Can the Marlins handle the pressure?

The Florida Marlins really have three kinds of pressure on them. Since they are within shouting distance of the National League Wild Card there is the pressure of the playoff race. Since they are getting a new stadium built largely with public funds there is the pressure to perform to make the city’s investment in the club worthwhile, and finally there is the pressure of being one of the most successful expansion team in history, not just in MLB, but in the entire sports world.

This combined pressure may be starting to get to this team. Wednesday night their two star sluggers, Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez got into a heated exchange in the clubhouse that led to the team holding a closed door meeting to get the situation sorted out. Uggla was mainly upset with Ramirez for coming out of the game with an injury and accused Ramirez with a lack of effort, and for having no desire to win.

While The Marlins have faded a bit in the chase for the NL Wild Card they are still very much in it. Currently they are 4.5 games back of the Colorado Rockies for the Wild Card birth. Sitting fourth in the wild card standings 3.5 behind San Francisco and 1 back of the Atlanta Braves the Marlins do face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs.

However looking at their remaining games they have a very good chance of getting back into it. They have four games left against Atlanta so that spot could easily be made up. their remaining schedule is against much of the hapless NL teams. Six games with the Washington Nationals, six with the Mets, and four with the Cincinnati Reds. Of course they do have one series left with both the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.