Marlins major weakness IMO is their Starting pitching. They already have 4 of the top 8 hitters in the NL this year (measured by performance).
Look at this rotation.
1SP Dontrelle Willis lhp
Basic Pitching
<table class="pv_table" summary="Individual player stats table"> <tbody><tr> <th class="Center">Year</th><th class="Center">Tm</th><th class="Center">Lg</th><th class="Center">G</th><th class="Center">GS</th><th class="Center">ShO</th><th class="Center">W</th><th class="Center">L</th><th class="Center">ERA</th><th class="Center">S</th><th class="Center">Op</th><th class="Center">H</th><th class="Center">IP</th><th class="Center">Hit</th><th class="Center">K</th><th class="Center">BB</th><th class="Center">HBP</th><th class="Center">WHIP</th><th class="Center">SLGA</th><th class="Center">BFP</th><th class="Center">Pit</th><th class="Center">HR</th><th class="Center">TB</th><th class="Center">ER</th><th class="Center">DP</th><th class="Center">SB</th><th class="Center">CS</th><th class="Center">PO</th></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2005</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">34</td><td class="Center">34</td><td class="Center">5</td><td class="Center">22</td><td class="Center">10</td><td class="Center">2.63</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">236.3</td><td class="Center">213</td><td class="Center">170</td><td class="Center">55</td><td class="Center">8</td><td class="Center">1.13</td><td class="Center">.352</td><td class="Center">960</td><td class="Center">3556</td><td class="Center">11</td><td class="Center">309</td><td class="Center">69</td><td class="Center">26</td><td class="Center">1</td><td class="Center">5</td><td class="Center">1</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2006</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">34</td><td class="Center">34</td><td class="Center">1</td><td class="Center">12</td><td class="Center">12</td><td class="Center">3.87</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">223.3</td><td class="Center">234</td><td class="Center">160</td><td class="Center">83</td><td class="Center">19</td><td class="Center">1.42</td><td class="Center">.397</td><td class="Center">975</td><td class="Center">3615</td><td class="Center">21</td><td class="Center">339</td><td class="Center">96</td><td class="Center">33</td><td class="Center">6</td><td class="Center">5</td><td class="Center">2</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2007</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">13</td><td class="Center">13</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">7</td><td class="Center">4</td><td class="Center">4.70</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">0</td><td class="Center">82.3</td><td class="Center">91</td><td class="Center">54</td><td class="Center">37</td><td class="Center">3</td><td class="Center">1.55</td><td class="Center">.457</td><td class="Center">376</td><td class="Center">1333</td><td class="Center">11</td><td class="Center">149</td><td class="Center">43</td><td class="Center">6</td><td class="Center">3</td><td class="Center">1</td><td class="Center">0</td></tr> </tbody></table>
THT Pitching
<table class="pv_table" summary="Individual player stats table"><tbody><tr> <th class="Center">Year</th><th class="Center">Tm</th><th class="Center">Lg</th><th class="Center">*PRC</th><th class="Center">RA</th><th class="Center">FIP</th><th class="Center">ERA+</th><th class="Center">FIP-ERA</th><th class="Center">xFIP</th><th class="Center">DER</th><th class="Center">LD%</th><th class="Center">GB%</th><th class="Center">IF/F</th><th class="Center">K/G</th><th class="Center">BB/G</th><th class="Center">HR/G</th><th class="Center">*HR/F</th><th class="Center">P/PA</th><th class="Center">LOB%</th></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2005</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">115</td><td class="Center">3.01</td><td class="Center">2.91</td><td class="Center">152</td><td class="Center">0.28</td><td class="Center">3.82</td><td class="Center">.718</td><td class="Center">23.8%</td><td class="Center">44.6%</td><td class="Center">13.9%</td><td class="Center">6.8</td><td class="Center">2.2</td><td class="Center">0.44</td><td class="Center">6.2%</td><td class="Center">3.7</td><td class="Center">75.6%</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2006</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">92</td><td class="Center">4.27</td><td class="Center">4.30</td><td class="Center">110</td><td class="Center">0.43</td><td class="Center">4.69</td><td class="Center">.692</td><td class="Center">19.5%</td><td class="Center">47.5%</td><td class="Center">9.6%</td><td class="Center">6.4</td><td class="Center">3.3</td><td class="Center">0.84</td><td class="Center">10.8%</td><td class="Center">3.7</td><td class="Center">75.0%</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2007</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">24</td><td class="Center">5.14</td><td class="Center">5.01</td><td class="Center">84</td><td class="Center">0.31</td><td class="Center">4.54</td><td class="Center">.705</td><td class="Center">20.7%</td><td class="Center">50.0%</td><td class="Center">7.4%</td><td class="Center">5.6</td><td class="Center">3.8</td><td class="Center">1.13</td><td class="Center">15.5%</td><td class="Center">3.6</td><td class="Center">72.7%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Walks trending up, strikeouts going the wrong direction, infield fly's trending the wrong way, home run's going the wrong way. This guy is not even a #2 starter, or he shouldn't be.
2SP Sergio Mitre
THT Pitching
<table class="pv_table" summary="Individual player stats table"><tbody><tr> <th class="Center">Year</th><th class="Center">Tm</th><th class="Center">Lg</th><th class="Center">*PRC</th><th class="Center">RA</th><th class="Center">FIP</th><th class="Center">ERA+</th><th class="Center">FIP-ERA</th><th class="Center">xFIP</th><th class="Center">DER</th><th class="Center">LD%</th><th class="Center">GB%</th><th class="Center">IF/F</th><th class="Center">K/G</th><th class="Center">BB/G</th><th class="Center">HR/G</th><th class="Center">*HR/F</th><th class="Center">P/PA</th><th class="Center">LOB%</th></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2004</td><td class="Center">CHN</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">13</td><td class="Center">6.62</td><td class="Center">4.36</td><td class="Center">64</td><td class="Center">-2.26</td><td class="Center">4.28</td><td class="Center">.633</td><td class="Center">15.6%</td><td class="Center">59.4%</td><td class="Center">13.3%</td><td class="Center">5.9</td><td class="Center">3.2</td><td class="Center">0.95</td><td class="Center">14.2%</td><td class="Center">3.4</td><td class="Center">65.8%</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2005</td><td class="Center">CHN</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">17</td><td class="Center">5.52</td><td class="Center">5.32</td><td class="Center">78</td><td class="Center">-0.05</td><td class="Center">4.14</td><td class="Center">.737</td><td class="Center">11.4%</td><td class="Center">66.3%</td><td class="Center">6.7%</td><td class="Center">5.3</td><td class="Center">3.3</td><td class="Center">1.57</td><td class="Center">24.2%</td><td class="Center">3.7</td><td class="Center">70.2%</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2006</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">12</td><td class="Center">6.15</td><td class="Center">5.61</td><td class="Center">75</td><td class="Center">-0.10</td><td class="Center">4.78</td><td class="Center">.704</td><td class="Center">20.2%</td><td class="Center">51.9%</td><td class="Center">11.1%</td><td class="Center">6.4</td><td class="Center">4.1</td><td class="Center">1.44</td><td class="Center">23.1%</td><td class="Center">3.6</td><td class="Center">69.8%</td></tr> <tr> <td class="Center">2007</td><td class="Center">FLA</td><td class="Center">NL</td><td class="Center">27</td><td class="Center">3.02</td><td class="Center">3.06</td><td class="Center">247</td><td class="Center">1.47</td><td class="Center">3.23</td><td class="Center">.724</td><td class="Center">16.3%</td><td class="Center">61.6%</td><td class="Center">5.3%</td><td class="Center">6.8</td><td class="Center">1.7</td><td class="Center">0.50</td><td class="Center">8.8%</td><td class="Center">3.5</td><td class="Center">75.7%</td></tr></tbody></table>
A mixed bag in the past few years. His talent has never been questioned as he was always highly regarded. I wonder if people now realize the better part of the Willis and Mitre deal is Mitre. I especially like the low line drive %, extremely high ground ball % (which is on par with Brandon Webb and Tim Hudson). He pounds the strike zone, shown by his very low walk total and excellent K rate. One of the best pitchers in baseball so far this year. He must stay healthy as it looks like he has finally put it together. Long term he can be a #1 starter for a few years and can have a nice career as a # 2. Brandon Webb Clone.
3SP Scott Olsen lhp
A mess. He lacks composure, his delivery is not consistent, doesn't possess excellent stuff and has somewhere between atrocious and terrible control. Does not take advantage of his huge home ballpark and pitches scared. Has a major attitude problem also ( blasts his manager in the paper for pulling him two outs short of 5 IP and making him ineligible for the win, when in fact it was his two walks that put the manager in the spot to make the change). Over the last 3 years his K's are down, his Walks are up (over 4.5 per 9 innings now), he is allowing more fly balls (and consequently more homers), and now he leads the NL in % of balls hit for LINE DRIVES! 25%!! He has no redeemable value as anything better than a 5th starter long term on a good team.
4SP Wes Obermueller
Garbage, just filler. 31 Years old, not a prospect. No talent, 4.5+ walks per game.
5SP Byung-Hyun Kim
Um, should be used out of the bullpen as a roogy, not ever considered for starting duty. 5.8 BB/9, atrocious. He would have to offset that with 17 K/9 for that to be acceptable, and that isn't happening. No long term promise or future.
Marlin fans, don't get too excited this year. They are still a year or two away and must improve the starting pitching.
The bullpen with Benitez, Lindstrom and Gregg will be okay. Tankersley is a n avg loogy, and Pinto/Owens are capable 6th inning guys needed as filler.