Fish try not to fry in NL East. The perpetual re-builders of the NL East limped home in 2007, finishing 18 games off the pace and staking claim to the cellar of the division. Jeffrey Loria continued to slash payroll, trading the only two recognizable faces on the team in Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers for center fielder Cameron Maybin, pitcher Andrew Miller, and a box of sugar. Manager Fredi Gonzalez will have another shot to make this team look respectable and give the Miami area something to be proud of in lieu of the failings of the Miami Dolphins and Miami Heat.

Bats. Boys and girls, if there’s one thing you take away from this lesson, remember the name Hanley Ramirez. If you already knew, then you better tell somebody. Ramirez, in his second full season, posted eye popping numbers while mired in obscurity. On top of hitting .332 from the lead-off position, Ramirez slugged 29 home runs, scored 125 runs while driving in 81, and stole 51 bases. Ramirez is the gem of the organization now that offensive prodigy Miguel Cabrera has been shipped out and it will be up to Ramirez to put the Marlins back on the map much like Cabrera did two years ago. Next to him at second base is Dan Uggla. Uggla saw his batting average take a considerable dip last season, falling to .245. Still, the small slugger belted 31 home runs and drove in 88 rbi’s.

The other “big splash” the Marlins made this off-season was the acquisition of Dallas McPherson. McPherson spent too much time riding the Matterhorn and waiting in line for Space Mountain doing things other than living up to his top prospect billing in Anaheim and, after a few seasons of disappointment, has landed with a new opportunity in Florida where 2,000 people will watch him play daily. In addition, the Marlins added veteran slugger “who never used roids“, Luis Gonzalez. While it’s entirely possible this move was made so Gonzo could find a nice retirement property in the Miami area, he will bring a veteran presence to a locker room that is desperately in need of leadership. The Marlins are wise not to rush the progression of center fielder Cameron Maybin. Maybin, who will start the season in the minors, is still entirely too young to shoulder the expectations that will be laid on him when he takes over in center field. Since the Marlins probably aren’t thinking World Series this season, it’s better to let Maybin ease into the role for next year or the year after.

Pitching. Remember when the Marlins were loaded with guys like Brad Penny, AJ Burnett, Josh Beckett, Dontrelle Willis, and even Livan Hernandez? Those days are long gone. While young stud Josh Johnson rehabs from shoulder surgery, Scott Olsen will be the ace of the staff. Olsen hung less than spectacular numbers last season, losing 15 games and having an era that floated near 6. Behind Olsen is Andrew Miller, the other young arrival from Detroit. His time in Detroit was a bit shaky, but it’s clear that there is plenty of potential with Miller. Maybe now that the D-Train season ticket package is no longer be available, the Marlins should consider the “Miller Time!” package. It could include gopher balls and an ERA over 5. Baaa-zing! Your interest level in reading about Rick VandenHurk, Ricky Nolasco, and Mark Hendrickson is probably as high as your interest level in watching paint dry.

In the bullpen, the Marlins think they may have found something in Kevin Gregg. Set aside the 0-5 record and consider the 32 saves that Gregg racked up for them last season. I bet you didn’t even know the Marlins had 32 save opportunities all year. Set-up man Taylor Tankersley did a nice job getting games to Gregg (holy alliteration, Batman) last season, and his 6-1 record from a year ago is a positive indication of what they have in Tankersley. The great surprise out of the bullpen, however, has to be reliever Lee Gardner. Rocking a name that sounds like it belongs in the 80’s, Gardner appeared in 62 games last season and posted an ERA of 1.94. I know, I was shocked too. It’s doubtful he’ll duplicate that this season but he’ll remain a solid option at the end of games.

Outlook. In a word, bleak. Outside of Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla, it’s tough to get excited about this team this season. There are a lot of new faces and a lot of guys who will be stepping into new roles for this team, particularly in the lineup. Manager Fredi Gonzalez is going to have a dogfight on his hands for last place in the division.