2020 - The biggest surprise of the '20 season, outside of covid, was the Marlins.

a 57-105 team turned into a 31-29 playoff team that won a playoff series.

Miami overacheived, their runs totals would have indicated a 26-34 record

which would have had them fighting to stay out of the cellar. Generally,

when a team significantly overachieves their runs totals, it's because the team

has a lights out closer to win the close ones. Miami had that in Brandon Kintzler.

Miami's offense was horrific in '19, scoring one run less per game than the

league average. Miami offense was still worse than the league average, but not

nearly as bad in '20.

□ Sixteen owner consortium led by venture capitalist, Bruce Sherman.

The most notable minority owners are Derek Jeter (who was also the team president)

and Michael Jordan (who also owns and runs the NBA Carolina franchise)

Miami ownership has shallow pockets. Winning will be a challenge.

The consortium is a breath of fresh air from previous owners like Huizenga,

Henry and Loria who left Miami taxpayers bitter at the way they were being

used to line owner pockets at their expense.

□ GM Kim Ng is the highest ranking female baseball executive in baseball.

She took full control of the baseball operations when President Derek Jeter left

the organization and sold his interest in the club in February 2022. Miami fans

weren't too upset at Derek leaving as he emptied the organization of stars such as

Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, JT Realmuto and Dee Gordon

for financial reasons as new ownership was operating on a shoestring.

The '20 season was something of a vindication for Derek as the Marlins

overachieved, but after they regressed in '21, Derek had had enough.

□ Another ex-Yankee legend was Derek's manager, Don Mattingly. Don did an

excellent job in LA before coming to Miami. Jeter had stuck with Mattingly in Miami

thru thick and thin, but Don was let go after another disappointing season in '22.

2021 - After making the playoffs in '21, Miami plummets to fourth place at 67-95.

Jeter leaves after the season.

Star OF Starling Marte, 32, traded to A's at deadline for LHP Jesus Luzardo, 23.

2022 - Miami finishes fourth again, this time at 69-93.

Mattingly is fired after the season.

2023 - RHP Pablo Lopez, 26, is dealt to the Twins for 2B Luis Arraez, 26, in a quality

for quality deal. Lopez was expendable assuming the Marlins injured young arms

get healthy. In any event Arraez gives the Marlins a star in the making.

2023 - Nowhere to go but up. There were holes everywhere. Miami has some

decent young arms, mostly obtained in trade deadline deals for whatever

star player was on the Miami roster who could help a contender.

The Marlins improve fifteen games in the standings to go over .500 at 84-78

and make it to the Wild Card where they lose to eventual NL Champs Phillies.

2023 - Miami, in the hunt, make a couple of trade deadline deals that really

help, 3B Jake Burger from the White Sox and 1B Josh Bell from Cleveland

2024 - Miami snuck into the playoffs last year with an 84-78 mark and

were beaten by the Phillies in the first round. They way overachieved their runs

numbers which indicated they should have finished at 75-87. That usually means

a good bullpen that wins the close ones and the Marlins had that.

Miami will contend again because they've got some good young pitchers with live arms.

The hitting was poor last year, scoring 89 runs less than the league average. That's

cellar dwelling stuff so to make the playoffs means the pitchers did real good.

Offense:

One star in Arraez altho' he don't hit the ball too hard. Several other decent

players with youth on their side. They let Jorge Soler and his 36 homers walk

out the door. They'll be one of the weaker lineups in the league in '24

□ 1B Josh Bell, 31, '23 Trade deadline deal from Cleveland, 11 26 .270

□ 2B Luis Arraez, 27, '23 Trade from Twins, 10 69 .354

□ 3B Jake Burger, 28, '23 Trade deadline deal from White Sox, 9 28 .303

□ OF Jazz Chisholm, 26, '19 Trade deadline deal from Arizona, 19 51 .250

□ OF Bryan De La Cruz, 27, '21 Trade from Houston, 19 78 .257

□ OF Jesus Sanchez, 26, '19 Trade from Tampa, 14 52 .253

Pitching:

Lots of live arms and former 1st round picks. No one has broken out - yet.

Scott is a lights out closer

□ LHP Jesus Luzardo 26, '21 trade with A's, 10-10 3.58

□ LHP Braxton Garrett 26, '16 7th overall pick, 9-7 3.66

□ LHP Trevor Rogers, 26, '17 1st round pick, 1-2 4.00 injured in '23

□ RHP Eury Perez, 21, '19 IFA - He's 6'8", 5-6 3.15

□ RHP Edward Cabrera, 25, '15 IFA, 7-7 4.24

□ RHP Max Meyer, 25, '20 3rd overall pick, Starting Prospect injured in '23

□ RHP Noble Meyer, 19, '23 10th overall pick, Starting Prospect

□ LHP Thomas White, 19, '23 2nd rd pick, Starting Prospect

□ RHP Sandy Alcantara, 28, '18 trade with StL, 7-12 4.14, TJ Surgery injured

□ Closer Tanner Scott, 29, '22 Trade with Baltimore, 9-5 2.31 12 saves

□ Closer AJ Puk, 29, '21 Bleday Trade with A's, 7-5 3.97 15 saves

□ LHP Andrew Nardi, 25, '19 16th round pick, 8-1 2.67

□ RHP Sixto Sanchez, 25, '19 Trade from Phillies, injured 3 years

2025 - After sneaking into the playoffs in '23, Miami fell off a cliff in '24 and

lost a hundred games. The main culprit was ace Sandy Alcantara, Cy Young

winner in '22, who missed the season with injury. Altho' his WAR wasn't

22, the knock on effect of losing him was probably close to that number.

Losing Lefty Jesus Luzardo, 25, to injury also hurt quite a bit.

Marlin management, over the decades, has been fairly predictable.

Anything goes wrong - fire sale!

3B Jazz Chisholm, 27, to the Yankees; 2B Luis Arraez, 28, to the Padres;

Closer Tanner Scott, 30, to the Padres; Closer AJ Puk, 30, to Arizona;

LHP Trevor Rogers, 28, to Baltimore; 1B Josh Bell, 32, to Arizona;

OF Bryan de la Cruz, 28, to Pittsburgh, Lefty Jesus Luzardo, 25 to Philly.

2025 - Now that hardly anyone with talent is left, the Marlins will finish

last altho' Alcantara will keep them out of AAA. SS Xavier Edwards, 25,

and OF Deyvison de los Santos, 21, look like a couple of exciting talents.