The Marlins need to start winning and they need to do it soon. With the opening of their new ballpark for Opening Day next season, they need to make sure the stadium is filled. There is some good individual talent on this team, but the question is, can these guys really put them at the level they need to be at to compete for a championship. When thinking about Marlins baseball, who really comes to mind for fans in South Florida?

Josh Johnson – At 27 years old, this pitching stud looks to be the ace of this staff for years to come. Standing 6’7” and 250lbs. he has the accuracy and power to dominate games from the start. The hope is the injury suffered during this season doesn’t linger on and he is able to put it in the past and lead this team to the promised land. With a career record of 48-23, it doesn’t start to show how he has started to control games as he has grown during his almost six years in the majors. The future is bright with him at the helm.

Hanley Ramirez – At 27 years old, he came into the majors putting up great numbers. This year we have seen a slight dip in production, but there is nothing really showing that he won’t be able to bounce back next year and continue to progress into a potential All Star year in and year out. Injuries have really put a damper on his season. With a career batting average of .306 he has shown he can hit consistently against the variety of pitchers he has faced over his six years in the majors. The hope is that he is around for years to come, as he could joining some of the exclusive hitting clubs later in his career.

Mike Stanton – At 21 years old, yes, 21 years old, he has the power that most people can only dream about. He is currently tied for the lead in the NL for homeruns hit with Albert Pujols at 30 for the season. He has already surpassed all of his numbers from last season and it looks like he will blow those away as he still has plenty of games left to play. He could and should be the face of the organization as he continues to progress into what is looking like what will be a very prosperous career for him. As long as he can stay away from the injury bug, he will continue to surpass his numbers year in and year out. First homerun in the new ballpark coming from this guy?

While those are the three players to watch for, Marlins fans should be very excited about the new stadium they get to watch them in. Not only will it have a retractable roof, but it will also have a
retractable wall that will open up to show off the skyline of downtown Miami. Everything will be state
of the art, from the luxuries in the suites to the signage around the stadium. Don’t miss out on what is
going to be a phenomenal stadium and hopefully a great product on the field as well.