Miami

The Florida Marlins (62-61) begin a six-game road trip in Citi Field against the New York Mets (62-62).

The Marlins come in having won five of six and send their ace Josh Johnson to the mound. The Mets counter with knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey, who has been a pleasant surprise.

Johnson is coming off a good outing where he pitched eight innings of two-run baseball against the Pirates. That isn't saying much, but it's a great sign to see him bounce back from his worst outing of the year against the Reds.

According to a report by The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer, Marlins starting catcher Ronny Paulino has been suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

The suspension would put the Marlins catcher out for the rest of the regular season with 40 games left to go for the Marlins, as it will be effective immediately. 

The Florida Marlins have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez, naming Edwin Rodriguez his replacement, but only on an interim basis.

Rodriguez has spent the past one-and-a-half seasons as manager of Triple-A New Orleans.

The team also said Wednesday it would be dismissing bench coach Carlos Tosca and hitting coach Jim Presley.

By now, most baseball fans have seen the highlights of Hanley Ramirez lollygagging after a ball he literally booted down the left field line in Monday night's game between the Florida Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After Ramirez's snail-like retrieval of the baseball, during which he probably could have enjoyed a three-course meal, he was promptly benched by his manager, Fredi Gonzalez.

While last night's spectacle was as egregious as they come, it was only one glaring footnote in a growing trend around Major League Baseball.

Just to make things clear, I am not talking about the mediocre lefty for the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox who all of a sudden became unhittable in the postseason for the New York Yankees.

I am talking about the big outfield prospect for the Florida Marlins.

If you are not familiar with the Marlins’ version of Mike Stanton, then you will be very shortly. He is a big man who can hit a baseball very far.

Here's the situation: You're a general manager for a new expansion baseball team and Bud Selig has decided to give you the choice to pick any player in the league on any team with your first pick.

Sounds easy enough, right?

Then the real problem arises:

Whom do you pick?

Do you go with an elite hitter like Albert Pujols, or do you take a lights-out starter like Roy Halladay? Do you take a money closer like Mariano Rivera, or do you go with a young stud like Joe Mauer?

The Marlins have earned a reputation of making the most out of having the least.  The fact is that you don't win 87 games in the major leagues without some bona fide talent.  We all know the two stars, Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson, but where else can you find some impact fantasy players on this team?  The largest unknown this spring is how the pitching rotation will turn out.   Here is what you can expect from the Marlins pitching rotation.

Josh Johnson

Dreams became reality in 1997 when then-rookie Cuban pitcher Livan Hernandez cried out, “I love you Miami” in front of a national television audience

Marlins fans woke up and realized their Florida franchise really did win its first World Series in history.

“I love you Miami” probably can be heard again this season from Major League Baseball.

Also on Rotoprofessor.com !

Each draft there are players fantasy leaguers go crazy for because of a breakout season the year prior.

Often times the reasoning is unfounded because the player has never been nearly that good in his career. Most of the time he totally comes out of nowhere to become a fantasy force, only to come crashing down to reality in the next season.

This review was originally published on www.stadiumjourney.com.

When the Florida Marlins began their existence as a Major League franchise in 1993, it seemed as though the league had expanded to a perfect market. There was a diverse community of baseball lovers waiting to soak up the sun and take in a ball game.