Marlins Continue to Look at Offseason Options

The Miami Marlins will continue to build its roster with players who fit what the team needs for success.

After reading the comments Derek Jeter made with regard to building the Miami Marlins roster and the 2020 season, I have to say I appreciate his approach, but I still want to see more.

Jeter, through a story on MLB.com, spoke about how the team is still preparing for the offseason to further boost a roster that lacked hitting and still has issues to deal with on the mound.

Though his words were the right ones, where he said the team would identify players who fit what they’re trying to do and pursue them, I was hoping he’d be a little bit bolder.

Jeter knows more about baseball than I ever will, so I’m going to rely on the fact that I still appreciate what this team is doing in building a foundation for the future. But as a fan, I want this organization to not only identify players that fit the blueprint but also do whatever it takes to get them to sign on the dotted line.

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“If a guy fits within our plan, and what we’re trying to do, we’ll go get him or we’ll make an attempt to get him,” Jeter said during the organization’s annual Thanksgiving turkey distribution at Marlins Park, Joe Frisaro wrote.

The Marlins are in year three of this “rebuild” where wins have been scarce and losses of been aplenty. There is a change that has been evident. There is hope which is bountiful. And as the holiday season continues to approach at lightning speed, fans want to see more “giving“ in terms of this organization becoming more aggressive this off-season.

That means the needs that are evident, which start with hitting and a lack of power in the middle of the lineup and end with the bullpen and a lack of consistent relievers, must be filled. Jeter and the front office are still working to make another leap forward next season.

“We must be responsible, I think is the best way to put it,” Jeter said. “This is going to be a challenging year for us, in terms of, we’re going to have to make sure that when we’re filling gaps, we’re not blocking the young prospects that we have.”

It remains a challenge for Miami to find the right puzzle pieces while maintaining the mantra that if the minor-league system is the foundation for success, the dynamics aren’t fully changed. With change comes the notion that some of these prospects the Marlins have worked hard to acquire will be playing elsewhere at some point to bring in Major League talent.

For this reason, and many others, this organization is still two years away from competing for a playoff berth.

“I’d like to think that our organization knows what we have in the Minor League system,” Jeter said. “Although our fans may not know their names now, it’s like that for every player when they come up. Every player when they come up to the Major Leagues is an unknown.”

The Marlins have made the right moves and have six players on the Top 100 list by MLB Pipeline.  

They have also sought to bring in low cost, high reward veterans who will not only add leadership on the off the field but can play multiple positions on manager Don Mattingly’s roster.