Important Off-Season Looms For Marlins
October 27, 2007
Once the formality of the World Series is over, the time for arm-chair quarterbacking begins. The off-season will fully get into gear as soon as the Red Sox finish disposing of the Rockies (c’mon, you don’t think the Cinderella team can come back, do you?). For the Marlins, coming off a disappointing 2007, their off-season is very important, as 2008 is the year many inside and outside the organization have pegged this team to make a run.
One could say that because of the Marlins payroll constraints, every off-season is important, because there is no room for error. If the Marlins put all (or most) of their monetary eggs in one basket, they MUST get a return for their investment. It’s that simple. They’re not going to out-bid teams for players, so they need to make smart decisions on who they dole their money out to. The Marlins have some holes this season that throwing some money at could fix.
Here is a list of off-season priorities for the Fish, in no particular order:
1. Find A Starting Catcher: Florida might not have to go far to find one if they put more money into the Miguel Olivo Experience. However, that’s unlikely, as his defense and offense slipped last year and the Marlins don’t have the luxury to pay a part-time catcher (which was pretty much where Olivo was relegated to by the end of the year) the kind of money he’ll be looking for. There doesn’t seem to be an immediate answer within the organizaton; Matt Treanor is a quality backup, but he’s not suited for starting duty. The Fish may give a look to some youngsters in the spring and let them battle it out, but if the Marlins are truly serious about contending this year, they’ll at least bring in a veteran to compete, if not get handed the starting job.
2. Find A Pitching Coach: It’s hard to believe Rick Kranitz could go from Baseball America’s Best Major League Coach in 2006 to reviled by fans in 2007, but that’s what happened. Fans blamed him for the injuries suffered by the pitching staff, while it seemed management did not: They offered him his job back, but Kranitz was looking elsewhere. He ended up signing on as the Baltimore Orioles pitching coach. Whoever accepts the Marlins job for next year has a lot on his plate, with many pitchers recovering from injuries and the burden to prevent any more from happening. He’s also going to be pinned with turning Dontrelle Willis around, after Willis suffered through his worst Major League season. The Marlins may have already found their coach, but are waiting until after the World Series to announce it. Mark Wiley would be a good choice to replace Kranitz.
3. Get Moving On A Stadium Deal: It’s like one step forward, two steps back everytime there is stadium news. At this point, the Marlins and South Florida politicians have become like bickering 6-year olds and their parents (MLB) having to intervene. This dance has been going on for almost ten years now, with who-knows-how-many stadiums have been agreed upon and built in sports in that time. Most people know there is little chance of the Marlins leaving South Florida, so there needn’t be this hold up. For as much as the Marlins brass complain about not having a fair cut of profits from Dolphin Stadium, maybe it’s time the gave a little in negotiations with the politicos down there. Either way, someone is going to have to make some concessions to get this deal moving. Time is becoming a critical factor here.
4. Find A Centerfielder: Again, this position may be filled from within the organization. And no, I’m not talking about Eric Reed. After returning from injury, Cody Ross looked like he could be a solid candidate to start in 2008. But Brett Caroll will likely give him a run in Spring Training. And don’t forget about Alfredo Amezega (though the Marlins might need him more as a utility IF) and Alejandro De Aza (slumped late after a nice two weeks in April). That is, if the Marlins don’t sign a cheap veteran to bring in for competition. I hear Alex Sanchez is looking for work.
5a. Sort Out The Starting Rotation: Injuries have ravaged the pitching staff. The rotation that starts the season likely won’t be the one that ends it, or is even there at mid-season. Dontrelle Willis is a lock, and unless the Marlins get tired of Scott Olsen’s antics and deal him, he’ll be there as well. That’s another project for the new pitching coach. Rick Vanden Hurk is likely to start the season with the Marlins as well. Ricky Nolasco should be ready to go, and Sergio Mitre is still around. Will the Marlins re-sign Byung-Hyun Kim, who saved this team with his rubber arm late last season? And when Anibal Sanchez is ready to go, who gets the boot?
5b. Find A Veteran Utility Player: Like the closer’s spot, there seems to be a spot on the bench that has been a revolving door the past few years, with Wes Helms in ‘06 and Aaron Boone in ‘07. The Marlins will try to re-sign Boone, but they tried to re-sign Helms too, and he found a starting job with the Phillies instead. Will Boone, who was injured for much of 2007, find greener pastures elsewhere as well, forcing the Marlins to go out and get yet another vet to man the pine?
These are the top five (okay, six) issues for the Marlins to deal with this season, off the top of my head. One thing I left out was finding the money in arbitration to re-sign Willis and Miguel Cabrera. But I’m confident both men will return in 2008.
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