The Miami Marlins Will Turn To Analytics As Trade Deadline Looms

If the Miami Marlins are going to part of the feeding frenzy at the end of the month, they are going to use analytics to determine which deals best suit their future with the MLB trade deadline only 11 days away.

It’s part of the new way of thinking amongst all 30 MLB teams, with the Miami Marlins right in the middle of things, watching and waiting for the right deal to come along.

Who should stay and who should go? Is there a prospect or two, or even three this franchise covets? Will the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves make a call to Derek Jeter, offering the riches of their minor league systems in return for J.T. Realmuto or Kyle Barraclough?

Could the Arizona Diamondbacks or Boston Red Sox ask (politely) what it would take to move another reliever from South Florida?

Whatever the case is, technology will have a role in deciding what happens next for these Marlins.

"“The analytics department now has become one of the most valuable departments in the Marlins’ organization,” vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo said via MLB.com. “The reason is, they’re affecting every single department. It’s pro scouting, amateur scouting, international scouting, baseball operations, the Major League team, and every one of our Minor League teams. It will have a major effect at the Trade Deadline as well.”"

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Now more than ever, science and math have become the benchmark of how a baseball deal is consummated and how managers determine lineups on a daily baseball. What was once a simple sport of playing chess, baseball has become as high-tech as diagramming football plays that take a valedictorian to explain.

In Joe Frisaro’s piece, he explains that Dan Greenlee, the director of player personnel for the Marlins, has been working non-stop to make sure all decisions are reviewed continuously to make sure player evaluations are done with the most care.

The Marlins had to play a bit of catchup with the rest of the league once Jeter and Bruce Sherman bought the franchise from Jeffrey Loria.

"“I think we’ve sprinted ahead in some areas. I have the feeling this Trade Deadline, teams are not going to have more information than we have,” Greenlee said."

The next 11 days will be some of the most intense for this organization. Players will be dealt, although we don’t know which ones will pack their bags for a flight out of town. We know the many relievers in the Marlins bullpen have been inquired about. Starlin Castro and Dan Straily have gotten some bites as well.

Next: Miami Marlins Prospect Watch: Osiris Johnson

Like Frisaro and other MLB writers, I think it will be tough to deal someone like Realmuto and Barraclough unless the deal is so amazing, Miami cannot resist. It should be interesting. It could be something where we all sit back and watch with popcorn in hand.

While we watch this unfold, the Marlins brass is working overtime to make sure they get the right deal for the right price to fit the organization’s needs for the future.

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