Fish Wrap: An End-of-Season Assessment of the 2009 Florida Marlins

I intended to write this season-ending analysis a week ago, but I'm glad I waited because of all the drama surrounding Fredi Gonzalez that's now resolved. I'd rather not have had to devote five paragraphs to why I felt owner, Jeffrey Loria, was being a moron for even considering getting rid of Gonzo.

So, instead, let's devote the whole thing to the team, as it should be.

I'm sure most of you, like me, are a bit disappointed our beloved Fish weren't able to make it into the postseason. Considering the way the team started out the season, winning eleven of their first twelve games, I'm a little upset they didn't go all the way and win the World Series.

I know, I know, wishful thinking, right? Well, it's what I was thinking when they were 11-1, believe me.

That being said, we had no real right to expect these Marlins to be world-beaters. They had the lowest payroll in the majors, and while they've been a franchise that's overcome this year in and year out to compete, we fans shouldn't expect it, but only hope for it.

This is soon to change, however, as the Marlins will be moving into their new stadium that was approved this year. When they do, the payroll is bound to climb higher, allowing the Florida Marlins (soon to be Miami Marlins) franchise the opportunity to go after premier free agents; something they haven't been able to do since the firesale of the 90s.

Now, on to what happened this year.

First and foremost, the Marlins won games. They ended the year with a record of 87-75. While this wasn't enough to allow them to play the Phillies this week in the postseason, it was the third-best regular season record in franchise history; behind only the two World Series championship teams of 1997 and 2003.

Considering their payroll, this was an amazing accomplishment for both Beinfest and Gonzalez. There were numerous teams in just the National League who fielded far more expensive clubs who didn't fare as well and weren't as competitive. Can anyone say the Mets?

When we had that incredible 11-1 start, Florida was the darling of the media, with their starting rotation being considered by many as one of the top two or three in the majors behind only the Yankees and possibly the Red Sox.

Ricky Nolasco had just come off a great season the year before, and was looking good for a moment. Josh Johnson had finished 2008 strong and was, and remains, a major stud. Chris Volstad looked like the second coming of, well...Josh Johnson, and we also had hopes Andrew Miller had overcome the problems he'd faced in spring training by changing his delivery.

Add to that we had high hopes Anibal Sanchez might actually come back to give us even a taste of what he'd fed us before, and that 11-1 start looked like it was a precursor for the Marlins making a run at the MLB record for most wins in a season.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Or, perhaps they just weren't mighty to begin with.

Of course we didn't compete for the MLB record for most wins. Heck, we barely sniffed the franchise record for most wins. Instead, Ricky got off to a horrible start that required a trip to the minors to shake off. To his credit, he did shake it off, and returned to be practically un-hittable, fanning nine in a row en route to 16 strikeouts total in his last outing, a 5-4 win over the Altanta Braves last Wednesday.

If he'd been as un-hittable at the beginning of the year, we'd be watching the Fish in the playoffs.

Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez got off to rough starts as well. Unfortunately for them, and the Marlins, they never recovered the way Nolasco did. Oh, they contributed at times, even showing flashes of brilliance, but we fans, and I'm sure the Marlins organization, expected far, far more from both of them and simply didn't get it.

Chris Volstad, on the other hand, looked lights out to begin with. Too bad he folded up like a menu at the nearest IHOP, never really giving the Marlins what we all know he's capable of. That left Florida searching its minor league clubs for players like Graham Taylor and John Koronka to try and fill in at times; which had mixed results.

Another call-up named Sean West, though, exceeded expectations. Going 8-6 he showed me, among many others, he's capable of possibly being the Marlins 4th starter going forward.

However, it wasn't the Marlins pitching that kept them in the Division Title race till late in the season, and the Wild Card race until the final week of the year, it was their bats.

Although they had to overcome the horrid batting of some players like Emilio Bonifacio, who was another focus point of the media at the beginning of the season, our beloved Fish acquitted themselves well at the plate this season.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not totally down on Bonifacio. I still believe he'll develop into a great player for the Marlins. He contributed mightily to the Marlins jumping out to that fantastic start. Yet, he also contributed just as greatly to their quick plunge immediately afterward, for while he's a speed-demon on the basepaths, he's a huge liability at the plate.

That being said, the Marlins still ended up being ranked fifth in the National League in runs scored. Hanley Ramirez won the NL batting title, and is a legitimate MVP candidate, with only Joe Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki having higher batting averages in all of the majors.

Florida had four players with at least 90 RBI for the first time in team history. More than all of that, Chris Coghlan is the leading candidate for NL Rookie of the Year. His second half of the season is one legends are made of.

He had 113 hits after the All-Star break, which ties him with Juan Pierre (yes, the former Marlin) and Bill Buckner for the most in the NL since 1964. The last time anyone had more in the majors was 1980, when Dave Stapleton had 120.

Finishing with a .320 average, which was sixth best in the NL among all players, Chris also had 31 doubles, six triples, nine home runs, and 47 RBI, and ended the season hitting safely in 16 of his last 17 games.

He had 47 hits in August, breaking the Marlins club record and surpassing all NL rookies in hits in any month since Wally Moon had 52 for the St. Louis Cardinals in July 1954.

He followed that up by tying that record in September. The last time a rookie collected that many hits in September was in 1928, when Chuck Klein had 50.

The most amazing part of the story of Chris Coghlan, though, is that he only played 25 games at Triple-A New Orleans before being called up. Also, he played third base in college, made himself into a decent second baseman after that, and was shifted to left field as a pro. To be as productive as he has been as a rookie, playing out of his natural position, is something that truly indicates how special Chris really is.

Other young players stood and made themselves accounted toward the end of the season also, such as Cameron Maybin, who seemed to bounce back once he was called up again at the end of the year and perform like he had at the end of last year. Beinfest and Gonzalez will have their hands full trying to figure out who's going to start in center field next year.

However, they started this year out in the same predicament, so I'm not worried.

Another area that surprised many, including myself, was the bullpen. Although they looked a bit shaky at times, before anyone criticizes them too much, they should consider this: Florida's bullpen finished with the second-best ERA in Marlins' history. Only the 1993 team's bullpen was better.

Overall, I think the Marlins performed all year above and beyond the call of duty. I would have liked to have seen another magical postseason run. For one thing, it would have fit right into the six-year cycle myth. That myth is totally forgotten now, and we can concentrate on the future without such lame distractions.

There'll obviously be some questions about what we should do for the future. Should we shore up our starting rotation with a big-name veteran presence? Should Andrew Miller be dumped? Have we done all we can with Anibal Sanchez? Should Dan Uggla go? Is the Jeremy Hermida experiment finally over? Will Gaby Sanchez, and especially Emilio Bonifacio really be ready next year to be pros?

All of these questions will be asked and answered in hundreds of articles and blog posts by beat writers and fans between now and the start of next season. To me, the only question I had was answered the moment Loria made it known Gonzalez is returning.

I'm fully confident in Gonzalez and Beinfest and their ability to mold this young team, possibly adding a veteran piece or two here and there, getting rid of those who need to go, and hopefully getting something in return for them, and having the team competing next year for a championship.

This team is on the right track, and I won't be among those who simply nitpick to death everything Gonzalez and Beinfest do. I'll let them do their job and give them one more full season to have us in the playoffs.

If Loria opens up the coffers a little next year and gives Gonzo something to really work with, they'll then have to answer to the expectations that will naturally follow. If they live up to them, fabulous. But only if they're given a chance to show what they can do will I then judge them.

Everyone knows of Beinfest's ability to compete with bargain basement clubs. Let's see what he and Fredi can do with a real squad.

To me the future looks oh so bright for the Marlins. So, get on-board the express. Don't wait till pitchers and catchers next spring because by then it may be too late to board this bandwagon.