2018 Pre-Season Profile: Miami Marlins

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It is a magical time of year.  Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training, and the rest of the players are not far behind.  We are less than a week away from the first Spring Training game, and before we know it, we will be in the middle of another outstanding baseball season.  This offseason has been unlike any other, with many of the top free agents still looking for jobs as camps open.  Players are looking to cash in with big contracts while clubs are scared of signing the latest free agent bust.  The trade market has been rich, with many teams searching for alternate solutions to upgrade their roster.  As I start my pre-season profiles for each club, there are still many unanswered questions for many players and many teams.

As we go from last to first, we start with one of the most active teams of the offseason as they seemed determined to go from average and emerging to terrible and rebuilding.

My 2017 Predictions

4th in NL East

The Marlins will trade for Jose Quintana mid-season.

2017 Results
77-85, 2nd in NL East

The Marlins finished with almost the exact same record as they did in 2016, however the weak NL East had them finish in second.  After tragically losing one of the faces of the franchise in Jose Fernandez at the end of the 2016 season, their other face, Giancarlo Stanton, had a career year that ended in him winning the NL MVP award.  I thought the Marlins might make some moves to really try and compete, with the starting rotation being the biggest hole in their roster.  Instead of making a splash for a guy like Quintana, the splash came in the new ownership group that was in place by the time the season ended.

Additions / Subtractions

With Derek Jeter & Co. now owning the Marlins, the philosophy of the franchise took a complete 180.  Instead of trying to find new ways to complement their strong lineup, the new ownership group decided the status quo was not sustainable financially.  If they needed to shed payroll, they needed to just blow up the current core and start over.  That is exactly what they did.  Gone are All Star caliber players like Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, and reigning MVP Stanton along with the hundreds of millions of dollars committed to them.  Prospects were brought back, but some of the trades were simply salary dumps when you see the level of prospects they got in return.  The franchise had a complete reset, with second baseman Starlin Castro being the only established major leaguer brought back in any transaction.

Most Important Hitter

J.T. Realmuto

Along with Justin Bour, Realmuto is one of only two remaining members of the former Marlins core still on the roster, and he is not happy about it.  He has been very vocal this offseason about the fact that he wants to be traded as well so he has a chance to compete.  This makes him valuable to the Marlins because if they do decide to move him (which might be necessary if he becomes a cancer in the locker room) he should bring back a decent haul.  Yelich brought back the best haul of the offseason trades.  A similar haul might be in the cards for Realmuto, a 27 year old catcher with pop getting ready to enter his prime.

Most Important Pitcher

Jose Urena

In a year where the pitching staff was the downfall of the Marlins, Urena was a bright spot in 2017, going well over 100 innings for the first time in his career.  He was effective in those innings, earning 14 wins, a 3.82 ERA, and a 106 ERA+.  This makes him the only Marlins pitcher with more than 10 starts that was above league average (ERA+ 100).  All of this is promising, considering he is only entering his age 26 season.  This may be the future ace of the staff if he isn't already.  He may be one of the few things Marlins fans have to look forward to.

Prospect to Watch

Lewis Brinson

By far, the best prospect the Marlins got in their wheeling and dealing this offseason was Lewis Brinson from the Brewers in the Yelich deal.  He has been one of the top prospects for the last few years in all of baseball, and he is slated to be the Marlins Opening Day centerfielder.  He has a real chance of becoming a star and a new face of the new Marlins for the foreseeable future.

2018 Prediction

5th in NL East

Almost by design, the Marlins have the worst roster in the league by a decent amount.  They seem to be trying to employ the Astros blueprint of success.  Tear down to nothing and rebuild around some top draft picks.  The problem with this method is it takes several years to see any results.  Expect at least two or three 100 loss seasons before the Marlins improve.

Fearless Prediction

Half of the Marlins Opening Day starting lineup will not be on the roster by season's end.

The Marlins can't be done unloading pieces.  They should probably pick up a couple veteran players that are still in free agency to fill out their roster so they can at least look respectable on Opening Day.  However, look for players like Martin Prado, Starlin Castro, J.T. Realmuto, Justin Bour, Dan Straily, Wei-Yin Chen, and whatever veterans they might pick up along the way to either be traded or dropped by season's end.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: New York Yankees

In the last couple days, pitchers and catchers have started to report to Spring Training.  This means baseball season is just around the corner.  Every year, the baseball offseason is one of the most interesting in all of sports as teams work to remake and revamp their teams through trades, free agents, or their farm system.  No sport has rosters as fluid in the offseason as baseball.  This makes Spring Training an exciting time for all baseball fans as we get our first look at what each team looks like this year.  Last year, I attempted to write a prediction article for every team in the league.  I came up a little short when the season started.  This season, I am starting with the teams I didn't get to last season, starting with the Yankees.

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 4th in AL East

2015 Results: 87-75, 2nd in AL East, WILD CARD, lost to Astros in Wild Card Game

The Yankees really overachieved last year with an aging roster.  The resurgence of players like Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez led to an unexpected playoff birth for the Pinstripes in 2015.  However, a quick exit also came for them when they ran into the young upstart Astros.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

These are not the Yankees we are used to seeing in the offseason.  They came out early on in the winter to say they were not going to sign any of the big ticket free agents.  High price tags still placed on aging stars like Teixeira, A-Rod, Carlos Beltran, and CC Sabathia can even scare off the deepest of pocketbooks from spending.  However, it didn't stop them completely from making improvements to their roster.  They pulled off a trade for Starlin Castro as they continue to look for a replacement for Robinson Cano at second base.  The big move everyone has been talking about though is Aroldis Chapman coming in to give the Yankees a "super bullpen" that rivals the Royals of the past couple years.

Most Important Hitter

Mark Teixeira

For the Yankees to have another great season this year, all of their aging stars need to repeat their performance from the year before.  The most important of these is Mark Teixeira, mainly because of his insurance policy is no longer available.  Greg Bird, who had a really solid 2015 season, was meant to split time with Tex at first to keep him fresh.  However, shoulder surgery has knocked him out for the year, putting all the pressure back on the veteran.  Now, if nothing changes, the Yankees' option at first base if Tex gets hurt is Dustin Ackley.  I know from experience as a Mariners fan that that is not a strong option.  Teixeira has to be great.

Most Important Pitcher

Masahiro Tanaka

Tanaka is being counted on as the ace of the Yankees' staff, however since an elbow injury halfway through his first season, Tanaka has been much less than that.  Since then, his elbow has been a ticking time bomb waiting for if and/or when that ligament will tear the rest of the way and he will need Tommy John.  The Yankees can't have that happen this season.  Not only that, but he needs to be the ace of the staff again.  He needs to pitch more than his 2015 total of 150 innings and get his ERA back down under 3.00 (3.51 in 2015).  If that happens, he will once again anchor that starting rotation.

Player to Watch

Robert Refsnyder

This spot is reserved for a player that could have a breakout rookie season in 2016.  I would say Luis Severino for this spot, but he played too much in 2015 to still qualify as a rookie.  The Yankees have higher profile prospects (Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo), but Refsnyder has the biggest opportunity to make an impact on this year's season.  He is listed as a second baseman, but the Yankees are hoping he can become their "super utility" along the lines of guys like Ben Zobrist and Josh Harrison.  After being a star for Arizona's CWS 2012 championship, he is no stranger to the pressures he will face playing in New York.  He has a good chance of making the Opening Day roster and having a big impact all around the field.

2016 Prediction

5th in AL East

I do not have much faith in the Yankees this year.  There are way too many question marks for this team.  Can Mark Teixeira stay healthy? Can Alex Rodriguez repeat his bounce back season?  Does Carlos Beltran have one more stellar season in him?  Can CC Sabathia return to former glory?  Will Masahiro Tanaka's elbow hold up another season?  How long will Aroldis Chapman be suspended for his off-the-field problems this offseason?  They have a roster that can win, but I don't see every one of these scenarios working out in the Yankees' favor in 2016, which is what has to happen for them to compete in the highly-competitive AL East.

Fearless Prediction

Aroldis Chapman will not end the season as a Yankee.

Aroldis Chapman was brought in by the Yankees with just one year left on his contract to bolster what was already one of the best bullpens in baseball.  If the team has the type of season I am predicting they have, don't be surprised if the Yankees turn around and unload the flame-throwing closer at the Trade Deadline for a haul of prospects and hit the reset button on that whole experiment.

2015 Pre-Season Profile: Chicago Cubs

There may not have been a more talked about team this offseason than the Chicago Cubs.  Will all the publicity and attention get them any closer to ending the most infamous drought in professional sports?

Last Season

73-89, 5th in NL Central

Under new manager Rick Renteria, the Cubs had their best season since 2010, which just means they didn't lose 90+ games.  It was definitely a transition year as some of the current stars were shipped out to bring in fresh talent and make room for the budding superstars Theo Epstein has been stockpiling in the farm system.  A lot of youngsters saw their first big league action in 2014 and more will see the field in 2015.

2015 Additions / Subtractions

The remodeling of this year's team officially started when the Cubs started trading last season, shipping off players like Jeff Samardzija and Darwin Barney.  Then came the offseason everyone has been talking about.  Jon Lester brings instant credibility to a rotation needing a leader after Samardzija (Lester's now former Athletic teammate actually) was dealt.  Lester is a proven leader and winner at all levels.  Complementary pieces like Dexter Fowler to hold the fort in centerfield and Miguel Montero to handle the pitching staff also improved the club, but there was one move that is going to make all the difference in the long run.  Rick Renteria did a great job managing the team last year, but the Cubs couldn't pass up the opportunity presented to them.  Joe Maddon has long been considered one of, if not the, best manager in baseball.  What he did with the low-budget, overachieving Rays year after year was amazing to watch.  Now he will be leading a team full of talent that also has a budget to go fill needs instead of trading away their stars just as they hit their prime.  If the Cubs win a World Series in the next 5 years or so, it will be because of Joe Maddon.

Most Important Hitter

Javier Baez

Outside of a few proven big leaguers, the Cubs will be letting some young prospects get their feet wet and have some on-the-job training this year.  Eventually, some of these prospects will need to turn into superstars for the Cubs to reach the heights they want to see.  The first they are counting on announcing his presence is Javier Baez.  Baez was considered one of the best hitting prospects in all of baseball last season when he was given a 52 game run in Chicago.  Scouts said he hit like Manny Ramirez, but played middle infield (which is why many say the Cubs hired Manny Ramirez to help coach their AAA team last year).  He greatly underwhelmed in 2014, hitting just .169 with 9 home runs in his short stint.  Baez is obviously their second baseman of the future, but it is telling when the team trades for Tommy La Stella from Atlanta in the offseason to have an insurance policy in case Baez falls flat on his face again.  The Cubs want to be patient, but also want to start winning.  How quickly Javier Baez develops may determine how quickly the Cubs become a team to be recognized.

Most Important Pitcher

Jake Arrieta

When the Cubs traded Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel mid-season last year, many wondered where the quality would come from their starting pitching.  Quickly, Jake Arrieta emerged out of nowhere to be the ace of the staff.  Now with Jon Lester taking the top spot in the rotation, the Cubs are counting on Arrieta to continue his new-found success and be the solid number two starter every rotation needs.

Player to Watch

Addison Russell

It is hard to pick just one player to watch on such a young and talented team.  Jorge Soler, Cubs #3 prospect and #23 in all of baseball, is expected to start in rightfield on Opening Day, and Kris Bryant, Cubs #1 prospect and #2 in all of baseball, is putting together a Spring Training that will have people rioting if he is not the starting third baseman to start the season.  Many people already know these names and the success they are expected to have (if not, look them up ... especially Bryant).  The situation that will be most interesting to watch is what the Cubs decide to do with shortstop prospect Addison Russell.  The centerpiece of the Jeff Samardzija trade last season, Russell came over from Oakland and instantly became the Cubs' #2 prospect, only bested by Kris Bryant.  He is also the 5th best prospect in all of baseball and scheduled to be ready to make his big league debut this season.  He is obviously in the future plans of the Cubs.  The question is when and how.  If we hit mid-season, and Javier Baez still isn't working out at second base, look for Addison Russell to make his big league debut at second.  If not, don't be surprised if Starlin Castro starts to be talked about in trade rumors in June or July, no matter what their record is, to make room for this phenom and future superstar.

Prediction

3rd in NL Central

With all the moves and all the buzz surrounding the Cubs, you start to wonder if it is all hype or not.  Looking at what they have done and where it appears they are going, I am starting to buy in to what they are selling.  They have a collection of possibly the best young talent in all of baseball with possibly the best manager leading them.  I see them making a significant jump forward this year.  They won't challenge for a playoff spot this year, but a strong start could have people speculating about a playoff run as late as the All Star Break.  The Cubs aren't trying to win this year, but look out for them being perennial championship contenders within the next 5 seasons.