The Miami Marlins are projected to be one of the worst teams in MLB in 2018. They sold their top assets for prospects before the 2018 season. But could the Marlins exceed their deservedly low expectations?
In August it was announced that a group helmed by Derek Jeter was set to purchase the Miami Marlins. Marlins’ fans had little love for previous owner Jeffrey Loria, so the Jeter purchase could have given some fans hope in the future. But soon Jeter’s vision for the future of the franchise was revealed and Marlins’ fans found themselves in all too familiar territory: the start of a rebuild.
Giancarlo Stanton and most of his monster contract were moved to the New York Yankees for Starlin Castro and a pair of prospects. Dee Gordon was sent to the Seattle Mariners. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna were moved too soon thereafter.
The Marlins have officially stripped it down. Still, can what they have over-perform in spite of everything?
Urgency in 2018
The Marlins’ first task is to prove to Derek Jeter and the front office that they aren’t bad. They can wait to prove it to baseball, but they need the faith of their owner and front office. Because if the deadline comes around and the Marlins haven’t done much, Jeter would likely move to deal the Marlins’ remaining assets.
This isn’t a team that can play .500 ball to the All-Star Break and then turn it on. They need to place their best ball early or the front office will continue to make their roster worse for 2018 in favor of a better one in coming years.
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Still impressive tools on the roster
The Marlins haven’t entirely emptied the tanks in terms of selling assets. In fact, they even acquired a potentially valuable asset in Starlin Castro this past offseason. Castro is coming off a season where he hit .300 on the nose.
Justin Bour of 2017 Home Run Derby fame is still on the Miami Marlins as well. He smashed the second-most home runs hit in any round of the Home Run Derby last year. Bour is coming off a career year in which his OPS+ was 141.
Neither Bour nor Castro are the types of hitter you’d highlight on a contending team’s lineup, but if they can both get hot and stay hot, they just might help Miami shock baseball.
Next: Boston Red Sox: Is Hanley Ramirez due for a big year?
Don’t liquidate your assets to bet on Miami. The Marlins won’t be great and they probably won’t be playing in October. However, there’s a chance they can do enough to make Jeter think twice before moving much more of what he already has.
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