Despite woes, Marlins like lineup
Team offifficials fault injuries, poor prep, not player abilities.
NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. — If it’s broke, don’t fifix it.
That isn’t some new maxim for the Marlins. But the front offiffice is planning no changes to a lineup that was one of the worst in the majors at scoring runs last season.
The reason: Team offifficials are convinced their hitters are better than that.
“We think there’s obviously some areas to improve offffensively,” acknowledged Mike Hill, president of baseball operations. “But the raw talent is defifinitely there.”
The Marlins ranked 27th of 30 teams in runs scored in 2016 and have scored the fewest runs in the majors since 2012, the same year they moved into their new ballpark.
But Hill and others in the organization are convinced that injuries and poor game preparation were the culprits, not individual ability.
The lack of preparation is one of the reasons the Marlins parted company with hitting coach Barry Bonds after just one season and replaced him with Mike Pagliarulo.
“Without throwing stones a t t h e p a s t , we ma d e a change,” Hill said of Bonds. “What we were doing wasn’t what we wanted moving forward. So there was an area to improve there, and we felt we did that with bringing Pagliarulo in.”
Hi l l s a i d management believes Pagliarulo will devote more time than did Bonds to pregame preparation through the use of video and scouting reports.
He said Pagliarulo is noted for his “game planning and video and approach and some things we may not have done as well as we possibly could have in 2016. It’s a priority with a young position player group that they continue to get that information and get those things to help them make better adjustments.”
While the Marlins had the fourth-highest team batting average in the majors, it didn’t translate to runs, where the Marlins outscored only three other teams: Oakland, Philadelphia and Atlanta.
But the Marlins were also missing fifirst baseman Justin Bour for a good chunk of the second half and lost Giancarlo Stanton to a groin injury in the fifinal weeks. They were also without reigning batting and stolen base champion Dee Gordon for 80 games when he was hit with a drug suspension.
In spite of that, we were still nine games over (.500) and in the playoffff (picture) at the end of July,” Hill said. “There’s belief in the players, and there’s belief in this manager and coaching staffff that this group has dealt with its fair share of adversity and is in position to be successful.”
As a result, the Marlins are reluctant to trade any of their starting position players in order to acquire pitching, an area of defificiency. Teams have contacted the Marlins about acquiring outfifielder Christian Yelich and catcher J.T. Realmuto, in particular. But they are refusing to part with either.
“I’ve used the adage that batting average is talent, scoring runs is approach,” Hill said. “And that’s sort of the sense that we’re following. We have a tremendously talented group. When we’re clicking, it’s on display. But for us to be a playoffff team, we need to be more consistent, and that’s where the preparation and game planning come into play. And that’s where you win more games.
“This is our group, and we’ve stayed with them.”
Signings: The Marlins reached agreement with lefthander Jeffff Locke on Wednesday on a one- year deal worth about $3 million, sources said. The Marlins also agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.5 million deal with backup catcher A.J. Ellis. Both deals are pending physicals.
Locke, 29, has a career record of 35-38 with a 4.41 ERA in six seasons with the Pirates. Last season, he was 9-8 with a 5.44 ERA.
“We think he’s in line for a bounce-back and to give us quality innings,” Hill said.
Ellis, 35, will take over in a backup role for J.T. Realmuto, replacing Jeffff Mathis. A nine-year veteran, Ellis is a career .239 hitter.