The Marlins gave 28-year old righty starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco a very generous 3-year, $26.5 million dollar deal over the winter, but he hasn’t come through this year for the Fish. In his last 7 starts (August + September), Nolasco is 2-3 with a 6.02 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He has pitched in 30 games (all starts) for the Marlins so far this year and he is 10-10 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Nolasco has now pitched in 161 games (145 starts) in his first six years with the Marlins and he is 64-49 with a 4.44 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Marlins need Nolasco to finish this year strongly and to pitch better in 2012 and 2013.

31-year old righty starting pitcher Clay Hensley has been awful for the Marlins so far in August. Hensley has started 5 games in August and he is 0-2 with a 9.87 ERA and a 2.02 WHIP. He has given up 26 hits in 17 1/3 innings in August while also walking 9 batters! The Marlins need to put him back in the bullpen where he only has to face batters one time, because his stuff just isn’t good enough to start. Hensley has pitched in 28 games (8 starts) overall this year and he is 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

The Marlins have sent 24-year old righty starting pitcher Chris Volstad to AAA. Volstad has started 20 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 5-8 with a 5.58 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. He has given up 134 hits in his first 111 1/3 innings for the Marlins this year so he wasn’t missing many bats. Volstad has now pitched in 94 games (93 starts) in his first four years with the Marlins and he is 32-34 with a 4.71 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. The Marlins will likely call up 21-year old lefty starter Brad Hand to replace Volstad in the starting rotation. Hand has started 5 games for the Marlins so far this year and he is 1-3 with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

34-year old righty starting pitcher Javier Vazquez is a favorite of Marlins’ owner Jeff Loria as they were together in Montreal when he owned the Expos. That might not be able to save Vazquez’ job unless he starts to right the ship soon. Vazquez has pitched in 8 games (all starts) for the Marlins so far this year and he is 2-4 with a 7.55 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. He has given up 51 hits while walking 24 batters in his first 39 1/3 innings which is pretty awful. The big problem I see with Vazquez is his lack of velocity which has resulted in him having only 20 whiffs so far this year. The Marlins can’t keep running Vazquez out to the mound to start games if he’s going to keep pitching like he is right now, period!

Starter Javier Vazquez and reliever Ryan Webb got their lunches handed to them by the Mets over the weekend. Vazquez pitched 2 1/3 innings in which he gave up six hits (2 homers) and he walked 5 batters as he allowed 4 earned runs and took the loss. Ryan Webb wasn’t much better in the two games he worked in as he gave up 4 hits and 3 earned runs in only 1 inning pitched. Webb also took one of the losses for the Marlins. Vazquez & Webb are much better than they showed over the weekend, so I look for them both to be much better the next time out.