Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
It’s Opening Day!
Marlins host the Cubs to start the 2018 season.
The Marlins will celebrate their 25th anniversary by wearing a special patch all season and throwback teal uniforms for one series.
That’s a tip of the cap to the past. In a more real sense, by the makeup and direction of the team, this could feel much like the 1993 inaugural season.
“I truly look at this almost as an expansion franchise at this point,” Marlins manager Don said during spring training.
The franchise has rebooted yet again under new ownership. The new regime, from CEO Derek Jeter and principal owner Bruce Sherman on down, knows that trading away the Marlins biggest stars — Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon — wasn’t popular with fans.
Nonetheless, building for sustainable success by developing young players through the minor-league system has provided a clearly defined plan that was absent as the Marlins floundered the past 14 seasons without a playoff appearance and failed to finish with a winning record since 2009.
Spring training provided a glimpse of talented young playMattingly ers that offer hope for the future. Meanwhile, the Marlins are regarded as the longest shot for success this season by various odds makers (SportsBettingDime.com has Miami 1,000-to-1 to win the World Series) and faced with convincing an indifferent South Florida fan-base to buy tickets.
“I realize trust of probably the Marlins organization has been storied with teardowns,
teardowns, teardowns,” Mattingly said. “I think the only way to truly say to the fan is you’re going to have to trust us. And the only way we can prove it is over time.
“We’re going to have to back up that talk with action.”
Here are things to watch that could enable the Marlins to defy expectations:
Can Lewis Brinson emerge quickly as a hometown star?
The Coral Springs High product won the center field job with an impressive showing throughout spring training. He has speed and power potential to bring an immediate quality return on the Christian Yelich trade.
The main question is whether he can handle breaking balls well enough to stay in the lineup. Last year with the Brewers he struggled with them, hitting only .106 in 21 games. Mattingly cited instances throughout spring training when Brinson made adjustments after looking bad in one at-bat to get a hit in the next. It was a good sign when he homered off a breaking ball from the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg in the final week of spring training.
Will the starting rotation be Jose Urena and pray for rain?
Poor starting pitching doomed the Marlins last season, and it remains the biggest question. Urena will attempt to improve on a breakthrough season of 14 wins and 3.82 ERA in 2017. Dan Straily must quickly return from forearm inflammation and be productive for 30-plus starts. The remainder of the rotation is expected to be a revolving door, and the hope is that some of the emerging starters will seize opportunities, such as Sandy Alcantara, Dillon Peters, Jarlin Garcia, Elieser Hernandez and perhaps their Minor League Pitcher of the Year Trevor Richards, who impressed during spring training.
Can Justin Bour be the big bopper?
The first baseman showed his power and personality when he nearly defeated Aaron Judge in the Home Run Derby at Marlins Park. More importantly, the lefty hitter showed last season he can hit homers against left-handers (six of a career-high 25), which he had never done before. The biggest challenge for Bour is staying healthy after missing long stretches with ankle or oblique injuries each of the past two years.
Where will offense come from?
Stanton, Ozuna and Yelich, who combined for 114 homers, are gone. These Marlins will have a different focus in producing runs, aiming for extra-base hits in the gaps, utilizing the spacious outfield at Marlins Park. The lineup has potential. J.T. Realmuto and Bour are the top returning run-producers. Starlin Castro hit .300 with 16 homers in 112 games for the Yankees last year. Rookies Brian Anderson and Garrett Cooper both showed some home-run potential in spring training, as did left fielder Derek Dietrich.
When will Sandy Alcantara take his place in the rotation?
The centerpiece of the Ozuna trade is viewed as a future staff ace. He gave a glimpse of potential in spring training while also showing he needs more polish. The lanky right-hander’s fastball registered up to 98 mph, but he must become more consistent with his secondary pitches and command. Marlins officials made it clear they won’t rush his development. A strong start at Triple-A New Orleans could hasten a move to Miami by May.
What will Derek Dietrich do as an everyday player?
Over the past five years, he has distinguished himself by filling in ably at second and third base, as well as by getting hit by 72 pitches, a franchise record. For the first time Dietrich will begin the season as a regular, starting in left field. He hit .370 with four homers this spring, showing his power may finally be ready to emerge.
How will Castro fit in and will he stay in Miami?
The veteran second baseman got past his disappointment about the trade from the Yankees that led to a desire to be traded away from Miami. He was a model teammate and exhibited leadership during the spring. He’ll begin the season as a fixture batting third in the lineup. But if a contending team is willing to take on his $10.9 million contract before the trade deadline, the Marlins won’t hesitate in moving him.
Will Brad Ziegler remain in the closer role?
The veteran submarine-style reliever struggled with performance and injuries last season, though he was more effective after inheriting the closer role following the trade of A.J. Ramos. Ziegler didn’t allow a run in five spring appearances, but at 38 he is a placeholder until a young reliever such as Kyle Barraclough or Drew Steckenrider shows readiness for the job.
Has anyone seen Wei-Yin Chen?
The Marlins’ highest-paid player ($10 million plus $8 million deferred bonus) finally faced hitters in batting practice on the final day of spring training. The Taiwanese left-hander said his arm feels better than it has in his two years in Miami, but even he can’t be sure his troublesome elbow will hold up under this latest painstaking process of rebuilding arm strength. Mattingly said he is optimistic Chen can join the rotation early in the season, though there is no target date.
How close are the top prospects?
The Triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes will be worth keeping an eye on with Alcantara and speedy outfielder Magneuris Sierra the closest to making the jump to Miami. Double-A Jacksonville will be loaded with intriguing young players, including starting pitchers Merandy Gonzalez and Pablo Lopez, who could quickly ascend to the majors, as well as power-hitting second baseman Isan Diaz. Outfielder Monte Harrison, the organization’s No. 2 prospect, has great power potential but will work on refining raw talent at either Double-A Jacksonville of High-A Jupiter. It could be worth a trip to Jupiter to see Jorge Guzman, the flame-throwing right-hander from the Stanton trade with a fastball that registers up to 103 mph.
Who’s on third?
Martin Prado’s slow recovery from knee surgery opened the chance for rookie Brian Anderson, who may have won the job anyway. Anderson showed power to all fields this spring while hitting four homers and four doubles in 23 games. He’s a smooth fielder who worked to improve his throwing, and he has a chance to become a fixture at third base for years to come.
Who made the biggest stride in spring?
That would be reliever Tayron Guerrero, and not just because he is 6 feet 8. He has a 100 mph fastball and the most interesting background on the club, coming from Isla Tierra Bomba, an island off the coast of Colombia. He used to commute by boat to play baseball in Cartagena and had to trek through snake-infested jungle to get home. This spring he gave up only one run in 11 1⁄3 innings.
“He was walking a ton of guys last year. This year he seems to have put it together,” Mattingly said. “He’s done some things to his delivery and he’s throwing strikes.”
Are more trades for prospects likely?
Trade rumors involving Realmuto have quieted since spring training started. The Marlins made it clear a team would have to be willing to overpay to pry away the athletic catcher who has gone through only one year of salary arbitration. Trading away Castro would be a salary move and wouldn’t bring much in return.
How will Derek Jeter put his mark on the franchise?
There was no honeymoon period for the former Yankee icon who quickly alienated South Florida fans by trading away Stanton and other stars as well as letting several beloved franchise luminaries go. He butted heads with Marlins Man at a town hall meeting. He has indicated a dislike for the home-run sculpture, but may be stuck with it. He discarded payroll and asked fans for patience while rebuilding the team with youth. It is uncertain whether Jeter, who always keeps his cards close to the vest, has the organizational fortitude to win over disgruntled fans while trying to build a winner on the field. It is the biggest challenge he has faced in baseball.