THOMAS JOSEPH

I ain't giving up! Marlins win the series, 2 games to 1. The MVP will be Jazz Chisholm, Jr. Looking forward to the show this evening.

Bound to be an excellent confidence-builder for Rogers. Puk's return, DLC's hot streak, Lopez's play, and a few other bright spots hopefully translate into some wins. There's no call to be pollyannish, however, the year can still be and must be productive. With additional trades coming, Bendix could conceivably move the Marlins farm system up from one of the lowest three to mid-league, shed additional payroll to set up the offseason, and, all the while, get in some significant evaluation of in the second half.

I love a pitcher's duel - tight control, efficient, and a brisk game. Too bad Weathers didn't get the "W" that he earned and tough luck loss for Olson. The baby-faced Tiger pitched magnificently, as well.

My favorite insight - no walks!

There are some glimmers of progress in there - Sixto's gutsy performance, Brujan, Lopez, Gordon. We need Bell to continue hitting in preparation for a trade, as well. I have no problem with Maldonado in there, especially if he doesn't walk batters. If they get a hit, so be it. It's the constant nibbling that gets to me. Maldonado brings some aggressiveness and gets important opportunities to pitch in high-leverage situations. As some veterans are jettisoned or move on - which is certain (and soon) - there is no substitute for innings and ABs for the replacements. Let's get on with it.

Let's keep it going with a Marlins series win against the Tigers, 2 games to 1. My MVP choice is Jesus Sanchez. I think he is lining up one of his hot streaks.

Oh, yes. That's a shame about Edwards. Imagine what he could have done if healthy. Perhaps, it might have made a difference regarding Rivera or Lopez, although probably not Anderson. I hope eventually gets a full opportunity. Catchers in the Marlins farm system must surely be thinking there is a wide-open path for them to Miami.

Broadly, I agree Bendix and Sherman have responsibility. Of course. Still, players play and must be responsible for their lack of ability or failure to execute. Mental errors, lack of situational hitting, nibbling/timid pitchers, and strategic in-game decisions cannot be divorced from the manager and coaching staff. Has Skip checked out? No, I figure he has the usual incentive for his next gig. He and his staff are not immune from criticism, though, and cannot hang their collective caps on last season's unicorn results, IMO.

It's frustrating, but it is important to consider how hot the Phillies are right now. On the other side, that doesn't seem to matter with the Marlins this year. Teams are confident playing the Marlins, and Marlins pitchers are seemingly waiting for their beating, it often seems. I'd like to see the Marlins' pitchers get mean, which is the perfect segue to Rogers' dugout remonstration. I loved it.

I heard Samson say he would let Skip go now since there is no point in a lame-duck manager. Although wags say that the Marlins don't want to pay another guy for this year, I figure it is mainly buying time and avoiding another PR hit. More of those are coming anyway, though. Schumaker benefits from any silver linings he can create and won't be held to account for the final result as he looks for his next position. Still, the F.O. has been working on a replacement since the obligatory offseason "philosophical" split, and it wouldn't surprise me to see a change late in the year when everyone has no more rage to vent.

With the season unraveling early, one of the things we can be hyper-focused on is individual player progress. I truly do not understand why the Marlins shouldn't use this obvious no-pressure go-around to get some meaningful ABs in for guys like Edwards, Conine, Johnston, Myers, Mesa, Jr., Banfield, and others. Why not? Anderson is here for a few more months, Garcia is already a sunk cost, Rivera/Lopez/Bethancourt are expendable journeymen. Let's see what happens after the deadline and/or the next round of trades, which will likely open spots at the top club. I watched the first Wahoos game to see the new guys, which didn't disappoint.

Good read here and we certainly need Balkovec to succeed as an integral part of the new team. I hope she kills it and obtains solid rewards for doing so. I like the "blank slate" and fresh ideas environment she mentions. I'm fine with the "have fun and relax" cultural milieu, but that better be watermarked, not at the forefront. These are professionals with the highest casualty rate, necessitating competency, work ethic, coachability, and, frankly, overachievement if one wants to stay in the mix for long. The "everyone is told" admonition from "Moneyball" is as ruthless as it is ineluctable. So, the unconventional blank slate appeals to me, but it must be juxtaposed with the reality of MLB. Bendix, Balkovec, et al., deserve a fair chance, realizing that they are starting in a hole, but they will own the results, make no mistake about that. So, I am all in with the new regime because that wager has already been placed.

The draft is critical to the Bendix strategy, with solid picks and no complete whiffs in the top rounds over the next few years. As a player, I would be quite pleased to be drafted by the Marlins. Opportunities galore, especially the possibility of quick advancement.

Optimism is not dead (yet) - Marlins win the series 2 games to 1. The MVP is the returning Jake Burger. Thanks.

I stand by my "X" posts calling for the Marlins pitchers to get mean and stop being doormats. When teams whoop it up during games, there is a deep disrespect because they come in expecting to cruise to a series win. Pitchers need not be Drysdale, Gibson, or Martinez to help cure this. Not only does pitcher aggressiveness put batters on their heels in the box, but it also enhances confidence in the hurler's teammates. Of course, the lackadaisical attitude must be placed squarely at the feet of Marlins on-field leadership - yes - Schumaker and Stottlemyre. Marlins' pitchers are timid, just waiting for the beatdown. Turn that around a little bit by emulating the historic bulldogs of the mound. What, we might lose or something?

It's important for baseball that the Doggers do not win the Championship, vindicating their plan to simply overwhelm every other team through FA spending. Following their usual path, they can be the regular season doyens all they want, just as long as they fall in the playoffs. This is required since the owners aren't going to do anything to address what Forbes magazine says are untenable systemic inequities.

Thank you for the updated rankings and information. As with you, I suspect there will be plenty of updates needed over the next few months.

Thanks for bringing us the Game Notes.

It is frustrating to watch Cabrera nibble, nibble, nibble for some reason. Even when he was ahead in the account, there was no bulldog in him. He simply struggles to put hitters away. The high pitch counts bring even otherwise adequate starts to early ends. I have questions. How is Stottlemyre addressing the mental aspect of Cabrera's game? Why does he pitch so tentatively to hitters with the stuff he usually has? I watched Randy Johnson mature after he left the Expos in the Langston trade. While comparing Cabrera to a Hall of Famer like the Unit is ridiculous, there is ample evidence that pitchers with the physical tools mature later. Last question, then, is, will the Marlins continue to wait? I figure they will not.

There is certainly disagreement over timing and return, however, the process truly is the only path of competitiveness for the Marlins. Along with solid scouting, drafting, and coaching, an organizational culture must be established now. Taking our medicine stinks but would not be so bad except for the team's history. Many are jaded and that is understandable. I figure fans will see incremental improvement with exciting young players over the next few years - an experience not unlike the recent Reds, Pirates, and Orioles have achieved. Hopefully.

Dodgers win the series two games to one. MVP is Wil Smith.

Even if the Marlins family road trip is arduous and we're going proverbially kicking and screaming, we're on the Bendix highway. As always, we can leave, threaten to leave, and vent, but the team has decided. Moreover, we are not in on the decisions any more than we ever were. Over the years, teams have surveyed me and other season ticket holders about certain issues. Often, the released results show the team wanted to measure the resistance to something. It wasn't a referendum. The Reds moved Spring Training to Arizona, despite effectively eliminating fans who used to drive to Plant City/Tampa from Cincinnati the team's regional support area. The Bengals added seat licenses to the tab when the new stadium opened. Starting times of games. But never has any team asked about on-field baseball issues and they never will. That's understandable.

I read your passion and, certainly, the questions you ask are germane to the situation. Still, fans will never be privy to the inner workings of teams, financial information, or even the true expectations. Never is a difficult word to stand on, yet the teams know the fans follow them, even with ups and downs, without inclusion in the internal decisions. Moreover, it is to the team's benefit to play most things close to the vest. Perhaps the most painless way to overcome the systemic and increasing inequalities in baseball (as described by Forbes magazine) is to expand the playoffs again, granting more teams the chance to "just get in." This eases fan hopelessness and mitigates the huge financial gap between the top teams and the rest of the league. While the current playoff format dilutes the regular season compared to the old days of only division winners being included, adding more teams makes the 162-game season akin to the NBA and NHL where more teams make it than miss. Figure on that to happen in the next decade, since the owners don't want a salary cap. In the Marlins situation, the league cannot and will not allow the team to fail with huge expansion money on the line. I figure greater CBT sharing is also on the way. Information, though, is not forthcoming.

Nice way to salvage the series on Sunday. I hear Burger is back for the Dodger series, as well.

Look forward to hearing your full evaluation of the new Marlins. These deals take years to discern, but for most fans like me, the initial lowdown must come from a reliable, reasonable source. I see Padre fans asserting that it was a steal of Arraez already. All in all, it was strictly timing and venue issues for an Arraez trade.