Could the Marlins make the postseason in this uncertain MLB season?

Will MLB’s decision to push back the start of the 2020 season help the Miami Marlins make the postseason for the first time since 2003?

The uncertainty of the start of Major League Baseball season is something all Miami Marlins fans are following closely.

While there is speculation that we may not see live action until the summer, many of us still hold out hope that we will get to watch our beloved team on the diamond sooner rather than later. We are holding our breath on that one.

Major League Baseball made the determination last week to halt Spring Training games due to the spread of the coronavirus, which has placed the sport on lockdown with no determination of a start date for our favorite game.

The time away from the game also gives writers like myself the change to explore other topics to fill the void of covering box scores and player summaries.

It also gives us an opportunity to ask the question many fans have asked this offseason. Can the Marlins make the playoffs?

I wanted to write the story prior to the announcement the season was put on hold. But as my friend and colleague David Hill wrote on Call to the Pen here on FanSided.com, it may not be as far off in thinking as some might believe. Maybe not the Marlins specifically as Hill writes, but there could be a few surprises come the postseason because of what is happening right now in the world of baseball.

“We see it every season. There are teams that start off white-hot, despite a roster that would seemingly indicate that they should be battling for the first overall pick in the MLB Draft,” Hill stated.“That hot streak could last for a few weeks, or even into the beginning of June, before the lack of talent eventually comes to the forefront. A 162 game schedule has a way of unmasking the pretenders to the throne.”

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We don’t know yet if a full season of baseball is possible right now. There has been talk of the season being pushed back toward the summer, which could out that kind of wishful thinking in jeopardy. But it is possible a shorter season or even a season in a more hurried fashion could benefit teams that wouldn’t normally be considered a contender.

Enter the Miami Marlins.

Fans and the local media were exposed to players on the rise, looking to make an impact this coming season or in the near future. There are 48 players still in Major League camp, fighting for 26 roster spots. While the pitching staff is still developing, Sandy Alcantara and Caleb Smith are entrenched at the top of the rotation.

There is depth at every level of the organization and players who have been sent to Triple-A Wichita have a chance to still make the Majors and help this team win this season. You could not say that in seasons past. It’s a chance for manager Don Mattingly to work magic in South Florida in 2020.

And with so much uncertainty right now with all 30 teams, who knows what can happen if the right team gets hot at the right time.

“Major League Baseball is staring down an uncertain future, with the season projected to start anywhere from Memorial Day weekend to the middle of July. While the league says that they are looking to play a full season, that is seemingly impossible given weather constraints,” Hill adds.“If the worst-case scenario happens, and the season begins in July, then the season may be shortened to 80 to 100 games. A half-season certainly seems plausible, with the final three months of the regular season used to determine the postseason.”

For a team with nothing to lose, as the Marlins aren’t given much of a chance to win the National League East or even sniff the playoffs, this could just the kind of situation they need to shock the baseball world.