37-year old righty swinging 3B Placido Polanco is off to a good start in 2013 for the Marlins.  He has played in 8 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 11 for 33 (.333 avg, 727 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 2 doubles, 0 homers and 3 RBIs.  He has been swinging at everything as he has not walked this year while only whiffing 1 time!  The Marlins hope that Polanco can stay healthy in 2013, as he only played in 90 games for the Phillies last year in which he was 78 for 303 (.257 avg, .629 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 2 homers and 19 RBIs.

24-year old righty swinging Donovan Solano has played all over the field for the Marlins this year. He has played at 2B, SS, 3B and in the outfield so far this year. Solano has played in 84 games overall this year for the Marlins and he is 73 of 251 (.291 avg, .694 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 0 homers, 24 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. Solano likely will have a good chance to win a job as the Marlins’ utility man next spring as he has been impressive this year.

It’s amazing that when a team deals for your eventual replacement (Rob Brantly), who your bat suddenly comes alive….and that’s exactly what has happened with 32-year old righty swinging catcher John Buck. Buck has played in 20 games since August 1st for the Marlins and he is 22 for 70 (.314 avg) with 8 runs scored, 2 homers and 10 RBIs. He has now played in 97 games overall this year and he is 63 for 314 (.201 avg, .651 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 10 homers and 36 RBIs. Buck better keep swinging a good bat if he wants to keep his starting gig, because 23-year old lefty swinging Rob Brantly is looking good so far for the Marlins. Brantly has played in 18 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 18 of 59 (.305 avg, .889 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 2 homers, 4 RBIs and 1 stolen base.

29-year old switch-hitting shortstop Jose Reyes has really hit the ball well in August for the Marlins. He has played in 27 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 34 of 111 (.306 avg, .866 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 4 homers, 14 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Reyes has now played in 129 games overall for the Marlins this year and he is 148 of 523 (.283 avg, .783 OPS) with 71 runs scored, 11 homers, 44 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. The Marlins are finally starting to see the player they thought they were getting when they made Reyes a very, very rich man.

36-year old righty swinging 1B Carlos Lee wants to re-sign with the Marlins over the winter. But, he’s going to need to start hitting with more power for them to consider doing so. Lee has played in 42 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 43 of 146 (.295 avg, .760 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 2 homers, 30 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He is showing a good eye at the plate as he was walked 20 times while only whiffing 17 times so far this year. Lee has now played in 108 games overall this year for the Marlins and Astros in which he is 117 of 404 (.290 avg, .753 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 7 homers, 59 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.

28-year old righty starting pitcher Josh Johnson started the 2012 season slowly, but he has picked up the pace lately. Since June 1st, Johnson has started 11 games in which he is 4-4 with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He has now pitched in 22 games (all starts) overall this year and he is 7-7 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He has given up 132 hits and 41 walks in 133 1/3 innings so far this year while whiffing 118 batters and those are pretty solid numbers. I look for Johnson to finish this year strongly, as long as he can stay healthy.

With Hanley Ramirez off to the L.A. Dodgers, it looks like the Marlins are going to platoon 34-year old lefty swinging Greg Dobbs and 24-year old righty swinging rookie Donovan Solano at 3B the rest of the 2012 season. That is of course that Dobbs isn’t dealt before next week’s trade deadline. Dobbs has played in 67 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 48 of 160 (.300 avg, .703 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 2 homers, 22 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He should do fine when he’s in the starting lineup. Solano has been impressive so far this year for the Marlins. He has played in 32 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 19 for 59 (.322 avg, .846 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 0 homers, 6 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. It will be interesting to see how Solano does as he wasn’t highly thought of as a prospect heading into this season.

30-year old righty swinging outfielder Justin Ruggiano has really played well for the Marlins so far this year. Ruggiano has played in 19 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 14 for 40 (.350 avg, 1.160 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 6 RBIs. He has now played in 117 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 58 for 235 (.247 avg, .715 OPS) with 29 runs scored, 8 homers, 29 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Ruggiano has the look of a late bloomer and he will likely start getting more ABs going forward for the Marlins if he continues to swing the bat so well.

33-year old lefty swinging 1B/3B Greg Dobbs has been rock solid in his time with the Marlins. Dobbs has played in 31 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 19 for 67 (.284 avg, .696 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 0 homers, 10 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 165 games in his first two years with the Marlins and he is 132 for 478 (.276 avg, .700 OPS) with 44 runs scored, 8 homers, 59 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Dobbs has been a real asset for the Marlins the last couple of years and they hope he keeps up the good work.

In my opinion, no one has more pure power than 22-year old righty swinging RF Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. He has played in 37 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 38 for 135 (.281 avg, .871 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 8 homers and 24 RBIs. Stanton has cut down on his whiffs as he has struck out 33 times this year. That should help his batting average. Stanton has now played in 287 games in his first three years with the Marlins and he is 266 for 1,010 (.263 avg, .869 OPS) with 143 runs scored, 64 homers, 170 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Stanton is going to win some home run titles in his major league career and that could start in 2012.