Welcome to the final month before opening day! I hope you have been enjoying spring training as much as I have. Baseball is close! I am overjoyed! March begins the official Ball Boy Blog previews of all 30 teams. The previews feature all the Free Agent signings, trades, NRI, bold predictions, and some cool fun facts at the end! We are starting at the top of the 2020 ranks and working our way down from best to worst! Enjoy!
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NL Team: Miami Marlins
Last Year Record: 31-29 2nd place in the NL East and made the playoffs.
Record x2.7: 83.7-78.3
Vegas Projected: Vegas is underselling the Marlins. I have them winning at least 85G but finishing 5th the NL East by at least five games. The NL East is loaded. The Marlins were the cinderella team of 2020; I don't think they stay the course for 2021
Impact Departures:
SP Jose Urena(non-tendered), RHP Ryne Stanek(non-tendered)
Traded:
RHP Jordan Yamamoto, 1B Evan Edwards
Key Arrivals
Free Agent Signings:
OF Adam Duvall- The 32yo was hitting HR like crazy last season with 16 in 209PA to go along with a .237/.301/.532 slash line. In 4000+ career innings in the OF, he has 42DRS and a 14.8UZR.
RHRP Anthony Bass- Over the last three seasons, he owns a 3.44ERA in 89IP. Bass produces a lot of ground balls with his 95MPH sinker. He produced grounders at a 62.3% clip in 2020, which was the 4th highest in the MLB.
LHRP Ross Detwiler- In 2020, he posted a 3.20ERA/3.90FIP with an excellent 58.3% groundball rate in 19.2IP.
Traded in:
RHRP Dylan Floro- The 30yo Floro has pitched to a 3.10ERA/3.68SIERA over 98.2IP with the Dodger since 2018. He also isn't due for free agency until after the 2023 season.
RHP John Curtiss- The 28yo Curtiss made his MLB debut in 2020. In his 25IP, he notched a 1.80ERA, 25.3%K rate, 3%BB rate. He also greatly benefited from an 87.2% strand rate.
INF Federico Polanco- Polanco most recently appeared with the Mets' DSL affiliate in 2019, hitting .299/.383/.418 in 231PA.
Rule 5 Selections:
RHP Paul Campbell- The 25yo has three seasons of MiLB experience in his career so far and has reached the AA level at that time. In his career at the MiLB level, he owns a 3.12ERA, 3.36RA/9, 1.09WHIP, 188SO-60BB over 233.1IP, and 33 starts mixed in. At the AA alone, he holds a 3.36ERA, 3.47RA/9, 1.09WHIP with 63K-20BB over 85.2IP in 16 total games with 11 starts. The righty should find himself well in the mix for rotation with the Marlins, if not in pen as a long reliever.
RHRP Zach Pop- The 24yo has spent three seasons in the MiLB and has reached and spent two seasons at AA. In his time at AA, he owns a 1.97ERA, 2.25RA/9, 0.96WHIP, 28K-10BB over 32IP during 22 appearances. It is no surprise why the Marlins went after Pop and got him from the D-Backs.
KEY NRI:
RHP Zach Thompson- The 27yo has yet to make his MLB debut. In 2019 at AAA, he had a 5.50ERA over 70.1IP. However, his 10.0K/9 and 2.9BB/9 are both impressive and show upside.
C Sandy Leon- Leon carries a track record of past offensive production dating back to 2016. He carries a .216/.284/.327 slash line over 1379PA. Leon is coming in to be a veteran game caller and pitch framer.
LHRP Steven Okert- The 29yo has thrown 48.1IP with a 4.28ERA/4.01SIERA over 70 appearances.
NRI:
INF Eddy Alvarez, C Brian Navarreto, RHP Zach Thompson, RHP Alexander Guillen, RHP Anthony Bender, RHP Luis Madero
Tendered Contracts:
1B/DH Jesus Aguilar, 1B Garrett Cooper, 3B Brian Anderson, LHP Richard Bleier, RHP Adam Cimber, RHP Yimi Garcia.
Selected Contracts
IF Jose Devers(cousin of Red Sox 3B in 2019 A High-A slashed .325/.384/.365 in 138PA), OF Jerar Encarnacion
Returning from IL:
OF Starling Matre, LHP Daniel Castano, LHP Stephen Tarpley, LHP Alex Vesia, 1B Lewin Diaz, RHP Jorge Guzman, RHP Josh Smith, RHP Edward Cabrera, OF Jesus Sanchez,
2B Isan Diaz, RHP Jeff Brigham, RHP Elieser Hernandez, RHP Jordan Holloway, OF Harold Ramierez,
OUT OF OPTIONS:
Adam Duvall, LF
Jesus Aguilar, 1B
Jorge Alfaro, C
Magneuris Sierra, CF
Prospect Watch
-Let's keep an eye on Jazz Chisholm, JJ Bleday, Lewis Brinson as they each hit a bomb in the spring opener!
-A couple of pitchers we are watching going into their sophomore seasons, Daniel Casano and Nick Neidert
-HOWEVER, one guy I won't be taking my eye off is Monte Harrison. This kid is incredible; he is a do it all athlete.
Fantasy Impact Players
Pitchers- Sixto Sanchez,
Position Players- Jesus Aguilar, Garrett Cooper, Brian Anderson, Starling Marte, Adam Duvall
Upcoming 2022 Free Agents:
-The Marlins' only club option is SS Miguel Rojas. I don't see them picking up the option with Chisholm and Diaz's young duo up the middle.
-Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte will both be entering their age 34 seasons in 2022. With a decent showing in 2021, they could end up being extended by a year or two.
-Yimi Garcia, Sandy Leon, and Ross Detwiler round out the teams 2022 Free Agents.
Storylines to follow
-The Marlins were the cinderella of 2020. They were a bad example of COVID-19 cases. Don Mattingly showed why he is such a great manager being able to get that team to the playoffs. How will the Marlins look in 2021? We have yet to see.
Mattingly expects just one of Chisholm and Diaz's duo to make the opening day roster and play 2B. Who will it be?
Bold Predictions
A 15 game over for the Marlins is bold. But I think the Marlins will have the Rookie of the Year in Sixto Sanchez, and he will become this generation's, Pedro Martinez.
Fact Check:
In 2008, the Florida Marlins debuted "The Marlins Manatees," Major League Baseball's first-ever all-male dance/energy squad to star alongside the Mermaids.
As of 2012, the Marlins have abandoned the "Mermaids" and "Manatees" for in-game entertainment instead of using an "energy squad," a co-ed group of dancers.
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