You know it's bad when fans celebrate avoiding a sweep, and the opening day pitcher joins the opening day center fielder in the minors.
The 20-25 Marlins are a very, very long way from the beginning of the season, when they sported t-shirts with the number "7" signifying that this was the traditional seventh year in which they'd win a World Series. Apparently every seven years is how often something good will happen to the Marlins, and they shot their wad with the approval of the new stadium.
The Fish are looking very, very bad -- and with an owner who provides the lowest cash outlay in all of baseball, not to mention one of its worst track records, who dares hope it will change? Sure, it's a long season, and there's time to improve.
But this isn't a slump. It's a downhill plunge on a patchwork sled.
Ricky Nolasco was demoted to New Orleans. There is a second baseman playing left, a designated hitter playing right, a right fielder playing in center, and a second baseman playing third. There is a revolving door (more like a hellmouth) between unready minor league pitchers and the mound at Dolphins Stadium. If this were the Yankees, the Bronx would be nothing but smoldering ruins.
"We're concerned," outfielder Cody Ross said. "We're trying to be as positive as we can."
Sports
Please, Jeffrey Loria, get it together. You're 572-574 in Miami, already determined by Sports Illustrated to be the next-to-last worst owner in MLB, and face the World Champion Phillies tonight.
If you're asking us to stay invested, we'd ask you to start investing. It'll be pretty pointless to build a stadium if there's nothing but a hapless collection of minor leaguers to inhabit it.
