Chris Coghlan

The Chicago Cubs needed to start hot in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series after dropping Game 1 to the New York Mets, 2-4, on Saturday.

Chris Coghlan almost gave the Cubbies just that. But Curtis Granderson had other plans.

The veteran center fielder scaled the wall and brought the would-be dinger back, preserving New York’s 3-0 lead.

For a team that's probably going to finish last in the National League East for the third consecutive year, the Miami Marlins don't have many issues thus far. 

America's favorite pastime is almost here. Can you feel it? They can in Miami. 

I'm going to give you 10 reasons why you should watch the Florida Marlins this season.

Not only will they give the Phils a run for their money, but they could be a legitimate contender for the World Series title. Here we go!

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Everybody knows about Hanley Ramirez: 2009 batting champ, five-tool stud and perennial first rounder.

Everybody should know about Josh Johnson: Cy Young contender, career ERA of 3.10, a ton of potential.

But what else, if anything, do the Marlins have to offer fantasy owners?

In spite of the organization's everlasting dedication to penny pinching, the Marlins have a handful of players that are sure to impact this year's fantasy season.

With the majority of the major offseason activity behind them (trading Dan Uggla, Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin; acquiring Omar Infante, Mike Dunn, Dustin Richardson, Ryan Webb, and Edward Mujica; signing Javier Vazquez John Buck, and Randy Choate; extending Ricky Nolasco until 2013), we take a glance at the potential Florida Marlins lineup, starting rotation, bullpen, and bench and put it all together to come up with bold predictions for the 2011 season in a crowded NL East.

Come March, when Spring Training rolls around, the Florida Marlins will without a doubt turn to Matt Dominguez for a shot to claim the third base job. Originally, Chris Coghlan was destined to man the hot corner until the Dan Uggla and Cameron Maybin trades left him in the outfield only this time in center. 

But what if Matt Dominguez isn't ready with the bat? His defense is major league ready at this point but at 20, many wonder whether the offense is a year or two away. He hit .252/.333/.411 with 14 HRs, 81 RBI in 138 games. 

The Marlins, a young franchise, with two World Series titles on their resume, have to be excited for the future.  Over the years they have been the subject of ridicule for their attendance numbers and low payroll.  The fan base has witnessed not one, but two World Series teams get dismantled for financial reasons.

However, now more than ever, the enthusiasm behind this team is growing and here are the ten reasons why:

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In MLB, a sophomore slump, also refer to as sophomore jinx, is identified when a player is not able to live up to the standards set by their rookie season. 

Reasons to blame for the "slump" may be injury or lack of adjustments.

Pitchers seem to be more likely to regress because of fatigue. The innings pitched in their rookie season may have dramatically surpassed the prior season; think of the "Verducci Effect".

In 2012, the Florida Marlins will move into a new ballpark in downtown Miami and will be renamed the Miami Marlins with an all new logo, color scheme, and young nucleus.

Most of their stars will be 30-years-old or younger, and I will highlight that here. Certainly, they have one of the most talented nucleus of players in the Major Leagues, and there is no telling what they can do once they move into a new environment, a true baseball stadium with the top players in the game.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports , the Chris Coghlan injury effects the Yankees in more ways than just answering a few questions about pies (he was injured in a walk-off pie throwing celebration), it takes away one of their trade options at the deadline – OF Cody Ross .