Marlins Christmas 2019: Three presents under Miami’s tree

What are three presents the Miami Marlins should receive for the holidays and for the 2020 baseball season?

The Miami Marlins offseason has gained some steam since the end of the Baseball Winter Meetings earlier this month. With the front office working to bring in more talent through free agency, the next phase of Derek Jeter’s blueprint is in place for the future.

The Marlins as an organization has done its part to remain on the course Jeter talked about prior to the purchase of the franchise from Jeffrey Loria in at the end of 2017. While the record for the team the past two seasons does not show progress and attendance at home games hover around 10,000 fans per contest, there is change in the air in South Florida.

And as we all know from listening to Cheryl Crow, change will do you good.

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How far the Marlins exceed expectations in 2020 really depends on how the team on the parent-level works in concert with the coaching staff. New faces mean new adjustments. New opportunity means new goals for individuals and the roster. Everyone is still working to maintain their spot in the organization. There is no huge blockbuster deal on the horizon.

It does not appear the team will shock the baseball community with a huge deal for a top-shelf free agent. The minor league system is one of the best in the league and will continue to grow as prospects develop. The one thing Jeter and his staff have been adamant about has been the pace of moving plyers along to Miami.

Pitching, which is one of the best in the minors, will be at a premium again this year and has become one of the focal points of other teams this offseason.
Don’t expect any arm to move without there being a slew of presents in return.

As Christmas is here and the Marlins are beginning to enjoy their riches, I take a look at three presents the team is hopeful for in the coming year.

Lewis Brinson Finds His Swing

There is no player on the Marlins roster who will be under a microscope more than outfielder Lewis Brinson this spring. And with that scrutiny comes the question of whether the youngster can handle the changes expected of him by the Marlins front office and coaching staff.

If Brinson is not traded this offseason, he should make the 26-man roster. But a starting spot in the lineup is not a guarantee.

Brinson has the capability to hit 25-30 home runs with 80 RBI and steal 25 bases. He has yet to put that all together, which is causing some concern from the team’s front office brass. Will the South Florida native have his best season as a Major Leaguer, or will it be back to the minors and another year of questions?

Brinson will be pushed by rising minor league prospects and the veterans already on the roster. He has everything to gain, but another year of failures at the plate will ultimately doom is time in his hometown of South Florida.

Sandy Alcantara Becomes a Cy Young Candidate

Sandy Alcantara took a major step forward last season, especially the second half of 2019 after he was named to the All-Star team. The Marlins want to see more of the post-All-Star Alcantara, not the one who struggled with consistency and did not challenge hitters as Mattingly asserted many times last year.

Even with a 6-14 record, the Marlins ace showed he could handle the National League’s best hitters and do it impressively, throwing two complete games last season that was some of the best innings the Marlins have had since Jose Fernandez was on the mound.

Alcantara should be the No. 1 starter this year and take another step forward in becoming a top-tier pitcher. He could have electric stuff with a fastball that reaches the high-90s. I think he has the ability to become the Marlins version on Pedro Martinez.

The one thing Alcantara lacked last season was run support. Should the Marlins find a way to give him runs to back up his performances, 2020 could be a year to remember for the youngster and this pitching staff.