The Marlins Organization has publicly stated that they expect their team to make the postseason. As a result, no manager in baseball starts the season in a hotter seat than Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. "We've got the firepower [to win]," owner Jeffrey Loria declared during the Marlins first week of training in Jupiter, Florida.
In January, Loria approved a fourth-year for the new contract of the club's top pitcher, Josh Johnson. A departure from team policy of limiting contracts to no more than three years (budding superstar Hanley Ramirez, the other exception), the signing assures the previously-arbitration eligible right-hander of at least two seasons with the Marlins once their new downtown Miami ballpark opens in 2012. This, and the signing of slugging second sacker Dan Uggla around the same time, certainly went a long way to appease Major League Baseball's desire (or demand) for greater outward investment by the historically frugal franchise.
Two key players that Gonzalez will be counting on to help keep his job through 162 games, are SS Ramirez and OF Chris Coghlan. Ramirez, the 2009 batting champ, hopes an off-season conditioning routine focusing on his lower body, will help him finish the new campaign more strongly than in 2009. Hanley, who has admitted to feeling sluggish in his legs last September, hit less than .270 for the month. Rookie of the Year Coghlan enters his second year trying to carry over an incredible August and September, in which he produced more hits (94) by any Big League player since 1947.
The National League Champion Phillies remain Florida's biggest obstacle to playing into October...The Marlins will open the season on Monday, April 5 in New York. Team aces Josh Johnson and Johan Santana will oppose one another at Citifield.
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