Miami Marlins: Three Offseason Blunders Made This Winter

Jul 29, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly (8) takes the ball from starting pitcher Jose Urena (62) in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Marlins Park. The Cardinals defeated the Marlins 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly (8) takes the ball from starting pitcher Jose Urena (62) in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Marlins Park. The Cardinals defeated the Marlins 11-6. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

It could have been a productive offseason for the Miami Marlins. Instead, it was a winter of questionable decisions.

The Miami Marlins’ offseason can be described as mediocre at best. They failed to add any true firepower to the roster while remaining pretty lax on impact moves. The starting lineup was already in good shape, but other areas needed a whole lot of work.

Last year’s Marlins squad finished 79-82. This was enough to put them in third place among the National League East teams. Their biggest loss came in late September when ace Jose Fernandez tragically died in a boating accident. Heading into the offseason, finding a true number-one starter seemed like an appropriate goal to achieve.

This wasn’t the only thing Miami had on their to-do list. Polishing other areas was also a need. Although they tried, the roster looks no better than it did at the end of last year. They also lack the minor league talent to fix this via trade. This, above all else, will make it difficult to overcome their offseason shortcomings.

The Marlins have had a bad string of poor transactions. From the big contract handed to pitcher Wei-Yin Chen last winter to the Andrew Cashner trade at last year’s trade deadline, the Marlins have racked up a streak of underwhelming decisions. This offseason, three moves they made (or didn’t make) stand out above the rest. Whether they were overpaying for players, signing the wrong guys, or failing to take action at all, the Marlins’ offseason was full of mistakes.