Crunch Time for Marlins

After a 4-5 road trip out to the west coast, the Marlins come home to find themselves in a unique position. The Fish are just one game out of first place in the division and have the opportunity to seize control on this homestand.

First, the biggest news is the return of Josh Willingham, who, prior to being placed on the DL, was hitting a ridiculous .341/.406/.637 with 6 homers and 16 RBI in the month of April. The Hammer missed the entire month of May and most of June with a strained back, but will make his return at Joe Robbie Stadium tonight against the Rays. Willingham is one of the elite cleanup hitters in the game and his return will be a tremendous boost to the team, even if he takes a few weeks to readjust to Major League pitching.

In the next week, the Marlins will face the Rays, Dbacks, and Nationals, a stretch that could mean a lot for this season's hopes. If the Fish can have a winning homestand and seize first place heading into the All-Star break, it could set the tone for a playoff run in the second half. Further, it could mean the stingy front office may become very active in the trade market, going after the pitching help this team needs. If they fizzle at home, however, it may set up a second-half slide that takes them out of contention.

These aren't your daddy's Devil Rays, as Tampa Bay comes in as one of the best teams in the AL. The Rays took two of three in last week's series in Tampa, but they're just as good of a team on the road. The pitching matchups certainly favor the Rays, with an edge to the Fish in Olsen/Sonnanstine, and the edge to Tampa in Tucker/Shields and Marky Mark Hendrickson/Garza. I look for the teams to split the first two games, and then the Fish to seize the finale in a slugfest.

Arizona has cooled off considerably from the beginning of the season, when they were the hottest team in baseball. However, back in May, the Fish swept the Dbacks, so maybe they should get hot again before visiting. The Fish will likely catch Webb and Haren in this series, so it will be a tough one. But we beat them both last month, so who knows. Winning two out of three isn't out of the question.

I can't see why the Marlins won't win the series against Washington, so that should create some momentum as they head out west again for a long road trip ending at the All-Star break. The Fish have a pair of four-game tilts in Colorado and LA, with a three-game series against San Diego in the middle. These three NL West teams are on the ropes, so to speak, so a successful road trip to end the first half could be a huge boost for the Fish.

The return of the Hammer should be a boost in both offense and morale for the Marlins, who can prove what they are made of on this week's homestand.