I should hate the Marlins more. I mean, I absolutely despise the franchise, but I don't bleed from the eyes when I think about them. Both of the Marlins' championships have gone through San Francisco. Think about that. Miami: Two championship parades down Teal Street, or whatever their main drag is called. San Francisco: Nothin'.
But when there aren't any in-your-face fans to constantly remind you, the hatred goes down to a low simmer. Every once in a while, I'll look with admiration at the strong young core the Marlins seem to build every three years, which is the same gestation period as the alpine salamander. Coincidence? Probably. Where was I?
Oh, right. The admiration. I'll have to look in a mirror and slap the admiration out of myself. Bad, naughty admiration. Even if the Marlins weren't evil, Jeffrey Loria certainly is, so that would be another reason to hate the team.
It's hard to remember, though, so I'll find myself on their Baseball Reference page, coveting their non-Bonifacio infield. So sleek; so powerful; so clanky in the field. I'd like to trade Ramon Ortiz for the whole bunch.
Hitter to watch:
Dan Uggla is hot, so that means the price just jumped from Tim Alderson to Madison Bumgarner.
Pitcher to watch:
Andrew Miller is not Tim Lincecum, and yet there was a time that everyone was hoping Miller would fall to the Giants in the 2006 draft because of bonus demands. Because nothing ever works out for the Giants in the grand scheme of things, that means Miller will throw nine shutout innings, and he'll also manage to injure a Giants' player somehow. You've been warned.
Prediction:
Rain.