Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Marlins

 

The Miami Marlins made the playoffs this year. They also fired the GM that got them here and might be without their ace for another year or so, but...let's at least focus on the good things.

The Marlins built so much over the course of the year by making smart moves, like getting a batting title guy in Luis Arraez to revitalize the contact hitting, swinging A.J. Puk before the season to aid the bullpen, and getting both Jake Burger and Josh Bell to keep the lineup alive in the season's final months. It may not have been enough to stop the Phillies from doing their thing, but it was enough to prove themselves as an underrated force of hitting.

As he has been in the past few years, Jon Berti has been a wonderfully versatile piece that played multiple positions and filled many roles both as a contact hitter, base-stealer and utility guy. This year Berti hit .294 with 114 hits, fourth on the Marlins, and 16 steals. 

2024 Prediction: He's 34. He's given the Marlins a lot. I think he might slip a little bit, even if he does show sparks of his usual material in points.

After 7 wonderful seasons as the first baseman in Houston, the Astros moved on from Yuli Gurriel, and so did the 39-year-old Gurriel, signing a deal with the Marlins. I think because he played for so long, combining his Cuba numbers, Gurriel isn't gonna hang it up until he's 100% sure he's out of juice. So Gurriel tried his hand at another year for Miami, and he was alright. Gurriel hit .245 with 27 RBIs in 108 games, which probably led to the Marlins needing to get Bell.

2024 Prediction: He wants to keep playing. But does anyone want to sign him? Honestly...I think he does one more season somewhere small and then hangs it up.

Joey Wendle's second season in Miami was a step down for his first, at least offensively, as he hit .212 this year with 63 hits in 112 games. The good news is that Wendle is still an excellent defender, and as the starting shortstop he still put himself above the pack. 

2024 Prediction: I think Wendle will be a defensive sub in New York, as they pretty much have the starting infield down, but I think they'll like him in Queens.

As Jacob Stallings is looking more like a backup than ever, the starting catching position went to Nick Fortes, who, while decent defensively, is clearly no J.T. Realmuto at the plate. The 26-year-old hit .206 with 60 hits in 108 games. He was definitely an 'he's what we've got' pick for Miami, but there's always a chance he could improve.

2024 Prediction: Hits higher than .204 at the plate, but don't be surprised if the Marlins pursue an offensive upgrade behind the plate.

One of the most incredible relief seasons of 2023 came from former Orioles relief man Tanner Scott, in his second season for the Marlins. Scott put on a show this season, with a 9-5 record, a 2.31 ERA, a 0.987 WHIP, 12 saves and 108 strikeouts in 74 games. He was also unhittable in one postseason inning against Philadelphia. No matter what he accomplishes next for Miami, the fans will always remember Scott's 2023 season.

2024 Prediction: He will not top that, but he'll still do decently.

Here's something I wasn't expecting- former Rockies utility bat Garrett Hampson actually accomplished a lot for the Marlins in a similar utility role. In 98 games, Hampson hit .276 with 61 hits and 23 RBIs. Hampson really is a cool player to have around, and while the Marlins will have to find utility help elsewhere next year, he's definitely reestablished his legitimacy.

2024 Prediction: I mean, at this rate, he might start a lot more games than the Royals are anticipating.

Lost in the shuffle of Burger and Bell was the Marlins' sly trade for David Robertson, who was having his second straight stellar first half, this one with the Mets. Like last year, his numbers bobbled upon a trade, and while the Marlins made the deal looking for a new closing option, Robertson had a 5.06 ERA with only 4 saves in 22 games. The team had to turn to Tanner Scott to help them out in the ninth for September, and thankfully he did a job, but it was clear that D-Rob let them down.

2024 Prediction: I think this is honestly a good place to call it a day. I'm not sure he thinks that, but I do.

Coming Tomorrow- Several reasons why the Mets couldn't get it done this year.

Ex-Ray Vision

 

Joey Wendle, right now, is fitting in fairly well in a bench infield position for the Marlins. He's hitting .279 with 11 RBIs in 28 games, and he's finally figuring back into the infield conversation after being injured for a week or so. And as alright as the Marlins are right now, that's not what I want to focus on.

I want to focus on the fact that up until this season, Wendle could have been having this exact same season in Tampa. 

The Rays' ultimate strategy is staying a low-budget team while keeping a competitive mindset. They have an exquisite farm system and are able to cultivate your players and give them time to come up, while also giving them room to come up by trading away veterans before they can make money off of them. This has happened numerous times over the past few years, and it's become an understandable, but alarming, theme. I get why the Rays want to do this, but it's become so heartbreaking to see them just deal away great players and continue competing. 

Like I did with the ex-Yankee prospect marker earlier this season, I thought I'd look at each of the other 29 teams and talk about people who the Rays have traded away rather than pay money for a re-up. Cause, remember...they just paid Wander Franco a lot of money. They could always do this. But they still let great players get away, mostly in trades.

Angels: Matt Duffy was cut by the team in 2019, only to become a cheap bench piece for the Cubs and now the Angels. 

Astros: Ryne Stanek was dealt to Miami in exchange for Trevor Richards, now he's a setup man and relief specialist in Houston. 

Athletics: I think this sort of counts, but the Rays did trade Stephen Vogt to the A's before he had the chance to become a starting catcher. Adam Kolarek was also shipped to LA before he could really improve on his 2020 season, and now is a decent reliever in Oakland.

Blue Jays: Trevor Richards, who himself was traded for Ryne Stanek, was himself traded to Milwaukee along with Rays piece they didn't want to pay.

Braves: The Rays finally had a reliable catcher in Travis D'Arnaud after 2019...but they decided to let him become a free agent and come to Atlanta. They didn't wanna keep Guillermo Heredia either, so they let him sign with Pittsburgh. Quite obviously they didn't want to give Charlie Morton more money, even if he'd be a backbone for their rotation, so they didn't re-sign him. And just last year, the Rays had Collin McHugh, and could have re-upped HIM...but, you know, they let him sign a free agent deal with Atlanta.

Brewers: Willy Adames is the most flagrant example of the Rays refusing to pay their stars and instead trading them away to make room for new stars they won't pay, though I think Adames has a right to be miffed that they're IMMEDIATELY paying Franco. They also could have re-signed Hunter Renfroe but instead let him go in exchange, ironically, for Manny Margot. And, quite obviously, Mike Brosseau was a hero with the 2020 Rays, and was subsequently traded to Milwaukee for it.

Cubs: Drew Smyly was traded to Seattle for Ryan Yarbrough, and bounced around for a bit before earning a ring with Atlanta and settling in Chicago. David Robertson had a strong finish last season in Tampa, but they decided not to give him a true 1-year deal the following year, so now he closes for the Cubs. 

Dodgers: David Price is the blueprint for all of these. 

Giants: And another classic is Evan Longoria, a foundational player who the Rays still didn't want to pay. Alex Cobb was also let go rather than being re-upped, and found more fame away from Tampa than he did in there.

Mariners: Diego Castillo was dealt to Seattle in the midst of a playoff campaign. While he was still doing well. That was when you knew that the Rays's strategy involved competing with less players than more. Also, Sergio Romo had an excellent comeback season with Tampa, and was rewarded with the Rays letting him walk. So he's played for 5 teams since.

Marlins: Aside from Wendle, Jesus Aguilar and Avisail Garcia had their tenures in Tampa financially cut short.

Padres: Most notably Wil Myers, in a massive deal for the Rays, as well as Blake Snell, fueled mainly by Kevin Cash pulling him early in a World Series game but also because they didn't want to pay him. 

Phillies: Really just Jose Alvarado, who was a big piece of the Rays' homegrown bullpen til his non tendering.

Pirates: Michael Perez could have been a starting catcher in Tampa, but the brass there figured non-tendering him was a better idea, so he became a backup with Pittsburgh. Obviously Yoshi Tsutsugo wasn't to their liking despite the contract, so they cut him and let him become a hero with the Pirates. 

Rangers: Nate Lowe was a depth piece that could have helped the Rays out, but he was traded unceremoniously to Arlington. Brad Miller was famously traded to Milwaukee, but, at the very least, for Ji-Man Choi. And Matt Moore was a huge rotation piece for Tampa before he was dealt to San Francisco during a playoff run.

Reds: Looking back on it now, perhaps trading Tommy Pham to San Diego was fueled by Pham not being a great person. Since then he's become one of the few lifelines the Reds have. Hunter Strickland was doing great for the Rays last year, but they didn't give him the kind of contract that'd sustain a demotion, so once the Rays waived him, someone took him. 

Red Sox: So many. Christian Arroyo, Nate Eovaldi, Rich Hill...all important pieces for the Rays that when the time came, felt easier to deal than to sign.

Rockies: C.J. Cron had a great season for Tampa in 2018, but they decided to let him go to sign with Minnesota. Alex Colome was famously traded to Seattle in the middle of the season to keep the cap tight. 

Tigers: AUSTIN MEADOWS, the latest and greatest star to get dealt regardless. This one flabbergasted me. Other than cap space, I couldn't think of a single reason to trade this guy. 

Twins: Chris Archer's the big one, they've let him go twice. Emilio Pagan they traded to San Diego right before he could become the everyday closer. 

So that's 20 out of 30 teams that have a remnant of the Rays' cost-cutting ways. That's...a lot. And again, I understand why they do it, I understand what it does to save money, but it doesn't make it any easier for great players asking for organizational loyalty. I wonder what Joey Wendle has to say about the Rays this year. 

Coming Tonight: No one said the Royals' farm system couldn't produce hard throwing pitchers.

Rays Your Glass

 Right now, the AL East has a frontrunner, in the unstoppable Red Sox, a spoiler, in those pesky New York Yankees, and an underdog, in those fun-loving Toronto Blue Jays. So where does that leave the Tampa Bay Rays? You know...AL threat for the past two years, almost won a World Series last year? Those guys?

It's been a tricky endeavor for the Rays so far, trying to forge their identity this year without Blake Snell, Charlie Morton and Nate Lowe, all of whom are doing pretty well for other teams right now. It's also trickier considering that two of the marquee contact guys for Tampa, Brandon Lowe and Kevin Kiermaier, are struggling, and the resident power hitter, Austin Meadows, is hitting under .200 despite 7 homers. Who is the big star in this lineup, then?

Well, right now things are falling on Joey Wendle, who's been a standout infield bat since the Kevin Cash teams started rocking things in 2018. Wendle can hit for average and pack a punch when he needs to, and so far this season he's been hitting .287 with 16 RBIs and 31 hits, dwarfed only by a still-very-hot Randy Arozarena. But those two are the only people in the lineup hitting over .250. When your main battery only comes down to a 31-year-old middle infielder and a second-year hitter who hasn't really sprouted legs yet, you're in serious trouble.

And the pitching is similar. There is still a sense of this bullpen belonging to anyone, call-up or stowaway, and we have people like Ryan Thompson, Andrew Kittredge, Jeffrey Springs, Pete Fairbanks and Hunter Strickland doing well there. That mentality is also spreading to the rotation, as young homegrown pitchers like Josh Fleming, Shane McClanahan and now Luis Patino [who, fun fact, is younger than the franchise] are coming together to salvage a disappointing starting assortment. Only Tyler Glasnow has done what he's supposed to, and while Michael Wacha had some decent games before the injury, Rich Hill and Ryan Yarbrough have been a bit disappointing. So at least they're getting it together now, thanks to these kids.

The most worrying detail about this team is its anonymous nature. Who's gonna care if this Rays team starts surging led by people nobody has heard of like Wendle, Shane McClanahan and Mike Zunino? The Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays have cores led by noted team heroes who are all fulfilling their obligations. The Rays do not currently have that. So for this team to even have a chance at topping their 2020 success, they're gonna need to wake up the rest of their lineup. Cause this might not go well otherwise.

Coming Tonight: One of the few people with an animal motif in Queens who isn't infuriating people right now.

World Series Update: This Is Going to be Long Edition

 You wanted the two best teams in the World Series? It's gonna be a bloodbath. Just what the doctor ordered.

These were two very different games. Game 1 was propelled by a solid pitching performance and a bullpen that could supplant it, thanks to Clayton Kershaw finally pitching well in October. Game 2 had a solid pitching performance, but even Snell let some runs go by afterwards. And when the Dodgers' bullpen had to supplant itself, it crumbled under the weight of Wendle, Lowe and Choi. 

You see the trends forming. The Dodgers win on good, trusted started pitching, but they only have so much of it. The Rays win on outhitting their opponents, but their bullpen can only hold for so long. Corey Seager making it 6-4 tonight may have been the closest thing to a crack in the Rays' plan tonight, because even if they're ahead and thriving, the Dodgers are still THE DODGERS, and can chip away at you like that, especially with guys like Seager.

So, two games in we're even, both teams have played exceptionally well even in losses, and we're just getting started. Either team can win, and it's really all about who's prepared for who. Tomorrow is Walker Buehler vs. Charlie Morton. Let's see which team's prepared for which pitcher. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2019: Rays

Not only have the Kevin Cash Rays teams been good...they've been interesting. It's not like the Cardinals, where they're good in the face of mediocrity or whatever- the Rays have so many individual pieces to talk about that made them a great team this year. And the best part is they're not relying on many contracts- the established stars that were here this year (Garcia, Sogard, Aguilar) were never permanent...although having one perennial guy like Charlie Morton certainly helps.

Yonny Chirinos was given a larger starting role this year, despite injury, and had a 3.54 ERA in 18 starts, with a 1.045 WHIP. Chirinos is still being used both as a starter AND a reliever due to the fluidity of Cash's pitching, but he's still figured out how to stick around
Why Him in 2019?: Had a better, and more versatile, year than 2018 ace Blake Snell
2020 Prediction: A full year, with an ERA closer to 4.

After breaking through in 2018, Joey Wendle took a backseat to new additions like Brandon Lowe, but he still came through when he could, hitting .235 with 18 RBIs in 75 games.
Why Him in 2019?: His demotion/injury made way for Brandon Lowe to take over.
2020 Prediction: Will embrace a utility role until an injury puts him back into the forefront.

Another amusing rookie infielder post-Lowe was Mike Brosseau, the infield bat who hit .273 with 6 homers in 50 games. Brosseau was also the starting 2nd baseman in Tampa's wild card game against Oakland.
Why Him in 2019?: Took over for Lowe after the injury.

And then there's the other rookie named Lowe, Nate Lowe, who hit more for power than the other guy with that name. Nate hit 7 homers and 19 RBIs in 50 games, and gave the team a bit more corner infield mobility.
Why Him in 2019?: Hit .313 in July with 12 RBIs, and fueled the Rays' comeback after dropping to 2nd.
2020 Prediction: More starts at 1B/DH

And now for the bullpen standouts. And there are a ton. Like last year, Ryan Yarbrough was the resident long man, notching 141 innings, which was more than any starter not named Morton. Yarbs also had an 11-5 record, also impressive for a long man, and had 117 strikeouts, third most on the staff. This guy is being used so impeccably by Cash and co. that he blurs the line between starter and reliever.
Why Him in 2019?: Most effective long reliever in the MLB
2020 Prediction: Probably more of the same, with maybe an ASG for his efforts.

Colin Poche was the more traditional setup man type, and despite his 4.70 ERA he still has 72 strikeouts in 51 innings. He also allowed only 31 hits, a low for all Rays pitchers who pitched over 50 innings this year.
Why Him in 2019?: Led all non-closer, non-Yarbs relievers in WHIP.
2020 Prediction: A lower ERA, but a less prevalent year

And then you have Chaz Roe, who fared slightly better with a 4.06 ERA, and seemed to be the Rays' expert on coming in for exactly one batter.
Why Him in 2019?: Gave up the fewest amount of homers of all relievers with 40+ innings.
2020 Prediction: His role will change following the limit on batters per reliever.

An amusing experiment was the saga of Brendan McKay, brought in to start games and occasionally be a two-way player. This didn't go perfectly well, as McKay had a 5.14 ERA and a .200 average.
Why Him in 2019?: Proved that Michael Lorenzen and Shohei Ohtani are just really dang talented.
2020 Prediction: Will have more of the same material before a trade.

Speaking of trades, perhaps the smartest one the Rays made is the one that brought Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards to Tampa. While Richards seemed to be the draw, he only pitched 7 games, started 3. Nick Anderson on the other hand, the deadly Miami reliever, fared way better, getting right back to his tricks with a 2.11 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 21 appearances.
Why Him in 2019?: Biggest relief boost after losing Kolarek.
2020 Prediction: An ASG gig and a lot of major relief accolades are coming this guy's way.

And the other amusing get at the deadline was Jesus Aguilar, who wasn't hitting in Milwaukee, and in Tampa...he hit a little better. .261 in 37 games with 16 RBIs. He's definitely not a dead bat, and Miami will bank on him for 2020.
Why Him in 2019?: Primary DH for the postseason run
2020 Prediction: Will hit 25 home runs in Miami, but not for average.

Coming Tonight: So I have a lot for Xmas Eve, so tonight's will be some remnants of a Red Sox season that didn't go as planned.

Wendle Gee

(Music Pun streak begins here, because I'm not letting that R.E.M. pun go by)

I don't understand it. Even if the Rays trade a lot of their guys, they're still a weird-ass team. Things are happening here that shouldn't be.

-They brought Tyler Glasnow's arm back to life. They guy had been a disappointment in Pittsburgh, and the second he gets to Tampa, he becomes a new pitcher, finally hitting the numbers they promised he would, and becoming a great starting option in place of Eovaldi and Archer.

-The team's marquee player, Kevin Kiermaier, is batting below the Mendoza line, and playing legitimately poorly, which is a new thing for him.

-Only one person currently on this team has more than ten home runs, and it's CJ Cron, a guy who's new to the team. Wilson Ramos had 16, but now he's playing for Philly.

-Four starters are rookies. Joey Wendle, Daniel Robertson, Jake Bauers and Willy Adames.

-Blake Snell, Yonny Chirinos and Glasnow are the only actual starters on this team. Everyone else, including Ryan Yarbrough and Ryne Stanek, are used as long-relievers and 'openers', by Kevin Cash and his goofy new bullpen plan.

-Sergio Romo is the closer. He hasn't been successful as a closer since roughly 2014. If that. Also, he may be the only closer in baseball right now to have an ice cream flavor named after him. Yes, it's been discontinued since he left the Giants, but it still happened.

-They're still in third place, and one game above .500

Crazy, crazy stuff.

Coming Tonight: Mets pitcher, one that's doing pretty well, which could be anyone except Vargas.