Three Reasons Miami Marlins Should Consider Major Trade
Because it won’t cost the Miami Marlins as much as you think
MLB has changed dramatically since the days of the 2008 Miami Marlins.
Remember that 2008 team? Boasting elite power and two solid pitchers, they spent a surprising chunk of that season leading the division, before ultimately fading to a third place finish. However, there was a week in July where it looked like they might pull off just the kind of trade I’m suggesting here, as they were reported to be in heavy negotiations to acquire the still prolific Manny Ramirez.
All Boston wanted in return was some prospect named Giancarlo Stanton.
Needless to say, that trade didn’t happen. While Stanton did not technically enter that season even in the Marlins Top 10, a couple of months of further minor league action hammered home the fact that Stanton really was Miami’s top prospect. Top prospects were the expectation for those kind of deals back then. And while I really do believe Miami would have made the playoffs in 2008 had they made that deal…they were right to show restraint.
Fortunately, here in 2021, MLB baseball teams have become too smart to pay top prospect prices for summer rentals.
Per The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Marlins (or any interested team) might not even have to give up one of their top five prospects if they want to acquire Trevor Story.
Think about that. Get Trevor Story, and keep Sixto? Keep Max Meyer? Keep JJ Bleday? Yes, please.
To be fair, the exact package Bowden lays out is a Top 5 and a Top 15 prospect, plus an average MLB player. Top 5 obviously includes the 1 to 5 sweep, and doesn’t necessarily just mean the No. 5 prospect.
However, there was a crucial caveat to Bowden’s estimated price: that it would be a Top 5 and a Top 15 from an average system.
The Miami Marlins farm system is not average. It’s elite. Top five even. Best in the division by a mile, and possibly best in the NL.
That would seem to suggest some wiggle room then on that Top 5 tier. Depending on whether you put more stock in MLB.com or Keith Law, that looks a lot like Miami might be able to get away with a trade built around either Braxton Garrett or Lewin Diaz. Once we’re outside of the Top 12, honestly who cares who the second player is (as long as it isn’t the son of Mr. Marlin himself). Package that with Corey Dickerson, and done deal Rockies.
As for the bidding war factor? Let’s look at the other playoff contenders. The Dodgers and Padres have All-Star shortstops already. Ditto for the Mets and the Nationals. The Brewers just traded for a shortstop. The Cardinals already gave Colorado all their prospects. The Braves….probably will stick with Dansby Swanson. The Phillies…well, the Phillies are a problem with Dave Dombrowski running the show.
Let’s check those system farm system rankings again though. Miami? No. 4. Philly? Not even Top 20.
Miami can easily afford this. Easily. AL or NL playoff race, they’re the only team with even a Top 10 system that could arguably use that kind of offensive boost. They can financially too, with hardly any money at all committed to 2022 payroll, a bottom 5 payroll in 2021, and new revenues streaming in.
One other point. Most teams pay out the nose for pitching this time of year. Miami won’t have that problem. Their rivals for Story, or Kris Bryant, will.
It’s all lining up for Miami in 2021. Which is great…