What If The Marlins Don't Suck?

 

I'm going to say this loud and clear so the sportswriters can hear it: THE MIAMI MARLINS MADE THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR.

Not only did they make the playoffs last year, but they had the fifth-best record in the NL, which would have nullified them in a normal year, but it didn't. The Marlins had insane September momentum, won a playoff series against the first place Chicago Cubs, and played decently against the incredibly strong Atlanta Braves. They are, by all intents and purposes, a good team. And the majority of the players who made them a contender in 2020, including Starling Marte, Brian Anderson, Pablo Lopez, Miguel Rojas and Sixto Sanchez, are all still with the team.

But, because they're the Marlins, pretty much every sportswriter has predicted that they'll end the year in last again. That's a hurtful stereotype.

The one aspect that pretty much every sportswriter has predicted correctly is that the Atlanta Braves will repeat at 1st, which...how can they not that this point? [Thank god I don't do 'the year in irony' posts anymore, cause this seems like I'm dooming them]. But there's a lot that needs to be reassessed. The assumption that the Mets will be amazing just because they have a marquee star and a better rotation is the oldest trick in the book. The Nationals may not be a bottom feeder team anymore with more reinforcements, but I don't think they're back to contending either. And the Phillies...may not be ready for primetime either, because I'm not sure what exactly it takes.

So the Marlins could, in theory, be looking at an upset return to the spotlight. No, seriously.

Right now, all the big pieces of the team, including Anderson and Rojas but also Jorge Alfaro, Corey Dickerson, Jon Berti and Starling Marte, are all hitting well. Sandy Alcantara and Pablo Lopez have been impressive in spring starts. The bullpen looks largely as polished as it did last year. Mattingly is still there, and coming off an increase in his own dignity. The team actually has a core to build around and a pitching staff to be confident in. 

Therefore, to assume the Marlins will end the season in last will be the exact mistake teams made in 2020. The Phillies went into that opening series with Miami thinking it'd be an easy win, and then got their asses kicked by both the Marlins AND Covid. If teams assume the Marlins will be easy to beat, the Marlins will beat them. It is that simple. I don't wanna see you guys go completely all-in on 'the Marlins suck again' and be surprised when the Mets and Phillies miss the playoffs again. 

I'm not saying the Marlins don't have a chance to be mediocre again, but...they also have a chance to be good and contend for a Wild Card spot. They'd likely be playing San Diego or some burgeoning NL Central team, so it'd need to be a herculean effort from them this year...but to me, it's not out of the cards for them to compete. 

Coming Tomorrow- In my eyes, one of the biggest assets the Twins have over most other teams.