In wrapping up the Marlins season, I probably should start with what most thought would be their strength, but in the end was a downfall: the starting rotation. The workhorse of the group, Josh Johnson was the only one in the rotation who had a consistent and tremendous season. JJ made the All-Star team for the first time in his career, finished up the season with a 15-5 record and an ERA of 3.08. Not to mention he achieved his goals of staying healthy and pitching at least 200 innings for the first time since returning from Tommy John Surgery last season.

Though even with the star players, there’s always room for improvement. JJ said he wants to build on the 2009 season; he realizes they “babied” him a bit, but that was expected and understood. JJ recognizes this was the most number of innings he’s ever pitched, but for 2010 he wants to keep up his level of aggression, hold runners better and continue pitching to contact even late in the season.

He felt he slacked off in these categories as the season concluded, but that was due to fatigue at times. The bullpen became accustom to a day of rest whenever JJ was on the mound, especially in the beginning of the season, but next season he said he wants to continue to go deep into games through September. He’s young, and just rebounded from a nightmare of a surgery for a pitcher, so in all I’d say this young star is on the right track. Let’s just hope the Marlins really appreciate what they have and lock him up to a long-term deal in the near future. I doubt I’m the only one who feels JJ should throw at the first pitch in the new ballpark come 2012.

The player who was given the ball on opening day after an outstanding 2008 season struggled a little off the bat. Ricky Nolasco rebounded and finished up the season with a 13-9 record and 5.06 ERA. Expectations were high for him, internal and external pressure coming into 2009, that can really affect a player, and inevitably his struggles led the Marlins to send him to Triple-A New Orleans at the end of May for a short time.

Details of what happened in New Orleans don’t really matter, what’s important is how he bounced back when he was recalled. His season culminated in Atlanta with one of the best performances anyone has seen in some time, and to that I must note some of the records he broke that day: at one point he struck out nine in a row, which was one shy of Tom Seaver’s 39-year-old ML record. Plus he was only the fourth pitcher in MLB history to record at least nine strikeouts in a row. He lasted 7 2/3 innings, during which he struck out 16, which set a new franchise record, and was the most in the majors this season – Zack Greinke and Tim Lincecum each reached 15.

For Ricky though, he personally didn’t achieve his 2009 goals, which is understandable; he wanted to pitch at least 220 or 230 innings and notch 15 or more wins (had 15 in 2008). He said he’d just take this season as a learning lesson, saying it builds character to be able to turn around a season the way he did. Ricky hopes to be with the Marlins for all of the 2010 season and achieve the goals he didn’t reach in 2009. I second that and I’m sure the Marlins will take note of his performance as he heads into arbitration in the offseason. He and JJ could receive a combined $8 million through arbitration.

That brings us to Chris Volstad who seemed to have regressed since 2008 rather than progressed. Most notably in 2008 he gave up only three home runs, and this past season an absurdly high total of 29. The Marlins stuck with him through most of his ups and downs throughout the season though until the end. Volstad didn’t have an awful year, but expectations were higher for him after 2008.

Just like Ricky, Volstad didn’t achieve some of his goals such as remaining with the Marlins for the whole season and recording 10 or more wins. He does realize that he needs to be more consistent, saying that his mechanics were a bit off and he “wasn’t really being himself.” Next season he said he wants to find a middle ground, giving up three home runs isn’t him, nor is 29. Says he needs to keep the ball down and it should even out, and on top of hopefully notching 10 wins in 2010, he definitely wants to go deeper into games.

Now the next two spots in the rotation were like revolving doors with a mixture of Andrew Miller, Anibal Sanchez, Sean West and Rick VandenHurk mostly.

If you think Volstad didn’t live up to expectations this season, well Andrew Miller has yet to live up to expectations for him with the Marlins organization. His personal goals this season were to make all of his starts, but he didn’t achieve this due to injury or just bad pitching he admitted. Next year he hopes to find consistency; he knows he can be successful he told me, but just needs to figure out how to do it all the time. He will work on his delivery and get some extra innings of practice in the Arizona Fall League this offseason.

Rookie Sean West was called upon first when Ricky was sent down to adjust in May. He went up and down a bit between the majors and minors, pitching about 170 innings between the two, and in all pitched well making a name for him. His personal goal for the 2010 season is to get in better shape while retreating to California in the offseason for more intense workouts. He said he’ll carry confidence into the offseason, and of course he would like to make the starting rotation come opening day in 2010.

Anibal Sanchez was a disappointment due to injury early in the season, which kept him out of the rotation until late in the season. When he finally came back into the rotation it was a bit rocky, but his good days were very impressive circa 2007. In reference to his injury, he said he will need to condition better in the offseason in order to achieve a goal of his for 2010: stay healthy all season long.

Rick VandenHurk earned another chance in the starting rotation late in the season when Volstad struggled, and proved that he can pitch consistently in the Bigs. He had tremendous numbers in September, not necessarily his stats, however the team did very well when he was on the mound. For 2010 he wants to stay healthy as well, and would like to be on the mound every five days. Something he said he wants to improve is throwing off-speed pitches for strikes, consistent successful delivery, and will improve on this by taking notes from the veteran pitchers around him.