Marlins Come Home, Mario Masticated

Mar swung by the Tortomasi estate Sunday afternoon. Despite some Sunday Wells-Fargo work-related interference, games got played.  Mar won the traditional home-away roll, and selected to keep playing on the road.  And so, the Marlins finally got their home opener.

Billy impales Don Shula's arrogant head during the ceremonial opening pitch at legendary Florida Stadium

Game 1: R.Vogelsong @ I.Kennedy
A pitchers' duel all the way to the end, both Vogelsong and Kennedy pitched gems.  Mar got on the board on an unearned run, after a Ryan TheRiot error put a man on, and later that inning, was scored by a Starlin Castro single.  Things got rough for Mar in the 8th, after he had pulled his starter the inning prior.  Ernesto Friereri had a rough one in relief, walking Prince and McCann, and then allowing a game-tying RBI-single from Chris Heisey.  To add insult to injury, after getting his 2nd out, Friereri gave up a 3-run blast to Ryan TheRiot (of the 3-point HR zone vs. RHPs).  With the game 4-1, Torto unleashed closer Sergio Romo who got thru the 9th unscathed.
Torto W 4-1

Game 2: J.Karstens @ J.Collmenter
Another pitchers' duel up front, this one got wild at the end.  Torto plated a run in the 2nd (McCann RBI-double), and again in the 5th (RBI single by TheRiot).  Up 2-0, things got away from Mar in the 8th again, with Ernest Friereri on the mound again.  A nightmarish inning, in this sequence - Out, BB, SB, 1B, HR (Prince), BB, 2B, 2B, Out, 1B, Out.  That mess lead to 6 runs, and an 8-0 deficit for Mario in the 9th.  With Matt Belisle on the mound, Mar made game of things, rattling off 6-runs of his own and batting around in order before Starlin Castro cost him his final out.
Torto W 8-6  

Game 3: R.A.Dickey @ H.Kuroda
Yet another pitchers' duel, but this one held thru to the end.  The story here was Hiroki Kuroda, as he went 8 dominant innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 walk.  The Marlins got 3-runs off a solid Rah Dickey performance, allowing only an RBI-double by Rollins, and solo HRs by Chris Heisey and Lucas Duda. Romo slammed the 1-2-3 door in the 9th.
Torto W 3-0

Torto wins series 3-0. 

Some Marlins fun-facts in this young season:
- Ryan Theriot and his two game-winning HRs already has him outplaying his paygrade massively
- Mike Stanton continues to struggle, but cut down his K-rate, only striking out twice in these 3 games
- Prince's power is 'as-advertised', with 4 HRs in 9 games
- The front 4 starters have been phenomenal, with the worst ERA coming in at 2.51 from Josh Collmenter

New Look Marlins Ready to Impale all Comers

Billy sez 'Enjoy my Amazing Technicolor Sail Fin, while I stick this bill in your eye"

The 2012 Marlins are looking to close out their final season in that bastion of baseball tradition, Florida/Dolphin/SunLife/Joe Robbie Stadium, with a bang.  Nothing short of a legacy building 2nd World Series title for manager Jon Tortomasi will do.  "Skipper T got us there last season, but we just came up short", said Tortomasi loyalist and power hitter Mike Stanton.  "This year, we finish it."  Team captain Prince Fielder is excited to be on board a team with World Series aspirations, "This team can make it, we've got what it takes."  Big words from a pair of very big men.  Neither player would comment on the new and terrible 'rainbow color scheme'. The Marlin's roster this season is platoon heavy, with plenty of pop, and an embarrassment of riches at catcher and shortstop.

In the field:

1B - Princey Fielder

2B - Ryan 'TheRiot' / Omar Infante

3B - Miguel Cairo

SS - Jimmy 'Ro-Ro' Rollins / Hanley Ramirez

OF1 - Big Mike Stanton

OF2 - Lucas 'Camptown Ladies Sing this Song' Duda

OF3 - Chris Heisey

OF4 - Julio Daniel (JD) Martinez

OF5 - Carlos 'El Caballo' Lee

C1 - Brian McCann 

C2 - Chris Ianetta 'the Beretta'

C3 - Rod Barajas

The Starting 5:

Roy "Doc" Halladay

Ian Kennedy

Josh Collmenter

Hiroki Kuroda

'Average Joe' Saunders

The 'Pen:

Sergio Romo

Tyler Clippard

Jeremy Affeldt

Matt Belisle

LaTroy Hawkins

John Lannon

The Minors:

Jack Wilson - IF

Carlos Pena - 1B

Jeff Keppinger - 2B

Paul Maholm - SP