Marlins trying to follow Giants' model

SAN FRANCISCO -- The "Giants Way" is a blueprint to what the Marlins are ultimately trying to become.

Like San Francisco, the Marlins play in a pitcher-friendly park that is not conducive for home runs.

The Giants are built around pitching, defense and scrappy hitting.

"I think they have a little bit of everything," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "They may not hit a ton of home runs, but they score a lot of runs. They have a good lineup -- a lineup that makes contact and moves the ball around. They have guys who take their walks and get on base. The middle of their order is very productive, and they pitch."

In terms of belting home runs, the teams are similar. Miami entered Saturday ranked last in the National League with 38, while San Francisco was next to the bottom with 49.

Runs scored is where there is separation.

The Giants are fifth in the National League with 314 runs, compared to the Marlins' 227, last in the Majors.

The youthful Marlins, obviously, have a long way to go to reach the level of consistent winning that the defending World Series champion Giants have enjoyed.

A lack of a power-packed lineup, coupled with playing in a spacious stadium, increases the importance of pitching.

"We're always going to have to pitch," Redmond said. "And we're always going to have to play defense. Those are things that have made us successful in the past, although we've had great offensive players here.

"The key is going to be the defense and the pitching. If we're really good in those two areas, we'll be able to find ways to score enough runs to win ballgames."