Me personally I have Shrek, AJ, Morris, Dunn, Phelps, Hand, McKirahan and either Claiborne or Masset (Or both?).

 

On the bench I would love to see Solano lose that extended look he's had since 2012. So that would mean Baker, Ichiro, Mathis, Brignac, and maybe Valdespin?

 

What are your thoughts? Who should we keep and who should we avoid like the plague?

 

 

Pen: Cishek, Ramos, Dunn, Morris, Crow, Phelps, McKirahan

 

Bench: Ichiro, Brignac, Mathis, Baker

 

 

Pen: Cishek, Ramos, Dunn, Morris, Crow, Phelps, McKirahan

 

Bench: Ichiro, Brignac, Mathis, Baker

 

​I'm not so sure about only having four guys on the bench though. That seems like an accident waiting to happen to me.

 

 

Welcome to the site!

 

Mine would be the same as @SongInTheAir, with the stipulation that its only a short-term plan to see McKirahan more. That is definitely a short bench though having versatile guys like Prado and Brignac helps.

 

 

Welcome to the site!

 

Mine would be the same as @SongInTheAir, with the stipulation that its only a short-term plan to see McKirahan more. That is definitely a short bench though having versatile guys like Prado and Brignac helps.

 

Thanks! I bring tidings from the Marlins Reddit community!

 

 

Has Aaron Crow been anything better than one of the worst relievers in baseball this spring?

 

 

Has Aaron Crow been anything better than one of the worst relievers in baseball this spring?

 

​Yes.

 

Heath Bell retired.

 

 

I went in more detail in another thread but...

 

Bench: Kelly, Brignac, along with Mathis Ichiro and Baker.

 

Pen: Cishek, Ramos, Dunn, Morris, Phelps, McKirahan, Hand/Crow. If Hand is traded Crow takes the last spot. If not, Hand pushes Crow out of what was almost a guaranteed spot.

 

 

Like @MarlinsLou said in another thread, I can't see Crow in the minors with that contract

 

 

Welcome to the site!

 

Mine would be the same as @SongInTheAir, with the stipulation that its only a short-term plan to see McKirahan more.  That is definitely a short bench though having versatile guys like Prado and Brignac helps.

 

Thanks! I bring tidings from the Marlins Reddit community!

 

​Bring more of your people over!!!

 

 

Pen: Cishek, Ramos, Dunn, Morris, Crow, Phelps, McKirahan

 

Bench: Ichiro, Brignac, Mathis, Baker

 

​I agree with all this except Brignac. I think Solano makes the team over him. Phelps/Crow/Morris/Dunn/Ramos/Cishek is a damn guarantee. If McKirahan isn't trade alongside Hand, he's the favorite since the team desperately needs a left handed reliever alongside Dunn, and if they don't put him on the team immediately he is sent back to the Cubs for no return. Given the fact he's had a pretty damn impressive spring and it's easy to say he's earned his spot.

 

Don Kelly has that major league experience and versatility that works well for the bench. The moment somebody gets injured or falls off, Kelly will be the first guy to get the call up. Unforuntately there aren't enough spots. Ichiro is a guarantee, as it Mathis. Baker brings that versatility and hitting ability against LHP that makes him incredibly valuable. Given Solano has been a starter for the team for so many years, and the front office really does like him. I'd personally like to see Don Kelly make the team over Solano, but I think that is how things go down.

 

 

Like @MarlinsLou said in another thread, I can't see Crow in the minors with that contract

 

​Exactly. Marlins aren't putting somebody making anything over a million down in the minors. The bullpen actually looks really nice with Cishek/Ramos/Phelps/Morris/Crow/McKirahan. Really good mix of relievers and there's solid depth down in the minors. The bench is a work in progress outside of Ichiro though. A big question will be what the team does if Realmuto mashes AAA pitching for the first two months and either Salty/Mathis struggles. In total he's had two good minor league season (GBoro and Jax) and two bad minor league seasons (Jupiter and Jax). New Orleans will be a good test to find out if 2014 was more of a fluke, or if the mix of gap power, good contact ratios, and vastly improved plate discipline is something he's gotten better after four years in the minors. After Kolek (and maybe even Brian Anderson), he's the guy I'm going to follow most from our minor league system this year.

 

 

I wonder why they traded for Crow. It kind of makes no sense if you think about it. They must really like his arm.

 

 

Someone in the F.O. loves Donnie Beisbol way too much to not keep him up in the bigs.

 

 

I wonder why they traded for Crow. It kind of makes no sense if you think about it. They must really like his arm.

 

As they like Solano's bat, and Hech's glove.

 

 

I wonder why they traded for Crow. It kind of makes no sense if you think about it. They must really like his arm.

 

Maybe KC really wanted Brian Flynn? Seriously, Crow is a random addition for us but who knows what sparked the trade from KC's end.

 

Edit: Because I hadn't checked on him all spring I just peeked at Flynn and he's having an excellent spring, a 1 something era and a nice chunk of strikeouts, and is pushing hard for the Royals final bullpen spot. Ned Yost says they traded for him because they like his stuff. So there's that.

 

 

Keep in mind I haven't looked at our spring numbers. Any reason Brignac, and Kelly to a lesser extent, get so much love over Scott Sizemore? You really don't need a SS on the bench considering Hech is going to see 162 games if healthy and Dee can slide over in a pinch until they would be able to call someone up.

 

Very interested to see who gets that final spot. With Mathis' bat being useless off the bench, especially if we carry an extra pitcher, this bench spot could be critical.

 

 

Keep in mind I haven't looked at our spring numbers. Any reason Brignac, and Kelly to a lesser extent, get so much love over Scott Sizemore? You really don't need a SS on the bench considering Hech is going to see 162 games if healthy and Dee can slide over in a pinch until they would be able to call someone up.

 

Very interested to see who gets that final spot. With Mathis' bat being useless off the bench, especially if we carry an extra pitcher, this bench spot could be critical.

 

Brignac has strong spring numbers, Kelly has legit major league versatility, and Sizemore just hasn't done anything to stand out. Sizemore is simply behind those two right now, I'd even say behind Solano and maybe Valdespin too.

 

As for the backup SS, Redmond just really wants a solid backup SS on his bench so we just "need" one because Red said so. I also doubt they wanna toy with Dees position at this point.

 

 

Keep in mind I haven't looked at our spring numbers. Any reason Brignac, and Kelly to a lesser extent, get so much love over Scott Sizemore? You really don't need a SS on the bench considering Hech is going to see 162 games if healthy and Dee can slide over in a pinch until they would be able to call someone up.

 

Very interested to see who gets that final spot. With Mathis' bat being useless off the bench, especially if we carry an extra pitcher, this bench spot could be critical.

 

Brignac has strong spring numbers, Kelly has legit major league versatility, and Sizemore just hasn't done anything to stand out. Sizemore is simply behind those two right now, I'd even say behind Solano and maybe Valdespin too.

 

As for the backup SS, Redmond just really wants a solid backup SS on his bench so we just "need" one because Red said so. I also doubt they wanna toy with Dees position at this point.

 

That spot is so wide open I'll differ to the professionals to make the right choice without offering much of an opinion. Based on what I've been reading it sounds like its down to Brignac, Kelly and Valdespin. Hopefully Solano being the incumbent means absolutely nothing.

 

 

Random thoughts and fringe updates...

 

Sounds like Brad Hand is sticking around and making the team no matter what. Frisaro makes it sound like the bullpen competition is down to Crow, McKirahan, Dyson, Claiborne, and Masset.

 

No mention of Phelps either so he's basically a lock. You'd think that both Crow and McKirahan were locked in but suddenly that's not so certain.

 

Also isn't it soon that Reed Johnson needs to be told if he's making the team or not?

 

 

Phelps has been a 100% lock since they acquired him. He's not basically a lock. He was never not making the team.

 

Very unlikely DFAing $2 million dollars with Crow. Dyson, Claiborne, and Masset can go to the minors. They'll dump Crow if he sucks end of May. He gets a chance, just like Marmol. They do this every year with a veteran RP. This also isn't a big deal as Crow is certainly the mop up guy. Leave everyone else in AAA. The depth is great.

 

They'll trade one of McKirahan or Hand, or carry 8 pitchers a few weeks until they can move one or maybe sneak one through waivers.

 

Solano is a lock. The only spot open on the roster is 8th RP or 5th bench.

 

 

The fact the Marlins can't find a trade partner for Hand makes things much more complicated. I'd personally really like to see McKirahan in the bullpen to start the year, and if the Marlins are willing to pay Crow his money to pitch from the minors for a while (that would actually be a good place to give him starting pitcher innings), then everything works out well.

 

If Hand/McKirahan aren't traded, I'd have to assume both make the team. Thus the bullpen becomes Hand/McKirahan/Cishek/Ramos/Phelps/Morris/Dunn.

 

The whole Crow situation makes things somewhat tricky, as I think he only makes the team with a trade of Hand/McKirahan.

 

I have to say though, this plethora of bullpen arms is really nice to have and will come in handy later on the season.

 

EDIT: I posted this not knowing whether Crow has options left or not. If he doesn't, then the Marlins need to find a way to trade Hand before the season. Would really suck to lose Hand for nothing, and McKirahan has enough promise that I'd like to not send him back to Chicago (even if he has never pitched above AA). It's just impossible to find scenarios where we're able to keep all these guys.

 

 

As for the bench, Ichiro/Mathis/Baker are all locks. I disagree that Solano's a lock, but he's got the upper hand. I would love to see the Marlins give Don Kelly the spot to start the year, with Rojas and Solano both in AAA ready to be called up at a moments notice.

 

 

Phelps and Solano are not locks simply because they have minor league options left. The numbers game does come up whether we it or not and both of them could be optioned down if the team wants to keep the other candidates instead.

 

If they can't or don't trade Hand or McKirahan and wanna keep Crow and won't go with an 8 man pen then Phelps is out of luck even with as good as he's been.

 

Solano is a definite frontrunner but let's not forget that last spring he was being optioned down until Ed Lucas broke his hand I believe on the same day Solano was going to New Orleans. The team loves him but if they wanna keep , say both Brignac and Kelly, then Solano can easily be sent down.

 

 

I would not at all be surprised if they DFA Crow if they feel someone else gives them a better chance to win. This front office continues to show they're going to be different, and if winning is the most important thing, I will not be shocked if they just go with the best guys regardless of dollars.