Florida Marlins Look Fantast

The Florida Marlins showcased why they're my pick for World Series champs this week in their series against the Braves.

Before the start of the series, both teams were tied for the lead in the National League East, but that changed quickly after the first pitch was thrown on Tuesday night. The Marlins exploited the Braves' weak bullpen to complete a sweep in Atlanta while the once-hot bats of Johnson, Schafer, and McCann all cooled.

The Marlins have quietly, and cheaply, put together a stellar starting rotation for the 2009 season. The bats have also been live for the Fish so far this year, making it unlikely that the teams in their division will be able to pose a serious threat. Especially since the Phillies have been struggling thus far in the season and the Mets haven't been as sharp as was expected.

Both the Mets and the Phillies have seemingly buckled under the pressure of high expectations early in the season. The defending World Champion Phillies have dropped two of three to the Braves already in '09 and are currently having trouble with the Washington Nationals. In New York, the Mets have a brand new stadium and the added pressure of high hopes for the new Citi Field, but failed in their attempt to come away victorious in the inaugural game.

In contrast, it's back to business as usual for the Marlins, who seem to have created a routine for winning World Series titles. Florida won in 1997, sent the team to the chop shop, and reassembled a roster of young, cheap talent.

After spending a few years laboring in the basement of the NL East, the Fish came back in 2003 and repeated the process. Six years out, the Marlins are at it again, all with the lowest salary of any Major League team