564 with a combined six homers and collected two combined All-America team honors. The accolades kept coming upon his graduation to the Wildcats in 2013 when he lead his entire team in batting average (.349) and OBP (.407) in his freshman season on a team which also held current Marlins' MiLBer J.T. Riddle. His BA also placed 12th in the entire SEC, a league which held the likes of top prospects Alex Bregman, Hunter Renfroe, and Tony Kemp. After finishing that season reaching base in 19 straight games (which attributed to him reaching safely in a total of 34 of his 38 games), Barrett earned a spot playing alongside the aforementioned Bregman on the All-SEC Freshman Team. In 2014, Barrett ran his total of games reached safely in to 35 as he reached in 16 straight, all via a hit to open his sophomore year. On the whole that year, he took a bit of a step back numbers wise as the sophomore slump bit him and spelled out a .253/.354/.312 slash line. However, Barrett came back with a vengeance in summer league play in the Cape Cod league, hitting .317/.354/.358 with the Harwich Mariners. His BA ranked third on his team as did his 10 stolen bases. As the 11th best for-average bat in the league, he earned a spot in the Cape's All-Star Game. Barrett rode that momentum in to his junior year where he enjoyed his best season to date, placing second on the team in BA (.354), third in OBP (.394) and third in slugging (.443). He showed off his blazing speed on the regular, stretching would-be singles into doubles and doubles into triples. He also added seven steals in 11 attempts. His BA ranked second on the Wildcats, his OBP and SLG both third. With a career .324/.386/.391 slash line in college along with a 57% stolen base success rate, great defense, and plus speed on top of two great seasons in the summer leagues, Barrett attracted attention as early as the 10th round of the 2015 draft. He fell to the 15th round where the Marlins drafted him 446th overall. Minus four games with the Muckdogs at the end of 2015, Barrett is getting his first taste of pro ball this year with the Grasshoppers. And my, what a tasty morsel it is. After getting his feet wet with a .182/.243/.212 April and a .260/.309/.260 May, Barrett exploded onto the scene in June when he hit .337/.352/.372. Things only got better for the stout left hander in July when he hit .342/.405/.474. Over that two month span he reached in 32 of his 45 games via a hit and in 36 of 45 overall, spelling a .377 OBP mostly out of the lead-off spot. Over that span, his yearly BA rose from .230 to .302. He also added seven total steals in nine attempts. Standing at a petite 5'11" and weighing just 185, Barrett cuts down on his strike zone by getting low in his straight away stance. His light load, good bat speed and slappy singles bat have allowed him to enjoy a more than decent contact rate and an ability to still barrel up balls despite committing to a swing late into the pitch, a great sign for a future leadoff man. On the contrary, Barrett is a bit too of an aggressive bat early in the count as he looks to barrel up fastballs which often leads to him failing to maintain his soft hands and instead trying to do too much and lose his balance. This is what has led to his heightened K/BB for all of his career so far. If he hopes to succeed as a top of the order man, Barrett will need to be a bit more patient early in ABs and learn to go with breaking pitches as well as he does on heaters. If he can do that, the level-headed speedy baserunner and overall heady player who isn't afraid to take advantage of what the defense gives him as he is always a candidate to squeeze a bunt down successfully for a hit if the infield plays back and reach thanks to his plus jets, most definitely has a future as a top of the order catalyst. On the common occasion that Barrett, who once ran a 6.77 60 yard dash, reaches base, he is a threat to steal every time. He utilizes that speed in the outfield well by making good straight reads and covering all the ground necessary and then some. He finishes off his five-tool skill set by possessing a plus arm which can make on-line throws from all three positions, though his best suited position is probably center. With a great makeup already in a very immature career, if Barrett, who just turned 23, can receive some nurturing regarding his approach early in counts, he has more than a potential future as a fire starter in the upper levels of the minors and further. I will be watching him closely as his career progresses.

There is no sugar-coating it: the Marlins' wild card hopes, which they went all in for at the deadline by making a series of buyer moves including some which mortgaged some big pieces of their future are in serious jeopardy. With injuries to some of their biggest power threats and key pieces to both their rotation and bullpen, Miami, who once looked like a favorite to secure a playoff berth, is suddenly an outsider. The most disturbing part? It seems in at least one regard, they are okay finishing out the rest of the season with that title attached to them. In early July, the second best power threat on the team, Justin Bour hit the disabled list with an ankle injury. Not thought initially to be serious after MRI results came back negative, it appeared as though the Marlins could get by by platooning Chris Johnson against lefties and a call-up from the minors. This was the first time, at least in the short term, that Xavier Scruggs' name surfaced. Hitting .290/.393/.536 with 12 homers in the minors at that point, he appeared to be the best candidate to replace the big bat of Bour against righties. But instead, the Marlins selected Don Kelly, hitting .210/.284/.276. He appeared in 13 games before being sent back to the minors. During that time, Bour's eligible date to be reinstated from the DL came and went with him not even beginning a rehab assignment. That came two weeks later when the 28-year-old finally returned to action for the Zephyrs, coincidentally playing on the same team as Scruggs. In that assignment, Bour went just 2-18. As a result, he did not return the following week and on August 12th, it was announced that Bour would not return until at least early September if at all this season. For a second time, every Marlins' writer and scout predicted a Scruggs call up. It never came. Currently, the Marlins are a revolving door at the position with innings being given to a multitude of players including Johnson (sometimes even against righties whom he is a dismal 29-122 against this year), Derek Dietrich, and Miguel Rojas. To this date, without Bour, those three bats in addition to whomever else the Marlins may plug and play at the position from day to day are a cumulative .218/.277/.310 with a 4.41 K/BB. Since the injury to Bour, their slash line is .223/.291/.357 with a 2.70 K/BB. And still, Scruggs, with a slash line that includes the fourth highest SLG in his league (.565), an OBP that ranks third in his league (.408), and an OPS that ranks second (.973) still sits in AAA. But the confusion doesn't end there. Compounding it even more is the fact that the biggest power threat on the team, Giancarlo Stanton is out for the year. The Marlins' slugger was hurt last Saturday running the bases and went to the 15-day the next day. An MRI revealed a grade 3 strain to Stanton's groin, prolonging the problems Stanton has had his entire career finishing 162 game seasons. Upon the news, everyone interested thought for certain there was no way the Marlins could ignore Scruggs, who also plays outfield, this time. Alas, the team proved everyone wrong on Monday when they selected Robert Andino to take Stanton's roster spot. While Andino is having a good season in his own right and provides good depth to the team, the .267/.319/.427 hitting 32-year-old who is reviving his career after a year out of Major League Baseball and who is likely playing over his head considering he is a career .256/.305/.372 minors bat and an even lesser .232/.294/.318 bat over 470 Major League appearances doesn't (to put it nicely) replace the power of Stanton nearly as adequately as Scruggs potentially would. What's more is that even though he is eligible at most infield spots, Andino is barely eligible in the outfield having only played 14 career games in left and six in center. He is not eligible at all in right. With Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich holding down every day starting positions in left and center and neither one being eligible in right either, the Marlins will turn to a 43-year-old Ichiro Suzuki to sure up right field in Stanton's absence, all, again, while Scruggs wastes away in AAA. As legendary as he is, Ichiro has zero power to speak of, very limited speed and defensive capability, and, as he proved last year when he took over for Stanton right around the same time of the year, is no longer fit to be an every day starter. In a nutshell, the Marlins are doing a thing very similar to the one they did in 2014 to the aforementioned Bour who was in the midst of a .306/.372/.517 season as a 26-year-old but being left in the minors for the likes of a 33-year-old .246/.309/.411 hitting Garrett Jones until the season hit the 122 game mark. The difference there was that Jones was at least contributing something positive to the team at the plate, albeit on a stringy basis and at the cost of a ton of strikeouts and shaky defense. That team also managed to keep its biggest bat healthy for the entire year. In this situation, Stanton is gone as is the team's next biggest bat, the current replacements at one of those positions are contributing next to nothing, and the the other is a 43-year-old who has never hit for much power at all. For a team that relied on the power threat for success in the first half, it makes very little sense for them to be content allowing their biggest in-house option waste away in New Orleans in the apparent hopes of trying to become something they are not. So as for the answer to the question posed, what are the Marlins waiting for when it comes to calling up Scruggs, the answer is... I don't know. Perhaps the Marlins will come to their senses after a few series losses which hopefully don't cost them their season. Perhaps all the phone lines are down in New Orleans. Perhaps Scruggs can't get a plane ticket. Or perhaps the Marlins just don't like him. Right now, I only have one answer: only time will tell.