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JUPITER, Fla. -- What everybody knows about the 2010 Florida Marlins is what everybody knew about the 2009 Marlins.Because there was no major makeover and because there wasn't one player brought in who is a lock for the Opening Day Roster, the names and faces are the same.
What's different is the experience level, with the Marlins having survived the ups and downs of 2009 to finish with 87 victories for a second consecutive winning season.
Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez says he has no problem with the club standing pat, because he likes what he's got, beginning with starting pitchers Josh Johnson (15-5 last year) and Ricky Nolasco (28 wins the last two seasons) and extending through a lineup that has four returnees who had 90-plus RBI in 2009.
So even though the National League East includes two-time defending NL champion Philadelphia and two traditional powers in the Braves and Mets, Gonzalez can't see his club out of the hunt for a postseason bid.
"There is no reason why we can't compete,'' Gonzalez said. "You could drop $100 million on this team, and it would be hard to be five games better.''
"You could drop $100 million on this team, and it would be hard to be five games better."
-- Fredi Gonzalez The Marlins aren't big spenders. Their $36 million payroll last year will go to $45 million or so this year, and that's with a push from the players' union, which complained that the club wasn't spending enough of the money it was gifted through revenue sharing.
The thing is, being five games better would have gotten the Marlins into position for a postseason berth for the first time since their World Series title in 2003. But those five wins will have to come from within, at least for the present.
There doesn't seem to be a reason why that can't happen. The infield of shortstop Hanley Ramirez, second baseman Dan Uggla and Jorge Cantu combined for 62 homers and 296 RBI and outfielder Cody Ross has 46 homers and 163 RBI his first two full seasons.
"We've got flexibility and motivation,'' Gonzalez said. "And if we're where we hope to be in July [at the trading deadline], maybe we can do something to add on. But we like the core of what we have a lot.''
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