Marlin Maniac RTD 2/14: Marlins Spring Training, WBC

Morning Marlin Maniacs. Love is truly in the air, as the most magical time of year is upon us. Baseball is back, as pitchers and catchers officially report for the Miami Marlins this morning in Jupiter, Florida.

In all seriousness though, many readers may understandably be focusing a little less on baseball today- not really a better way I can think of to ensure you burn your significant non sports loving other out on baseball earlier than you’d like than spending Valentine’s Day reading about practice.

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But if we all had that kind of foresight, there would be considerably less magic to the gift that is baseball’s Spring Training. Thirty teams have a chance this morning after all, which means twenty-nine fanbases out there couldn’t be more wrong. Today is for the dreamers though, and with that, lets get to the business of Marlins baseball.

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.

Which Marlins Player Are You Most Looking Forward To Following This Spring? 

Sean Millerick: Whoever steps up that isn’t supposed to. Giancarlo Stanton hitting 10 HRs this spring would be exciting for sure, but you expect Stanton to punish some baseballs. For the 2017 Marlins to succeed, they don’t just need the big fella to do what he has done before. They need someone to do something they haven’t done. Justin Bour or Adeiny Hechavarria hitting for a high average, Dan Straily or Edinson Volquez demonstrating phenomenal control and breaking camp with a sub 3.00 ERA, any of the above would apply. If forced to be specific, give me Bour, but anyone who dazzles right out of the preseason gate will have my attention.

David Marcillo: Kyle Barraclough. He is so unbelievably good when he throws strikes, and he had stretches last season where his control looked to be improving, only to go back to being spotty at best soon after. Already an excellent bullpen arm, Barraclough could take the step into elite territory if he could just limit his walks a little bit more.

Seth Moed: Adam Conley is the player I’m most looking forward to following this Spring. The organization and fans know what potential he has but he has failed to show consistency. After a full season under his belt with a few gems, I’d love to see him string together a few consecutive solid outings this Spring.

Kyle Rowley: I would say I am looking most forward to Derek Dietrich. For years, I’ve felt he is very underutilized by the Marlins organization. I want to see if he forces himself into some playing time from an impressive spring training or slumps and continues his irrelevance in the starting lineup.