2013 Miami Marlins Team Photo
“Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair”–Sir Edumund Burke
This could very well be the motto of the 2013 Miami Marlins. It’s difficult to believe that just a year ago, this team was preparing to enter an artistically crafted brand new stadium with a roster of high priced, higher talent players and were favorites to win the N.L. East. A slow start in April was followed by a torrid month of May (21-8) that saw the Fish climb back into contention in the East. Then June happened. Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton went down with a knee injury, missing 30 days and the Marlins went into the tank losing 18 of 26 games and falling back to the middle of the pack. July wasn’t much better. Miami went 10-16 and, lo’ and behold….
The fire sale began.
The first to leave were Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante. They were shipped to the Detroit Tigers for Jacob Turner and Rob Brantly. Days after, All-Star 3B Hanley Ramirez packed his bags and headed to the West Coast as the L.A. Dodgers sent Nate Eovaldi and Scott McGough as compensation (ouch!). Things got worse. 1B Logan Morrison and OF Emilio Bonifacio suffered season ending injuries and the decimated Marlins played out the string of their games in losing fashion, ending up last in the N.L. East with a 69-93 record.
In the offseason, owner Jeffrey Loria and the Marlins front office wasted no time in continuing their roster liquidation. Closer Heath Bell was jettisoned to Arizona in a three team deal for minor league infielder Yordy Cabrera. A monsterous trade of Jose Reyes, Mark Bueherle, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonifacio, and John Buck to the Toronto Blue Jays netted Yunel Escobar, Henderson Alvarez, and a slew of minor league players, including Adeiny Hechevarria, Jake Marisnick, and Justin Nicolino, The move was a stark indicator to Miami Marlins players and fans that the club had fully committed to a complete rebuild, a move that angered many, most notably superstar Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton has already gone on the record stating his desire to be traded as soon as possible from the organization that drafted him in 2008.
2013 Lineup
- C: Rob Brantly
- 1B: Logan Morrison
- 2B: Donovan Solano
- SS: Adeiny Hechevarria
- 3B: Placido Polanco
- RF: Giancarlo Stanton
- CF: Justin Ruggiano
- LF: Juan Pierre
This could be a group that posts a serious challenge to the 1915 St. Louis Cardinals for lowest runs scored (590) in an MLB season. That said, the cupboard is not completely bare. At the tender age of 24, Giancarlo Stanton has already established himself as one of the most potent power hitters in baseball. He’s a virtual lock for at least 40 HR, though it’s unclear if all of those will be hit in a Marlins uniform this season. 1B Logan Morrison will be looking to liberate himself from an injury-marred 2012 season. He’s just one year removed from a career power year that saw him hit 23 HR and drive in 74 runs. He’s quite capable of replicating that, especially if he hits in front of Stanton. Rob Brantly is a solid all around catcher who has sound plate discipline and a bat that can hit for marginal power and a high average. Brantly batted .290 in his 31 games with Miami last year, with three HR and eight RBI. Another sleeper player is Justin Ruggiano, who flourished when given a starting role last year. In 91 games, the 30 year old hit .313 with 13 HR 23 doubles and 14 SB.
2013 Rotation
- Ricky Nolasco—RHP
- Jacob Turner—RHP
- Henderson Alvarez—RHP
- Nathan Eovaldi—RHP
- Wade LeBlanc—LHP
This year’s new look quintet is far less accomplished and less talented. Nolasco, last year’s #4 starter is now the club’s “ace”. Jacob Turner, once a blue chip prospect with the Tigers, seemed to turn the corner last year once he donned a Marlins jersey. Turner had a 3.38 ERA in seven starts, holding hitters to a .208 BA and a 9 BB/29 K ratio in 42.2 innings. At 6-5 215 lb.Turner has the build and repertoire to be the ace of this rotation as soon as this season, but he will be hard pressed to tally wins with the poor run support that will surely be provided by the Marlins’ anemic offense. Eovaldi and Alvarez (21 and 22 respectively) have been hard pressed to find success yet at the major league levels and their ceilings are truly as mid-rotation, pitch to contact innings eaters. The final spot in the rotation is tentatively slated to be filled by 28 year old Wade LeBlanc, though he also pitched as a swingman last year for the Marlins and could fill a role like that again. The Marlins have a couple of veterans castoffs like Kevin Slowey and John Maine as well as homegrown prospects Brad Hand and Tom Koehler that could also fill the role.
2013 Bullpen
- CL: Steve Chisek
- SU: Ryan Webb
- RHP: Chris Hatcher, Dan Jennings, Evan Reed, Arquidemes Caminero
- LHP: Mike Reed, Scott Dunn, A.J. Ramos
This list is just as subject to change, if not more, than the starting rotation. Chisek saved 15 of 19 games when Bell was on the DL and his 2.69 ERA and 68 K’s in 64 innings is evidence that he’s likely the best candidate to serve in the role again. Beyond him is an assotment of names that have had mixed results at the major league level. Don’t be surprised to see a few names from the rotational mix be sent here in long reliever/swingman roles. In essence, picking the Marlins 2012 staff is like trying to guess the NCAA tournament bracket with 100% accuracy.
5 Undervalued Miami Marlins Cards
1.) Justin Ruggiano 2008 Bowman Sterling Auto RC
After a several stints of being shuttled between AAA Durham and Tampa Bay, Ruggiano finally was able to receive regular playing time as a member of the Miami Marlins. The Texas A&M alum hit 13 HR and stole 14 bases in just a little more than half a season’s worth of at bats. Extend that pace over a whole season and it becomes conceivable that Ruggiano could be a strong 20/20 player in 2013. Working against him, however, is that a) he’s a Miami Marlin…not exactly a hotbed franchise to collect, and b) he’ll turn 31 in mid-April. Rookie card collectors tend to have muted enthusiasm for breakout players beyond the ripe age of 30. That being said, Ruggiano has several 2008 autographs that are flying off the shelves at $3-5 each. In fact, several low serial numbered cards (#/50 or less) have been nabbed by buyers in eBay auctions at less than $10 each. I have to think that for a 20/20 player who can hit for a high average (.313 last year), there’s some wiggle room for fiscal growth here.
2.) Giancarlo Stanton 2010 Topps Chrome RC Auto
The man formerly known as “Mike” has carved out a legendary start to his sterling career. In two and a half seasons worth of games, Stanton has socked 93 HR and driven in 232 runs. Last year’s 37 bombs were hit in just 123 games, as Stanton missed more than a month to injury. As stated earlier in this piece, Stanton is none to thrilled about being a Miami Marlin, and one would have to surmise that his discontent with the club’s current direction is only going to grow. Come July, pennant contenders from far and wide will come begging for Stanton’s services, ready to unload the bountiful harvests of their farm systems. It seems logical to expect that at some point the right deal will come along and Stanton will don a new uniform. That could only mean good things for the 23 year old’s future market appeal. Well, that and the fact that he’s a 50 HR season waiting to happen. Stanton’s 2010 Topps Chrome autographed cards can be had at about a quarter the cost of his 2008 Bowman Chrome autos. $35-40 per card seem like an ideal catch for a player whose career path could follow another former Marlins great, Miguel Cabrera.
3.) Jose Fernandez 2012 Bowman Sterling RC Auto
How nasty was Jose Fernandez last year? The 20 year old Tampa, FL native was 14-1 with a 1.75 ERA and 158 punchouts in just 134 innings of work. Fernandez began the year at full season Low-A ball and ended his season at High-A, but I suspect the Marlins will allow him to pitch the full season at AA this year. A former 1st round pick (2011), Fernandez can hit 99 MPH on the gun with his fastball, and his curveball has the makings of being a powerful, bat-eluding strikeout pitch. Fernandez, along with LHP and former 1st rounder Andrew Heaney, have some solid arms at the lower levels of their farm system that should someday join Jacob Turner at the major league level to form a formidable rotation. Fernandez’s best value autos are in the 2011 Bowman Sterling product. These can be found for as low as $10 each. Seeing that Fernandez is one of the top five pitching prospects in baseball, these seem to be bargains.
4.) Rob Brantly 2010 Donruss Elite RC Auto
The 23 year old’s first audition with the Marlins was a successful one. With 29 hits in 100 AB, Brantly continued to demonstrate his ability to hit for a high average with a sound approach at the plate (13 BB/16 K). Offensively, Brantly reminds me most of Milwaukee Brewers receiver Jonathan Lucroy, an offensively-minded line drive hitting machine with average to above average power and fringe average defensive skills. Brantly will be the starting catcher this next season and should be able to post 10-15 HR while hitting for a batting average north of .270. Brantly’s sole autographed cards are in the 2010 Donruss Elite Extra (#/819). These sell for about $7-9 each. Looking for Brantly RC’s in bulk? His 2011 Bowman Chrome RC’s can be had for under 50 cents each.
5.) Christian Yelich 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft
The Marlins #1 ranked prospect has raked in the Grapefruit League this year, opening the eyes of the organization even wider than they already were. Yelich is hitting .379 with 2 HR 9 RBI and 9 runs scored in 29 spring AB’s. Even more impressive is the 6 BB/4 K ratio he’s curried, drawing praise from current Marlins manager Mike Redmond. Yelich, in two minor league seasons has hit for a combined .322 BA with 27 HR 130 RBI and 53 SB. Yelich should start the season at AA Jacksonville and could find himself with the major league club by the end of the season. Currently ranked by Baseball America as the #13 overall prospect in the major leagues, Yelich will become the face of the Marlins franchise once Giancarlo Stanton moves on….it will happen. Yelich’s first year autos are in the 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft set, selling for $30-40 each right now. Those could be a bargain if what we’ve seen this spring is an indicator of the impact that he’ll have once he becomes a full time major league player. A lower cost, potentially higher return investment are his non-autographed chrome cards from that set. Those can be had at $1-2 each and regularly available in quantities of 10 or more.
Summary
The Marlins best years are ahead of them. The fleecing of last year’s potential playoff roster was an outrage to the Dade Couinty community that had just constructed a $600 million stadium project heavily levied by taxpayer money. The 2013 season will be a difficult one for Fish fans to watch….and they may decide not to. The prevailing stories to watch for this coming season will be what developments occur in what may be Giancarlo Stanton’s swan song with the club that drafted him. Also, the development of some of their young talent, Jacob Turner, Christian Yelich, Jose Fernandez, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino, and Andrew Heaney will be of keen interest. Other than that, this could well be a 100 loss year for a franchise that just a year ago was considered a playoff lock.
The Collector Revolution Daily Reader 