Marlins Season Projections from Opening Day

The history books will show that more than 30,000 people attended the season opener yesterday, but those of us who watched the game on TV (or saw the highlights above) saw a lot of empty seats in the background every time the Marlins scored. And they scored often.

Fantasy beast Hanley Ramirez did not disappoint--unless you expect more than a grand slam and five RBI every game. If he keeps this pace, he will finish the season with 162 HRs (all grand slams) and 810 RBI, making it the greatest season in the history of sports.

The man who stole the show yesterday, however, was one Emilio Bonafacio. In his first game with the team, the speedster went 4-for-5, scored four times, stole three bases, and had two RBI. Oh, and he had the first opening day inside-the-park homerun in 41 years. (The last man to do it was Carl Yastrzemski in 1968.) If Bonafacio keeps this pace, he will bat .800 this season and steal 486 bases.

Also, the team will win every game, and score 1944 runs, by far the most by any team in a season.

Yes, opening day projections are silly and fun. So let's not think about what all those empty seats will project out to over the entire season.