Mid-Term
The Fish will have to leapfrog at least 3 of the 5 Teams in front of them in the NL Wild Card Race in order to reach the 2022 Postseason, 2 of which are at least inside their own Division (Braves & Phillies). Which Players on the Marlins have kept them within striking distance, and which Players may continue to play pivotal roles down the stretch?? Let's dive in with some Son Los Marlins mid-Season awards.
With the purpose to kind of spread the praise if you will, we'll qualify solely Position Players for the MVP honors. Otherwise Sandy Alcantara, our clear Cy Young, would pretty much obliterate our awards, and muchly deserved.
It's been quite a while since a Pitcher had a Season the likes one Sandy Alcantara is putting together here in 2022. We're talking Dontrelle Willis ('05)/Kevin Brown ('96) type of territory with the amount of 'dominant' Innings being put together (Both Willis & Brown finished Runner-up in Cy Young Voting those Years btw). Sandy is at 123.1 IP's at the half-way mark, with a Sparkling 1.82 ERA.
Alcantara's gone 9 Innings 3 Times, tossed over 105 Pitches in 8 of his last 9 Starts, which have all been of 7 or more Innings, and only once has he given up more than 2 Earned Runs in that time frame. All while easily hitting Triple Digits on the radar gun as each outing not only starts, but comes to an end.
Without question the most consistent Bat inside the Marlins Lineup has been that of Garrett Cooper's, which shouldn't come as a surprise seeing as he's been able to keep himself in that Lineup and off the I.L the entire first-half, something he had never done since coming to Florida in 2018. Uncoincidentally this marks the first Full year of the Universal DH, something that fits Cooper to a tee.
It's as if Coop is seeing the ball off a tee with the way he's been swinging it this year. Leading the Team with a .308 Batting Average, 20 Doubles, and a .373 OPB. While continuing to produce in the Clutch. Cooper's slash line with Runners in Scoring Position is as follows: .327/.400/.546. Sounds like a 3 Hitter to me and the Marlins 1st Half MVP.
Not many Rookies on this year's Marlins Squad, I guess Braxton Garrett could qualify?! We'll instead mention the Top Newcomer to the Fish in 2022. The name Joey Wendle would certainly fit the bill had it not been for 2 separate I.L stints that have limited him to 35 Games. This 1st Half award certainly won't go to Jorge Soler or Avisail Garcia, so let's head to the Bullpen, to the 9th Inning to be precise.
Tanner Scott has helped solidify the back end of the Marlins Bullpen since being acquired by the Orioles just before Opening Day. He's 10 for 12 in Save Op's as the Marlins Closer and prior to that saw high leverage Innings in both the 7 & 8th. If Scott remains the 9th Inning guy in Miami may depend on not only his future performances, but if the Marlins go shopping for a Closer in the coming weeks.
The most improved Marlin from 2021 to 2022 certainly has to be Anthony Bass. Bass Pitched 23 times a Season ago in Save Situations (Minimum 3 Run Lead) to the tune of a 7.50 ERA. The disastrous first year in Florida saw Bass blow 4 Saves and pick up a whopping 9 Losses out of the Marlins Pen.
2022 has been the complete opposite for Bass, as the Righthander has 13 Holds to his name Pitching in either the 7 or 8th, with only 2 blown Save Op's. His 1.60 ERA leads all qualified Marlins Pitchers and his 30/7 K to BB Ratio is yet another far cry from 1 year to the next for the most improved Fish in 2022.
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