Hanley Ramirez leads the Marlins offense. Photo: Icon SMI

The series on team offense continues with the Florida Marlins. The Marlins finished 13th in the majors and fifth in the National League in 2009, scoring 4.77 runs per game. The probable lineup on CBSSportsline serves as the template for the calculation.

The OBP and slugging percentage used come from the Marcel the Monkey forecast system. Plugging those numbers in the Lineup Analysis Tool (LAT) produces the following results:

• Best lineup: 5.12 runs per game
• Probable lineup: 4.87 runs per game
• Worst lineup: 4.47 runs per game
• Regressed lineup: 4.58 runs per game

The Marlins managed to put a very good offensive team on the field. Cody Ross is the only position player who projects to a lower OBP then the 2009 NL average of .331. Ross only misses that by three points. The first baseman is batting eighth, which either means they have a light-hitting first baseman, or the rest of the team is pretty good. In this case, it’s the former. First baseman who can hit, however, tend to be easier to find than hitters at other positions, so Sanchez could be replaced, or he can live up to his minor league numbers and move up higher in the lineup.

The LAT agrees that Coghlan, Baker and Ramirez should bat together, it just likes them in a 9-1-2 order, with Baker ninth. When there is no one really close in OBP, the tool likes to put the two players with the highest OBP at the top of the order, giving them the most chances to get on base. With Fredi Gonzalez batting the pitcher ninth, however, he has the right three at the top.

There is a big disagreement on Jorge Cantu, however. I could easily see Uggla and Ross hitting ahead of him, their great power picking up more base runners. Gonzalez really can’t go too wrong with these players, however, and I expect the Marlins to be one of the higher scoring team in the NL in 2010.
Previous entries in this series:

• Toronto Blue Jays
• New York Yankees
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Boston Red Sox
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Minnesota Twins
• Colorado Rockies
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Texas Rangers
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Cleveland Indians

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