On paper the 2017 Miami Marlins look a lot like the 2016 edition, but with one notable, tragic exception.
The death of ace Jose Fernandez in a boating accident last September is a loss this team continues to suffer from both an emotional and competitive standpoint. You simply can’t replace a personality and a talent like the late Cuban.
With or without Fernandez, the Marlins—a seemingly sexy sleeper playoff pick year after year—still need a lot more to go right than wrong if they are to reach post-season for the first time since winning it all way back in 2003.
As we approach the 2017 season, we’re previewing what’s ahead for each of the 30 MLB teams. The Miami Marlins are next:
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Up-and-coming player to watch
It’s a good thing the Marlins already feature some young, controllable talent at the major-league level because to say the minor-league cupboard is bare would be an understatement. There is no cupboard. Among Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects, the Marlins feature one player: 2016 first round pick (seventh overall) Braxton Garrett. His spot on the list: No. 71. His MLB ETA: 2020. Yikes.
The Marlins can however hang their hat on one of the best young outfields in the game featuring Giancarlo Stanton (26), Marcell Ozuna (25) and Christian Yelich (24). Those three along with catcher J.T. Realmuto (25) and the defensively versatile Derek Dietrich (26) form the basis of an exciting young core with plenty of upside.
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What a successful 2017 season would look like
For the Marlins to make the playoffs in 2017, they’ll need a full season from franchise player Stanton (he’s played more than 120 games just once in the past four seasons), plus continued improvement from the other 20-somethings listed above.
But if the Marlins are going to make any noise in 2017, they’ll also need big seasons from off-season starting pitching acquisitions Dan Straily, Jeff Locke and Edinson Volquez. The Miami bullpen should be an area of strength, so it’ll be key for the starters to hand the ball over deep in games with the lead.
Looking at the biggest picture, the most positive development for the franchise in 2017 could be…
Biggest remaining question
Will Jeffrey Loria sell the team? It was reported earlier this year that the Marlins’ notoriously tight-fisted, contract-back-loading and superstar-trading owner is looking to sell the team, allowing baseball fans in south Florida to dream about the possibility of a stable regime more committed to winning.
Speaking of Loria’s penchant for back-loading contracts and trading superstars, the longer he keeps the team, the more one wonders how much longer Stanton will remain in Miami. His monster 13-year, $325 million contract signed in 2014 is—you guessed it—heavily backloaded. He’ll earn $14.5 million in 2017 before jumping to an AAV of $25 million over the ensuing 10 seasons, with a player opt-out following the 2020 season.
It’s the kind of large, long-term financial commitment an owner looking to sell might be motivated to get off the books to further entice potential bidders.
