Cold Offseason Action: Marlins

This is part of a series of posts in which we call out all 30 teams for their wily offseason moves and tragic offseason blunders.

The Marlins did almost nothing at all this entire offseason, acquiring a few journeymen in Aaron Boone and Kevin Gregg, and letting two go in Wes Helms and Joe Borowski. Given that Boone and Gregg are pretty much interchangeable replacements for Helms and Borowski, the Marlins will put almost the exact same 25 men on the field in 2007 that they finished with in 2006.

But then again, why would the Marlins have any reason to change? The team is completely stacked with talented young players all over the diamond who are still on the upward-trending side of their careers and are under the Marlins control for years to come.

The rotation is so full of young studs that no-hitter tossing Anibal Sanchez projects to be the fourth starter and even fifth starter Ricky Nolasco still won 11 games last season. In fact, the 2006 Marlins were the first team ever to have four rookies win at least 10 games. Meanwhile it seems like the entire Marlins lineup was competing for the Rookie of the Year Award last season, led by breakout stars Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla, and Josh Willingham.

But perhaps most importantly of all, the Marlins resisted the temptation to trade their two recognizable stars–Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrerra–for older “experienced veteran” rentals.

Given how many of the Marlins players have a chance to improve upon their already good numbers from last year (basically, all of them), there is a good chance that the Marlins can better their 78 wins from last season, and, if everything breaks right, even contend for a postseason berth.

Offseason Grade: B

Acquisitions: Aaron Boone, Kevin Gregg

Losses: Joe Borowski, Wes Helms

Projected Lineup, Rotation, and Closer:

SS Hanley Ramirez - .292/.353/.480, 17 HR, 51 SB

CF Alfredo Amezaga - .260/.332/.332, 20 SB

3B Miguel Cabrerra - .339/.430/.568, 26 HR

LF Josh Willingham - .277/.356/.496, 26 HR

2B Dan Uggla - .282/.339/.480, 27 HR

1B Mike Jacobs - .262/.325/.473, 20 HR

RF Jeremy Hermida - .251/.332/.368, 5 HR

C Miguel Olivo - .263/.287/.440, 16 HR

LHP Dontrelle Willis - 12-12, 3.87

RHP Josh Johnson - 12-7, 3.10

LHP Josh Olson - 12-10, 4.04

RHP Anibal Sanchez - 10-3, 2.83

RHP Ricky Nolasco - 11-11, 4.82

CL Taylor Tankersley - 3 SV, 2.85

- Hot Offseason Action Index -