Just Like Old Times

Rodriguez felt it was in the best interest of
 the team to step down.

It was just three weeks ago that the young upstart Florida Marlins were 10 games over .500 and only 1 game back for first place in the National League East, my how things have changed. The Marlins have now lost ten straight and their manager, sinking to the bottom of the division standings. Edwin Rodriguez, who replaced current Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez as skipper almost a year ago to the day, resigned Sunday, claiming it was best for the future of the team.

In the Marlins final 92 games of the 2010 season, Rodriguez led them to a 46-46 record, finishing third in the division behind two postseason bound clubs. The Philadelphia Phillies captured their fourth straight division crown while the Braves earned a wild card berth.

The native of Puerto Rico finishes his tenure in Florida with a record of 78-85 in just over a full seasons load at 163 games.

Injuries to All-Stars Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson played a major role in the teams recent skid, losing 18 of their last 19 games. Ramirez, who despite his injury is only batting .201 on the year, had been sidelined since the 29th of May with back soreness that included a trip to the disabled list.

As for Johnson the news had not been good. The 6-foot-7 hard throwing right-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list back on the 22nd of May with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Initially  Johnson was thought to miss a couple of weeks, but that will not be the case.

The two-time All-Star was recently transferred to the 60-day DL and will now be out until mid-July.

That being said it has not been all bad in Florida. Outfielder Mike Stanton has hit 16 home runs in 67 games for the Marlins after a solid rookie campaign. Although Stanton has struggled during the teams current losing streak, batting only .192 in his last 22 games.

That could be a product of the recent struggles of Ramirez and the absence of Dan Uggla. Uggla, who was the teams primary power source in recent years, was traded to Atlanta in the offseason, leaving a lot of responsibility of their young twenty-two-year-old right fielder.

With the recent resignation of Rodriguez a familiar face has decided to put the uniform one last time. Eight-year-old and Major League Baseball lifer Jack McKeon will manage the team the rest of the season and believes that the season is not lost.

He becomes the second-oldest manager in major league history behind only Connie Mack, who was eight-seven when he managing the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950.

Cigar and all McKeon is back at the
helm in Florida.

This will be McKeon's second stint as Marlins manager and it was a very similar situation his first go around. In May of 2003, a not so much younger McKeon took over a underachieving Florida team and help guide the team back to .500 and clinch their second wild card berth in franchise history.

That postseason the Marlins would make their mark yet again winning the National League Pennant and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1997. There they eventually beat the heavily favored New York Yankees in six games. It was the second World Series title for the Marlins, but the first for McKeon.

That was the last time the Marlins made the playoffs.

Eight years later McKeon will try and raise this team from the ashes once again and finally prove he's still got what it takes. His first order of business comes prior to tonight's game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with the benching of his embattled superstar shortstop. Will this be the fire that sparks Ramirez and the fish? Marlin fans sure hope so.