Jeffery Loria’s lies and deception from last offseason still has lingering effect on the Marlins and the Blue Jays, as well as the respective fanbases. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports

On Marlin Maniac, it is our goal to give you not only the latest updates on everything Miami Marlins related, but also top notch analysis and opinions on the Marlins roster and play. Although there are plenty of great Marlin blogs out there, we want to make MM your one-stop blog for all your Marlins information.

In order to do this, we have come up with a new idea that involves all the writers that will hopefully build up some debate in the comment section. We are going to do a bi-weekly roundtable discussion segment, where we discuss the top Marlins-related topics. We will look at between three and five questions each time and may try to find more ways to incorporate the viewers in this as we go on as well.

Here is a look at the burning questions surrounding the Marlins we discussed this past week:

Ehsan: No. I have said the trade was not a bad baseball one from the onset. The problem with the trade was the timing. Loria broke his promise to field a competitive team and instead went back to pocketing the revenue sharing. Loria may feel smart when he looks at how the Jays are playing, but no one else in South Florida, or baseball for that matter, are too happy with his decision.

Geoff: I don’t care if we traded Mendoza for Ruth, DiMaggio, and Rose.The fan base in Miami is fragile, and the optics of what he did this off season have done what may prove to be irreparable harm to the future of the franchise. Now, it may take ten years of teams in the thick of a pennant race to rebuild the fans loyalty to the point where game tickets are hard to come by.

James: No, but I am not sure the fact that our sloppy seconds haven’t helped Toronto much makes him feel like he made the right decision.

Justen: Maybe to some people. He’s not liked very well by a lot of Marlins fan. The way he handled everything with the franchise over the past year/year and a half has been atrocious. Doesn’t justify anything for me.

Will:  Still hate him. While I was never high on Buehrle, even JJ has lost it so it is nice to know this trade is evened out. Really excited about Jake Marisnick!

Placido: No, of course not. The real tragedy of the trade has nothing to do with the particular players that were traded away or received, but instead with the realization that the millions saved would not be reinvested into the roster.  If Loria had made the trade then turned around and signed Stanton to a long term deal and signed 1 or 2 of semi-significant free agents all would be fine because it would have been viewed as a baseball move made to improve the team’s results on the field (of course, what free agent would ever sign with Loria after the trade?).

Alex: No. The problem with the November trade wasn’t the baseball aspects. It was that Loria showed he really didn’t give a darn about building a likable franchise for the fans.

Andy: I don’t waste my enregy talking about Mr. Loria anymore

David: It’s not the trade that is so horrific, it’s the fact that the money was not reinvested in the team in the form of a Stanton extension or a free agent signing. It absolutely is not justified, regardless of how the players play, because it’s another example of Loria doing something for purely monetary reasons.

Daniel: The Marlins fire sale or “market adjustment” as baseball people too cowardly to admit what they did involved moving three very big name players to the Toronto Blue Jays in return for a series of top prospects. The “big three” were pitchers Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and Shortstop Jose Reyes. The Marlins received in return Jake Marisnick, Adeiny Hechavarria, Brad Mathis and Justin Nicolino. The only player that came to Miami to have played this season in the majors is Hechavarria. Marisnick and the others are good prospects but are not close to joining the big club. Henderson Alvarez is the player who will most likely join the Marlins rotation once he returns from injury.

The question we were asked to answer is, “The blockbuster deal from November looks to be going the Marlins favor in the early going, does this justify Loria’s actions to you?” The simplest answer is no, but there is one issue that can’t be ignored which complicates the issue, dependability. Johnson, Reyes and Buehrle have historically been All-Star type players, often at MVP and Cy Young levels. But for the crafty lefty and the power right-hander father time has been following them for a long time. It might have caught up.

Feb 23, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich (76) makes a running catch on a bases loaded hit by St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Oscar Taveras (not pictured) at Roger Dean Stadium. The Marlins defeated the Cardinals 8-3. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

2. With the Marlins already calling up top prospects Jose Fernandez and Marcell Ozuna, how soon will it be before Christian Yelich gets the call to the majors?

Ehsan: Early-to-mid-June was my prediction in the preseason and I still feel good about that today. Yelich has started to hit really well with the Jacksonville Suns and with the continued struggles and injuries filling the Marlins roster, he is their best option to roll out there for the rest of the season.

Geoff: His trip to the DL has set his clock back to July, I’m afraid.  He still needs his AA at-bats to season him for the bigs.  I’d be happiest seeing him sometime after the midsummer classic.

James: I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see him on the big league club before the All-Star game.

Justen: Soon. I think it’s a good idea to let the top prospects learn the game more in the MLB and just leave it up to the coaching and the veterans on the squad.

Will: I think Yelich will be up definitely sometime this year, September at the latest. With Ozuna and Jose both looking the part, there is a lot of promise for the future in Miami.

Placido: Since Yelich is not on the 40 man roster, I would think it takes a significant injury to Pierre or Ruggiano to force the move.  My guess is that barring that they wait until August, but with this team it is a mistake to try to apply logic so he will probably be up by June.

Alex: Yelich may have to wait a bit before being called up. I have a feeling that when he does get called up, they want it to be permanent. Unless, of course, ANOTHER Marlins gets injured.

Andy: Well I’ve been wrong with Jose and Marcell so let’s try with Christian. I like Christian and I hope he comes up soon we need his bat power. With that the Fish either have to send down Chris Coghlan or wait for him or Juan Pierre to be put on the DL. I don’t want either to happen so I will go with when baseball opens to a 40 man roster he will be called up.

David: I’m not sure Yelich sees big league time until August, if then. First, Yelich just returned from an injury, so he has some catching up to do. Additionally, when Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton come back, the Marlins won’t have many places to play Yelich. If Ozuna keeps hitting (which, granted, is a big if), he’d presumably go to left, with Ruggiano in center and Stanton and right. Ruggiano isn’t having the season he had last year, but remains a source of power for the Marlins. I’m not sure the Marlins would call up Yelich without regular playing time, and I’m not sure he’d get it on this roster. If there’s an injury or a trade, however, it’s entirely possible we see him sooner.

Daniel: Christian Yelich will get called up to majors if Juan Pierre makes it obvious that he can’t be productive as an everyday major league player. So far in 2013 Pierre has struck out more often and walked less often than his career average. Has a .237/.287/.272 triple slash line a .254 wOBA as well as  a wRC+ of 55.  The JP of 2013 will never be the JP of 2003 but those numbers are unacceptable. If he is to ever get hurt or another player to be replaced Yelich who has been swinging a hot bat in Jacksonville has a good chance to get called up. I’d say that the middle of June, when Giancarlo and LoMo are scheduled to come off the DL is the time when Yelich is most likely to be called up.

Ehsan: Jeffery Loria. He has continued to meddle in day-to-day affairs an owner has no business being in. Pretty sure the idea to promote prospect Marcell Ozuna before he was ready was Loria’s as well. His decision to start flip-flop Fernandez and Nolasco in a double-header has raised even more issues.

Geoff: Hitting.  Specifically, consistent advancement of baserunners via line-drive base and extra-base hits.  Our starting pitchers desperately need run support, and we’re leaving too many runners stranded, especially the runners in scoring position. Our guys need to be hitting gapper line drives behind the runners, and we’re just not doing it enough.

James: Injuries to the young guys. Fernandez had Tommy John surgery yet, seems like that should be a mandatory requirement for all pitchers.

Justen: Simple; injuries.

Will: Biggest concerns are the facts, we are not that good, and its tough to watch at times. Still, having Jose, Ozuna, and at times Hech, it is fun to watch the young guys play ball.

Placido: The injuries to young players.  Henderson Alvarez, Nate Eovaldi and Giancarlo Stanton are all players the Marlins need significant contributions from in the next few years if they are to become a contending team.  Seeing them injured already so early into their careers does not inspire confidence that they will be able to grow into the star quality players the Marlins need them to be in the next few seasons.

Alex: Fernandez and Ozuna. Don’t want them getting injured or discouraged in the majors when their best years are some time ahead of them.

Andy: Some fan favorites are not performing well, and the back lash from the fans when those players get released, sent down  or traded. This is going to be a big problem Pierre and Coghlan are not doing so well this season but fans love them so the fans will feel hurt again if anything happens to them and that is going to be a big problem for a fan base that already feels no love.

David: My biggest concern is the health of the ballclub. Already this season we had two starting pitchers injured out of nowhere with mysterious injuries that, thus far, are looking to keep each of them out at least 60 days. We’ve had Hechavarria on the 15-day DL. Solano is injured. Stanton and Mahoney were both injured, and then each were reinjured within days of coming back into action. Kotchman is hurt. Mathis has been hurt. The team is thin (evidenced by Kyle Skipworth being the only real 40-man option to recall when Austin Kearns went on the bereavement list) and we can’t afford many more injuries.

Daniel: The bench.

As you can tell, Marlins fans still have some very strong feelings against owner Jeffery Loria. He still has his work cutout for him to regain the trust from the fanbase, if that is even possible.

Feb 18, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Jose Reyes (7) during photo day at Florida Auto Exchange Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

We are a month into the 2013 season, so I thought it might be interesting to check into the results of the Blue Jays – Marlins trade from this past offseason.  The Blue Jays expected this trade, along with a few other moves they made, to put them in the driver’s seat to win the division.  The Marlins contend that, from a pure baseball standpoint, this was an excellent move on their part.  (And, oh yeah, the Rays and Mets sort of got in on the action a bit later as well by acquiring Yunel Escobar and John Buck, but I will leave them out to avoid cluttering things up too much). 

Let’s take a look at how the players have fared for their new teams so far:

Blue Jays

Marlins

The Blue Jays have received a combined 0.2 WAR from the 4 players they received in the deal.  Jose Reyes was actually playing well with a .395/.465/.526 slash line and .434 wOBA before injuring his ankle after 10 games played.  The injury was supposed to keep him out for a month and he has yet to return.  Bonifacio has been bad both at the plate and in the field and has been relegated to a bench role.  Both Johnson and Buehrle are sporting 6+ ERAs and have won only 1 game between them.  Johnson missed his last start due to triceps soreness, but is expected to return for his next scheduled start.  The Blue Jays as a team are currently in last place in the AL East with a record of 10-17 on the season, just 2 more wins than the Marlins.

The Marlins at the major league level have gotten only 52 fruitless plate appearances from Adeiny Hechavarria before he succumbed to an elbow injury 14 games into the season.  Pitcher Henderson Alvarez and catcher Jeff Mathis were both injured in spring training and have yet to return.  Surprisingly, of the 12 players involved in the trade the best season so far has come from the least heralded participant, minor league pitcher Anthony Desclafani who is 4-1 with a 0.44 ERA. 

As much as I hate to say it, so far Loria and the Marlins look justified in having made this trade performance wise.  All of the players they traded away have been terrible or injured or both (except Buck!).  Even though the Marlins have received next to nothing on the field at the major league level from the players they received, off the field the savings in salary clearly makes them the winners so far (if only they had reinvested those savings in obtaining better players!).  That being said, neither side could have imagined the performances would be this bad.  I’ll continue to check in on the players involved throughout the season to see if things improve as some of the injured players get healthy and report back.

Apr 12, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Juan Pierre (9) reacts from the dugout in a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Marlins Park. The Phillies won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

When the Marlins decided to trade away Hanley Ramirez, Omar Infante, Gaby Sanchez, and Anibal Sanchez at the trade deadline last season, the reality of yet another re-building process was beginning to set into a lot of peoples mind’s here in South Florida. With these trades being approved, the Marlins had all but given up on the season. Finishing last in the division, many people thought that it couldn’t get any worse and then it happened. On November 19^th, 2012, the Miami Marlins shot their fans and players right in the heart after they traded Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonifacio, Mark Buehrle, and John Buck to the Toronto Blue Jays for Yunel Escobar, Jeff Mathis and prospects.

At the time, the trade was viewed as a complete fire-sale by the Marlins organization. Although it was approved by the MLB, there was speculation on whether or not the league should let the trade be processed or not. Not only were analyst across the league bashing the Marlins for this shameful move, but fans spread out throughout Dade, Broward, and surrounding counties sharing their thoughts and opinions as well. Fans clearly showed their negative thoughts on the situation. In fact, a few fans even decided to protest the Marlins.

As the offseason continued to grow old, the Marlins were still left with nothing on the roster. Two of the biggest free agent signings by the fish were former Marlin Juan Pierre and 37 year old Placido Polanco. Although Polanco is off to a somewhat decent start, signings such as those aren’t going to help a team that is going through a re-building stage improve. Unlike the exciting offseason of two years ago, this past offseason was the complete opposite.

When the season was closely approaching the Marlins were projected to finish at the bottom portion of not only the National League East, but the entire MLB. Unfortunately, those awful predictions seem to be coming true. So far the Marlins have played 19 games and have won only 4 of them. Currently those 4 wins give them the worst record in the big leagues. In the span of these 19 games, the Marlins are currently ranked 30^th in runs, batting average, and slugging percentage. The one category in which they are not in last is on base percentage; they’re ranked 30^th. Much like the offense, the pitching is struggling as well. The Marlins pitching is currently ranked 24^th in ERA, 23 in quality starts, 27^th in WHIP and 27^th in batting average against. With a struggling offense and defense, the Marlins are not only having a tough time earning victories, but also a tough time putting people in the seats.

Mar 20, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) reacts in the dugout in the fourth inning during a spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Recently I was at my local Subway. As I was paying, I saw a slip of paper with the Miami Marlins logo on it. As I picked up the voucher, I was in shock because of what I was reading. In a nut-shell the voucher said “Eat at Subway and get a five dollar ticket to a Marlins game.” I was in disbelief. Is it really that bad attendance wise? Well the very next day I went to a Marlins game against the Phillies. My question was quickly answered; yes, it is that bad. When I arrived to my seats, I looked out to a sea of blue. No, it wasn’t everyone where your blue shirt day. The sea of blue I am referring to is the blue seats of the stadium. The emptiness was pathetic. Due to the lack of people in the seats, I was able to move down to the third base line in the lower level.  It has to be discouraging to the players who have to trout out to the field and be able to count the amount of people watching them.

It is obvious that something has to be done here. There shouldn’t be that many empty seats and this team shouldn’t be this bad. I am personally tired of watching this team night in and night out lose ball games by more than five runs. It happens too often. Sooner or later Jeffrey Loria is going to have to do something. Whether it’s firing his stepson David Samson or firing himself and selling this team, something has to happen. Personally I would like to see him fire Samson and himself. For us fans we will extend our arms to whoever the owner would be. At this point, anything is better than what we have. Unfortunately, I don’t see this self-conscious owner selling the team anytime soon. Instead he will continue to trade away quality players and destroy this joke of a franchise.

Thanks for Reading!

Feb 22, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edgar Olmos (67) poses for a picture during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

What’s up, Maniac Fans? Today, Marlin Maniac got a chance to speak with Marlins prospect Edgar Olmos. Olmos, 23, is a tall lefty who was selected in the third round by the Marlins in the 2008 draft. He has been featured in the Marlins top prospects list two different times as scouts rave about his make up and potential. Through 8 seasons, Olmos owns an 8-32 record with a 4.83 ERA. While those numbers do not sound pretty, we talked to him to find out why he struggled early, and what he is doing now to return to the form that had scouts pounce on him five years ago.

Marlin Maniac: You were drafted in the third round out of high school. What was the feeling when the Marlins drafted you?

Edgar Olmos: Well, it was an awesome feeling when I saw my name pop up on the computer monitor. My family jumped with joy, and was more excited than I was at the time. I was just sitting there, shocked.

MM: If you hadn’t been drafted, what schools were you leaning toward with the college route?

EO: I had a full scholarship to the University of Arizona.

MM: Did the Marlins have any contact with you prior to the draft?

EO: Yes. I talked to my scout, Tim McDonnell, before the draft, and still talk to him today.

MM: You have played everywhere from Rookie Ball to AA. What has been your favorite part so far in pro ball? Least?

EO: I love pro ball because of the cities you see, the people you meet, and the friendships you make. Traveling always sucks, especially those 13-hour bus rides, but you have to pay your dues.  For me, the down side came early on. I pitched my first pro game in 2008 and came off the mound hurt. I spent the rest of that year in rehab, followed by surgery in 2009. In 2011 and half of the 2012 season I was playing in Jupiter when they moved me to the bullpen. I performed really well out of the pen… way better than as a starter. I started throwing a lot harder; harder than I’ve ever thrown before. Now I’m in AA, enjoying every moment of it.

MM: You have been a whole lot more effective out of the pen, rather than as a starter. What do you think has made the difference? Scouts say you are a tall lefty with great stuff; that you just need to put it all together to be a major league piece. What do you think you need to improve on the most?

EO: It’s just a different attitude out of the pen. Mostly, I just need to stay consistent and limit my walks, and just keep going out there and pitching the way I know I can.

MM: Last few questions: I’m sure you have heard a lot about the big fire sale last season. However, trading the big names got the farm system a number of great prospects, including Christian Yelich, Jose Fernandez, Marcell Ozuna, and Andrew Heaney. Which of the prospects have you played with, and who impressed you the most?

EO: Well, the trade just brought opportunity to all us younger guys in the system.  I have played with all those guys. They are all great, and should be in the show…they’re great guys to be teammates with.

MM: What are your personal goals for the next 3 years?

EO: I just need to continue working hard, doing what I need to do, controlling what I can control, and let the rest play itself out.

The news is hardly surprising, as many had deemed this as a forgone conclusion. After the Marlins-Blue Jays blockbuster trade in November which sent Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle  to Toronto, that left Nolasco as the lone veteran in the starting rotation.

Feb 26, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (left) and catcher Rob Brantly (right) both head towards the dugout before a spring training game against thenNew York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

April 1st will be Nolasco’s second career opening-day start. Nolasco also got the nod for the 2009 opener, against the Washington Nationals. In that game, Nolasco and the Marlins picked up the win, but Nolasco allowed five runs in six innings, allowing seven hits while striking out six hitter and walking zero.

Ricky Nolasco is the current Marlins franchise leader in wins (76), innings pitched (1,113 1/3) and strikeouts (911). He will have a chance to add onto those numbers in the 2013 season, even if it is for just half-a-season, like most outsiders predict. Nolasco is seen as the Marlins lone trade chip, outside of Giancarlo Stanton.

Nolasco had an efficient start on Thursday, striking out six hitters, without allowing a walk. He threw 40 of his 59 pitches for strikes. Nolasco was the losing pitcher in the game, as he allowed a run in his 3 2/3 innings. The Marlins offense could not muster up any offense.

Justen will have more on the game in the morning in his game recap.

Last season, Nolasco went 12-13 with a 4.48 ERA in 31 starts and logged 191 innings. Nolasco has thrown 200 innings twice in his career, but owns a frustrating career ERA of 4.49, even though his career FIP sits at 3.83.

For both Nolasco’s sake and the Marlins, the hope is that Nolasco pitches closer to his periphials in 2013, as the Marlins can then maximize his value on the trade market. Nolasco, whose in the last season of his contract, is also playing for his MLB pitching future.

A strong season from Nolasco will result in a decent contract, possibly a long-term contract next winter. A poor season and Nolasco maybe looking for a minor league contract next season and be competing for a spot in a rotation for a bottom-feeding team, like the Marlins in 2014.