Another name change is taking place in the Marlins organization this season. Just weeks after the team changed its name to the Miami Marlins their right fielder has announced that he wants to be referred to as Giancarlo Stanton. That's actually not surprising since it is his given name.
A couple years ago in our fantasy draft I called out the name Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton. The reaction was confusion and I clarified by calling out Mike Stanton. He had never played above Double A but had shown he could mash by clubbing 39 home runs at age 18 while at Class A and followed up the next season hitting 12 at Class A advanced and 16 at Double A. I knew I had to have him and secured him at $5 although I was willing to go double that.
He split 2010 between Double A where he had a torrid start and the Marlins where he showed he could hit Major League pitching. That year he hit .313/.442/.729 with 21 home runs, 52 RBI, 42 runs and one steal in 53 games at Double A and hit .259/.326/.507 with 22 home runs, 59 RBI, 45 runs and 5 steals in 100 games with the Marlins. He followed that up with his first full season in 2011 hitting .262/.356/.537 with 34 home runs, 87 RBI, 79 runs and 5 steals in 150 games.
This season he should be batting fourth with Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio and Hanley Ramirez before him. That should increase his RBI output tremendously. While the new stadium will be more pitcher friendly with deeper alleys, the powerful Stanton will still put many offerings over the walls. The legend of Giancarlo has just started to be written.
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