2021-2022 Offseason Thread

[lou]

Not acquiring a closer, and picking the wrong bats this offseason continue to hurt this team. Wendle looks like the only good move of the offseason so far. Maybe Stallings is a wash, but it would be nice if he could get a hit every once in a while.

I agree with Lou that Meyer should be in the rotation immediately. Put Hernandez in the pen.

Mattingly also with some terrible in-game management. Why are you pinch hitting Garcia in a big spot late in the game when you have Sachez available? And what does Garcia do? Promptly strikes out.

I think a bigger issue is bringing in Bender with two lefties coming up. I think the bullpen is fine - this is a usage issue (i.e. Don). They should option Hernandez (which I looked, they can even with 3 years of service time!) and Bender and call up Meyer and Floro.

I still think the bats regress to their mean but it's frustrating. I'll take .500 through 24.

[Todd]

We have good pen arms in the minors. Part of me hopes most of the older arms perform well enough to offload them at the deadline and restock the system.

A pen of Bender, Castano, Garrett, Pop, Holloway, Neidert, Poteet, and Scott could be quite good IMO.

[sports24/7]

I think a bigger issue is bringing in Bender with two lefties coming up. I think the bullpen is fine - this is a usage issue (i.e. Don). They should option Hernandez (which I looked, they can even with 3 years of service time!) and Bender and call up Meyer and Floro.

I still think the bats regress to their mean but it's frustrating. I'll take .500 through 24.

I agree that usage is a problem, and I don't get how Mattingly still has a job. But personally, I don't agree that the pen is fine. They don't have a closer, and don't have a single BP arm that's above average. You can get by with an average pen if you have a closer. But a pen with some bad pitchers, some mediocre pitchers, and no closer is a problem IMO.

[lou]

I agree that usage is a problem, and I don't get how Mattingly still has a job. But personally, I don't agree that the pen is fine. They don't have a closer, and don't have a single BP arm that's above average. You can get by with an average pen if you have a closer. But a pen with some bad pitchers, some mediocre pitchers, and no closer is a problem IMO.

They are beyond fine here. Top 10 unit in baseball more than likely. The WAR is -0- right now due to Armstrong and Bender pulling this down in 15 innings, but:

Bass 2.76 FIP
Poteet 2.39 FIP
Sulser 3.18 FIP
Head 3.55 FIP

Okert 2.38 FIP
Scott 3.38 FIP
Bleier 4.05 FIP

Add Floro and get Bender right for Head, and yowza. Doesn't include Meyer/Cabrera maybe coming to bump likely an overachieving Poteet down too.

Not even remotely a problem outside Bender/Armstrong/usage how I see it. They need 2 major bat upgrades and to call Floro and Meyer up now. That's really it.

[sports24/7]

They are beyond fine here. Top 10 unit in baseball more than likely. The WAR is -0- right now due to Armstrong and Bender pulling this down in 15 innings, but:

Bass 2.76 FIP
Poteet 2.39 FIP
Sulser 3.18 FIP
Head 3.55 FIP

Okert 2.38 FIP
Scott 3.38 FIP
Bleier 4.05 FIP

Add Floro and get Bender right for Head, and yowza. Doesn't include Meyer/Cabrera maybe coming to bump likely an overachieving Poteet down too.

Not even remotely a problem outside Bender/Armstrong/usage how I see it. They need 2 major bat upgrades and to call Floro and Meyer up now. That's really it.

I think some of those guys are overachieving. We'll see. But I don't think you can cite a 0 WAR and chalk it up strictly to usage. Bender has been pretty bad from the jump. Maybe he'll be better in a setup role, but they'll have to get a real closer to prove that to be true. Also, while Meyer coming up would help the starting rotation, I'm not sure that we should necessarily expect Hernandez to improve the pen.

[fish16]

I think some of those guys are overachieving. We'll see. But I don't think you can cite a 0 WAR and chalk it up strictly to usage. Bender has been pretty bad from the jump. Maybe he'll be better in a setup role, but they'll have to get a real closer to prove that to be true. Also, while Meyer coming up would help the starting rotation, I'm not sure that we should necessarily expect Hernandez to improve the pen.

the issue is what I've been saying since the offseason. They have a bunch of solid relievers, they don't have a closer though. Every single guy in that bullpen is pushed up 1 role higher than they should be ideally. all of a sudden you get a lockdown closer and everyone is in their ideal role. Right now, bender is being forced to close and for 2 years its been clear he is not comfortable in that kind of high leverage situation in the 9th. and unfortunately, while we do have minor league options, count me as a guy who wouldn't trust any rookie in a closer role regardless of their stuff. those high end prospects are great pieces to add to a bullpen, I wouldn't trust them as the solution in high end situations to fix things quickly.

[Todd]

According to Mish teams have called about Hernandez, I can't fathom why, but if true they should jump on any offer and run.

[lou]

According to Mish teams have called about Hernandez, I can't fathom why, but if true they should jump on any offer and run.

Fangraphs this offseason. This is why.

Hernandez has the talent to be a top-flight starter, he just can’t stay on the mound. Over the past three seasons, he’s barely reached 150 IP, but his 19.2 K%-BB% ranks 36th ahead of Sonny Gray, Joe Musgrove, Noah Syndeergaard, and Jose Berrios. He attacks hitters with a simple three pitch mix of four-seamer (7% SwStr%, 28% GB%), slider (17% SwStr%, 49% GB%) and an improved changeup (14% SwStr%, 62% GB%). There are a couple of issues to consider. He was not able to keep his fastball velocity games gains (+0.5 mph) but lost some spin (~125 rpm) on his pitches that might be related to the velocity decline. Both declines might be related to the constant injuries. And those arm-related injuries have limited him to just 140 IP over the last four seasons. If anyone is looking for a sleeper, here he is.

27, controlled for 23/24. There are things to like here.

The HR are VERY bad this year though.

[Namaste]

I REALLY hope Kim NG sees Sixto as the new closer after he rehabs

when Sandy and Trevor find their groove we will have the best 1-5 in MLB

[lou]

I REALLY hope Kim NG sees Sixto as the new closer after he rehabs

when Sandy and Trevor find their groove we will have the best 1-5 in MLB

I think that will happen.

I am anticipating next year Sandy, Luzardo, Meyer, Rogers, Cabrera as the rotation (Pablo moved for a bat), with Eury and Eder considered the next long-terms in line. Pump Hernandez and Poteet to the bullpen to be the de facto 6th/7th SP/bulk relievers. Rest of the pen writes itself.... Sixto, Bender, Sulser/Pop/Head/Holloway, Bleier, Scott, and Okert.

They have everyone in house already. Hopefully Correa opts out and they sign him, and Pablo turns into an epic CF, and the team will be loaded.

To note, they could have done this this year but they are cheap.

[Lee Stone]

Will be surprised if Sixto ever throws another inning in Marlins uni.

Interesting to compare the age 18 seasons of Eury Perez and Doc Gooden. Perez threw in A and High-A while Gooden's ton of innings were all at Low-A. Eury had less than half the innings of Gooden, but his numbers (4/1 K to W ratio compared to 3/1 for Doc and a much lower WHIP) stacked up favorably. The difference is that Gooden's entire age 19 season was in the majors! Perez is the starter for Pensacola today.

Well, Michael King is looking like the best player in the trade that sent him from Miami to the Yankees for Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith. Wouldn't you know it. King is lights out in the Yankee pen ...

[lou]

Well, Michael King is looking like the best player in the trade that sent him from Miami to the Yankees for Garrett Cooper and Caleb Smith. Wouldn't you know it. King is lights out in the Yankee pen ...

Yea that is a nice return for them.

The Marlins have turned Michael King at this point (and throw-in prospects and a few million to Oakland) into: Garret Cooper, Caleb Smith, Starling Marte, and Jesus Luzardo. Michael King is a verifiable Laremy Tunsil basically. Marlins are 10+ WAR and counting with Cooper and Luzardo.

Amazing how Michael King is absolutely murdering Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, and JT Realmuto in value for the franchise COMBINED right now. Murdering them.

[fish16]

jj bleday is all of a sudden on fire and his numbers are looking impressive in AAA. Walking a ton

[lou]

jj bleday is all of a sudden on fire and his numbers are looking impressive in AAA. Walking a ton

123 PA, .240/.382/.470 (17% BB, 23% K), .277 BABIP. A lot to like here. That .240 is going way up soon with the BABIP and slugging.

Doing a lot better than Burdick. Whiffing way too much even if the walks are good.

117 PA, .229/.368/,458 (15% BB, 30% K), .304 BABIP

I think in their minds, their future 1B/OF/DH situation is ideally 6 guys and split R/L.

Lefties - Sanchez, Bleday, Lewin
Righties - Garcia, ______, Cooper/Soler (depending on Soler opt-out)


Anything I look at says get a center fielder. Everything. Burdick should be shot out here as player 2/3 in a deal for one.

[Todd]

I really hope the Marlins go hard for Jung-hoo Lee when he is posted by the KBO after next season. They have never made a big splash in the Asian game but this would be the one to do it for.

Skipped their minor league system completely. Has a career .339/.402/.476 line in almost 3000 career ABs and is just 23.