2019 Spring Training Starts

[Nick]

For sure, but if those 3 stick, it's going to get really competitive very fast. That's all I'm saying.

If he has to start the year in AAA, that's not the end of the world to me. Straily's going to be gone at some point this year, there's going to be injuries. He'll get 100+ major league innings this year if he stays healthy no doubt in my mind.

If everything goes 100% right this year and these guys perform you have a rotation of Urena, Smith, Alcantara, Lopez and Richards all established major league starters at this point, with Neidert waiting in the wings for 2020, and Sixto for late 2020 or 2021. This is how actual successful major league teams operate.

[tjfla]

If he has to start the year in AAA, that's not the end of the world to me. Straily's going to be gone at some point this year, there's going to be injuries. He'll get 100+ major league innings this year if he stays healthy no doubt in my mind.

If everything goes 100% right this year and these guys perform you have a rotation of Urena, Smith, Alcantara, Lopez and Richards all established major league starters at this point, with Neidert waiting in the wings for 2020, and Sixto for late 2020 or 2021. This is how actual successful major league teams operate.

2020

Urena
Smith
Sandy
Pablo
Richards

AAA-Neidert/Gallen/Yamamoto/Guzman/Sixto with Neidert and Sixto as SP and other 3 likely ML RP
AA-Holloway/Garrett/Stewart/Cabrera/Rogers with Garrett,Stewart,Cabrera as SP and Holloway and Rogers as both

Elieser,Dugger,Puckett also have a chance depending on 2019

- - - - - - - - - -

Also have trade chips in Castro,Walker,Straily,Romo,Granderson,Rojas,Prado, Steck,Conley. 2 drafts with HIGH picks and 5 million to spend in IFA

I wouldn't be surprised if they went with College SP with 1S or Rd 2 pick this year if someone falls(Carter Stewart,Zach Thompson,Stinson) More likely is College SS however in 2020 Top 3 Pick u got Emerson Hancock,Cole Wilcox,Tanner Burns,Leftwich at Top of the draft

[Lee Stone]

Spring observations:

Wouldn't it be something if the Marlins got both their best pitcher and best hitter for Michael King? Smith and Cooper are looking that way to me. On the other side, King was brilliant for the Yankees last season before blowing out an ACL.

All three of Richards, Lopez and Smith had an identical problem last season ... they walked batters at a much higher rate than anticipated. That problem has disappeared for all three this spring.

How do you not have Cooper as an everyday cleanup hitter in 2019? He has whiffed only five times all spring. O'Brien has struck out in an amazing 50% of his at bats.

Austin Dean has whiffed just four times and routinely made hard contact. How can you possibly play Granderson ahead of him?

Bullpen seems extremely vulnerable to me. Brice and T Guerrero have really struggled at the ML level and I expect that to raise its ugly head. Steck isn't logging strikeouts. On the other hand, Kinley, Eveld, Garcia, and Quijada wait in the wings.

[Namaste]

Chen will start the 3rd game of the season and I think that will be a really dumb thing.

[fish16]

2020

Urena
Smith
Sandy
Pablo
Richards

AAA-Neidert/Gallen/Yamamoto/Guzman/Sixto with Neidert and Sixto as SP and other 3 likely ML RP
AA-Holloway/Garrett/Stewart/Cabrera/Rogers with Garrett,Stewart,Cabrera as SP and Holloway and Rogers as both

Elieser,Dugger,Puckett also have a chance depending on 2019

- - - - - - - - - -

Also have trade chips in Castro,Walker,Straily,Romo,Granderson,Rojas,Prado, Steck,Conley. 2 drafts with HIGH picks and 5 million to spend in IFA

I wouldn't be surprised if they went with College SP with 1S or Rd 2 pick this year if someone falls(Carter Stewart,Zach Thompson,Stinson) More likely is College SS however in 2020 Top 3 Pick u got Emerson Hancock,Cole Wilcox,Tanner Burns,Leftwich at Top of the draft

That rotation you have for 2020 should be what our rotation is this year. All 5 are ready and we arent going to get anything significant for Straily. Maybe deal him for a similar type of guy but one who is a corner outfielder who is on the outside looking in somewhere else. Maybe a guy like Derek Fisher for the Astros who dont have a spot for him can be a target as he just got sent down again today.

- - - - - - - - - -

Chen will start the 3rd game of the season and I think that will be a really dumb thing.

i dont think they will. Straily is annoying to be in the rotation but thats at least defensible. They know Chen in the rotation with the way guys have performed in spring is indefensible and they will make him just a long reliever guy or spot starter to keep the innings down on some of the young arms.

- - - - - - - - - -

Spring observations:

Wouldn't it be something if the Marlins got both their best pitcher and best hitter for Michael King? Smith and Cooper are looking that way to me. On the other side, King was brilliant for the Yankees last season before blowing out an ACL.

All three of Richards, Lopez and Smith had an identical problem last season ... they walked batters at a much higher rate than anticipated. That problem has disappeared for all three this spring.

How do you not have Cooper as an everyday cleanup hitter in 2019? He has whiffed only five times all spring. O'Brien has struck out in an amazing 50% of his at bats.

Austin Dean has whiffed just four times and routinely made hard contact. How can you possibly play Granderson ahead of him?

Bullpen seems extremely vulnerable to me. Brice and T Guerrero have really struggled at the ML level and I expect that to raise its ugly head. Steck isn't logging strikeouts. On the other hand, Kinley, Eveld, Garcia, and Quijada wait in the wings.

Because Dean wont last as more than a fringe 3rd or 4th OF without significantly improving his power potential. And granderson is still a good MLB player whereas Dean is not unless he shows more power.

[Nick]

Spring observations:

Wouldn't it be something if the Marlins got both their best pitcher and best hitter for Michael King? Smith and Cooper are looking that way to me. On the other side, King was brilliant for the Yankees last season before blowing out an ACL.

All three of Richards, Lopez and Smith had an identical problem last season ... they walked batters at a much higher rate than anticipated. That problem has disappeared for all three this spring.

How do you not have Cooper as an everyday cleanup hitter in 2019? He has whiffed only five times all spring. O'Brien has struck out in an amazing 50% of his at bats.

Austin Dean has whiffed just four times and routinely made hard contact. How can you possibly play Granderson ahead of him?

Bullpen seems extremely vulnerable to me. Brice and T Guerrero have really struggled at the ML level and I expect that to raise its ugly head. Steck isn't logging strikeouts. On the other hand, Kinley, Eveld, Garcia, and Quijada wait in the wings.

You want Cooper as the every day cleanup hitter, because he's barely struck out this spring? Is that going to be your thing this year, you love guys that don't strikeout? I hope for the best with Cooper, but to say that he should be a no-brainer cleanup hitter is absurd. He's a 28-year old that has yet to hit a major league home run. Missed pretty much all of last year with a multitude of seemingly minor injuries. He could have a very good year, don't get me wrong, but he's going to need to do more than hit for a good average in 30 spring training ABs. He's got a lot to prove.

[CWB3]

Worst beat writer with a tweet

Joe Frisaro
Verified account @JoeFrisaro
39m39 minutes ago

Random thought of day: If #Marlins made Miguel Rojas available on trade market, a line of at least 10 projected contending teams would form. Challenge to trade Miggy is clubs hesitate already trading prospects. They’d have to make it worthwhile for Miami to listen.

Yes 10 teams would line up but the issue is Rojas doesn't have much value around the league. Brigman is being groomed as UT guy so Rojas won't be here much longer. Rojas,Straily,Prado,Chen are ALL guys we would love to trade but fact is first 2 have NO value and last 2 have terrible contracts

Check the replies.

Dee G. Farray
@dee_marlins
Replying to
@JoeFrisaro
Meaning you heard something’s cooking
11:25 AM · Mar 19, 2019 · Twitter for iPhone

Joe Frisaro
@JoeFrisaro
·
1h
Replying to
@dee_marlins
A wise one, you are

[tjfla]

Check the replies.

I have heard the same thing. The issue is what I said he doesn't have much value. Its just like Straily-teams have called but the offers are laughable. The Marlins would love to move him but aren't trading him for a low level prospect and some 26 yr old career minor leaguer at this point

As we get closer to deadline I wouldn't be surprised if they gave Rojas/Straily away for IFA Cash or low level guys because neither of them will be here in 2020


They would trade Straily to Houston for Kemp Or Marisnick type plus prospect OR to Boston for a Backup C and prospect OR Philly for OF and prospect but nothing has really progressed with any

Note on Rojas:If/when they deal him they got Yadiel,Machado,Marrero in AAA to take his spot as UT for 2019 and Brigman would likely be the UT guy in 2020

[emkayseven]

From a Ken Rosenthal Athletic piece ($):

An executive from a Grapefruit League offered a surprising answer when asked which team has impressed him most this spring.

“Miami,” he said. “Young starter candidates pitching very well. (Overall) talent level is not great, but the way they are playing is. Playing excellent fundamental and situational baseball.”


The exec is not alone in that opinion.


“They are doing a lot of things right, which is a hat tip to Donnie (Mattingly) and his staff,” a Grapefruit League manager said of the Marlins. “Their young pitching is pretty interesting. I think their bullpen is pretty mediocre, but they are competing and doing the right things fundamentally.”


A rival scout added, “They are definitely playing and pitching well.”


The Marlins, widely perceived to be the weak link in the NL East, had won 10 straight exhibition games entering Wednesday’s play, their longest streak in Grapefruit League action since 1997, when they won the World Series. They had outscored their opponents 63-28 over that span, and the seven pitchers competing for spots in their rotation have combined for a 2.93 ERA.


The best guess is that the Marlins’ fortunes will change once the games actually count – PECOTA projects them to win 67 games, the fewest in the NL. The rival exec, however, sees the Marlins possibly becoming the same kind of irritant the Rays frequently are in the AL East – not the 90-win team Tampa Bay was last season, but a difficult opponent on the right day.

https://theathletic.com/879226/2019/...od-more-notes/

[Namaste]

Chen will start the 3rd game of the season and I think that will be a really dumb thing.

Chen is starting tomorrow per Frisaro

[Nick]

Listening to the marlins radio for the first time this year. The guy doing it sounds like the "Boom goes the Dynamite" Kid.

- - - - - - - - - -

Color analyst man raving about Lopez, through 5 only 2 hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks.

[Ralph]

White Sox close to locking up Eloy Jimenez before he takes an official mlb ab. Love that.

[lou]

White Sox close to locking up Eloy Jimenez before he takes an official mlb ab. Love that.

Pretty ballsy move, looks like 6/$42 with two options to get it to 8/$75.

They are valuing his arbitration years very very high. Like 2/3rds of Arenado high so they think he's going to be a superstar. I guess they are afraid that happens and he becomes a Mookie who is hellbent at getting to free agency and turned down $200 million already.

[Namaste]

11 wins in a row c’mon one time

[Erick]

11 wins in a row c’mon one time

Amazing