Originally posted by Fernando@Dec 20 2012, 02:45 PM



So to answer your question JT, they do, lol.

Fuck, i knew about the first 3. Im going after leake

baltimore...ew.

<div align="center">2012: Recap Of An Eventful Season</div>

2012 was a very difficult year for Marlins fans to swallow all the hype and hope that came along with the new stadium and a newly created roster full of star caliber players such as Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell, Anibal Sanchez, Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez, the media had the Marlins poised to be the break out team of the season, they were supposed to be unstoppable, however the early stumbles of the team sent the front office and team owners scrambling for the fire sales signs.


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And in very Marlins fashion Jeffrey Loria and David Samson systematically tore the team apart and once again decided to erase and start from scratch. First came the trade of Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to Detroit for prospects, then Hanley was traded to the Dodgers for peanuts, Heath Bell was traded to the Diamond Backs for a single A player that has a career batting average of just barely over .200, and then came the big one, the move that would permanently seal the fate of the Marlins, and the city of Miami. The Marlins traded Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck to the Blue Jays for prospects, this move created ripples all over the country, in Miami fans were irate, people were calling for Loria’s and Samson’s heads, while others pleaded for MLB commissioner Bud Selig to step in and force Loria to sale the team.


After much thinking Selig decided to step in and force Loria’s hand, using the baseball’s best interest clause Selig forced Loria to sell the team. Seeing the opportunity Miami millionaire and Miami Heat owner Mikey Arison made a bid for the team, Arison’s bid was accepted by the MLB.
Arison’s arrival means the beginning of a new era of Miami baseball, Mikey is a trusted owner in the city and his work with the Heat has showed the fans that he can be trusted upon to help create a strong championship caliber team.

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Mikey Arison, Marlins new owner.</div>

Arison held a press conference a couple of days after taking ownership of the team, in this conference he addressed many of the fan’s concerns about the competitiveness of the team and what the plan will be going forward into the 2013 season.


Arison’s response to the concerns has been a strong one, he started by getting rid of Loria’s ineffective front office and bringing in Brian Sabean from the San Francisco Giants, Sabean is the man responsible for the great run the Giants have had in the past 5 years.


The process of rebuilding the marlins franchise and image has begun and moves have already been made. The first move that the new front office made was to ship pitcher and Marlins “ace” Ricky Nolasco to Cleveland in return the Marlins received 2 of Cleveland’s top 10 prospects, the Marlins also traded Wade LeBlanc to the Chicago Cubs for a pitching prospect, during free agency the Marlins where conservative and only made 2 signings one was for 3rd baseman Alberto Callaspo of the Kansas City Royals the other was signing catcher (Insert Name Here), this should help cover some of the bigger holes the team has, the team also offered minor league deals with spring training invitations to pitcher Jason Due and 1st baseman Joe Langdon.


However some fans did not feel that this was enough to renew their trust, Arison invited fans to a press conference in which he addressed many of their questions including the aforementioned question to which he replied, this team has gone through a total “transformation” before I took over, the management of the team needs time to asses our current players and determine what our course of action will be.
Arison’s openness to engage the fans and openly address issues has helped the new Marlins owner win over the hostile fan base left behind by Loria, and it couldn’t be a better time for the fan base to start viewing the team in a different light as spring training loomed near.

As promised, the scouting reports, i will post them as i write them.

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Jason Due
Miami Marlins (MLB)
Starting Pitcher

Jason is a big and strong starting pitcher, he features an impressive pitching repertoire consisting of an above average fastball, a slider, a curveball a circle changeup and a splitter. Unlike most big pitchers Jason does not have a powerful fastball he instead relies on his command to get people out.

Strengths
- Pitch variety
- Impressive command of the strike zone
- Very high stamina

Weaknesses
- Lack of velocity in his pitches
- Curveball and slider’s need improvement</div>

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Antonio Juarez
Boston Red Sox (AA)
Short Stop

Antonio is a good contact hitting short stop with good speed, his offensive prowess is offset a bit by his lack of discipline at the plate and his shaky defensive play, Antonio is currently in the Red Sox double A affiliate, and he will need some time before he plays in the majors.

Strengths
- Good contact hitter
- Great speed
- Cannon arm

Weaknesses
- Lack of discipline at the plate
- Shaky defense</div>

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Kyle Keenan
Tampa Bay Rays (AA)
Second Baseman

Kyle is big second baseman, he is borderline to big for the position, he features great contact and decent power for the position, his defense is above average and has a strong arm, he currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays double A affiliate. Kyle could soon outgrow the second base position and might be a better fit in third base.

Strengths
- Good contact hitter
- Above average defense
- Very strong arm

Weaknesses
- Lack of discipline at the plate
- Slow for a second baseman</div>

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Kurtis Hunter
Pittsburgh Pirates (A)
Short Stop

Kurtis is an extremely good hitter with amazing contact and above average power for the shortstop position, however Kurtis strikes out a lot and his defense is lackluster. Kurtis currently plays for the Pirates’ single A affiliate and should be able to make his way through their system fairly fast because of his plus offense.

Strengths
- Great contact hitter
- Above average power for the position
Weaknesses
- Lack of discipline at the plate
- Slow for a short stop
- Defensive liability</div>

Can't wait to see what you have to say about me

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Dave Smith
Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)
Starting Pitcher

Dave is a tall and strong starting pitcher who features a fastball with pin point control as well as an above average curve ball, a changeup, sinker and a strong two seam fastball, Dave has manage to make the Pirates opening day roster, however the Pirates have not announce yet if he will start the season in the bullpen or in the rotation.

Strengths
- Fastball control, can and will paint the corners
- Strong out pitch with the 2 seam fastball
- Changeup movement is great
Weaknesses
- More velocity than movement in the sinker
- Very little movement in the curve ball</div>

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Joe Langdon
Miami Marlins (AA)
First Baseman

Joe is a very large man standing at 6’10 he is the second tallest baseball player in the league (only an inch smaller than John Rauch), he plays first base and can hit like there is not tomorrow, however his size affects his defense and range a lot. He currently plays for the Marlins double AA affiliate and could make his way to the majors fairly soon, however he is currently blocked by Logan Morrison.

Strengths
- Can hit for average in any league
- Above average speed for a first baseman
- Average power
Weaknesses
- His defense is spotty at best
- Lack of discipline at the plate</div>

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Angel Batista
Free Agent
First Baseman

Angel is a heavy set first baseman from Cuba, he can hit righties with ease however he is known to struggle to hit lefty pitching quite a bit, his bulky size hinders his defensive ability a lot and has very little range, he might be better suited to play in the American League where he can be a designated hitter.

Strengths
- Can crush righty Pitching
- Very good power swing
- Above average runner
Weaknesses
- Terrible defense
- Lack of range
- Struggles against lefty pitchers</div>

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Fernando Garcia
Toronto Blue Jays (AA)
Third Baseman

Fernando is a strong defensive third baseman with decent contact and average power, this big and tall 3rd baseman offers great defensive skill and good patience at the plate, Fernando currently plays for the Toronto Blue Jays double A affiliate and is currently blocked by Brett Lawrie

Strengths
- Very good defense
- Patience at the plate, can run up counts
- Average contact for the 3rd base position
Weaknesses
- Below average power
- Slow around the bases</div>

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James Wright
Washington Nationals (A)
Short Stop

James is a tall and skinny short stop, his bat should assure him a highway to making the majors, however his lack of speed could hinder his path, his lacking range could also hinder him in the long run. James currently plays for the Washington Nationals single A affiliate, and should see a lot of playing time and a promotion fairly soon.

Strengths
- Great contact hitter
- Good defensive ability
- Strong arm
Weaknesses
- Lack of discipline at the plate
- Very little defensive range</div>

Great reads so far !

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. ... There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”

Ólafur Atlason| C | SMJHL Prospect | Future Edmonton Blizzard
Birthplace: Reykjavik, Iceland
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Will Secord
New York Mets (A)
Third Baseman

Will is very much the definition of an all or nothing hitter, his contact is below average at best, however he can hit the ball very hard, his lack of discipline at the plate won’t help him either, however his premium defense will definitely allow him to climb the ladder to the majors, Will is currently in the Mets single A affiliate and is blocked by superstar third baseman David Wright.

Strengths
- Premium defense, will be a gold globe candidate
- Can hit for power
Weaknesses
- Lack of discipline at the plate
- Lack of contact, will struggle to hit for average
- Slow around the bases</div>