The Marlins have acquired 38-year old lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes from the Mariners for 22-year old righty starting pitcher Gaby Hernandez. Rhodes should help the Marlins late in games and he should also give Reynel Pinto a break once in a while so he’s doesn’t burn out. Rhodes has pitched in 36 games (0 starts) for the Mariners this season and he is 2-1 with 1 save, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He has whiffed 26 batters in only 22 innings this season which shows that he still has good stuff. Rhodes has now pitched in 689 games (61 starts) in his major league career and he is 77-61 with 31 saves, a 4.28 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP.

Gaby Hernandez was the #6 prospect in the Marlins’ minor league system coming into this season according to Baseball America. But, things have not gone well in the minors with him this season. Hernandez has started 17 games in AA+AAA ball this season and he is 5-8 with a 6.47 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP. It was a risk giving up Hernandez who still has time to turn things around but the Marlins are going for it right now so it makes sense.

Last season the Marlins gave Lee Gardner and Justin Miller big chances to make the team and they both excelled. The Marlins tried the same method last spring and Doug Waechter and Joe Nelson have seized their big chances. Neither Waechter or Nelson pitched last season in the majors due to injury but they are both pitching better now than they ever have before. Waechter was a former starting pitcher with the Devil Rays who had big issues with gopher balls. The 27-year old looks like he has always been a reliever as he is really pitching well for the Marlins this season. Waechter has pitched in 35 games (0 starts) for the Marlins this season and he is 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. As good as Waechter has been, Joe Nelson has been better. 33-year old Nelson has pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Marlins this season and he is 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. Look for the Marlins to keep letting Waechter and Nelson pitch in important parts of the game as long as they keep pitching well.

The Marlins have demoted starting pitcher Rick VanderHurk to make room in the rotation for the return of righty Anibal Sanchez. VanderHurk has started 4 games for the Marlins this season and he is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA and a 2.14 WHIP. He has great stuff as evidenced by his 20 whiffs in only 14 innings this season with the Blue Jays but he needs to become more of a pitcher than just a thrower. 24-year old righty Anibal Sanchez should give the rotation a huge boost as long as he can stay healthy. He started 5 games in three levels (R, A, AA ball) on his rehab assignment and he was 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP. Sanchez has pitched in 24 games (23 starts) in his major league career and he is 12-4 with a 3.24 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He even threw a no-hitter as a rookie for the Marlins two years ago. Adding Sanchez and Johnson to the rotation the last couple of weeks will help the Marlins concentrate on getting catching help in the next couple of days.

The Florida Marlins have placed lefty starting pitcher Andrew Miller on the 15-day disabled list with right patella tendinitis. The Marlins might be hoping a little rest will help Miller pitch better when he returns to action. He has been a big disappointment to the Marlins this season as he was one of the main pieces they received back in the Cabrera/Wills trade. He has started 20 games for the Marlins this season and he is 5-9 with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP. Miller has not been missing many bats this season as he has allowed 117 hits and he has walked 50 batters in only 100.2 innings in 2008. The Marlins will likely turn back to veteran lefty Mark Hendrickson to replace Miller even though he has been equally awful this season. Hendrickson has pitched in 20 games (19 starts) this season for the Marlins and he is 7-7 with a 6.09 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. The Marlins have replaced Miller on the active roster by calling up 24-year old righty reliever Jesus Delgado who will work out of the bullpen. Delgado has pitched in 33 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA ball this season for the Marlins and he is 5-1 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. He needs to tighten up his control some or he will be in big trouble at the major league level as he has walked 27 batters in only 51.2 innings in the minors this season. Delgado was the #27 prospect in the Marlins’ minor league system coming into this season according to Baseball America so the team has high hopes for him. This is his first shot at pitching in the big leagues.

27-year old righty starting pitcher Sergio Mitre will miss the remainder of this season and possibly all of next year after undergoing Tommy John Surgery earlier today. Mitre has never been a good pitcher in the majors but he’s better than a couple of pitchers who have stepped onto the rubber this season for the Marlins. Mitre started 27 games for the Marlins last season and he was 5-8 with a 4.65 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. In his two years with the Marlins, Mitre has pitched in 42 games (34 starts) and he is 6-13 with a 4.88 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.

18-year old righty swinging Matt Dominguez had a rough time last season in his first taste of professional baseball but things are going a lot better this year. Dominguez has played in 43 games in A-Ball this season and he is 47 for 161 (.292 avg, .781 OPS) with 27 runs scored, 5 homers and 23 RBIs. The Marlins can afford not to rush Dominguez so that he’s ready to stay with them a long time when he finally makes it to the show.

22-year old righty starting pitcher Dallas Trahern was one of the key players acquired by the Marlins in the Cabrera/Willis trade with the Tigers over the winter. In fact Baseball America had Trahern ranked as the #10 prospect in the Marlins’ entire farm system before the season started. But he has been downright pathetic in A+AAA ball this season. Trahern has started 14 games this season in A+AAA ball and he is 3-8 with a 6.05 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Trahern has been pitching extended batting practice this season as he has allowed 93 hits in only 74.1 innings in the minors. He will have a hard time making it to the majors with the way he’s pitching right now.

The Florida Marlins have placed starting catcher Matt Treanor on the 15-day disabled list with a strained hip. Treanor has played in 54 games for the Marlins this season and he is 44 for 183 (.240 avg, .620 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 2 homers and 18 RBIs. The Marlins have recalled 26-year old lefty swinging Jeff Baker from AAA ball. Baker has played in 59 games in AAA ball this season and he is 61 for 193 (.316 avg, .886 OPS) with 35 runs scored, 6 homers and 31 RBIs. This is just a guess but the Marlins might set up a platoon with Baker and Paul Hoover who swings right handed. Hoover has played in 8 games for the Marlins this season and he is 6 for 25 (.240 avg, .549 OPS) with 1 run scored and 2 RBIs. Treanor’s injury might provoke the Marlins’ to intensify their search for a legit major league catcher like Yorvit Torrealba or Paul LoDuca.

The Marlins have done everything they can do to keep Cody Ross as a platoon player but he seems to be earning a full time job. Ross has played in 5 games in July and he is 12 for 23 (.522 avg, 1.343 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 1 homer and 10 RBIs. Ross has now played in 73 games this season for the Marlins and he is 55 for 213 (.258 avg, .827 OPS) with 27 runs scored, 14 homers and 42 RBIs. It will be interesting to see if the Marlins allow Ross to keep playing full time as they are rumored to be looking for a center fielder despite his production.

The Marlins have placed righty reliever Justin Miller on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation. Miller has pitched in 39 games (0 starts) for the Marlins this season and he is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. The Marlins have recalled righty reliever Matt Lindstrom from AAA to replace Miller in the bullpen. Lindstrom has the best pure stuff of any relief pitcher on the Marlins so they just need him to throw more strikes. He has pitched in 30 games (0 starts) for the Marlins this season and he is 1-1 with a 5.18 ERA and a 1.93 WHIP. Lindstrom has walked 15 batters and allowed 32 hits in only 24.1 innings this season for the Marlins and those numbers will need to improve if he wants to stick around this time.