Miami Marlins RTD: Spring Training Questions

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Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Adam Conley (61) fields during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Morning Marlin Maniacs. Once a week, the staff here at Marlin Maniac sits down to pull some questions out of a hat that concern everyone’s favorite baseball team. The answers? While those get pulled from somewhere else, we list them below for your enjoyment

Avid readers are fully encouraged to submit questions they’d like to see the staff discuss via Twitter, Facebook, or in the comments. They are also encouraged to come up with a better title than Miami Marlins RTD. But until that day of deliverance, let’s get to the Round Table Discussion.

What Storyline Are You Most Interested In Heading Into Spring Training?

Sean Millerick: Jared Cosart. Feel it should be clear pretty quickly if his health issues are behind him, and am very curious to see how his control looks this Spring. If he can return to his 2014 form, the Marlins might suddenly be looking at the second best rotation in the division. If not, I have my doubts the rest of the cast competing for the last two jobs can capably cover two rotation spots.

Max Phillips: Who comes out victorious in the battle for the 5th starter between Edwin Jackson, Justin Nicolino, and Adam Conley. There really aren’t any major positional battles to monitor for the Marlins this spring with every position set, so the back-end of the rotation is an area of focus. It will be interesting to see if the veteran reclamation project can outshine the rise of the young guns. Personally I would love to see Edwin Jackson assert himself as a reliable arm who has begun to focus more on hitting his spots than throwing 100mph. The Jackson project screams Jim Benedict and he has shown in the past the ability to mold veterans into effective starters.

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Eric Quiñones: Giancarlo Stanton and his hand. I want to know if Stanton’s hand is pain free after breaking the bone in his hand last season which caused him to miss most of the season. I want to know if he will be at full strength in Spring Training leading into the season. It’s clear that if the Marlins want to compete, Stanton has to be healthy and playing every game.

Eddie Noy: Going to echo Max on this one, I’ll be looking to see how the rotation shakes out. I would go a bit further though, and argue that spots #3 thru #5 should be up for grabs. Personally, I’m pulling for the kids to get a shot, or at least a long look – Urena, Nicolino, Conley. We know where starting Edwin Jackson leads, and it’s not the playoffs.

Next: Benedict or Bonds

Feb 21, 2016; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins hitting coach Barry Bonds (25) looks on from the batting cage during work out drills at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Greater Impact for 2016 Miami Marlins: Jim Benedict or Barry Bonds?

Sean Millerick: Barry Bonds, although this is more because of his potential to be a negative hire than his potential ceiling as an inspired move. One the one hand, Bonds could pass on some really useful knowledge that helps develop Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna into true offensive weapons in their own right. But he could also quit, or stir up acrimony in the clubhouse; he’ll certainly set the record for number of cameras on a hitting coach, and even that could pose problems down the line if not handled properly. Benedict is the better hire overall, but you’ll see those benefits play out over the long term.

Max Phillips: Hinted at above, the greater impact in 2016 will be from Jim Benedict. From the onset of Spring Training, a new clubhouse culture and comradery amongst the pitching staff will be felt. Marlins assistant GM Mike Berger referred to Benedict as “the man behind the curtain” during his 7 years with the Pirates. It’s all about getting the most value out of each individual pitcher and that is Benedict’s forte. The track record doesn’t lie with names such as Fransisco Liriano, Mark Melancon, J.A. Happ, and Edinson Volquez all reaching full potential under Benedict’s watch.

Eric Quiñones: Barry Bonds will have a greater impact for the Fish in the 2016 season. He will have the ability to help our young hitters become better hitters. He can share his knowledge, and help them go to the plate with a better idea of how to approach each of their plate appearances. I think guys like Ozuna, and Realmuto can become better hitters just by learning from Bonds. I think Stanton will gain more knowledge on his approach at the plate. Stanton tends to get pitched around often which is something that Bonds is accustomed to as he was pitched around in his playing days. He can help Stanton in that way. Bonds can help these young guys get a better understanding and come up to the plate with a better approach.

Eddie Noy: Benedict, no question. I’m all for the Bonds addition though, if nothing else but for a little national media buzz in Jupiter over the next few weeks. Bonds is far and away the greatest player in MLB history, but can he be a great coach? I don’t know, it’s a completely different skill set. He’s been training with Dexter Fowler for a couple years, and that’s gone well for Dexter. Benedict on the other hand is hopefully just a lesser known Ray Searage, and will bring that magic touch to Miami. He has established a reputation for getting the most out of mediocre pitchers, and the Marlins certainly have that in spades after St. Jose.

Next: Over/Under Win Total?

Jun 24, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) connects for a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

The Miami Marlins Will Go 81-81. Taking the Over or the Under?

Sean Millerick: Under, and by a nose. I see an 80 win team that will set itself up for a legitimate title shot in 2017. This estimate is based on Stanton playing in no more than 135 games, Fernandez having a precautionary 15-day DL-stint or two, and only one of the Ozuna/Yelich combination putting together an above average season. Should luck break Miami’s way though, I could see a slight bump happening.

Max Phillips: I have to take the under. Although the Marlins should accumulate added wins from the rebuilding Braves and Phillies, I still think they finish as a 76-win team. This comes down to one factor: depth. The Marlins simply don’t have an impact bat waiting in the wings or enough MLB-ready pitching prospects to absorb injuries. I also think It’ll be hard to make an impact at the trade deadline given their poor farm system.

Eric Quiñones: I’m going to take the over just as long as Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Fernandez are both healthy all season long. It’s no secret that both of these guys are the two main pieces for the Marlins. Fernandez is the ace of the pitching staff and Stanton is the best player on the team. The Fish have a great young core, and a solid pitching staff. It will also help the Marlins chances if Yelich continues to develop into the great hitter that he is going to be and if Ozuna can regain his form from two seasons ago. But if Fernandez can pitch every five days, and if Stanton can stay healthy all year long, I don’t see why the Fish can’t win at least 85 games.

Eddie Noy: Push. They have an above average offense with below average pitching. They’ve built a .500 team, and that’s what they’re going to get. I’d handicap them as maybe 5th or 6th in the NL Wildcard race. Pessimistic outlook, maybe. Still higher on the Fish than PECOTA.

Next: Worth Adding Lincecum?

Man had beautiful hair once….beautiful hair and pitch control. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Thoughts On Adding Tim Lincecum?

Sean Millerick: If he looks healthy, then absolutely. Paying for free-agents now helps mitigate the chance they’d have to decimate a nearly decimated farm system if they need to make a move at the deadline. Plus, it would allow Adam Conley and Justin Nicolino some more time to develop…under the tutelage of noted pitching guru Jim Benedict.

Max Phillips: Although I’d rather have Lincecum pitching like the “Freak” instead of his recent performance under the new nickname “Big Time Timmy Jim”, I think the Marlins should acquire all the depth they can get. If he proves healthy why not add competition to the rotation and let Benedict work his magic.

Eric Quiñones: Adding Tim Lincecum can only help the team, not hurt it. Lincecum has won the Cy Young Award multiple times. I’m not saying that he will win the Cy Young again, but I am saying that he’s been successful in his career and with a change of scenery can possibly be a contributor for the Fish if they sign him. He’s pitched in big playoff games throughout his career. He would be a nice fit to the back end of the Marlins starting rotation.

Eddie Noy: I’m surprised by the group’s take. Didn’t we already sign Edwin Jackson? Why do we need another arm with 1,600+ innings logged? He hasn’t been good since 2011, why on earth would he all of a sudden be good in 2016? Rather take a shot on the unknown, on the development of the 2017 rotation, one that could include #2 overall pick Tyler Kolek. Are we lacking depth? Don’t we already have 6+ question marks for the three slots after St. Jose and Wei-Yin Chen?

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