Apr 14, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) throws the ball in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Marlins Park. The Phillies won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

With so many players moving on and off of the DL this year, no one in the front office is using a pen on the official 40-man and 25-man rosters.  Pencils continue to be the writing implement of choice.

Starting shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria rejoins the team in Philly at the start of a 10-day road trip.  While not yet announced officially, it’s all but settled that Nick Green will be designated for assignment, and will likely throw his hat into the free agent arena.  34-year-old Green performed very well in his 8-game cup of coffee, but Hech is the long-term starter at the position.  We here at the Maniac wish Mr. Green well, and hope he lands on his feet with an organization that will give him another shot.

Hechavarria, coming off of a trip to the 15-day DL, is showing extraordinary defensive skills, but his bat hasn’t been the caliber that Green showed.  His bat started showing signs of improvement before his BP injury, so we could see him resume his progression after a game or two to get his batting eye back up to big-league speed.

Left-handed starter Brad Hand was brought up for just about the smallest cup of coffee possible, pitching in relief for 1 2/3 innings, facing seven batters with 3 Ks and two walks. He is expected to be optioned to Triple-A New Orleans and the Marlins will likely pick up the contract of journeyman outfielder Matt Diaz in order to gain a little outfield depth necessary after Stanton’s hammy pull.

Some other key DL moves coming up include catcher Jeff Mathis starting his rehab assignment at Single-A Jupiter, and Logan Morrison staying on track for a 1 June start to his season.

Apr 29, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Nick Green (left) is greeted by catcher Miguel Olivo (right) after Green, hit a game winning sacrifice fly to defeat the New York Mets 4-3 at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t look now, but the Miami Marlins have reeled of three consecutive victories and are playing a lot better of late. The team caught a huge break on Tuesday evening, as replays showed that David Wright clearly tagged Chris Coghlan out at third base. As Wright applied the tag, Coghlan’s foot came off the base. The umpire ruled Cogs safe and a few hitters later, the Marlins were celebrating at home plate for the second consecutive game.

The Marlins picked up their first series victory of the season and are now 3-2 against the New York Mets this season, as they go for the sweep of the Mets before packing for Philadelphia. The team will of course be without their superstar slugger, Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton was placed on the disabled list after he suffered a grade two strained hamstring.

The team expects Stanton to miss up to a month, but will not rush Stanton until he is 100% ready to play. Prospect Marcell Ozuna has received the call-up to take Stanton’s place and he came through with his first career hit on Tuesday.

Hope Your Week Was Better Than This Guy’s… | Marlins Diehards

What’s the only thing worse than getting arrested for cocaine trafficking? If you answered “Getting arrested for cocaine trafficking while sporting a Florida Marlins face tattoo,” then YOU’RE CORRECT!

July 1, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison (5) reacts after being tagged out at third base during the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

PRINT THIS OUT AND WIPE YOUR A$ WITH IT, LOGAN | Strip Club with Stanton

Yesterday was a pretty significant day in sports, what with current NBA player Jason Collins coming out of the closet and all. Even if a few dopes had to go and say some stupid things, it felt a little bit like progress. The majority of the sports world seemed to handle themselves with class. And then there was Logan Morrison…

Giancarlo Stanton Strains Hamstring: Best-Case, Worst-Case Scenarios for Marlins | Bleacher Report

Giancarlo Stanton looks like Superman, but injuries have been his kryptonite. On a hustle play in extra innings Monday night, Stanton racked up another injury. This time it is a hamstring strain that could cost Stanton a month or more, depending on the severity.

Giancarlo Stanton injury: Fish Stripes author reactions | Fish Stripes

You have seen a lot of responses from Fish Stripes regarding Giancarlo Stanton’s right hamstring injury, but some of our authors still have a few more words to say. Here is where they can tell you what they think about the ongoing Stanton situation.

Giancarlo Stanton injury: Marcell Ozuna, Marlins’ roster depth, and Murphy’s Law | Fish Stripes

There are only so many ways to break bad news or to talk about it. For Miami Marlins fans this season, the talk surrounding the Fish has begun to sound like a broken record*.

*Do people still use references to records? How about a broken .mp3? Broken Zune? I don’t get out much.

Miami Marlins’ Logan Morrison announces launch of “Project LoMo” | Marlins.com

Miami Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison has officially launched his own philanthropic campaign entitled “Project LoMo.” In partnership with the American Lung Association (ALA), “Project LoMo” encourages youth to create their own charitable program or event to help their community become a better place and/or support a cause that is important to them. Inspired by the philanthropic work Morrison has done with the ALA over the past several years, the Marlins outfielder is using this campaign as a call-to-action for children to make a positive impact and difference in their communities.

Marlins At Or Near Bottom In Most Offensive Categories | CBS Miami

The Miami Marlins are about to finish off the first month of the 2013 season and after 30 days, the Marlins are just about where most pundits expected them to be, at the bottom of nearly every statistical category in baseball.

Misery in Miami: Marlins struggling on the field and at the turnstile | USA Today

Giancarlo Stanton was face down in the grass behind first base.

The powerful outfielder is the face of the Miami Marlins franchise. Lying there Monday night in the team’s glittering but more-than-half-empty downtown stadium, he suddenly was the embodiment of a baseball/business plan gone awry in a remarkably – maybe unprecedented – short time.

Apr 29, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez (16) throws against the New York Mets in the second inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Marlins hope Fernandez’s tipping issue corrected | Sun-Sentinel

Ex-Marlin Mike Mordecai was a master at detecting when pitchers were tipping their offerings. The Marlins didn’t need Mordecai to alert them Jose Fernandez was having an issue.

Here at Marlin Maniac:

New York Mets @ Miami Marlins Series Preview: The Jose Fernandez-Matt Harvey Experience

The Miami Marlins will have just their sixth chance on the season to start their first winning streak of the season. It looks like Giancarlo Stanton‘s bat is finally heating up, as he was able to clobber three home runs in the final two games in the series with the Chicago Cubs.

New York Mets @ Miami Marlins Game Preview: Monday, April 28th 7:10 PM EST (Game 26)

There are only two reasons to watch the Miami Marlins in 2013: Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez. Whenever Jose has taken the mound for the Fish, it has been one of the few times that all eyes have been on the team.

Breaking: Giancarlo Stanton Exits Game With Strained Hamstring

The bad news continues for the Miami Marlins in 2013. Giancarlo Stanton went down and grabbed his hamstring immediately, as he tried to beat out a ground ball. Stanton walked off the field gingerly with the assistance of trainer Sean Cunningham.

Miami Marlins Place Giancarlo Stanton And Joe Mahoney On DL; Prospect Marcell Ozuna Called Up

The injury bug has bit the Miami Marlins again. Joe Mahoney missed Monday’s game against the New York Mets with a hamstring injury and was unavailable as a pinch hitter. Giancarlo Stanton went down with a hamstring injury hustling down the line trying to beat out a ground ball. Stanton immediately went down and grabbed below his buttocks.

Miami Marlins Edge New York Mets In 15-Inning Epic

The opening game of the New York Mets and Miami Marlins series saw both bullpens and more. After five and a half hours, the game saw:

Miami Marlins: Who Is Marcell Ozuna?

After placing right fielder Giancarlo Stanton on the disabled list after Monday night’s game, the Marlins recalled a top outfield prospect from AA. It wasn’t Christian Yelich, however – it was Marcell Ozuna. While Ozuna may not be ready for the major leagues, he was the only outfielder on the 40-man roster other than Kyle Jensen, who is not hitting well at all right now. Of course, the Marlins would hate to lose such pitching phenoms as Sam Dyson and Dan Jennings and Duane Below, so rather than designate one of them for assignment and recall a guy like Matt Diaz or Bryan Petersen or Kevin Mattison, they’ve decided to rush yet another prospect to The Show.

New York Mets @ Miami Marlins Game Preview: Tuesday, April 30th 7:10 PM EST (Game 27)

Even when the Miami Marlins win in 2013, they lose. Despite the team being on their first winning streak of the season, pessimism surround the team, as Giancarlo Stanton looks like he will be out for the foreseeable future with a strained hamstring. The Marlins placed Stanton on the Disabled List, along with first baseman Joe Mahoney, and called up pitcher Brad Hand and top prospect Marcell Ozuna.

Miami Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton Out At Least A Month With Grade 2 Hamstring Strain

Giancarlo Stanton was injured and placed on the disabled list last night by the Miami Marlins for a hamstring strain. While the team knew he would miss sometime with the strain, they were not sure about the severity of the injury. There are three grades for a strained hamstring, with a “grade 1″ being the least troublesome and a “grade 3″ being the most severe.

Will The Injury To Giancarlo Stanton Cause The Miami Marlins To Trade Him?

Is it possible that this is the straw that broke the camel’s back? Is this the gentle push the Marlins needed to finally go over the edge? Could this be the sign from the heavens the Marlins’ front office has been waiting for (though some Marlins fans may argue the front office gets its signs from the place in the other direction)? Might the hamstring injury suffered by Giancarlo Stanton last night be the factor that finally causes Marlins management to pull the trigger on trading their star?

Game Recap: Miami Marlins Vs New York Mets: Fish Go On A Winning Streak

It’s Twitter Tuesday and today’s game features several references to the previous night’s game lengthy duration. Last night’s game marks the longest in Marlins history at over five and a half hours. That continues to be the theme referenced often by Rich Waltz and Tommy Hutton throughout the night. Today’s game is different, particularly in the first half.

Feb 23, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; Miami Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna (68) connects for a base hit against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. The Marlins defeated the Cardinals 8-3. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

The injury bug has bit the Miami Marlins again. Joe Mahoney missed Monday’s game against the New York Mets with a hamstring injury and was unavailable as a pinch hitter. Giancarlo Stanton went down with a hamstring injury hustling down the line trying to beat out a ground ball. Stanton immediately went down and grabbed below his buttocks.

The Marlins announced that Stanton has a strained hamstring and he should miss a couple of weeks. As a result of these injuries, the Marlins placed Stanton and Mahoney on the 15-day disabled list. The team called up prospects Marcell Ozuna and Brad Hand to take their roster spots.

#marlins.place giancarlo stanton and joe mahoney on Dl, call up ozuna and hand

— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) April 30, 2013

Marcell Ozuna has been on fire since his return from the DL with a broken hand. Ozuna owns a .333/.383/.810 slash line for the Marlins Double-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Suns. Ozuna has five homers and a total of nine extra base hits early on. I ranked Ozuna as the Marlins 6th best prospect earlier this off-season and projected he would be ready by the 2014 season:

In 2012, in High-A, Ozuna posted a similar line of .266/.328/.476 with 24 home runs. He actually improved his strikeout rate a tad, moving it down to 21.5 percent. This all happened in the less hitter friendly parks of the Florida State League. Another positive step forward for Ozuna. Although his strikeout issues and poor plate recognition have yet to deeply affect him in the minors, he should face a major test next season as he moves up to Double-A. If he can continue to improve against more advanced pitching, the Marlins have a extremely promising prospects on their hands.

The Marlins promoting Ozuna seems to be an extremely aggressive move, as he has just the 57 at bats at Double-A. Ben Bradler noted that while Ozuna’s power is fun to watch, he may not be ready for the big leagues currently:

Wow. @jcrmarlinsbeat says the Marlins are calling up Marcell Ozuna. Not sure he’s ready but that power is fun to watch. — Ben Badler (@BenBadler) April 30, 2013

The Marlins also called up Triple-A pitcher Brad Hand. Hand has been successful early on in the season, posting a 2.45 ERA and a 3.25 FIP in 22 innings. Hand has continued to struggle with his commands, as he has walked 11 hitters in those 22 innings.

Hand has a career 4.95 ERA in the majors and has walked and struck out 41 hitters in 63 2/3 innings. Although he is the Marlins best option with Jacob Turner working out his kinks, he is not much more than a fringe player at this point.

Expectations for both these players should be low, as Hand is likely a career minor league pitcher and Ozuna may not be quite ready to handle major league pitching.

I would expect Hand to work out of the Marlins bullpen, as the team went through 11 innings of work from the bullpen in their 15 inning win over the Mets Monday.

The good news for Marlins fans, Adeiny Hechavarria is expected to back in the Marlins lineup on Thursday, when the Marlins travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies.

Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post sent this Tweet out just a short while ago:

#Marlins make 9 moves: Option Reed, Sanabia, Hand, Jenson to NOLA; Opt. Dyson, Olmos, Ozuna to Jax; re-assign Smith & Gimenez to Min.Lg camp

— Joe Capozzi (@joecapMARLINS) March 11, 2013

Gone are Alex Sanabia and Brad Hand from the Marlins fifth starter competition. Sanabia and Hand were both hit around during the spring, most notably their last appearance, against the St. Louis Cardinals, on Saturday.

Mar 9, 2013; Melbourne, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Alex Sanabia talks with catcher Kyle Skipworth (53) at the mound during the bottom of the second inning of a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

In 5 appearances this spring, Sanabia pitched seven innings, allowing four earned runs, striking out six hitters, while walking just one. Most of the damage against Sanabia occurred on Saturday via the St. Louis Cardinals bat. His bad performance came at a bad time, as Wade LeBlanc and Kevin Slowey have continued to pitch well and are now leading the pack to make the Marlins rotation.

Brad Hand finished the spring with the Marlins with a 12.00 ERA in just 3 innings of work. Hand allowed four runs, walked five hitters and struck out only two. His standing in the Marlins organization continues to tumble. If he cannot fix his control issues, the chances of Hand ever making an impact with the Marlins, or any MLB organization, are slim.

Evan Reed was in the competition for a spot in the Marlins bullpen. Reed had actually pitched well this spring, so it is a little surprising the team did not give him a little bit more of time to prove himself, but he should get an opportunity at some point this season.

Reed made five appearances, going six innings this spring. He limited opposing hitters to just four hits in those six innings, striking out eight, but struggling a bit with four walks.

Sam Dyson also had a nice spring, pitching five innings of scoreless baseball. Dyson struck out two hitters and walked just one. He is another option in the Marlins system that should receive a shot at some point this season.

On the hitting side, none of the hitters the Marlins sent down had a chance to make an impact with the team. Kyle Jenson went 1-for-10 in his chances, striking out four times. The scouting reports on Jenson proved to be true, as he struggled to make contact and did not make a lot of contact. He will likely begin the season at Triple-A for the Marlins.

Marcell Ozuna was main player sent down. Ozuna is seen a key part of the Marlins future outfield, if the team is unable to hold on to Giancarlo Stanton. He only got 11 at-bats this spring, picking up four hits and walking once. Ozuna surprisingly only struck out twice. He showed off his immense power yesterday with an opposite field homer off of Atlanta Braves starter Tim Hudson.

Ozuna will start the season at Double-A with Christian Yelich and Jake Marisnick. Ozuna proved he could have a very bright future with the Marlins, maybe as soon as 2014.

Whether issues should be addressed based off limited pre-season innings is debatable. But the Miami Marlins do have a couple situations to keep an eye on during Grapefruit League play.

Whats *this* guy good for? Hopefully, the fifth starting spot.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Fifth Spot

One of the standard problems to solve for each team each spring is, “Whats this pitcher good for?” and the 2013 Marlins are no different. The fifth starting spot is up for grabs between fringe guys such as Wade LeBlanc, Brad Hand, and Tom Koehler.

It’s a shame that a decision may be based on whether one of the three blows up during a February or March outing, especially since the best pitcher of the three is perhaps Koehler who is alarmingly prone to home runs.

For these three, the surest prediction is that they’ll all see time in AAA-New Orleans and the majors.

Center Field

This competition is more likely for the backup center field position. Ruggiano is the clear front-runner to start April 1^st in Washington, while a slew of players need to prove they deserve a spot on the bench. Based on experience, Gorkys Hernandez may be the favorite to win the backup role over Chris Coghlan, Bryan Petersen. An interesting name in the competition is Rule-5 draft pick Alfredo Silverio, has a shot at sticking on the roster when he gets healthy enough to play defense. For now, he’s starting spring games at DH.

Another wild card in the competition is top prospect Christian Yelich. While the Marlins are in no position to rush any prospects, his very strong case to make the team is outlined here on MM.

Chone Figgins vs. Everyone

I imagine Figgins walked into camp with a rolling suitcase of six gloves, catcher’s gear, his own rosin bag and a boom box ghetto blasting the chorus to “Centerfield” on repeat. Figgins’ best asset to make a roster is his (alleged) flexibility. He’s a long shot to play in the outfield with a crowded center field competition and fan favorites in the corners. The thin Marlins infield would welcome a backup guy, but for now, Figgins is hitless in spring training with two fielding errors.

So while the Marlins spring training record shouldn’t get you change your attitude on the team, there are a few reasons to be watching. Who’s the fifth starter? Who’s the best backup center fielder? Will Figgins get a hit?