Miami Marlins, Here we go again!

For all the hype that the Miami Marlins created in the off-season with the new stadium, uniforms, manager and high dollar free agent pick ups, expectations were relatively high. I had them finishing second in the division and making the playoffs as a wildcard team in my preseason post. That was more wishful thinking than expecting any Florida fan to recognize Bobby Bowden as the DI coach with the most wins regardless of what the NCAA says! The Marlins have under-produced at every level this year. Hey, maybe the players are having trouble understanding what the manager wants them to do. I know that I have trouble understanding Ozzie whenever he speaks. Maybe Ramirez wasn't happy about the change to third base and the clubhouse is a disaster. I am not an insider, but things are not good in the land of silicone and south beach.

 But now we begin to see why Miami will always be Miami in the MLB. They lure the fans back with the promise of a new stadium, coach and spending money on players and then when you get back on board, they begin the sell off. Only this time, there is no championship to celebrate. The Marlins are dumping payroll faster than the US is rolling up the deficit. In the last few weeks they have dropped two of their pitchers and half of their infield, including the sullen superstar Hanley Ramirez. There are rumors flying that the Marlins are fielding offers for ace Josh Johnson and closer Heath Bell. Bell has been a bust since coming over from the Padres but still you only have the guy for six months and you are going to trade him?

 The Marlins will never be a quality franchise if they continue to operate this way. Can you be like the Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, or even the Dodgers if you continue to offer huge contracts and then ship the players off when you have a bad start to a season? Can you be the team that offers the fire sale every time after you make a splash with a great year or try to put together a group of talented players? If you can't afford the guy for the life of the contract, then stop signing them to it. Relegate yourself to the likes of the Brewers and A's or the Rockies and the Indians. Teams that will occasionally sneak into the playoffs only to be broken up when the stars of the team get near their free agent years.

 With the new name, the new uniforms, the new colors and the new stadium, the Marlin ownership promised a new day in Miami, but it looks like here we go again down the same path for Marlin's fans whether they be Florida or Miami variety!