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3 Marlins New Year’s Resolutions for 2020

By David Levin

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 15: Manager Don Mattingly #8 and the rest of the Miami Marlins lineup for the national anthem before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 15, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 5-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 15: Manager Don Mattingly #8 and the rest of the Miami Marlins lineup for the national anthem before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 15, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 5-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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Miami Marlins
MIAMI, FL – JUNE 27: Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park on June 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

Sandy Alcantara wins the NL Cy Young

I believe this is going to be the year that Sandy Alcantara becomes one of the five best pitchers in the National League.

A 6-14 record from 2019 doesn’t adequately describe how well he pitched in the second half of the season. Despite a losing record, he was voted to the All-Star game as a reserve.

The biggest gripe the Marlins coaching staff had with Alcantara in the first half of 2019 was his lack of challenging hitters. That changed. A more aggressive approach where he was working with more consistency and more power behind his fastball proved a marked difference in his consistency.

His greatest failure was his teammates behind him, who did not give the team’s ace the support he needed. With more power in the middle of a lineup and speed on the base pads, that should change this coming season.

There is no reason to think he can’t win 18 to 20 games and be amongst the leaders in strikeouts and ERA in the National League.

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