And naturally, who that someone is, has yet to be determined.
---
Willis still took the ball 35 times and totaled 205 innings.
Barring any unexpected personnel moves, the Marlins will open the season without a starter that's eclipsed the 200-inning plateau.
"I don't think any one person is going to account for 'Trelle being gone," left-hander Scott Olsen said. "If five guys collectively can pull through and get a little bit extra, I don't think it's going to be a problem at all."
Maybe Olsen is correct that it won't be a problem, if the starters can go an extra inning or two per start. And if the Marlins improve on defense that would really help the cause
Hopefully, the Marlins won't use Hernandez or Volstad as the fifth starter coming out of spring training. Both of them have potentially good careers ahead of them as major league pitchers, but they would be better served, career-wise, to stay in the minors. At least, initially.
The most likely candidate to makeup the loss in innings is Mark Hendrickson.
"When Joe Maddon came into Tampa he told the starters, 'You're going deep in to games,'" said Hendrickson, who through 13 starts in 2006 was on pace for a 200-inning season before the Rays traded him to the Dodgers. "I had a couple of complete games and once you get that feeling, you want to do it every time."
I doubt Mitre will be able to throw much over 170 innings, if that. Olsen could get near the 200 innings mark if the defense will support him. For Hendrickson, it is the same. As long as he doesn't have to make extra pitches due to defensive errors, he may be fine at eating innings.
The key is someone or the combination of the three needs to step up and take some of the pressure off the bullpen.