3 reasons Miami Marlins fans shouldn’t give up

MIAMI, FL - MARCH 27: A general view of the new Marlins logo in the outfield during 2019 Workout Day at Marlins Park on March 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 27: A general view of the new Marlins logo in the outfield during 2019 Workout Day at Marlins Park on March 27, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next

The Miami Marlins are not going to the playoffs this season. It’s a sad reality that I wish wasn’t true. I hoped for it as the other fans did, but it’s just not happening for us this year. We’ve been to the playoffs just two years ago, so it’s not really a long drought. In fact there are three reasons why we shouldn’t be upset and bash the team on social media, three reasons why the Miami Marlins deserve our support…

The Miami Marlins aren’t as disappointing as many fans think.

3. The Miami Marlins weren’t expected to make the playoffs.

Many fans are rightfully disappointed to see the Miami Marlins miss the playoffs, but we weren’t really expected to make them anyway. The Fish are just finishing a rebuild, so expecting the team in the playoffs was a bit premature.

We had a lot of bad luck in the way as well. We’re the Miami Marlins supposed to be bad? Look at Jorge Soler and Avisaíl García for example. Soler was in-demand last off-season and batted .269/.358/.524 for the Atlanta Braves last season, on the way to a World Series MVP award. He also batted .265/.354/.569 for the Kansas City Royals in 2019, with 48 home runs and 117 RBI. He received player option incentives as well, so it wasn’t a bad deal. He started the season slow, but prior to injury problems he was hitting over .290 for over a month.

Avi has been a bad contract for the Miami Marlins, but he also is playing uncharacteristically bad and could improve next season. Many fans wanted us to sign Nick Castellanos, but he’s been batting .258/.302/.380 and was already looking like a “contract year player” even before the signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. He’s getting $100 million for 5 years of bad defense (known already) and poor hitting.

The Miami Marlins also had unexpected bullpen issues, but remember that bullpens are volatile. We lost way too many games by one run, and if we haven’t we actually could’ve been in the playoffs. Before you say that we should’ve brought in better relievers, Cole Sulser was a closer last season (for the Baltimore Orioles). No one expected him to get injured or struggle, or for the other relievers to suddenly get injured and struggle. Bad luck isn’t management’s fault.