Where are the homers?

Thanks to the stellar performance of phenom Jose Fernandez, the Marlins are 2-9 after Saturday night, on a pace to win 31 games for the year. The worst team in baseball history, the '62 Mets, were 1-10 at this point. They won 40 games.

Fernandez, 20, is certainly a huge bright spot in this dismal year – perhaps our only ray of hope – but we grumpy Marlins fans are still seeing glasses that are 90 percent empty.

Note Fernandez has not gotten a win with two stellar performances.

Earl Weaver created his Oriole teams on good starting pitching and three-run homers. The Marlins flat out don't believe in homers. Their two major off-season acquisitions were

– Juan Pierre, who has 17 homers in his 14-year career, including one last year.

– Placido Polanco, who had no homers last year and 32 in 16 years.

What's particularly troubling is that these two play two positions – left field and third base – that are often spots for big power hitters.

Another power hitting position is first base, now occupied by Gregg Dobbs, who had five homers last year.

Question: Is it possible that power hitters cost too much, even in their declining years, for Marlins to afford? Or maybe even to draft? Marlins minor league is filled with weak-hitting outfielders, like Cousins and Petersen.