Are the Marlins hitters for real?

[browntown653]

Florida has gotten off to a very hot start and leads the NL East, largely due to their offense. Are this guys for real? Let's see who's likely to keep up their hot pace and who's just a fluke...

1B Mike Jacobs - .259/.296/.573, 11 HR and 29 RBI in 143 ABs
Jacobs has always shown some power with 48 HRs in 280 games coming into this season. Is it crazy to say he has 30-HR potential? I don't think it is. Even in a stadium like Florida he has some big power potential and has hit some loooong home runs. His slugging percentage is pretty astronomical thanks to 22 of his 37 hits being of the extra base variety. The bad thing is he has as many strikeouts as hits. I don't think Jacobs is a fluke and should keep up his slugging while striking out a lot.

2B Dan Uggla - .310/.391/.679, 16 HR and 38 RBI in 187 ABs
Aside from the home runs Uggla has NINETEEN doubles so far and one triple for 36 extra base hits. Because of the large gaps in Dolphins Stadium (is that the name?) it's not surprising to see a lot of doubles from Florida hitters. Uggla has hit 27 and 31 HRs in his first two years and hitters break out in their third year a lot. The average will probably dip as he hit .282 and .245 in his first two seasons. But while Uggla is red hot right now he will continue to be a good hitter.

SS Hanley Ramirez - .297/.388/.492, 9 HR and 23 RBI in 195 ABs
Only 18 extra base hits for Hanley and just 7 doubles...coming off a .332 season his stats may even get BETTER as time goes on. 49 strikeouts so far is a pretty high number though. But expect him to improve because HE IS A STUD.

3B Jorge Cantu - .275/.340/.440, 7 HR and 24 RBI in 193 ABs
Cantu hit 28 HRs with Tampa a couple years ago so he has some power. He didn't play much in the bigs last year but these aren't spectacular numbers. Nothing to complain about though and from a third baseman who had one homer in 52 games last year the Marlins have to be happy.

OF Jeremy Hermida - .267/.315/.442, 6 HR and 26 RBI in 172 ABs
Another guy whose numbers will probably improve as time goes on. .296/.369./501 last year with 18 homers in 423 at-bats.

OF Luis Gonzalez - .287/.358/.434, 3 HR and 17 RBI in 136 ABs
Gonzalez has been a good hitter for a while...doesn't have the power anymore, but you can't be surprised here. Good veteran pickup by Florida.

OF Josh Willingham - .341/.406/.637, 6 HR and 16 RBI in 91 ABs
He's been injured for a while, but was putting up spectacular numbers before he got hurt. Expect a return to the median once he comes off the DL, but could hit in the .300s with 25 homers this year.

And finally a bizarre stat line for you:
OF Cody Ross - .191/.260/.461, 89 ABs, 17 H, 7 HR, 14 RBI

So in short, expect the Marlins hitting to regress a bit, but this offense is no fluke.

[Shadow29]

I think their offense is the thing that will keep the Marlins in the NL East race. THey are starting to get all the experience they need and with all little more time they should all break out at once. This lineup has alot of scary potential guys. Alot of HRs and extra base hits will be coming from them. If they all get hot at the same time, I'd hate to face em.