Who is the Worst Team in the NL East?
As each day comes and goes, we are inching closer and closer to the best time of the year- the baseball season. We will not only get to watch our beloved America’s Pastime, but the weather will begin to take a turn for the better across the nation and all will be right in the world. In today’s installment (number 2 of 6) of the worst teams in baseball, we will be focusing on the worst team in the NL East, which happens to live in a place that always has great weather, just not a great team in 2021, the Miami Marlins.
The Marlins are far from the worst team in the MLB, but they happen to be in an extremely stacked division. The young and exciting Atlanta Braves, who also pushed the Dodgers to a Game Seven in the NLCS last year, are going to be a force to be reckoned with again this year. Along with the Braves, the new-look and exciting New York Mets will be vastly improved. The Philadelphia Phillies team figures to be sturdy and the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals still have talent. It will be tough for Miami to repeat their magic from 2020. Here are my official NL East predictions for the upcoming 2021 season:
- Atlanta Braves
- New York Mets
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Washington Nationals
- Miami Marlins
2020 Rewind
While the Marlins are still in the midst of their rebuild, they got an glimmer of hope back in the shortened, 60 game season in 2020. They finished off the year with a 31-29 (.517) record, earning the sixth seed in the NL, and proved that they were a lot better and further along than they looked on paper.
The Marlins got hot early last season, aided by good years from guys like Jesus Aguilar, Miguel Rojas, Brian Anderson, and midseason acquisition Starling Marte at the plate. But, it was their pitching that propelled them. Starters Pablo Lopez, Sandy Alcantara, and future superstar Sixto Sanchez carried the load for this team and set up the solid bullpen to close out games.
The mix between a hot start, good pitching, and timely hitting propelled them into the postseason and also into beating the Chicago Cubs in a three game Wild Card series. All-in-all, 2020 was a positive season for this team and gave them confidence and experience which will assist them as they continue to build towards the future.
Looking Ahead at 2021 and Beyond
I am under the belief that the Marlins simply got hot, and a little lucky, in the 60-game stretch last year. Some people are pretending that they will be good and have a legitimate shot in 2021, but that is a long shot. Their team, specifically the position players, are erring towards the end of their respective primes, and that will begin to show throughout the year.
Their lack of aggression and complacency with their current roster, aside from a few minor signings, in the offseason shows that Miami is looking towards their homegrown talent to produce wins. In other words, 2021 is merely a transition/developmental year. It is important that their young talent (5 top 100 prospects according to MLB.com) continues to sharpen their skills either down in the minors, or gaining experience up with the big league club. The development of fifteenth ranked prospect Sixto Sanchez, outfielder JJ Bleday (#20), pitcher Max Meyer (#28), shortstop/second baseman Jazz Chisholm (#66), and pitcher Edward Cabrera’s (#68) will be the number one storyline for the team in the season ahead, and will be extremely indicative for the future direction of this ball club.
The Marlins projected roster will look something like this:
Catcher: Jorge Alfaro, Chad Wallach
First Base: Garrett Cooper, Jesus Aguilar
Second Base: Jon Berti, Isan Diaz
Third Base: Brian Anderson
Shortstop: Miguel Rojas, Jazz Chisholm
Outfield: Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte, Lewis Brinson, Magneuris Sierra
Starting Pitchers: Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, Elieser Hernandez, Sixto Sanchez, Jose Urena
Relief Pitchers: Yimi Garcia, Ryne Stanek, James Hoyt, Richard Bleier, Jeff Brigham, Stephen Tarpley, Alex Vesia, Jordan Holloway
So, the 2021 Miami Marlins season will be the worst team in the NL East, an underwhelming story compared to last years “Cinderella story.” Sorry Marlins fans, but it is just the truth. Don’t lose hope though! You have young talent ready to contribute. Plus the Marlins will likely gather more young talent by trading away some of the veterans on the roster around the trade deadline. Once that young talent is developed, the team will be in good shape to contend under historic, new GM, Kim Ng.
-Alex Wolfe
