Will the Miami Marlins lose 100 games in 2018? Think again.
While camp has eagerly begun across the the map for all 30 teams in major league baseball, there is a sense that baseball is back. The crack of the bat and ball hitting the glove, we are prepared to look ahead to the long, exciting baseball season. The Miami Marlins won the off-season, in all the wrong ways. Derek Jeter and the new Miami regime traded away and dumped most, if not all necessary assets Miami had. The rebuilding project has fueled the fan base in southern Florida. It has been anything but a nightmare winter in Marlins land.
As position players begin to report, there is a sense of optimism in Marlins camp. Manager Don Mattingly is embracing the 2018 Marlins as the rebuild takes shape. Veterans Dan Straily and Martin Prado are the first voices to support the change in Miami. Long time veterans like themselves understand at this point in their careers they're happy to have a job in major league baseball.
There's no question Miami's once start-studded line-up has lost its fire power. That's what happens when you lose the NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton & all-stars Christian Yelich & Marcell Ozuna. But while the talent lost is deceiving, The Marlins may not be as bad as we may think. Let's not forget they have J.T Realmuto returning behind the plate, but also have Justin Bour coming back from injury. Here is the Marlins projected line-up on March 29 vs the Cubs:
1 J.T. Realmuto C
2 Martin Prado OF
3 Starlin Castro 2B
4 Justin Bour 1B
5 Derek Dietrich Of
6 Brian Anderson 3B
7 Joshua Riddle SS
8 Lewis Brinson OF
9 PITCHER
The projected starting rotation includes:
1 Dan Straily
2 Wei-Yin Chen
3 Jose Urena
4 Odrisamer Despaigne
5 Adam Conley
There are certainly question marks and several holes regarding the projected line-up and rotation. The likelihood that we could see trades continue to loom into the spring and most of all, the trade deadline in July as Miami continues to stock-pile prospect talent into the farm system. Derek Jeter promises a bright future but most of all, he believes his doubted Marlins will compete in 2018. There are bright spots on this team and the vets & manager focused on competing, the rebuild is a positive sign. The Marlins will lose a lot of games in 2018, but they may be much further off than the 77 win total in 2017.
