Marlins 2017-2018 Offseason Discussion Thread

[Nick]

I'm just saying, I don't care about options with Nicolino because our team would be better off without him on it. Not like's going to all of a sudden figure it out. His stuff is bad, his potential is maxed out.

[fish16]

I'm just saying, I don't care about options with Nicolino because our team would be better off without him on it. Not like's going to all of a sudden figure it out. His stuff is bad, his potential is maxed out.

Agreed. I dont really care about options either but i think theyll use his options and the fact that we will suck this year as an excuse to keep guys like Alcantara off the opening day roster.

Id love to find out wtf happened from the time we got him until now because obviously its harder to strike more guys out the higher you get in the minors but he's literally a completely different pitcher than he used to be. Id be interested to find out whether it was poor marlins player development or he just maxed out his stuff relative to his competition his last year with the Blue Jays.

[flamarlins93]

I know Despaigne is out of options so if he doesn't make the team he is a free agent. Although not the best he did have a couple of nice starts late last season and looked good thus far this spring.

[fish16]

I know Despaigne is out of options so if he doesn't make the team he is a free agent. Although not the best he did have a couple of nice starts late last season and looked good thus far this spring.

Didnt realize he is out of options too. He'll make the team too then. I see Hernandez, Nicolino, and Despaigne all making the team and then the other rule 5 guy being returned to his team.

[fish16]

All indications are that the rangers will sign martinez as they continue to make deals for the max amount of IFA money they can acquire via trade. Sucks, but as long as there is an overall increase in the organization awareness of the importance of IFA its all good. As long as we start to consistently make an attempt at the top guys im good. Not gonna get them all. Martinez would have been awesome, and who knows, maybe we still have a chance although it seems unlikely, but as long as we're putting an emphasis on IFA thats the overall important goal.

Hopefully we can become one of those teams that seems to have a huge upper hand in IFA due to connections like seemingly the Rangers, Yanks, Sox, Cubs, and dodgers. Just as a random thought i wish all these guys went in the mlb draft just to kind of even up the playing field cause i dont like the current system, but if the current system exists for the foreseeable future like it seems it will hopefully denbo can make some strides on behalf of the organization as to our IFA reach.

Just to show the importance even if you already have a great core of prospects, the Cubs got Gleyber Torres and Eloy Jiminez on top of an already great system and even though they traded the 2 prospects who are likely future stars, they got a closer on a world series team and a great starter under team contrl for years.

[fish16]

Ichiro signed with the mariners. Pretty cool to see that whenever he makes his debut.

[rmc523]

Rangers agreed to terms with Julio Pablo Martinez - the full $2.8M they had.

[rmc523]

Royals are discussing a minor league contract with Nolasco.

[fish16]

good. didnt want to see nolasco be the starter we end up signing here soon.

[fauowls44]

good. didnt want to see nolasco be the starter we end up signing here soon.

Agreed, but we do need to sign someone to eat some innings. I'd like to sign someone like Hellickson, Feldman, or Jimemez to make 15-20 starts until June/July. If Nolasco got a minor league deal, then those guys can likely be had for the same...or a minimum MLB deal.

[Lee Stone]

good. didnt want to see nolasco be the starter we end up signing here soon.

To me, another veteran starter is the last thing our team needs. A SS that can hit is need #1. A quality back up C is #2. If there has been one revelation this spring, it's the wealth of starting caliber pitching. I saw Peters last start. He was around the plate and hitters weren't swinging because he's hard to hit. Command has been his calling card and he will get past the BB problem this spring. Pablo Lopez has been a gem. Merandy looks very solid. Richards and Meyer are 24 and ready in my book. Caleb Smith has nothing left to prove in AAA. Urena looks to be establishing himself. Turner hasn't convinced me yet, but at least he's a guy to watch. Straily is building trade value. Alcantara is a work in progress. Despaigne is a decent option. That's a lot of good arms. As for Conley and Nicolino, I've seen enough and no thank you.

[fish16]

Agreed, but we do need to sign someone to eat some innings. I'd like to sign someone like Hellickson, Feldman, or Jimemez to make 15-20 starts until June/July. If Nolasco got a minor league deal, then those guys can likely be had for the same...or a minimum MLB deal.

i dont believe nolasco did get a minor league deal but im not positive. we do need to sign someone like that though. Hellickson would be interesting on a rebound type deal. Our ballpark might help us overcome some of these guys concerns about not wanting to pitch for a bad team. We could really help a pitcher put up solid numbers and potentially rebound for a nice deal next offseason. we better hurry up though given that opening day isnt too far away.

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Agreed, but we do need to sign someone to eat some innings. I'd like to sign someone like Hellickson, Feldman, or Jimemez to make 15-20 starts until June/July. If Nolasco got a minor league deal, then those guys can likely be had for the same...or a minimum MLB deal.

i dont believe nolasco did get a minor league deal but im not positive. we do need to sign someone like that though. Hellickson would be interesting on a rebound type deal. Our ballpark might help us overcome some of these guys concerns about not wanting to pitch for a bad team. We could really help a pitcher put up solid numbers and potentially rebound for a nice deal next offseason. we better hurry up though given that opening day isnt too far away.

[rmc523]

To me, another veteran starter is the last thing our team needs. A SS that can hit is need #1. A quality back up C is #2. If there has been one revelation this spring, it's the wealth of starting caliber pitching. I saw Peters last start. He was around the plate and hitters weren't swinging because he's hard to hit. Command has been his calling card and he will get past the BB problem this spring. Pablo Lopez has been a gem. Merandy looks very solid. Richards and Meyer are 24 and ready in my book. Caleb Smith has nothing left to prove in AAA. Urena looks to be establishing himself. Turner hasn't convinced me yet, but at least he's a guy to watch. Straily is building trade value. Alcantara is a work in progress. Despaigne is a decent option. That's a lot of good arms. As for Conley and Nicolino, I've seen enough and no thank you.

As pointed out in the other thread, you need at least one to eat innings, but more importantly to keep the service time clock from starting for the younger guys. We're not going anywhere this year, so what SS would you get? Rojas/Riddle combo is fine for now.

i dont believe nolasco did get a minor league deal but im not positive. we do need to sign someone like that though. Hellickson would be interesting on a rebound type deal. Our ballpark might help us overcome some of these guys concerns about not wanting to pitch for a bad team. We could really help a pitcher put up solid numbers and potentially rebound for a nice deal next offseason. we better hurry up though given that opening day isnt too far away.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/...y-nolasco.html

The Royals and Nolasco are in agreement on a minor league contract, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter links). He’ll earn a $1.5MM base salary if he makes the Major League roster and has another $250K of incentives available to him. Nolasco’s deal also has a March 24th out clause.

[tjfla]

We still want a vet SP but aren't going nuts over it. Issue we had with Nolasco was the opt out date.

FO either wants a guy ready for ML like Hellickson/Ubaldo or a guy who is willing to spend time in minors like Jacob Turner

Also don't forget Graves and Elieser have to be on the ML roster all year. Graves is likely gone but Elieser looks to be staying for now

If Conley doesn't make rotation dont be surprised if they give him a look in the pen before getting rid of him. He was a closer in college and the FO still remembers Brad Hand. O'Grady has options

[lou]

To me, another veteran starter is the last thing our team needs. A SS that can hit is need #1. A quality back up C is #2. If there has been one revelation this spring, it's the wealth of starting caliber pitching. I saw Peters last start. He was around the plate and hitters weren't swinging because he's hard to hit. Command has been his calling card and he will get past the BB problem this spring. Pablo Lopez has been a gem. Merandy looks very solid. Richards and Meyer are 24 and ready in my book. Caleb Smith has nothing left to prove in AAA. Urena looks to be establishing himself. Turner hasn't convinced me yet, but at least he's a guy to watch. Straily is building trade value. Alcantara is a work in progress. Despaigne is a decent option. That's a lot of good arms. As for Conley and Nicolino, I've seen enough and no thank you.

They probably need a guy to eat innings for at least 10-14 weeks to push the kids service time back to get another year of control or eliminate them from a Super2 conversation. This is important for Alcantara, D. Peters, Gallen, and Richards, who I think are the most likely MLB promotions this year. If you are really confident in Conley, Despaigne, Turner, Nicolino, and Ca. Smith, then they can probably get by without one (I think I might be, but getting someone like Hellickson would be a good reclamation project). You can't ignore the financial reality that they need to balance the 25 man roster with longterm planning.

I would still role this out:

Straily, Urena, Veteran SP, Conley
Ziegler, Barraclough, Steckenrider, Wittgren, Tazawa, E. Hernandez, Ca. Smith, Nicolino, and Despaigne

They only need a 5th SP 4-5 times until mid-may (when Peters can come when his service time rolls over), so they can use Despaigne/Ca.Smith/Nicolino as long relievers and cover those days as they happen. The variations are having J. Garcia or Turner on the team instead of a veteran SP, and moving one of them or Despaigne into the 4 man rotation. I think Garcia needs the AAA innings as a starter though, so this is really just adding Turner. Also feel free to kick Nicolino off the team and put in O'Grady, but given the team isn't contending this year, I give Nicolino 6-10 weeks to show something in relief before a DFA and O'Grady taking over for him, or when any slot opens.

The practical end game here is getting everyone healthy to August 1st, with service time deferred, and with enough innings left in their arms to close out the year.