Marlins Acquire Rhodes, Become Worse Team

The Florida Marlins were on the verge of acquiring future Hall of Fame outfielder Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox before Thursday's trade deadline, but Ramirez ended up with the Dodgers instead. As a consolation prize, the Marlins traded for journeyman reliever, and former Phillies, Arthur Rhodes, from the Seattle Mariners for minor league pitcher Gaby Hernandez. Not only did the Marlins not get better by getting Manny, but they actually got worse by acquiring Rhodes. Most Phillies' fans look back on the year Rhodes spent in Philadelphia with mild disgust. Rhodes went 0-5 with a 5.32 ERA and three blown saves. Rhodes was just another in a long line of Roberto Hernandez's, Antonio Alfonseca's, and Jose Mesa's (although, admittedly, I had a secret crush on Mesa for his blue and red gloves and his english name, Joe Table), veteran journeyman relievers that were supposed to come here and provide some stability and veteran leadership in the bullpen. Instead they came and just plain stunk. Miraculously, after undergoing Tommy John Surgery last year, Rhodes returned for his 17th major league season and is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 22 innings. But that was with Seattle, where it didn't matter because they are the only team currently competing with the Washington Nationals for the Worst Team In The Majors Award. Now Rhodes is in a pressure situation, with the Marlins just one and a half games back of the Phillies, who are in first place in the National League East, a game ahead of the New York Mets. Rhodes is going to be expected to pitch well, like he was expected to in 2006, and we all remember how that went. Way to go Marlins, way to go.