Opening Day Thread

[Lets Go Rays]

Washington Nationals @ Florida Marlins
Marlins winning 2-0 in the Top of the Second.

[Lets Go Rays]

Top Second
Adam Dunn strikes out
Nick Johnson flies out
Austin Kearns strikes out

[Lets Go Rays]

Bottom 2nd
Jeremy Hermida grounds out
Cody Ross grounds out
Cameron Maybin reaches on error
Ricky Nolasco strikes out

[Lets Go Rays]

Top 3rd
Ronnie Belliard lines out
Jesus Flores singles to left
John Lannan bunt pops out
Lastings Milledge flies out

[Lets Go Rays]

Bottom 3
Emilio Bonifacio singles
John Baker grounds out, Bonifacio to 2nd
Emilio Bonifacio steals 3rd
Hanley Ramirez doubles, Bonifacio scores
Jorge Cantu homers, Hanley Ramirez scores
Dan Uggla lines out
Jeremy Hermida homers
Cody Ross grounds out

[Lets Go Rays]

Top 4
Cristian Guzman singles
Ryan Zimmerman flies out
Adam Dunn doubles, Cristian Guzman scores
Nick Johnson grounds out, Adam Dunn to 3rd
Austin Kearns doubles, Adam Dunn scores
Ronnie Belliard lines out

[Lets Go Rays]

Bottom 4
Julian Tavarez replaces John Lannan
Cameron Maybin doubles
Ricky Nolasco sac bunt, Maybin to 3rd
Emilio Bonifacio hits INSIDE THE PARK HOMER!!!!!!!
John Baker grounds out
Hanley Ramirez flies out

[bcshorts]

Nolasco imploded in the 6th as Dunn hit his first of 40 homers this season. Marlins stay up 8-5. So far, a little more offense than I'd expected.

I'm not sold on the pitching and, although Bonifacio is having a great day today, I'm not particularly high on the top of the order either. They have a good middle with Hanley, Cantu, Hermida, and Ross, but there are a lot of questions. If Bonifacio and Maybin can get on base and use their speed, it could be an interesting lineup.

However, I'm not among those who are high on the Marlins' pitching. Sure, Nolasco and Johnson could be good, but they probably shouldn't be anything more than #2 and #3 guys respectively. And there are way too many questions on the back end with Miller, Sanchez, and Volstad. They have a lot of potential, but I'm not sure that they reach it until next season.

I'm on record for picking the Marlins to finish last in the NL East. They won't go higher than fourth, and it won't be a four team race...

[love_that_reefer]

However, I'm not among those who are high on the Marlins' pitching. Sure, Nolasco and Johnson could be good, but they probably shouldn't be anything more than #2 and #3 guys respectively. And there are way too many questions on the back end with Miller, Sanchez, and Volstad. They have a lot of potential, but I'm not sure that they reach it until next season.

I'm on record for picking the Marlins to finish last in the NL East. They won't go higher than fourth, and it won't be a four team race...

That's fine that you aren't sold on the pitching but having a team that finish only 7.5 games out of first to finish last behind the Nationals is just ridiculous and unfounded. They have a better pitching staff than last year and better defense. Marlins will be in the race all year, count in it.

That said, the Marlins sweep the Nationals, the true last place team. Bonafacio continues his hot start and is batting .571 with four stolen bases in the first three games. Volstad looked good today giving up just one earned run and striking out seven. Hanley in the third spot makes this lineup a lot better. 26 runs in the first three games makes my point. Josh Johnson went 6.2 IP with 8 K's of shutout baseball in Game 2. He was on point with everything. Matt Lindstrom got save #1 tonight after not having pitched against MLBer since the WBC.