Fish Push Their Chips In, Pitching, Veterans Step Up
Sept 27, 2022 11:48:43 GMT -5
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Post by marlinsgm on Sept 27, 2022 11:48:43 GMT -5
Coming out of the All-Star Break the Florida Marlins were faced with a quandary, as the aging team was once again looking to be on the outside looking in on a playoff chase where last year's nemesis, the Milwaukee Brewers were
putting space between themselves and the Marlins, and the team wasn't getting any younger and many were questioning whether or not the rebuilding that certainly seems to be on the horizon, as the core continues to age, was closer than GM Matt Andersen would care to admit. The players certainly heard the rumors, as it was nearly impossible to ignore, local media and columnists continuing to push the narrative that the Marlins had missed their window and it was surely
time for Andersen to move on from this group and start to rebuild a moribound farm system that has been raided for the last number of seasons to continue to bring veterans to South Florida. When team captain Barry Larkin was approached
about whether the players were concerned about a selloff in early July he responded, "as players it's never easy, seeing your name in the papers and wondering if this was going to be the last few weeks in a place that most of us have grown fond of and consider home. All we can do is keep our heads down and do what we do best and let the results speak for themselves". Boy have they. With Larkin and fellow "old guys" Pudge Rodriguez, Sean Berry, Bernard Gilkey and Felix Jose leading the way, and a pitching staff that has gotten hot at the right time, the Marlins have made their move. What they do with it remains to be seen.
The Marlins have won 20 of 23 games coming out of the break, and perhaps, more importantly, gained a new-found confidence after taking 3 of 4 from the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. It was no secret that the Marlins July schedule was set up for them to have success, but it was also no secret that last years squad stumbled when playing playoff contending teams, while feasting on the sisters of the poor. Even this years squad was only 8-13 vs. teams that currently are playoff contenders prior to the Dodgers series, having gone 1-5 against these very Dodgers. Marlins pitching has pitched to a 2.79 era in the month of July, with perhaps more importantly the bullpen having a 1.69 era. It was common knowledge that Andersen was looking to upgrade the bullpen most of the season, but converted starter Melido Perez, acquired from the Montreal Expos last season has been a god send in the pen, and after a rocky start after moving from the rotation to the pen, 38 year old Bryan Harvey seems to have found a new home as well, posting a .64 era in 14 bullpen innings in July. The Marlins are still throwing overtures out about improving the pen and its depth prior to tonight's trade deadline, they had been rumored to have had interest in Cincinnati Reds reliever Rafael Betancourt prior to his being moved to the Twins, but if the Marlins can't swing a deal it seems like the pen has sorted itself out for the time being.
As for further moves before tonight's deadline it's really hard to say. There's not a lot of places that Andersen can improve the team at this point. The Marlins did swing a deal with the Rays bringing in 1B/OF Brian Jordan on a salary cutting move by the Rays, and he'll likely take some at bats from disappointing Jerome Walton. Jordan is signed through 2003 so clearly the Fish see him as part of this group the next few years. The Marlins would like to upgrade their 2B spot, with Eric Young disappointing yet again, and while rookie Orlando Cabrera has held his own just fine, getting an experienced big bat there would certainly seem appealing, but there doesn't seem to be a fit on this year's trade block.
The rebuild is going to have to wait. It looks to be another exciting playoff chase in Miami, with the Marlins only 2 games out of the wild card behind the free-falling Cubs, and staying within shouting distance of the Braves juggernaut. Does the core have one more push, this time one that doesn't end in disappointment? Marlin fans and Andersen sure hope so!
putting space between themselves and the Marlins, and the team wasn't getting any younger and many were questioning whether or not the rebuilding that certainly seems to be on the horizon, as the core continues to age, was closer than GM Matt Andersen would care to admit. The players certainly heard the rumors, as it was nearly impossible to ignore, local media and columnists continuing to push the narrative that the Marlins had missed their window and it was surely
time for Andersen to move on from this group and start to rebuild a moribound farm system that has been raided for the last number of seasons to continue to bring veterans to South Florida. When team captain Barry Larkin was approached
about whether the players were concerned about a selloff in early July he responded, "as players it's never easy, seeing your name in the papers and wondering if this was going to be the last few weeks in a place that most of us have grown fond of and consider home. All we can do is keep our heads down and do what we do best and let the results speak for themselves". Boy have they. With Larkin and fellow "old guys" Pudge Rodriguez, Sean Berry, Bernard Gilkey and Felix Jose leading the way, and a pitching staff that has gotten hot at the right time, the Marlins have made their move. What they do with it remains to be seen.
The Marlins have won 20 of 23 games coming out of the break, and perhaps, more importantly, gained a new-found confidence after taking 3 of 4 from the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. It was no secret that the Marlins July schedule was set up for them to have success, but it was also no secret that last years squad stumbled when playing playoff contending teams, while feasting on the sisters of the poor. Even this years squad was only 8-13 vs. teams that currently are playoff contenders prior to the Dodgers series, having gone 1-5 against these very Dodgers. Marlins pitching has pitched to a 2.79 era in the month of July, with perhaps more importantly the bullpen having a 1.69 era. It was common knowledge that Andersen was looking to upgrade the bullpen most of the season, but converted starter Melido Perez, acquired from the Montreal Expos last season has been a god send in the pen, and after a rocky start after moving from the rotation to the pen, 38 year old Bryan Harvey seems to have found a new home as well, posting a .64 era in 14 bullpen innings in July. The Marlins are still throwing overtures out about improving the pen and its depth prior to tonight's trade deadline, they had been rumored to have had interest in Cincinnati Reds reliever Rafael Betancourt prior to his being moved to the Twins, but if the Marlins can't swing a deal it seems like the pen has sorted itself out for the time being.
As for further moves before tonight's deadline it's really hard to say. There's not a lot of places that Andersen can improve the team at this point. The Marlins did swing a deal with the Rays bringing in 1B/OF Brian Jordan on a salary cutting move by the Rays, and he'll likely take some at bats from disappointing Jerome Walton. Jordan is signed through 2003 so clearly the Fish see him as part of this group the next few years. The Marlins would like to upgrade their 2B spot, with Eric Young disappointing yet again, and while rookie Orlando Cabrera has held his own just fine, getting an experienced big bat there would certainly seem appealing, but there doesn't seem to be a fit on this year's trade block.
The rebuild is going to have to wait. It looks to be another exciting playoff chase in Miami, with the Marlins only 2 games out of the wild card behind the free-falling Cubs, and staying within shouting distance of the Braves juggernaut. Does the core have one more push, this time one that doesn't end in disappointment? Marlin fans and Andersen sure hope so!
