Which are the missing pieces in Miami’s team?
The spring training of the MLB in Florida and Arizona have already started, and each of the teams will get there with different realities. The Miami Marlins, for instance, are aware that they will start working to last in the East Division of the National League, doomed to be ostracized in a campaign with no stars in its roster.
That’s the way things are for the Sunshine State, where only a few months ago Derek Jeter assumed as the new owner of the franchise. Since his arrival, he has dedicated himself to pay debts and lessen the amount of money to waste in 2018. With questionable movements, no guaranteed success and the outgrowing rumors of an enormous debt inherited from the last management, there are more doubts than certainties about the Marlins. Let’s then take a look at the most talked-about trades since Jeter’s administration took over:
Dee Gordon (29 years old -Seattle Mariners): The fast second base was the first trade of Jeter’s era, who showed from the early beginnings the path to follow during what was left of a tortuous Miami winter, in which only the snow was missing for a team that was already chilled to the bones. Gordon was traded to the Mariners in exchange for the pitchers Nick Neidert and Robert Dugger, and the infielder Chris Torres. Neidert (21 years old), was the second prospect in the Seattle team, while Torres was seventh in the MLB list. For Gordon, this was a hard blow. He had already secured a spot with the Marlins. His new manager, Jerry DiPorto, has said that for his new team he will have to play the center field.
Giancarlo Stanton (28 years old -New York Yankees): For sure Jeter did not wait long and he traded the slugger for three players from the New York Yankees. Starlin Castro, second-bagger and a regular of the Yankees team; and the prospects from the Minor Leagues Jorge Guzman and Jose Devers were the other part of the deal in which the Bronx Bombers assumed Stanton’s huge contract of 10 years and more than 270 million dollars. The curious thing is that the New Yorkers didn’t have to mention anything about his main prospect for the MVP of the National League, Gleyber Torres.
Marcell Ozuna (27 years old -St. Louis Cardinals): People were still crying for Stanton’s departure when the Marlins decided to trade Ozuna, after his best season in the MLB. A package of four men was sent by Saint Louis in exchange for Ozuna. The pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Daniel Castano y Zac Gallen as well as the outfielder Magneuris Sierra were the chosen ones to be traded for the man that competed for the MVP 2017. Ozuna hit .312/.376/.548, with 37 homers, 124 Runs Batted In(RBI) and 93 runs scored(R).
Christian Yelich (26 years old -Milwaukee Brewers): After all of these departures, Yelich himself asked the Marlins for a trade that did not seem like a very good choice at the time. Finally, the Brewers showed up with the right deal and they got an outfielder that brings offensive and defensive depth to the game. The outfielders Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison, as well as the pitcher Yordan Yamamoto, will now play for the Marlins, a team that left Yelich to go despite his very friendly contract. They could have had him for five more years, in which they would have had to pay him only 58 million, a real bargain taking into consideration his level and projection.
