Red-hot Mike Stanton leads all professional baseball with 15 HR’s, but when will the Florida Marlins call him up?

Jim Bowden talking on FOX Sports Radio, said on Sunday afternoon, that Stephen Strasburg with the Washington Nationals farm system and former Greensboro Grasshopper Mike Stanton with the Florida Marlins Double A Jacksonville Suns, both need to be on the Major League rosters right now….”Why are they wasting this talent down on the farm, said Bowden”?????

Is Mike Staton ready now or will the Marlins wait until late May or early June to bring Mike to the majors? Why not go ahead and let Staton get a full-time taste of MLB pitching now? What difference will the wait make?????

Here is what Mike Staton is currently up to with his .340 average, 15 HR’s and 33 RBI’s…

Mike Stanton broke a 2-2 tie with his Minor League-leading 15th home run Monday to help the Double-A Jacksonville Suns past the Birmingham Barons, 7-3.
Stanton took a 1-1 pitch from Rich Brooks over the right-field wall, also plating Osvaldo(Ozzie) Martinez to give the Marlins affiliate a 4-2 edge. The 20-year-old walked twice and is batting .340 this season.

Florida’s top prospect has been under increasing speculation surrounding a potential promotion. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reported earlier Monday that a source close to the organization said Stanton “will go from Double-A directly to the big leagues” when the team feels he’s ready.

WASHINGTON — The legend of Mike Stanton builds with each passing day.

Not only does the Marlins prospect pace all of baseball with 15 home runs. It’s where the 20-year-old slugger is hitting the ball that has the organization in awe.

For Double-A Jacksonville on Thursday night, Stanton belted his most monstrous home run to date. No. 14 came at Montgomery, and the ball cleared the scoreboard in center field.

Estimates are the ball was anywhere from 500-550 feet.

Reliever Dan Meyer, on the disabled list, is throwing rehab assignments for Jacksonville. Meyer called Marlins ace Josh Johnson and told him it was the farthest ball he’s ever seen hit.

Heading into last Friday, Stanton had 100 at-bats at Double-A. Along with his 14 homers, he has eight doubles. So 20 of his 34 hits had been for extra bases. His batting average is .340, and he has an .840 slugging percentage.

The question remains: What’s next? Will the Marlins promote him to Triple-A or the big leagues? Barring a change in thinking, the team is leaning toward bringing him up to the Marlins sometime in late May or early June.

CHICAGO — A major reason why Mike Stanton opened the season with the Jacksonville Suns is because the organization wanted him to accomplish hitting against Double-A pitching.

Without question, the 20-year-old slugger is doing that. The major question confronting the franchise now is when to promote him to the big leagues?

Stanton is making a statement that he is either ready now or very soon. In his first 100 at-bats at Jacksonville, the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder is batting .340, and he’s belted 14 home runs and knocked in 31 runs.

Stanton’s astounding success has raised speculation about where he will wind up next? According to an MLB source, the power-hitting outfielder will remain just where he is — at least until late May or early June.

The source noted it is unlikely Stanton will be promoted to Triple-A New Orleans. When he moves up, it will likely be the big leagues.

“He is comfortable where he is, and most likely he will go from Double-A directly to the big leagues,” the source said.

A few days ago in Washington, team owner Jeffrey Loria confirmed the organization was considering a leap to Triple-A. The owner added that there is no immediate timetable to promote Stanton to the big leagues.

“When he’s ready, he will be here,” Loria told reporters. “The baseball people will decide. When he comes here, we don’t want him to fail. He will probably be here this summer.”

Even though the Marlins have been struggling at the plate lately, the organization still is leaning against bringing Stanton up before the end of May or early June.

There are some business reasons for waiting until that time line, or after a player no longer qualifies as a Super Two in the arbitration process.

*****Above reference info from Florida Marlins team site at www.mlb.com.*****