Marlins’ ‘familiarity’ won’t equal ‘comfort’
Things are a lot more familiar for Skip Schumaker than they were this time a year ago.
Last February, Schumaker was walking onto the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex as a first-time manager for the Miami Marlins. He spent his share of time getting his bearings straight, learning the roster and trying to implement a winning mentality into a franchise for which success has almost always been fleeting the few times it has surfaced.
When the Marlins hold their first official workout in Jupiter on Thursday to start their six-week preparation for the 2024 season, Schumaker will be in a better position than he was 12 months ago. The Marlins are coming off their first postseason appearance in a full season since winning the World Series in 2003. They return the majority of their roster from that team, a group that knows Schumaker’s expectations and has the belief that it can build on what it has already accomplished.
And if Schumaker has anything to say about it, the group will still come into camp with a chip on its shoulder and an understanding that it can’t just expect that what happened last year will happen again.
“I don’t believe in comfort. I think comfort’s death. I just don’t like that word,” Schumaker said. “I’ve always played or managed feeling like I’m on one-year contracts or deals. That’s just how I’ve been wired. I think if anybody’s comfortable walking in that clubhouse, that’s just not the standard or culture that we’ve set. Everybody’s going in trying to make a team.
“The relationships are better, for sure,” Schumaker continued. “You’re not really building many relationships like we were in spring training — that was a lot last year, for sure, trying to meet people and not say their name and ask their name again the third day in or whatever. But I think as far as like our culture and how that was kind of set last year, I think that part is more comfortable, if you want to go with that.”
Here’s a closer look at the team heading into spring training:
REPLACING MISSING PIECES
The Marlins, while nearly identical to the team they had at the end of last season, will be without two key players in 2024: Ace Sandy Alcantara and slugger Jorge Soler. Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, will not pitch in 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October. Soler, who hit a team-high 36 of Miami’s 166 home runs, signed a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants.
Catcher Jacob Stallings was also non-tendered in November and has since signed with the Colorado Rockies.
So how do the Marlins replace their production? It will be a by-committee approach on both fronts.
With Alcantara out, the Marlins will look to lefthanded pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett to build on their breakout 2023 seasons. Eury Perez, Miami’s ballyhooed 20-year-old pitcher, will have a little more freedom to pitch deeper into games in his first full MLB season after the Marlins kept him on an innings count his rookie year. Edward Cabrera and Trevor Rogers round out the expected rotation, with Max Meyer (returning from Tommy John surgery) and Ryan Weathers also options.
Miami also returns all four of their primary highleverage relievers from 2023 — Tanner Scott, Andrew Nardi, A.J. Puk and JT Chargois — plus get Anthony Bender back after he missed the 2023 season.
As for the offense, Miami will have a full season of first baseman Josh Bell and third baseman Jake Burger, who combined to hit 20 home runs and post a .286 batting average over the final two months of the season after being acquired at the trade deadline.
Luis Arraez, who won batting titles each of the past two seasons, will continue to be the tablesetter of Miami’s lineup. Jazz Chisholm Jr., who hit 19 home runs and stole 22 bases in 97 games, continues to be a breakout waiting to happen if he can stay healthy.
The Marlins are also hoping to see outfielders Jesus Sanchez and Bryan De La Cruz take another step forward on offense and have added versatile bench options in Nick Gordon and Vidal Brujan.
Nick Fortes and Christian Bethancourt will handle catching duties, although the team did sign veteran Curt Casali to a minor-league deal.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Who will be the Marlins’
shortstop? If the season started today, Jon Berti would most likely get the nod, although Xavier Edwards, Vidal Brujan and Jacob Amaya will have a chance to make their case during camp as well.
A non-roster invitee to watch: Trey Mancini. The Marlins don’t have a true backup first baseman and the 31-year-old still has power potential despite struggling the past year and a half.
Top prospects at camp: Eleven of the Marlins’ top-30 prospects according to Baseball America will be at bigleague camp: Meyer (No. 2), Edwards (No. 5), outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. (No. 6), infielder Jacob Berry (No. 10), Amaya (No. 11), outfielder Dane Myers (No. 15), catcher Will Banfield (No. 16), infielder Javier Sanoja (No. 17), first baseman Troy Johnston (No. 18), right-handed pitcher Anthony Maldonado (No. 22) and left-handed pitcher Patrick Monteverde (No. 24).
KEY DATES
Thursday: First pitchers and catchers workout
I’VE ALWAYS PLAYED OR MANAGED FEELING LIKE I’M ON ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS OR DEALS . ... I THINK IF ANYBODY’S COMFORTABLE WALKING IN THAT CLUBHOUSE, THAT’S JUST NOT THE STANDARD OR CULTURE THAT WE’VE SET. EVERYBODY’S GOING IN TRYING TO MAKE A TEAM. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker
Tuesday: First fullsquad workout
Feb. 24: First spring game (1:05 p.m. against the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter)
March 15: Spring breakout — top Marlins prospects against top Cardinals prospects (2:05 p.m., prior to 6:05 game between Marlins and Cardinals)
March 24: Final spring training game (against New York Mets in Jupiter)
March 28: Opening Day against the Pittsburgh Pirates