Call to the pen
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Miami Marlins: The Highs and Lows of the 2016 Campaign

By David Hill

Sep 26, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins players wear number 16 on their jerseys in honer of Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez who passed away from a boating accident over the weekend prior to the game against the New York Mets at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins players wear number 16 on their jerseys in honer of Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez who passed away from a boating accident over the weekend prior to the game against the New York Mets at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

rom afterthoughts to breakout players

In 2015, Marcell Ozuna was playing in AAA and on the trade block, a player who had gone from a potential star to someone who was firmly in the Marlins doghouse. While the price tag was still rather high, if another team wanted Ozuna, he was eminently available.

Fortunately for Miami, he remained in town. Ozuna responded with a solid campaign, producing a .266/.321/.452 batting line, tying his career high with 23 homers. Even more importantly, Ozuna improved his batting eye, drawing a career best 43 walks while striking out in only 20.6% of his at bats. A further breakout seems likely.

Another breakout happened in an uexpected way. After the Miami Marlins lost Dee Gordon due to a PED suspension, Derek Dietrich was forced into the lineup every day. He responded by proving that he can be a regular in the lineup, hitting at a .279/.374/.425 clip. Although he will not hit for much power, his 20 doubles and uncanny ability to get on base due to being hit by a pitch could make him an attractive trade chip.

There were positives on the pitching side as well. A.J. Ramos followed up on his stellar 2015 campaign with a solid year last season. While he struggled with his command at times, Ramos posted 40 saves, made his first All Star Game, and posted a 2.81 ERA while striking out 73 batters in 64 innings. His 2.90 FIP was the lowest of his career thus far, showing that he is continuing to trend in the right direction.

Perhaps the most impressive performance on the pitching side came from rookie Kyle Barraclough. Even though his command may have been off at times, his incredible strikeout rate and ability to generate ground balls could lead to his being a force in the bullpen in the coming years. Paired with Ramos, Barraclough could give Miami quite the tandem for the final two innings for some time.

And now, let us take a look at what went wrong in this past season.

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