The Marlins are sending Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez to the All-Star Game in St. Louis on July 14. Sure, it's a fantastic honor for the players, and well-deserved, but long-time watchers of the Marlins have every reason to be nervous:
All-Star Marlins don't stick around long.
Remember Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett, Pudge Rodriguez, Louis Castillo, Carlos Delgado, Moisés Alou? All made the All-Star team, and all ended up elsewhere through trades, fire sales, or unprotested free agency.
Carl Pavano, Livian Hernandez, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Cabrera, Armando Benitez? Same.
Even Manager of the Year Joe Girardi got canned in spite of his honors.
Never mind Ramirez' six-year, $70 million contract, or that the club positioned him as a franchise player heading into the new stadium push. If anyone could find a reason to get rid of him, it's any version of Marlins management. Johnsons' contract is up after 2011; if he hasn't been traded by then, what's the likelihood Jeffrey Loria pays him what Boston or New York would? Er...next to nothing.
Is it the heat? Is it getting to them? They're playing so well it's like they want to get out.
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But for now, we'll enjoy them (while holding tight to their ankles).
"J.J. and Hanley absolutely deserve it," Marlins center fielder Cody Ross said. "To be voted in by your peers is awesome. Hanley was a no-brainer. I've said before, if he didn't win the fan vote, chances are I'd never watch another All-Star Game, because that would have been the biggest injustice in a long time."
Janie Campbell suspects the two might attempt a defection in St. Louis. She has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.
