Two and a half years removed from their second World Series Championship in six years, the Florida Marlins conducted their second fire sale in an attempt to rid themselves of several hefty contracts. Gone via trade are Josh Beckett, Carlos Delgado, Mike Lowell, Paul LoDuca, Luis Castillo, Juan Pierre, Guillermo Mota and Ron Villone. Leaving via free agency are A.J. Burnett and Alex Gonzalez. That's six of their eight regular positional players and two of their staff aces.

Remaining are Miguel Cabrera, one of the most talented young sluggers in the game, and Dontrelle Willis, who seems poised to be one of the best pitchers in the game for years to come. Both Cabrera and Willis were midseason call-ups during the 2003 season, and their production was integral to the team's dramatic turnaround that propelled the Marlins to the World Series.

There are going to be some growing pains for the Marlins in 2006, without a doubt. You can't lose that much talent and not suffer a drop-off. However, I don't believe that drop-off will be as great as many are predicting it to be. Cabrera and Willis alone with ensure that, unless one of them, or both, falls to injury.

In most of the trades they made they focused on receiving young pitching in return. A lot of those pitchers will be depended upon in 2006 and beyond, and while they won't all pan out, I like the Marlins directive in stockpiling arms, knowing, or more likely hoping, a few of them will turn out in a few years.

The pitchers acquired include Anibal Sanchez, Yusmeiro Petit, Gaby Hernandez, Jesus Delgado, Harvey Garcia, Travis Bowyer, Scott Tyler, Ben Julianel, Sergio Mitre, Ricky Nolasco and Reynel Pinto. Sanchez, Petit, Mitre, Nolasco and Pinto may all fight for rotation spots this year, while Bowyer and Julianel will likely factor into the bullpen.

The hitters include Hanley Ramirez, Mike Jacobs and Grant Psomas. Ramirez may be the opening day shortstop, while Jacobs seems destined to take over at first base.

And those prospects complement an already strong system. Jeremy Hermida is one of the best prospects in the game, and is the Marlins opening day right-fielder for 2006 and probably at least the next five to six years. He may just give Miguel Cabrera the protection needed for him (or both) to have another big year at the plate, although there may not be many runners on base ahead of them for them to drive in.

Power lefty Scott Olsen is poised to win a spot the rotation, as is control righty Josh Johnson. Left-hander Jason Vargas, whose contributions as a rookie in 2005 are similar to Willis' and Cabrera's in 2003, is already penciled in among the starting five. The lower levels are also full of talent, particularly after having four extra first-round picks a year ago after losing Armando Benitez and Carl Pavano to free agency during last year's offseason (their first-round picks include two 2004 Aflac All-Americans in Chris Volstad and Ryan Tucker). This year they will receive a first-round supplemental pick and an extra third-round pick since Burnett left via free agency, adding more ammunition to their strong player development program.

If you have been reading my column for a while you know that I thought the Marlins would have been much better than what they were last year. Who didn't, really? I think it's safe to say they underachieved mightily, with rumors of clubhouse issues swirling around the team over the final month of the season. Out is Jack McKeon as manager, and in comes hard-nosed former catcher Joe Girardi who likely will instill more discipline and team unity. Pokey Reese was brought in to help groom and lead the infield defensively, and the Marlins hope Joe Borowski will help stabilize the bullpen.

There are still far too many "if's" for the Marlins to overcome this season, but I see their setback being more similar to the Cleveland Indians a few short years ago, who dipped to a 68-94 record in 2003 dealing with life after Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Bartolo Colon. That garnered them the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft, a pick that was used to select one of my favorite prospects of this decade, Jeremy Sowers, who is now poised to join an already deep Cleveland Indians roster. The Marlins 2006 season could be very similar to the Indians 2003 season, and like the Indians then, the Marlins might just be two to three years away from returning to contention.

It's not pretty, but they've done it before, and I give them the benefit of the doubt to be able to do it again. Whether or not they are still the "Florida" Marlins when it happens seems a lot less certain.