The D’backs travel to Miami to face the listless Marlins, a team tied for the worst record in the majors at 11-30 and are on a five-game losing streak.

After a fire sale in the offseason, only Giancarlo Stanton remained a legitimate above-average regular. And he’s hurt.

The Marlins are dead last in the majors in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. In their last game, against the Reds on May 16, the Marlins trotted out a lineup featuring Juan Pierre in the leadoff spot, Adeiny Hechavarria in the two hole, Derek Dietrich, and his six career games in the majors, in the third spot and Marcell Ozuna, and his 15 games in the majors, hitting clean up. It’s a very bad, no good, dirty, rotten lineup.

On the flip side, the Snakes are playing very well right now. Coming off a series win against the talented Braves, and winning seven of their last 10, the D’backs should get off to a good start on their six game road trip through Miami and Denver.

Game 1 (Friday): Trevor Cahill (2-4, 2.70 ERA) vs. Kevin Slowey (1-3, 2.55 ERA)

Slowey has been a bright spot for the Marlins this season. He was brilliant in April, compiling a 2.15 ERA. He kept opponents off the base paths, only walking six in 37.2 innings of work, and limited the home runs, only three in 138 at bats. In his first start in May, he finally earned his first win of the season, throwing seven shut out inning against the Phillies. However, in his next outing, his last, Slowey was pounded. On May 11 against the Dodgers, Slowey gave up five runs and 11 hits in only 4.2 innings. Will he bounce back or will the regression continue?

Despite having issues with control in his last outing, walking four in five innings, Cahill limited the damage to one run, yet still received the loss against the Phils on May 11. Cahill is quietly chugging along with his 2.70 ERA. He may be getting a tad lucky with home runs but not much. He’s becoming the pitcher the D’backs were expecting when they traded for him before last season.

Game 2 (Saturday): Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 5.63) vs. Tom Koehler (0-1, 3.31)

Koehler will be making his second start for the Marlins this season. He’s pitched in seven games this season, but only in his last appearance, on May 12 against the Dodgers, did he start. He went five innings, gave up two runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out one. On the season, he has 10 strike outs and seven walks in 16.1 innings of work. McCarthy was brilliant, finally, in his last outing, shutting out the Phillies on May 12 for eight innings. He struck out five, walked none and only allowed seven hits. Unfortunately, the bullpen blew the lead in the ninth and McCarthy received a no decision. Still, in his last three games, McCarthy has a 3.10 ERA and has struck out 14 and only walked two in 20.1 innings.

 Game 3 (Sunday): Wade Miley (3-2, 3.75) vs. Ricky Nolasco (2-5, 4.39)

In his last start, Nolasco was touched up for six runs in five innings against the Reds on May 14. Nolasco has been up and down all season, four quality starts but also three outings where gave up four runs or more. Despite his home field being a pitcher’s haven, Nolasco has actually been his worst at home. He owns a 5.25 ERA in four games, going 1-2 in the process.

Miley may be showing some flaws after continuing his dominant 2012 into April 2013. But now, he’s had three bad outings in his last four, struggling with command in those bad outings. He walked 12 in 14.1 innings. In his last start, he gave up six earned in five innings and received the loss on May 13 against the Braves.

 The D’backs and Marlins are squaring off for the first time in 2013. The D’backs came out on top in 2012, going 5-3 against the fish, outscoring them 38-32.

Opening Night 2013.

This organization makes me sad because this is a “professional” baseball team and they are struggling to put 500 people in the stands for a game. It’s sad to see this type of thing happening in baseball. I have been to one Marlins game in my life and it was at the old stadium (whatever it was named that particular week). Barry Bonds was chasing the home run record and you could hardly get a ticket to see the Giants that year. I remember there was probably about 7,000 people at the game in Miami against San Francisco. I thought it was so weird that nobody came to this game to see Barry try to chase the record. Also, it was 70′s night at the ballpark, so a lot of people missed out on an enjoyable night. The Marlins have pretty much given up, in all aspects of the word. It is sad that professional athletes are playing in front of nobody. As a baseball fan, it hurts to see this occurring. All jokes aside, I really feel bad for these players. Even if they are a bunch of AAA guys, this is probably not how they envisioned their major league careers.

This organization makes me mad for a lot of reasons. First of all, if I lived even remotely close to South Florida, I would be at most of the Marlins games. I’m such a baseball nerd that I don’t care if a team is bad or the owner has forgotten he owns the team, I just love watching baseball. It makes me mad that people in Miami don’t even want to watch the sport anymore. I’ve spent 20 years of my life in Colorado, so I know a thing or two about horrible baseball teams. The organization is actually giving away tickets now. The most recent deal at Marlins Ballpark is “4 free tickets for all FAU students.” Seriously? All you have to do is be in college and you get four tickets to a major league baseball game. I’m sold! The team has also been forced to close the upper deck of the stadium during weekday games. I can’t even think of a time when an entire upper deck was empty at a professional sporting event. It just makes me angry that this extravagant ballpark is going to waste because nobody, not even the owners want to buy into this organization.

Let’s be honest, the Marlins are probably one of the most embarrassing organizations in sports. I think Miami is actually worse than their 11-29 record says. We had a joke at the radio station I work at in Alabama and if anyone could name the Marlins starting lineup, you’d win a prize. Needless to say, nobody won the prize…I feel like Morris Buttermaker should be the manager of this team because everything just kind of seems like a joke. From the goofy fish statue in center, to the off-putting neon green surrounding the ballpark, nothing “works.” Also, the stadium is just too damn big. If the team wanted to get a couple more people in the seats, they should have made the fence 300 feet all the way around so the 48 people in attendance would at least get to see a high-scoring game. But instead, the fences are high and very far away, which doesn’t really appeal to the casual baseball fan.

Pick a seat, any seat.

Players, fans, and the front office have all seemingly given up. The next to go is the PR staff at the ballpark, and they are all hanging by a thread. I’m not really sure what steps can be taken to make this organization realize what they are doing to themselves, and the game of baseball. All I know is that if nothing changes, the fish will continue to be the punching bag of the league.

Follow @venomstrikes on the Twitter for news and updates.