Putting it together
Starlin Castro ready to help rebuild Marlins.
JUPITER — Starlin Castro has been through a laborious rebuilding process in Chicago and all the losing that goes with it.
As an eight-year veteran he had no interest in reliving the growing pains with the Marlins. So when the Giancarlo Stanton trade included him as the only player with minor league experience going from the New York Yankees to Miami, Castro’s desire to go elsewhere was understandable.
Now in the final weeks of spring training, those feelings have softened, at least publicly. Not only has Starlin the Marlin not been a malcontent in the clubhouse, he has been an upbeat professional presence while settling in as the regular second baseman.
“It was kind of tough in the beginning,” Castro said Sunday when his former team visited Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. “When I got traded, it was really sad for me, but after that, that’s one of the things we can’t control. I can’t con- trol those trades.”
“I feel good now,” he continued. “That’s nothing new for me, being on a team that’s growing up.”
Castro spent five losing seasons
with the Cubs before going to the playoffs with them in 2015. But he was traded before their run to the championship the next year.
After falling one win short of the World Series with the Yankees last season, he couldn’t help feeling wistful facing them Sunday. He took catcher Gary Sanchez and three other young Yankees players out to dinner the night before.
“I think the last two years I spent with the Yankees, it was a really good experience, a really good thing,” he said. “They’re a really good team, a winning team, with a lot of good guys on it. I think they are ready to take off.”
With Miami, he finds himself on a team in transition with a number of positions and jobs on the pitching staff still up for grabs.
Manager Don Mattingly has experimented with all sorts of batting order configurations. The one constant has been Castro batting third.
“My thinking is a lot like with Christian [Yelich] — guys that can really hit,” Mattingly said. “He hits lefties, righties — a guy that can get on base but can also drive in a run. Not a 30-home run guy, probably, but a guy that will hit 15 to 20 and can get his hits all over the field.”
Castro is batting .303 with one homer after 13 spring games. He tripled against the Yankees and had a double Tuesday against Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez.
“That guy has been hitting all of his career,” Marlins third baseman Martin Prado said. “He’s just confident, professional, a really good hitter.”
Hitting in the third spot could put Castro in position to better his career high of 78 RBI in 2012. There is a strong possibility, though, that he won’t finish the season in Miami.
Due to make $10.86 million on a budget-minded team, the Marlins would be open to trade overtures if a contender calls with a need for a veteran second baseman.
Nonetheless, Castro said he has been impressed by his new teammates, though he didn’t know many of them when he arrived.
“What I saw the first week of spring training, and I see it now, I think we have a lot of young guys that have a lot of tools. And they’re ready to play,” he said.
As for his own uncertain future, Castro said, “Everybody knows it’s a business. We’re here today, and tomorrow we don’t know where we’re going to be.”
Mattingly said, “I think Starlin got around our guys, got around what we’re doing and has been a leader for our young guys.”
Realmuto sore
Catcher J.T. Realmuto, who left Sunday’s game with a lower back bruise after being picked off second base, won’t return to the lineup until soreness subsides.
“Confident that he’ll be ready Opening Day,” Mattingly said. “I don’t think it’s anything serious; they’ve already ruled that out.”
Realmuto was hurt when he got tangled with Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres while trying to get back to the base. It was his first game after missing two with a bruised knee.
Mattingly expects Realmuto to have enough time to get ready for the March 29 opener against the Cubs.
“I don’t really worry about J.T. from the standpoint of him being ready to go. Unless this thing would linger a week or 10 days, then it would be different,” Mattingly said.