2021-2022 Offseason Thread

[sports24/7]

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.

Agreed. I think that's really the nuts and bolts of it.

[Todd]

Kind of worried the Marlins bought high on a 31 year old catcher after an outlier season.

[lou]

Kind of worried the Marlins bought high on a 31 year old catcher after an outlier season.

He was very consistent 2019-2021 so last year wasn't an outlier. He currently has a .241 BABIP (career .304). He's hitting .200. That's scaling up soon. The walks are a little down and so are his hard hit rates, but the humidors/early season weather may be impacting that. He's not whiffing more or hitting that man more GB. The defense probably scales up soon. Basically he should be fine and who he is, maybe a little worse offensively but that's not why you got him. Also, they traded virtually nothing so even if he's bad it won't matter. Thompson is getting obliterated, Scott is uninspiring and doing the same thing and Nicolas is interesting but likely a reliever.

They just need two major bat upgrades, one being an every day CF. It's the broken record.

[Lee Stone]

They thought that Garcia and Soler would be those two bats. For me, those were big mistakes. Faced with what we have, we can best hope for an upgrade to the rotation with Meyer or Cabrera and better strike throwing by the entire rotation.

[Namaste]

I’m going to be in Jacksonville for work Sunday - Wednesday.

anyone know if Max Meyer will be starting any of those days?

[Nick]

I’m going to be in Jacksonville for work Sunday - Wednesday.

anyone know if Max Meyer will be starting any of those days?

If I'm not mistaken, he's pitched every Friday game so far. That seems to be the plan for both him and Eury, once a week every Friday.

[Nick]

If I'm not mistaken, he's pitched every Friday game so far. That seems to be the plan for both him and Eury, once a week every Friday.

Actually looks like I am mistaken, he was every Friday, but looks like they have him every 6th day now, which means he's starting tonight according to milb.com. (we'll see if that happens) If that remains true, he may go on that Wednesday.

[lou]

They thought that Garcia and Soler would be those two bats. For me, those were big mistakes. Faced with what we have, we can best hope for an upgrade to the rotation with Meyer or Cabrera and better strike throwing by the entire rotation.

They are dumb if they thought that, as without them they need 4 bats. They still need 2 big ones. The CF and the big time SS/3B/1B upgrade.

I think the best we can hope for is a CF trade still (Laureano, maybe even Austin Hays as I think he and Sanchez could be a smart R/L platoon that plays good enough defense), and then they fill out the bench with some 2B/3B and C LHP hitting types for cheap. It's not unreasonable to think about getting those 3 guys to effectively upgrade DLC, Berti, and Henry. To note, I don't think Berti remains possessed so that one can be done in July assuming he stops hitting. And they can do it without Meyer and Cabrera (who they likely need now). Get the CF right now and it fixes a lot.

Also Jazz is likely for real - https://blogs.fangraphs.com/elevated-jazz/

[Namaste]

Actually looks like I am mistaken, he was every Friday, but looks like they have him every 6th day now, which means he's starting tonight according to milb.com. (we'll see if that happens) If that remains true, he may go on that Wednesday.

Excellent. I can go to Wednesdays game because it’s at night. Hopefully he doesn’t pitch Sunday or Tuesday.

[Lee Stone]

I like the way DeLaCruz has played. The numbers are solid.

[lou]

I like the way DeLaCruz has played. The numbers are solid.

I don't think they are solid. It's a .380 BABIP still! He is a AAA injury replacement, but I will give him credit in a very very small sample size for doubling his BB rate.

I think a best case scenario for him is that he settles into a .270/.330/.370+ hitter, but that spikes to .775+ OPS versus left handers, and he can play outstanding corner defense and is fine in pinches in CF. Basically - hit lefties and play defense. That could be a good bench player.

However he has problems if they get a right handed CF as that person, Garcia, and Soler/Cooper/Burdick have that side of things locked up, and Sanchez, the new and improved Bleday (hopefully), and Lewin are likely the lefties. They can really only carry six 1B/OF/DH types on the roster, as there is no more room with 2 catchers, and 5 2B/SS/3B types.

He needs to take advantage of this lack of depth with no CF and Bleday/Burdick/Lewin in the minors still. He's in trouble in a few months when likely all of that changes. I'm rooting for him, but I don't see it at all with him.

[Todd]

I think eventually DLC and Sanchez slide into 4th OF roles. It will be nice to have two competent ones from each side of the plate.

Henry has also grown on me. I dont hate him.

[Namaste]

So Max Meyer…..

they’re basically gonna keep him down for another 3 or 4 weeks so he gets three years of arb instead of four.

so clearly them saving 3 or 4 million total is more of a priority than us winning 2-3 more games this year.

sound about right?

[Lee Stone]

Breakout for Jerar Encarnacion. 7 straight hits over last two games.

[Nick]

Breakout for Jerar Encarnacion. 7 straight hits over last two games.

Yeah he needs to be in AAA. The NL having a DH now gives me hope that he may be useful at some point.