Albert Pujols and Ozzie Guillen? 10 Reasons the Pairing Would Electrify NL East

The Florida Marlins are making changes. They have had several seasons of ineffectiveness including this season in which they finished 30 games out of first place at 72-90. They have decided to strike while they can to right the ship.

They made their first of possibly several splashes this past week when they agreed to a deal for Former Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.

Guillen was released from the final year of his contract with Chicago and signed a four-year deal to manage the new-look Miami Marlins next season.

Along with Guillen, the Marlins are hoping that several key players available in free agency this upcoming offseason will find their way to South Beach.

Among those free agents is Albert Pujols. The three-time league MVP is available and ready for a change. The combination of these two big names in the sport could make the Marlins a winner again.

Each one brings several things to the table that helps make a winner.

First, let's take a look at the manager.

Ozzie Guillen Brings Experience to Miami

Experience 

Ozzie Guillen has managed in the major leagues since 2004. He has managed with only one team, though, the Chicago White Sox. In his tenure in Chicago, he has a .524 winning percentage with a record of 678 wins to 617 losses.

From 2004-2011, his White Sox never finished below fourth place, and that only happened one time in eight years. In other words, his teams were rarely ever out of it. He knows how to win. When he gets his teams in the playoffs, he knows to to win there too.

He's done that before as well. His White Sox made the playoffs two times and won the World Series once under his tutelage.

He has been named Manager of the Year once, in 2005 when they won the World Series. He understands what it takes to win at the major league level and what type of effort it takes.

That may make a huge impact on a few of these players.  

Ozzie Will Command Respect

Respect

One of the players Ozzie Guillen will have a profound impact on is Hanley Ramirez. Since winning Rookie if the Year in 2006, his numbers have steadily declined. This past season, he missed significant time and only played 90 games.

While his numbers have declined, he has dug a deeper hole with the franchise. This may be the last chance for Ramirez to rebuild his reputation with the Marlins. The respect from the organization has dropped faster than his home run totals. He has been repeatedly in the dog house for lack of hustle or criticizing his manager.

Under Ozzie Guillen, that may very well change. Guillen requires hard play and respect from his players. If they don't give their all, they will not keep their job, regardless of their salary. Ramirez is from the Dominican Republic while Guillen is from Venezuela. While they are different countries, their paths are similar.

Both grew up in hardship, and that bond is something Guillen can use to create a strong relationship. Ramirez will respect Guillen because he will see some of himself in Guillen. That should cause him to play harder and make a better effort all around.

Guillen Knows How to Use the Lineup

Power Surge

Ozzie Guillen has managed an American League team in the Chicago White Sox. He knows how to use a strong and young hitting lineup. The White Sox developed young bats like Carlos Quentin, Paul Konerko and Alexei Ramirez.

The Marlins have the potential to be a similar lineup as he had in Chicago. They gave speed at the top and bottom of the lineup and plenty of power. They are young and good. Players like Mike Stanton, Logan Morrison and Gaby Sanchez add to Hanley Ramirez to make a potent lineup that has not been used properly.

This team has the potential to hit like an American League team. They can use their speed at the top aggressively in front of the power hitters to create more offense. In Chicago, he had guys like Juan Pierre to do this with. Here, he has Emilio Bonifacio and Omar Infante to do that.

He understands how to score to support the pitching staff. No matter how good or bad the pitching is, they can't win unless you score. That's something Guillen gets his teams to do well.

Guillen Brings Bravado

Rico Suave

The Florida Marlins have had their spirit dwindle down to a faint flickering flame. They need a spark of swagger or bravado. They need the cockiness and competitive arrogance that someone like Ozzie Guillen brings.

This brings a confidence to the team. The players begin to feel like they are unstoppable, and no deficit is insurmountable. That attitude helps a team become a contender. When they play hard and have that attitude, good things happen.

That's the intangible stat that will not show up in the box score. When a team comes back in a game, they show heart. That builds into a belief that they can achieve anything. Woe to the team that gets in their way.

If a team like that gets into the playoffs, they usually can. 

He's a Hometown Hero

Everyday Man

Ozzie Guillen resides in Miami in the offseason. Now, he will reside in Miami during the season too. He is an example of a Latino American that has paid his dues in his chosen field of profession.

He lives in an area of the country that has a 65 percent Latino population in their community. They are looking for an example they can relate to. The people of the community deserve someone who they see as one of them.

He is already a part of the community and the neighborhood. He knows the people in the city, and they know him. That familiarity helps. They need someone like that.

Someone who would understand the importance of bringing a title to the city of Miami and what it would mean to the people of the community.

It's a perfect fit. A fiery manager for a lively city. It can either be an explosion of drama or a gigantic eruption of success. Either way, there will be sparks because of this acquisition.  

Pujols Adds Instant Credibility

Intimidation

Of the many players available this offseason, Albert Pujols is most likely the most coveted. Many teams will be kicking the tires on a contract offer to him. It will take a brave team looking to make a bold statement in the league that adds him.

Enter the Marlins. They have the disrespect of the division and the National League. What better way to take that respect back than to grab the prize of free agency? With a player like Pujols in the lineup, teams will automatically respect, even fear, this offense.

Imagine a lineup with Pujols, Ramirez and Stanton as the three, four and five of the order. That competes with anything the rest of the N.L. offers up, including the division-leading Phillies. It changes the balance of power in the division.

Opposing pitchers will be very careful with this order, and any mistake looms larger than life when it taken advantage of by a player of Pujols' caliber. 

Pujols Equals Protection

Lineup Protection

Over the years, the Cardinals have seen several good players become great when they bat around Albert Pujols. From Jim Edmonds to Rick Ankiel to Lance Berkman, many have benefited from the protection that Pujols provides in the order.

It's simple really. A hitter that hits in front of him gets a more aggressive set of pitches in the hope that he will make an out ahead of Pujols and therefore limit the damage that Pujols can potentially do. More strikes and more fastballs leads to more hits.

When hitting behind him, a hitter will get more aggressive pitches as well. The pitcher does not respect the hitter as much as Pujols and naturally will go after them more. When they do that, a good hitter becomes great in a given offense.

Pujols changes the lineup just by being in it. How many players can we say that about? Not many in the league have an immediate impact without hitting. Stanton and Ramirez will get better pitches and will excel in their new roles.

Albert the Quiet Example

Franchise Face

For the past few seasons, the Marlins have had one man as the face of the franchise. That is Hanley Ramirez. He has been the one player everyone thinks of when they think of the Marlins, especially after the trade of Dan Uggla. Ramirez may not have wanted that pressure.

He may not be equipped to handle it. He may need an example to aspire to be more like. The addition of Albert Pujols would all but eliminate the need for Ramirez to be the face. Pujols has been the face of the National League since he made his first start for the Cardinals, he can handle being the face of the new Marlins.

Ramirez would have a player in the locker room that is a superstar. Up until now, he has been the biggest star in the clubhouse, and he may not have handled that too well. Pujols will show him how to handle success properly and how to handle the media circus with dignity and class.

He can help Ramirez mature. It will not be just Ramirez that benefits from his example though. The Marlins have several younger players on the cusp of stardom that would need that very important lesson from a classy personality like him.

He will teach the young team how to handle every situation properly. They will respect him and follow that example. 

Albert Plays Excellent Defense

Defense

The Marlins were not a bad defensive team, but they could always use help in this area. Albert Pujols has won two Gold Glove awards for his defense at first base. He knows how to pick at the position.

He eliminates errors on errant throws from infielders and makes them look good on paper. That type of success isn't going to show up on the scorecard. It's a natural and unwritten characteristic in his game. He makes everyone around him better. That's another way of how he does.

He has a feel for where to be on the field at all times. He knows where the walls and stands are when he's going to make a play. He knows how to position his 6'3" frame to be in proper position to make the best play possible.

That's something that can be taught, but for his, it comes natural. He is fluent in the field and makes it look easy. That's something you can't teach. 

The Community Would Immediately Embrace Him

Community Awareness

Albert Pujols is an active member of the St. Louis community. His volunteer work is well known throughout the league. His Pujols Family Foundation is a great resource that he uses to give back to the community he is a part of. That would not change with a move to Miami. In fact, it would most likely increase.

He is a Latino American from the Dominican Republic (like Hanley Ramirez). He would understand the community and the culture of the city. He would understand the nature of the problems that need to be addressed and how he can help the city address them.

That's a community leader. He wouldn't blindly try to help, he would understand what he is helping and how he can do it. There's a big difference. The fans would immediately identify with him and he with them. The connection would be instantaneous and a lifetime bond. He would feel at home immediately.

He is the type of player that the city of Miami needs to make a difference. He can and would want to make an impact on the lives of the less fortunate around him. He is a humble and sincere man from humble beginnings.

He, like Ozzie Guillen, would understand the culture of the city better than most anyone else on the team. 

It Takes a Spark to Start a Fire

In closing, if the Marlins were to add a player of the stature of an Albert Pujols to the lineup that is guided by a fiery manager like Ozzie Guillen, it would make for an explosive combination. The rest of the league would immediately take notice.

They are both people who command respect across the league, and they get attention. They get noticed because they both have a track record of success, on and off the field.

While Guillen has been the outspoken type in Chicage, Pujols has been the quiet calm in St Louis. When the two meet, they could electrify the division and the league.