Strong offseason brings baseball hope back to South Florida
We’re still months away from the start of spring training, but through the early parts of Major League Baseball’s offseason, few teams have been more active than the Miami Marlins. It’s no secret that the Marlins seem to be headed in the right direction.
After losing 100 games in 2013 — the second most in franchise history — Miami finished 75-87 in 2014 and that was with 2013 National League Rookie of the Year, Jose Fernandez, on the shelf with a shoulder injury. The question however, is whether or not the Marlins have already done enough to be contenders in the National League.
The big move that began Miami’s offseason was locking up outfielder Giancarlo Stanton with an ungodly 13-year deal worth $325 million. Stanton had one of the best seasons ever by a Marlin, leading the National League in home runs with 37 and finishing second in the league with 105 RBIs despite missing the final 17 games of the season after getting hit by a fastball in Milwaukee.
The Marlins however, did not stop there. Miami managed to land speedster and second baseman Dee Gordon from the Los Angeles Dodgers along with starting pitcher Dan Haren, who may or may not suit up for Miami. In the cavernous Marlins Park, Gordon could be in line for a big year.
Though the Marlins are hopeful Haren decides to become part of the rotation, Miami made sure to pick up a quality starter this offseason by acquiring former Cincinnati starter and South Florida native, Mat Latos. Latos went 14-7 with a 3.16 ERA this past season.
Offseason spending sprees are not completely uncommon for the Marlins however, as they enter their 23rd year as a Major League Baseball franchise, but the results over the years have been mixed.
Prior to the 1997 season, the then Florida Marlins made plenty of noise with acquisitions of pitcher Alex Fernandez, outfielder Moises Alou and switch-hitting third baseman, Bobby Bonilla. The moves paid instant dividends as the Marlins finished 92-70 before running through the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves to get to the World Series.
In the 1997 Fall Classic, the Marlins scored a run in the ninth inning off of Cleveland closer Jose Mesa before ultimately winning the World Series in the 11th inning on a single by Edgar Renteria.
The following offseason, the Marlins dealt Alou, All-Star pitcher Kevin Brown and a number of other key players. Before the first month of the 1998 regular season ended, Bonilla, outfielder Gary Sheffield and catcher Charles Johnson were all dealt to the Dodgers.
While offseason spending helped bring the first professional sports championship to Miami in 24 years, the Marlins failed trying a similar measure prior to 2012 — their first season as the Miami Marlins.
For the 2012 season, the Fish acquired former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to lead a team that had recently signed shortstop Jose Reyes, closer Heath Bell and starting pitchers Mark Buehrle and Carlos Zambrano.
The Marlins managed just 72 wins that season and finished last in the National League East. The one similarity to 1997 was that following the season, there was another fire sale. This time, it was Jeffrey Loria flipping the switch as opposed to Wayne Huizenga more than a decade prior.
There is reason for fans in Miami to believe that this season has the potential to be more like 1997 than 2012. Like in 1997, the Marlins already have a number of important pieces in place and a good team chemistry heading into the season.
Along with Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna complete one of if not the best young outfield in baseball.
Latos’ addition to the lineup gives the Marlins a very strong rotation with Fernandez, All-Star Henderson Alvarez, Nathan Eovaldi and Jarred Cosart.
Neither Jarrod Saltalamacchia nor Garrett Jones had monster years for Miami in 2014, but along with Comeback Player of the Year and third baseman Casey McGehee, they managed to provide protection in the lineup for Stanton that simply did not exist the prior season.
While most think of spending sprees being responsible for the Marlins’ two world championships, Miami won a World Series in 2003 with one of the five lowest payrolls in baseball. Though that team was spearheaded by starting pitching and great defense, the table-setter in the lineup was Juan Pierre, a center fielder who was arguably the team’s most valuable player that season.
The newly-acquired Dee Gordon could bring that sort of punch to the lineup. Gordon hit .289 last season and led the National League with 64 stolen bases. If Gordon can find a way to improve his on-base percentage, Stanton could be in for an even bigger season.
After a fire sale that seemingly left the franchise in shambles two years ago, the Miami Marlins have slowly begun to look like a stable organization. While the offseason is far from over, the Marlins have already done enough to become contenders in a wide open National League East. Latos will add to one of baseball’s promising young rotations while Gordon will bring speed to a lineup that’s fueled by Stanton and a very promising young outfield.
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