Straily believes in team’s direction
Pitcher saw Cubs, Astros rebuilds that led to titles
JUPITER — Pitcher Dan Straily stood in the Miami Marlins’ clubhouse Friday, his first day in spring training with the team, surrounded by a bunch of new faces — a bunch of strangers — and was excited about what that meant.
This, Straily believes, is the start of something. He was relieved not to be traded this offseason as the Marlins began a rebuild with a major roster revamping, and he is hoping he won’t be traded moving forward.
“I want to be here,” said Straily, a primary contender to be the Marlins’ Opening Day starter. “I want to win here. I want to grow as an organization here.”
With recent months marked by disgruntled players — Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich getting traded after asking to be, J.T. Realmuto making public his preference for the same — Straily is going against that grain. He’s happy to be with Miami, set to spend consecutive seasons with the same team for the first time since 2012-14 with Oakland. And he’s looking forward to being a mentor for the younger players acquired over the offseason. As for those who forced their way out? “I’m glad they’re gone,” Straily said. “If
“I’m glad they’re gone. If they don’t want to be here, then good for them.” Dan Straily, Marlins pitcher
they don’t want to be here, then good for them. They can continue their career elsewhere.”
Straily’s mindset stems from understanding the logic behind the Marlins’ big-picture direction. He knows why the Marlins’ decision-makers, led now by CEO Derek Jeter and chairman Bruce Sherman, opted for this path.
The Marlins were a losing team in 2017, just like they were for the seven seasons prior. The rotation was one of the worst in baseball.
“As a unit our downfall last year was in our starting rotation. There’s no hiding that,” said Straily, who with a 4.26 ERA and 1.30 WHIP led the team with 33 starts. “We did not excel as a group. And it doesn’t matter what any individual or two or three individuals do. It takes five guys to go out there and take ownership.”
Part of Straily’s willingness to endure a rebuild comes from his experiences in Chicago and Houston. He spent the second half of 2014 with the Cubs, two years before they won the World Series, capping a half-decade rebuild process. He spent all of 2015 in the Astros’ organization, two years before they won the World Series, capping a rebuild process that was even longer.
Straily watched from afar as players who were there from the beginning — like Anthony Rizzo in Chicago, Dallas Keuchel and Jose Altuve in Houston — won it all. It’s always sweet to win, but winning like that is a little sweeter.
To be a long-term building block like that, Straily said, is the goal.
“Obviously, you want your players to feel that way,” manager Don Mattingly said. “You want people that are here to build a championship mentality, and a championship model that the people of South Florida are going to be proud of.”
Straily made a point to say, hey, don’t rule out this year’s Marlins. He used the 2013 Athletics, who made it to the playoffs using four starters including Straily in their age-26 season or
younger, as an example of a team that can surprise.
“I don’t think it’s a race to the bottom,” Straily said. “No one who comes through this room will be happily willing to lose a baseball game.”
But he also knows it’s a process. The Cubs lost 101 games in Theo Epstein’s first year in charge. The Astros lost more than 100 games three seasons in a row.
For the Marlins, however long it takes, it starts now.
“Guys are going to show up and they’re going to play well, or [the front office is] going to find someone who will,” Straily said. “And they’re going to keep doing that and keep doing that and keep doing that. That’s what a rebuild is. You’re finding your guys that are here to succeed, who are going to help your team succeed.
“We don’t know if that group is in here right now. We have no idea. That’s why we’re going to get ready, that’s why we’re going to go out there and play this season. That’s how these great stories are written.”
Straily loses in arbitration
Straily lost to the Marlins in salary arbitration in a decision announced Friday, so he’ll make $3.375 million in 2018, as opposed to the $3.55 he requested.
The hearing was in Phoenix on Thursday, the reason Straily wasn’t with the team for the first two official days of spring training. He took a physical and got his work in Wednesday morning before taking off.
Injury report
Catcher Sharif Othman, a non-roster invitee, dislocated his left shoulder while catching a bullpen session Friday morning.