Don t laugh. Three years after gutting its championship roster, the Marlins have reloaded with a bevy of young talent. And first baseman Derrek Lee enjoyed a breakout year. Best of all, the Marlins struck an offseason deal to build a new ballpark in downtown Miami, which means by the time they can contend again, they should be able to afford it. Even when the Red Sox do something right, it always ends up wrong.
Some clubs are flat out doomed.
Calling It by the Book By Thom Loverro Baseball is a game of nuances, but when those nuances change, the Earth shifts. Players better be ready, says umpire Jim McKean. The game is changing. Former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda thinks the change will be dramatic, with batting averages and run production significantly lowered. It will have a big impact, Lasorda says.