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Marveling over Marlins

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Posted: Friday April 21, 2000 07:01 PM

Yankees. Cardinals. Diamondbacks. ... Marlins?

Believe it or not, those were the first four clubs to reach double-digit wins this season. Despite fielding baseball's youngest team for the third straight year and despite a payroll under $20 million, the Marlins are fighting for first place in the National League East. Nine of their first 10 wins required comebacks, and they were 6-1 in one-run games.

Third baseman Mike Lowell, healthy again after overcoming testicular cancer, is challenging for the league RBI lead. The bullpen, bolstered by the offseason additions of veterans Dan Miceli and Ricky Bones, recently went 24 innings without allowing a run. And staff ace Alex Fernandez finally appears all the way back from rotator-cuff surgery. He's hit 92 miles per hour on the radar gun and threw 121 pitches in his last start.

Count Pirates catcher Jason Kendall among those who favor the Fish.

"That team can play," Kendall told me. "They play the game the way it's supposed to be played. It's neat to watch guys like that."

Guerrero Exposing opposition

What's wrong with Vladimir Guerrero? The Expos star actually struck out in consecutive games this week, ending a string of 82 plate appearances without a whiff going back to September. Surprisingly, the last three pitchers to fan Bad Vlad have been lefties, and none particularly distinguished: Terry Mulholland, Andrew Lorraine and Felix Heredia.

Still, Guerrero's combination of power and plate coverage is truly amazing. Legendary Expos scout Fred Ferreira signed Guerrero out of the Dominican Republic for $1,500 at age 17.

"He always gave me the impression that he's playing in a softball game," Ferreira told me. "It's like he's hollering to the pitcher, 'Come on, throw the ball over, let me have a rip at it.'"

Only nine players have ever hit at least 40 home runs in a season while striking out the same number of times or less. Ted Kluzewski was the last, and that was 45 years ago. Guerrero narrowed his ratio to 42 homers and 62 strikeouts last season. He could join Big Klu's club this year.

No more Angelic attitude

Rookie Angels manager Mike Scioscia has changed the mindset of a once-toxic clubhouse. One advance scout marvels at the quality of the Angels' pregame work, the buzz of activity that includes daily infield practice, a rarity in the majors. "They seem motivated to play," the scout told me. "They do the early work, then they get in the games and they're running, bunting and scrapping. It's that old-school kind of deal. It must be Scioscia. He was that kind of player."

Mike Berardino covers baseball for the South Florida Sun Sentinel and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.

 

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