Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
4. Miami Marlins
Not surprisingly, the Marlins went with a low cost option this season at first base (and pretty much every other position). The brought in Garrett Jones from the Pirates off of what could only be described as a bad season. He hit .233 in 2013 with an OBP under .300 and slugged just .419.
But the Marlins brought him in anyway. He improved his average and on-base this season, but his slugging percentage dropped, probably due to a much larger ballpark. The 33-year-old hit 15 home runs and drove in 53 runs, narrowly missing his career-high in doubles, coming in just one shy with 33 on the year, but his bat still left a lot to be desired as he batted just .246/.309/.411 – a far cry from his career bests that came with Pittsburgh back in 2012.
The Marlins looked like they might have a chance to compete last year, and this year they will have Jose Fernandez back, young players growing into their games and potentially the final year of Giancarlo Stanton. They may spend in an attempt to convince Stanton to stay, and LaRoche may be the guy getting the money. Regardless of money, however, whether or not the 35-year-old wants to play for a questionable contender at the tail end of his career is a question worth asking.