The Marlins are about to do something smart even if it might not seem like it: Take a bright young team -- one that didn't miss the playoffs by much -- and shake it up.

For a sweet change, this won't be the kind of shake-up that has twice before followed Marlins success -- a fire sale to drastically cut player payroll. That is the one benefit of being last in the majors in payroll: Tough to drastically cut what barely exists.

No, this time the shake-up will be to transform the Marlins from a power-hitting team whose home runs could not disguise its flaws into one better rooted in pitching, speed and defense.

The transformation might also serve to help limit the payroll increase, much to the delight of the club's cheap ownership, because several players set for big raises in arbitration won't be back. But this time the changes will improve the team.

The biggest surprise in the Marlins finishing 84-77 (a 13-win improvement) is they did it having batters who struck out 171, 138, 122, 119, 116 and 111 times. A seventh hitter -- that's most of the lineup -- also was on pace to top 100 if not injured.

Category 2 hurricanes create less wind than the Marlins did fanning in 2008. Add clunky defense, little speed and an erratic bullpen and 84 wins seems a Biblical miracle.

The record alone, third best in the club's 16 years, might have justified a stand-pat approach. The Marlins, though, unlike the Dolphins, are not retooling from desperation.

The Dolphins began their reconstruction from a cracked foundation of weakness, detonating a 1-15 team bereft of talent. The Marlins are reconfiguring from a position of strength, augmenting what's good, reducing what's bad.

DOUBLE DOWN?

An embarrassing player payroll that hovered just above $20 million this year needs urgent remedy, of course, no matter how the team evolves.

The long-awaited and finally approved new ballpark came with an assurance from owner Jeffrey Loria of greatly increased spending. We look forward to Loria keeping his word, and trust he won't dare wait until 2011, when the new park opens.

It is estimated, with 16 Marlins set for arbitration, that it would take a doubled payroll to keep this '08 team intact. The thing is, that wouldn't be smart.

I don't mean the doubled payroll. That would be.

I mean spending it to keep together the same free-swinging squad that at times played like a Sunday men's softball team, a parade of giant uppercuts aimed at fences.

The Marlins need to swap some power for more of a contact-hitting club that has the speed to manufacture runs when needed.

Second baseman Dan Uggla could be traded in the makeover (call it likely), because he has value, and because the Marlins can do without his 171 strikeouts.

For Uggla they might get in return a solid starting corner outfielder with speed, because chances are slim both Josh Willingham and Jeremy Hermida will return.

Mike Jacobs also is headed for the exit, personifying the type of team Florida wants to stop being: Power, but low average, mega-strikeouts, no speed, bad defense.

To quote Barack Obama and John McCain in a Marlins context: We need change. And change is coming.

Fleet Cameron Maybin seems ready to take over in center, based on his hitting as a late season call-up and the fact he covers almost as much ground as the green grass.

Gaby Sanchez also is ready to burst free of his minor-league shackles and take over for Jacobs at first.

Join the discussion

Note: If this is your first time using our NEW commenting system, you will have to LOG OUT and then LOG BACK IN.

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@