By Jim Callis
August 31, 2003

The Marlins' wild-card hopes took a severe hit when Mike Lowell's left hand was broken by a Hector Almonte pitch on Saturday night. Florida shifted phenom Miguel Cabera from left field to third base to replace Lowell defensively, but that still left a gaping hole in the lineup. The Marlins plugged it Sunday night by acquiring Jeff Conine from the Orioles for two of their best pitching prospects, righthanders Denny Bautista and Don Levinski. Conine will be eligible for postseason play should Florida qualify.

The Marlins paid a stiff price for Conine. Before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers, other teams had been told that both Bautista and Levinski were untouchable.

An original Marlin who spent 1993-97 with Florida, Conine held franchise records for career games, RBIs and total bases until they were surpassed this year. The 37-year-old is a solid hitter with gap power. He makes consistent contact, though he doesn't walk as much as he used to. In 124 games this year, he has hit .290-15-80 with a .338 on-base percentage and .460 slugging percentage. Conine isn't a speedster by any means, yet he's an intelligent baserunner who hasn't been caught in 13 steal attempts over the last two seasons. As a defender, he's average at first base, where he saw most of his time with the Orioles in 2003, and adequate with a decent arm in left field. In five years with Baltimore, Conine played 66 games at third base, but Cabrera is a better option at the hot corner for the Marlins. A two-time all-star and a member of Florida's 1997 World Series champions, Conine is a career .288-176-837 hitter in 1,485 games. He makes $4.25 million this season, and the Marlins reached an undisclosed agreement with him for 2004. Conine's contract had called for a $4.75 million option with a $250,000 buyout for next year.

Bautista, 20, rebounded from a disappointing 2002 to represent the Marlins in the 2003 Futures Game. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in April 2000, he has been mentored by Pedro Martinez. Bautista has an electric arm. He hit 95 mph at the Future Game, and touched 98 for Double-A Carolina. In one start, he reached 96 mph 18 times. Bautista also throws a curveball—he whiffed Cubs prospect David Kelton with one at the Future Game—and a changeup. In 25 starts for high Class A Jupiter and Carolina, Bautista has gone 12-9, 3.41. He has a 138-70 strikeout-walk ratio and .222 opponent average with just seven homers in 137 innings.

Levinski, 20, joined the Marlins in last summer's Cliff Floyd trade with the Expos. Montreal's 2001 second-round pick out of a Texas high school, Levinski didn't pitch after the trade because he had a slight rotator-cuff tear. He missed four weeks early this season with a tender shoulder, and after a strong start at high Class A Jupiter has faded down the stretch while struggling with his command. When everything is working for Levinski, he has a heavy 88-93 mph sinker, power curveball and effective changeup. But he owns just a 4-11, 4.03 record in 21 starts, including a mediocre 77-70 K-BB ratio in 87 innings. Opponents are batting .235 with one homer against him.