Just for shits and giggles let's do a projected openning day roster and lineup the way the roster stands right now. 

 

Braxton Lee RF

 

J T Realmuto C

 

Christian Yelich CF

 

Justin Bour 1st

 

Starlin Castro 2nd

 

Derek Dietrich LF

 

Brian Anderson 3rd

 

J T Riddle SS

 

BENCH

 

Martin Prado

 

Miguel Rojas

 

Tomas Telis

 

Garrett Cooper

 

John Norwood

 

SP

 

Jose Urena

 

Dan Straily

 

Wei Yin Chen (if healthy)

 

Adam Conley

 

Dillon Peters

 

PEN

 

Kyle Barraclough CL

 

Drew Steckenrider 8th

 

Nick Wittgren 7th

 

Caleb Smith LH

 

Jarlin Garcia LH

 

Chris O'Grady Long Relief

 

Brian Ellington RH

 

 

Sierra will be in the everyday lineup.

 

 

1. No way Prado is a bench player next year.

 

2. I don't know who John Norwood is. I'm sure he's real and probably competing for a spot, but I've never heard of him. 

 

 

As Rule 5 guys Elieser Hernandez and Brett Graves will be on the 25-man roster...

 

 

As Rule 5 guys Elieser Hernandez and Brett Graves will be on the 25-man roster...

 

Yeah unless they fail to make the team in the spring and are offered back to their clubs. Very unlikely that happens though.

 

 

Yeah unless they fail to make the team in the spring and are offered back to their clubs. Very unlikely that happens though.

 

I doubt they stick.  One of them hasn't pitched higher than A ball and the other doesn't throw many strikes.

 

 

I doubt they stick.  One of them hasn't pitched higher than A ball and the other doesn't throw many strikes.

 

Both guys should make the team instead of a guy like Chris O'Grady. 

 

This team isn't going to win anything next year so it would be dumb to lose Rule V guys. 

 

 

1. No way Prado is a bench player next year.

 

2. I don't know who John Norwood is. I'm sure he's real and probably competing for a spot, but I've never heard of him. 

 

I think Prado is too old and banged up to play OF everyday.  They also have to play Anderson.  The purpose of the next couple of seasons is to develop players.  No real need to start Prado everyday.  I get they want to increase his trade value but age and contract make that unlikely.

 

 

I think Prado is too old and banged up to play OF everyday.  They also have to play Anderson.  The purpose of the next couple of seasons is to develop players.  No real need to start Prado everyday.  I get they want to increase his trade value but age and contract make that unlikely.

 

Probably trade Starlin and stick Prado at 2B is what I'm thinking happens. Even though the Starlin Castro rumors have died down for whatever reason. 

 

I feel like this front office would be trolling basically if they keep Starlin. 

 

 

Probably trade Starlin and stick Prado at 2B is what I'm thinking happens. Even though the Starlin Castro rumors have died down for whatever reason. 

 

I feel like this front office would be trolling basically if they keep Starlin. 

 

I think that happens at some point in the season.  I'm just talking about openning day and the start of the season.  There are too many 2nd base options out there now that bring Castro's value down.  Closer to the deadline is probably when he gets moved.

 

 

Probably trade Starlin and stick Prado at 2B is what I'm thinking happens. Even though the Starlin Castro rumors have died down for whatever reason. 

 

I feel like this front office would be trolling basically if they keep Starlin. 

 

Yup this makes sense.

 

Jarlin Garcia will also be stretched out in Spring Training more than likely and get a chance to start. He did a pretty good job in the bullpen last year but seeing him more a starter would be good.

 

 

CF Magpie Sierra

 

C JT Realmuto

 

LF Christian Yelich

 

1B Justin Bour

 

RF Braxton Lee

 

3B Martin Prado

 

2B Starlin Castro

 

SS JT Riddle

 

P Jose Urena

 

That's already a bad lineup assuming Yelich, Castro, Bour, and Prado are still around. It's going to be a long five seasons, guys. 

 

 

Prado is not "too old and banged up." He's 34 and has been durable throughout his career. I know he just had an injury filled season but if he's healed up he can still play an entire season and be solid out there. It's not fair to suddenly act like he's all washed up and would be a waste out there. The way his season went in 2017 was absolutely not the norm for him. 

 

 

I think Prado is too old and banged up to play OF everyday.  They also have to play Anderson.  The purpose of the next couple of seasons is to develop players.  No real need to start Prado everyday.  I get they want to increase his trade value but age and contract make that unlikely.

 

They'll want to showcase Prado in hopes that he performs well and someone takes his contract at the deadline.

 

 

CF Magpie Sierra

 

C JT Realmuto

 

LF Christian Yelich

 

1B Justin Bour

 

RF Braxton Lee

 

3B Martin Prado

 

2B Starlin Castro

 

SS JT Riddle

 

P Jose Urena

 

That's already a bad lineup assuming Yelich, Castro, Bour, and Prado are still around. It's going to be a long five seasons, guys. 

 

I would think that Mags starts the season in the minors to not speed up his arb clock.  Also, Brian Anderson has to play.  There's not much reason to send him to AAA. Furthermore, with that lineup we need to get as much pop in there as we can.  I would play Dietrich over Prado for that reason.

 

Prado is not going to improve his trade value all that much. I guess he just has to show that he is healthy.  The prospect return for him will be crap regardless.  Best we can hope for is that some one picks up most of the contract.  I couldn't care less how much of his contract is picked up at this point.  We are already under our budget and it's not like they are going to use the savings to improve the club.

 

 

Prado is not "too old and banged up." He's 34 and has been durable throughout his career. I know he just had an injury filled season but if he's healed up he can still play an entire season and be solid out there. It's not fair to suddenly act like he's all washed up and would be a waste out there. The way his season went in 2017 was absolutely not the norm for him. 

 

Although I think he will still be a productive player, I don't think he belongs in the OF anymore.  He wasn't fleet a foot to begin with and now with those leg injuries last season who knows how much ground he can cover.  He's fine at 3rd and in the infield but why block Anderson?

 

While he is still here, I think Prado's best role is to help the young guys and to be a veteran presence on the bench.

 

 

I think that, surprisingly, the new ownership doesn’t want to be historically bad.  Bad and embarrassing to watch: ok.

 

But not historically bad.  That’s why they may think Castro can bounce back and have a 3 or 4 WAR year. 

 

 

Prado is not "too old and banged up." He's 34 and has been durable throughout his career. I know he just had an injury filled season but if he's healed up he can still play an entire season and be solid out there. It's not fair to suddenly act like he's all washed up and would be a waste out there. The way his season went in 2017 was absolutely not the norm for him. 

 

Ok,we still have a OK 3B.

 

 

That’s why they may think Castro can bounce back and have a 3 or 4 WAR year. 

 

And a OK 2B.

 

 

i really hope they keep Bour since he's worth way more to this team than anything they'd get back via trade for him.

 

 

Id say it will be

 

C- Realmuto

 

1b- Bour

 

2b- Prado

 

SS- Riddle/Rojas

 

3b- Anderson

 

Lf- Dietrich

 

Cf- Yelich

 

Rf- Cooper

 

Sierra will be down till like July/August for service time reasons and because he is not ML ready yet.  Bour gets traded at the deadline.

 

 

i really hope they keep Bour since he's worth way more to this team than anything they'd get back via trade for him.

 

I agree and I feel like they are thinking this as well. 

 

 

As for the original topic of this thread the way this off-season is going I honestly think its way too early to accurately guess this. Even though it's been about shipping players away there's still plenty more to acquire and I think several roster guys who will make the team haven't even been acquired yet. This team is gonna have a solid chunk of guys that are signed jan-march. Right now the plan has been about slashing payroll. The next step will be about actually assembling the 2018 roster. 

 

 

You guys don't think Bour could fetch back something nice at the deadline if he performs well?

 

 

You guys don't think Bour could fetch back something nice at the deadline if he performs well?

 

I think so. He’s got big time power, and could put up incredible numbers at a park like Fenway so there definitely is value there. Problem is the marlins NEVER capitalize and get value in return. It’s that feeling when you get off at a cruise port of call and know the dude manning the souvenir hut will take $2 for that $10 shirt. No one goes into negotiations with the marlins thinking they need to pay market price. With that being the case, I think it’s best to keep him in the lineup so we don’t set a record for least Home runs.

 

edit: though if they could manage to get something of real value for him that is close to major league ready I’d say go for it. He’s “old” and doesn’t seem like the kind of body that ages well.