What a ride.

 

You had the sense things were a changing 1 year ago inside the Marlins Organization. The Fish entered 2023 with a new Coaching staff, led by first year Manager Skip Schumaker. They also brought in some new voices surrounding General Manager Kim Ng, in Asst. G.M Oz Ocampo & Terry Collins as a baseball consultant. There were a few new faces on the Players side for the Fish, none bigger than Luis Arraez, who Won a Batting Title with the highest Batting Average for a Season in Marlins History at .354. All to compliment existing talent in the Starting Rotation, where nobody stepped up as much in 2023 than Braxton Garrett & Jesus Luzardo. A talented young Outfield led by Jazz Chisholm Jr, Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez. The resurgence of slugger Jorge Soler, as the All-Star banged 36 Home Runs, not done by anybody in a Marlins Uniform since 2017. The lockdown Lefties at the back end of the Bullpen, beginning/ending with Tanner Scott, Andrew Nardi, and in the beginning of the year A.J Puk.

"Culture" was a word Shumaker, Ng and the Fish continued to mention all Season. "Winning Culture" that is, and the Marlins finished with 85 Victories, the most since 2009.

It wasn't all smooth sailing for the Marlins in 2023, but yet a bit of rollercoaster ride. The highs of being 14 Games Over .500 at the All-Star Break. The lows of Losing 8 in a row following that ASG, and dropping a Game Under .500 on August 30th. The resiliency to battle back in September through A LOT of adversity in order to Clinch the Franchise's 4th Playoff Spot in Team History.

As rollercoasters sometimes end, the Fish lost their 2 Playoff Games in Philly, as not enough guys, birds, lizards, or especially aliens were able to step up. Maybe some Rookie Managerial mistakes, I mean to go to Steven Okert in a 2 Run Playoff Game, or to let Jacob Stallings take the AB in the 6th with a man on to leadoff the Inning down 3, HELLO!! David Robertson for a 3rd Inning, ugh. 

The Season may have ended on one of those lows in the Playoffs, but the fact we're even talking about Postseason play for the Marlins in 2023, after dropping 95 & 93 Games during G.M Ng's first 2 years in Florida, is quite the accomplishment. Couple that with Ace Sandy Alcantara's massive First Half struggles, and then Season ending Injury to begin September (was able to sandwich in some big time Performances). With Jazz's Injury riddled campaign yet again (though delivered plenty of cluth AB's to end the Regular Season). With Pitchers reaching Innings they've never thrown before (Sometimes capped 🙄).

The Season's Arraez, Soler and Scott put up were quite something. While the acquisitions of Jake Burger & Josh Bell at the Trading Deadline were a huge boost to the Marlins Playoff hopes. Burger Hit over .300 following his arrival to Miami and picked up 5 Base Hits which either Tied or gave the Fish the Lead (Mostly Late in Games) in the month of September, including another Walk-Off. While Bell spanked 11 Homers upon becoming a Marlin (Matching his overall total in Cleveland where he played in 44 more Games), and added 2 massive Doubles in Pittsburgh while playing against another one of his former Teams this past weekend.

We hinted on Eury Perez, who had a really fine Rookie Season as a 20 year old in the Big Leagues for the first time. 108 K's in 91.1 Innings, and 5-1 with a 1.34 ERA in his first 9 Starts, followed by some struggles upon returning from a 1 month shutdown by the Marlins.

Xavier Edwards also impressed in his very limited opportunities with the Fish, even in his lone Playoff AB, all after absolutely tearing it up in Triple-A. How will the Marlins depoly X. Edwards next year? If Bell &/or Soler opt out of their Contracts, do they slide Arraez over to 1B/DH?? What will Eury's Innings limit be in 2024 and how will they be creative in order to extend him even further than September??? Is Sandy Alcántara headed for Tommy John Surgery?

Those are all questions for another time. "The sad part about it is, because it's baseball, you're not gonna see all the same people in Spring Training" said Manager Schumaker when reflecting on 2023 during yesterday's Post Game Press Conference. 

Asked about impending Free Agents and 'why they would want to be a Marlin'? Shumaker said "We are about 1 thing, Winning. Trying to get you better everyday". When you look at the 2023 Marlins, it's hard to deny that.