This is a project where 30 people got together to act as the GMs of the 30 MLB teams with the idea of conducting the offseason in one week. This is what happened in this simulation, not a prediction of what will happen in real life.
Continuing my run of taking on a new team each year, I was saddled with the Miami Marlins. I say saddled because of the statement made by the new ownership of the team, that they would cut their payroll down to ninety million in 2018. Brian was good to me and had Derek Jeter toss in an extra five million, giving me a little extra wiggle room. With over one hundred and twenty five million dollars on the books for 2018, I had my work cut out for me.
Strengths: The Marlins have a strong and young lineup with major talent and power in the outfield. Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna combine to make a pretty potent trio. Additionally, I began with the likes of Justin Bour, J.T. Realmuto, Dee Gordon and (to some extent) Martin Prado.
Weaknesses: The Marlins pitching was awful. Edinson Volquez and Wei-Yin Chen headlined as the overpriced and underperforming players that were not going to help my team win now, or stay within budget. Dan Straily, Kyle Barraclough and Jose Urena would be helpful but Junichi Tazawa was only ever going to be a mediocre seven plus million dollar burden. To make matters worse, I only had Brian Anderson in the top reaches of my farm system leaving me no pitching prospects to hold out hopes for.
The Plan: Get rid of Volquez, Chen, Tazawa and Prado (if I could) and see if I could hold onto Stanton and Gordon. If not, I would try to maximize my return on my big trade chips and build as much payroll relief as I could to sign key free agents.
Trades:
The Marlins acquired: Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier and Chad Green from the Yankees in exchange for Giancarlo Stanton and Dee Gordon. I wanted to avoid it, but I was not going to easily shake thirty five million dollars without trading these two stars. The Yankees achieved their goal of keeping Judge and adding Stanton and I filled four starting positions in my roster with young players with high potential.
The Marlins acquired: Trevor Hildenberger, Stephen Gonsalves and Fernando Romero from the Twins in exchange for J.T. Realmuto. With Sanchez on the team, Realmuto became a four and a half million dollar backup catcher. Hildenberger is a young reliever with good numbers and Gonsalves and Romero are both top prospects heading into AAA competition to help build out a future rotation.
The Marlins acquired: Franklyn Kilome and Drew Anderson from the Phillies for Edinson Volquez. I felt a little bad about this trade, which felt like highway robbery. I got rid of an over-priced #3 pitcher in exchange for another top prospect in AAA and a second tier prospect who was major league ready. This gave me confidence that my minor league system could now produce front-end starters by the end of 2018.
The Marlins acquired: Michael Matuella from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Wei-Yin Chen and Kyle Barraclough. In exchange for taking on a bad contract the Marlins had to give up the player I had slated to close for the team. I got back a solid pitching prospect in the process but I was banking on being able to rebuild a bullpen with the money I had cleared.
Free Agency:
Brandon Phillips: ($1,500,000.00) While he’s certainly not the player he was and won’t be as good as Dee Gordon, Phillips is a strong starting option for the team and capable of generating some offense with the considerable talent assembled in the lineup.
Lance Lynn: ($11,000,000.00) The Marlins needed to spend money to get the best starting pitcher not named Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish. They had no Ace on their staff and while Lynn isn’t the top pitcher in baseball he is talented enough to anchor this staff.
Doug Fister: ($3,500,000.00) With the team looking to bridge the gap of time between 2018’s beginning and the hopeful promotions of some of the team’s newly minted pitching prospects Fister was called in to be that bridge.
Bartolo Colon: ($555,000.00) The Dominican Donut winds up my team for the second year in a row. He may not remain in the rotation all year long but depth is a necessity and he is always one who can provide that.
Trevor Rosenthal: ($8,000,000.00) A team with no closer is not something pretty. Rosenthal leads a strong class of free agent relievers that were brought aboard to help the Marlins round out a strong bullpen.
Brad Boxberger: ($5,000,000.00) While Hildenberger and Urena could have served as setup men, the team was pleased to be able to bring in some veteran help to lighten the load for Rosenthal.
Tony Watson: ($5,000,000.00) Part of building this strong bullpen included adding talent from both sides of the mound and Watson should compliment Boxberger and Rosenthal quite well.
Stephen Vogt: ($1,500,000.00) While adding a backup catcher for over the league minimum is a luxury, the hitting potential and versatility of Vogt were too good to pass up at a discount price tag.
Derek Dietrich: ($1,000,000.00) The gamble paid off and the Marlins saved two and a half million dollars by declining arbitration and picking up their talented utility player for a song.
C1: Gary Sanchez – $555,000.00
C2: Stephen Vogt – $1,500,000.00
1B: Justin Bour – $3,500,000.00
2B: Brandon Phillips – $1,500,000.00
3B: Martin Prado – $13,000,000.00
SS: Gleyber Torres – $555,000.00
LF: Marcell Ozuna – $10,900,000.00
CF: Christian Yelich – $7,000,000.00
RF: Clint Frazier – $555,000.00
OF4: Ichiro Suzuki – $2,000,000.00
OF5: Destin Hood – $555,000.00
CI: Derek Dietrich – $1,000,000.00
MI: Miguel Rojas – $1,100,000.00
SP1: Lance Lynn – $11,000,000.00
SP2: Doug Fister – $3,500,000.00
SP3: Dan Straily – $4,500,000.00
SP4: Bartolo Colon – $555,000.00
SP5: Chad Green – $555,000.00
CL: Trevor Rosenthal – $8,000,000.00
SU1: Brad Boxberger – $5,000,000.00
SU2: Tony Watson – $5,000,000.00
MR1: Trevor Hildenberger – $555,000.00
MR2: Jose Urena – $555,000.00
MR3: Junichi Tazawa – $7,086,000.00
LR: Odrisamer Despaigne – $555,000.00
New Prospects:
- Stephen Gonsalves
- Fernando Romero
- Franklyn Kilome
- Drew Anderson
- Michael Matuella
Final Thoughts: I feel like the 2018 Marlins that I’ve assembled are good enough to challenge the Washington Nationals for the top of the division. Assuming the pitching prospect pan out well this team should be able to become a playoff regular and a World Series contender. I think that things turned out well but let me know what you think of the moves I made in the comments below.
| Pos | 2018 (Final) | Player | Lineup | Marlins Prospects | |
| C1 | $555,000.00 | Sanchez, Gary | Brandon Phillips | Gleber Torres, SS | |
| C2 | $1,500,000.00 | Vogt, Stephen | Martin Prado | Stephen Gonsalves, LHP | |
| 1B | $3,500,000.00 | Bour, Justin | Christian Yelich | Fernando Romero RHP | |
| 2B | $1,500,000.00 | Brandon Phillips | Gary Sanchez | Trevor Rogers, LHP | |
| 3B | $13,500,000.00 | Prado, Martin | Justin Bour | Braxton Garrett, LHP | |
| SS | $555,000.00 | Torres, Gleyber | Marcell Ozuna | Brian Anderson, 3B | |
| LF | $10,900,000.00 | Ozuna, Marcell | Gleyber Torres | Franklyn Kilome, RHP | |
| CF | $7,000,000.00 | Yelich, Christian | Clint Frazier | Dillon Peters, LHP | |
| RF | $555,000.00 | Frazier, Clint | Tyler Kolek, RHP | ||
| MI | $1,100,000.00 | Rojas, Miguel | Rotation | Merandy Gonzalez, RHP | |
| CI | $555,000.00 | Dietrich, Derek | Wei-Yin Chen | Brian Miller, OF | |
| OF4 | $2,000,000.00 | Suzuki, Ichiro | Dan Straily | Brayan Hernandez, OF | |
| OF5 | $555,000.00 | Hood, Destin | Chad Green | James Nelson, 3B | |
| SP1 | $11,000,000.00 | Lynn, Lance | Odisramer Despaigne | Jeff Brigham, RHP | |
| SP2 | $3,500,000.00 | Fister, Doug | Drew Anderson | Cody Poteet, RHP | |
| SP3 | $4,600,000.00 | Straily, Dan | Colton Hock, RHP | ||
| SP4 | $555,000.00 | Colon, Bartolo | Bullpen | Thomas Jones, OF | |
| SP5 | $555,000.00 | Green, Chad | CL: | Joe Dunand, 3B | |
| CL | $8,000,000.00 | Rosenthal, Trevor | SU: | Michael Matuella, RHP | |
| SU1 | $5,000,000.00 | Boxberger, Brad | SU: | Riley Mahan, OF | |
| SU2 | $5,000,000.00 | Watson, Tony | MR: | Drew Anderson, RHP | |
| MR1 | $555,000.00 | Hildenberger, Trevor | MR: | Ryan Lillie, RHP | |
| MR2 | $555,000.00 | Urena, Jose | MR: | Sam Perez, RHP | |
| MR3 | $7,086,000.00 | Tazawa, Junichi | LR: | Trevor Richards, RHP | |
| LR | $555,000.00 | Despaigne, Odrisamer | Brandon Miller, RHP | ||
| $90,736,000.00 | Bench | Edward Cabrera, RHP | |||
| $4,264,000.00 | C: Tomas Telis | Sean Reynolds, OF | |||
| Gonsalves, Stephen | CI: | Pablo Lopez, RHP | |||
| Romero, Fernando | MI: | Ricardo Cespedes, OF | |||
| Kilome, Franklyn | OF: Ichiro Suzuki | Isael Soto, OF | |||
| Michael Matuella | OF: Destin Hood | John Norwood, OF | |||
| Anderson, Drew | Austin Dean, OF | ||||
| Ynmanol Marinez, SS | |||||
| Albert Guaimaro, OF | |||||
| Stone Garrett, OF | |||||
| Roy Morales, C |
I apologize that I sent the spreadsheet to Brian without correcting the my lineup etc after the end of free agency.
While the Orioles were challenging over what to do, the Marlins knew what needed to be done and the challenge was making it happen.
I don’t know how you judge a Stanton trade because that contract is so big that getting any talent in return is a good thing. And you certainly got talent. Still, it’s Giancarlo and it never seems like enough return.
Hildenberger was the first guy I tried to get and was sorry that the Twins sent him elsewhere.
In my opinion, Rosenthal got too much money for a guy who’s going to miss half the year.
David, you fleeced the Yankees! Sold high as heck on Stanton for an all-star catcher, and three high upside prospects. That’s the trade you should feel badly about. I would hate to be the GM who stood in front of his fans and explained that, especially at Stanton’s next injury, while Sanchez and Torres are playing in the NL all-star game. Wondering what the Yankees are going to do with Gordon and Castro.
Trading Volquez and Chen without giving them away was unbelievable. Derek Jeter will be calling you in a few hours. IF Jeter does this stuff in real life, I’m going to be pissed.
You’re gonna make me blush
65 HR fueled by the short port in yankee stadium will make the pain go away in the bronx. they may have to un-retire #3 just for him.
No question, the Yankees won’t cry as they watch Judge, Stanton and Abreu knock in 150+ HRs in 2018
That must have been fun! Great job rebuilding the Marlins into a contender on a budget.
I don’t think Yankees would make that deal, but I understand the rules of this exercise.
I still wonder what you believe would have been a fair exchange if the Marlins offered Gordon to the Mets. As GM, needing pitching, what would you have realistically gone after, thinking of it as a fair offer rather than a fleece job.
In this exercise, if the Marlins offer Gordon to the Mets, the Mets don’t show much interest.
I would have had a hard time finding a deal because of money. The Met pitchers are no longer all cheap and successful players. That, and the prospects at the top of the majors aren’t great.
I don’t see a match.
Nice Job on the Marlins—- I believe the Yanks already can do what Stanton does, so it’s a major haul of Young guys who can step in and fill our a team.
I was actually reviewing my trade options with a Yankee fan and was prepared to craft a counter with prospects farther from the majors. When I countered and asked for Sanchez, I was shocked that he said yes.
The Stanton, Gordon trade was terrific. Sanchez is a star, Torres is the best prospect in the game and you can start Frazier to replace Stanton.
I’m amazed how much you were able to spend to make this team viable for next year.
One issue though. I believe Rosenthal is out all of next year with Tommy John surgery.
Good thing I have Boxberger, Watson and Hildenberger
And Megaberger and Whattaberger.
Alliteration is key.
Just wait until Brian has us do a Fantasy Team Marketing Campaign project.
Bravo! You shed a ton of payroll and still have a competitive team. Don’t love the rotation but that’s a real solid pen and the lineup is still pretty good.
Thanks Matty,
Compare what I started with:
Edinson Volquez
Wei Yin Chen
Dan Straily
Odrisamer Despaigne
Justin Nicolino
to what I ended with:
Lance Lynn
Doug Fister
Dan Straily
Bartolo Colon
Chad Green
and I think the pitching staff is better. It isn’t a world class rotation but if I could get two out of Gonsalves, Romero and Kilome to succeed in AAA it looks a lot better.