Miami Marlins Series Preview: Snakes on a plane to Miami

May 17, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria (C) looks towards the Marlins dugout prior to the game against the Atlanta Braves at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins are trending downward and don’t even possess a true manager, but the show must go on and the team now welcomes the Arizona Diamondbacks into town for the first of a four-game set tonight at Marlins Park.

Both clubs are reeling and suffering through losing streaks, but the Marlins have all but imploded less than two months into the 2015 season. Manager Mike Redmond, after signing an extension before the season to remain skipper of the Fish through 2017, was let go on Sunday following the series sweep by the Atlanta Braves, and now Jeffrey Loria has inexplicably appointed former general manager Dan Jennings as Redmond’s replacement.

This move makes no sense, and has the baseball world once again pointing and laughing at the Marlins organization, but that’s not why we’re here right now. We are here because this series against the equally-lowly Dbacks presents an opportunity for the Marlins to get off the schnide, and we must get you up to speed before first pitch tonight at 7:10 PM in South Florida.

We sat down with the Editor of FanSided’s Diamondbacks blog Venom Strikes, Guillermo Salcido, to get acquainted with his club as they prepare for the season’s first meeting with the Marlins.

Click “Next” to check out the chat we had.

Next: Meet the Arizona Diamondbacks

May 17, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Yasmany Tomas (24) hits a single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Marlin Maniac: Before the season, GM Dave Stewart called the Dbacks a real baseball team. What was that supposed to mean?

Guillermo Salcido: I remember that quote very well. In short, Stewart was commenting that Arizona had management heads such as Tony La Russa. He saw these guys as more “old school” type as opposed to the younger generation that is relying more and more on analytics. The best I can say is that the Dbacks were more constructed at a traditional level, while other ball clubs are being assembled based on analytics.

MM: How has the Yasmany Tomas signing worked out so far for the Diamondbacks? How do you project him going forward?

GS: Tomas has provided a couple of surprises so far this season. One is how quickly he’s adjusted as a contact hitter. He’s hitting over .300 this season, but his power numbers have stalled. That’s what impressed many ball clubs during the World Baseball Classic. Incredibly, he just had his first homer last series against Philadelphia.

MM: After the Marlins released Jarrod Saltalamacchia, he quickly latched on with the Dbacks. How soon will he be up in the majors and what kind of impact will his signing have?

GS: Salty was a low risk, high reward bet. Tuffy Gosewisch and Jordan Pacheco have had small spurts of offense, but no where near acceptable consistency. In my opinion, Salty may need a couple weeks to work out his issues in AAA Reno before he gets a call up. An interesting storyline is that he may play alongside Arizona’s top offensive prospect, Peter O’Brien. Although he’s spent most of the season playing outfield, O’Brien’s quickest route to the majors is through catching.

MM: Next month, the Diamondbacks will be the number one overall pick in the MLB Amateur Draft. Any news on which way they are leaning?

GS: There’s no Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, or Gerrit Cole in the draft so it may not be a slam dunk for Arizona. There have been a couple names being thrown around but one that isn’t likely to be drafted #1 is Brendan Rodgers. They may be looking for another arm so Dillon Tate from UCSB or Carson Fulmer from Vanderbilt are the best bets.

MM: Water is wet, Paul Goldschmidt is great. How much of a treat is it to watch him everyday?

GS: It’s been an absolute joy to see Goldy on that field on the daily basis. I can only compare it to the awe that Giancarlo Stanton gives Miami Marlins fans. We here in the desert still consider Goldy to be the MLB’s best kept secret, but we’re sure many will follow soon enough.

Next: Pitching Matchups and Predictions