The Marlins are on the hunt for a veteran addition to their largely inexperienced bullpen, writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Miami president of baseball operations Michael Hill tells Frisaro plainly that his club is “exploring” the addition of an experienced reliever to help work with younger arms like Drew Steckenrider, Adam Conley and Tayron Guerrero at the back of the Marlins’ bullpen.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal tweets that Sergio Romo is among the names the Marlins are considering, which makes for the fourth team tied to Romo in the past two days. (Toronto, Minnesota and Texas were all tied to Romo recently, though the latter two are said to prefer a minor league deal for the veteran righty.) MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that Romo is a “strong possibility” for Miami, noting that while the team has talked to other names, Romo appears to be the team’s focus at present.
Frisaro, meanwhile, lists right-handers Nick Vincent and Adam Warren as possibilities for the Fish, noting that new Marlins pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. is quite familiar with Vincent from the pair’s time together with the Mariners.
There’s a fair bit of uncertainty surrounding the complexion of Miami’s relief corps at present, with few locks to make the big league roster beyond the aforementioned trio of Steckenrider, Conley and Guerrero. Steckenrider was the team’s best reliever in 2018, and while Guerrero had his share of struggles, he boasts a triple-digit fastball and, more importantly, is out of minor league options (as is Conley).
Righty Austin Brice, recently claimed off waivers, is another out-of-options arm who could quite likely factor into the fold. Hill spoke with Frisaro at length about how Brice would give the team a ground-ball-oriented reliever it lacked last season following the trade of Brad Ziegler. However, while Hill termed Brice a “severe sinkerball pitcher,” it’s worth noting that Brice’s 51.2 percent ground-ball rate, while above the league average, is still a ways from elite territory.
In hearing Hill talk about his desire to have a reliever who can get crucial grounders when needed, it’s worth noting that none of Romo, Vincent or Warren is much of a ground-ball pitcher. Warren was earlier in his career but saw his grounder rate dip below 40 percent last season, while Romo and Vincent have been fly-ball arms throughout their careers. That’s not to say that the Marlins couldn’t add one of that bunch, of course; however, if that’s a goal for the Miami front office, then perhaps the addition of someone such as Romo won’t be the last new arm brought into the mix. There are a few other free-agent relievers still on the market, and Spring Training will present further opportunities for the Marlins to add arms of that nature as they become available via waivers or as veteran relievers opt out of minor league deals with other organizations throughout March.
Lol the Marlins
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It’s going to be hard to convince a player to play in Miami since they’ll have the majority of their games against what appears to be a solid division. Especially since these relievers will only be signing for a year to try and launch themselves to a better salary next year (who really wants to play for the Marlins..). But perhaps the new uniforms and team colours will attract a few…
Because signing with the blue jays playing against the Yankees,rays, Red Sox in hitter friendly ball parks is better ?
Oh I’m not saying that at all – trust me, no one is going to want to pitch in the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre against those teams – I’m realistic we could lose 100 games this year, like the Marlins – just my observation. But the other comments definitely made a good point that other clubs are only offering minor league contracts with invitations to Spring Training. I like the Marlins franchise – unfortunately the organization’s leadership has made too many bad decisions over the last decade.
FYI – The Marlins sold the team and have new ownership and leadership. It is not the same group that made the decisions over the last decade.
As for the idea of a veteran signing with the Marlins? If you are trying to stay in the game, you will look at the Marlins if the offers and guaranteed roster spot and playing time aren’t coming elsewhere. You know that you could sign with the Marlins, do well, and be traded to a contender at the deadline. Would any vet trying to stay in the game really not want that?
I think the simple fact that they’re willing to offer a Major League contract will be enough of a differentiating factor for them at this point. Most teams aren’t even willing to do that right now.
Good observation. If they pitch well, they will get traded to a contender at the break and, with the enhanced exposure, could get them a better deal next offseason. And, at least it’s a ML contract for now. Marlins aren’t going to invest big, just wide.
Have you seen the list of remaining FA without jobs? At the end of the day the Marlins are a MLB franchise, and if there’s a job one these guys will jump at it.
With the way this year’s free agency has been, I don’t think you need to convince anyone to play for Miami. There are so many players just looking for a job at this point lol. Especially pitchers and catchers that have to report next week!
I’m thinking that the marlins might be a good landing spot for Bartolo Colon. Though I’m sure he’d like it to be as a starter. (He’s still ticking, isn’t he?)
Bartolo would be a better fit for the Orioles since David Hess is horrible.
But I want to see Colon hit. Maybe the O’s can dh him. They gave nothing to lose.
He’d probably be interested. I don’t think he has a secret family started there yet.
That’s so creepy. It’s interesting that he can get away with out a suspension, on today’s climate.
I agree that he is a creepy dude. The fact that hes become a folk hero with the title of “Big Sexy” is even creepier
I don’t think the cheapass Marlins want to foot the bill for his locker room spread…
only to sell around trade deadline!
And what’s wrong with that if you’re a vet trying to stick in the game?
at that age, most vets would have families of their own. do you see what i was trying to say? i worked at an engineering firm till i was 50+. but so many engineers in their 30’s were laid off. that’s when those were starting families or were planning to. it was a sad thing.
And if you’re trying to keep a job, you go where the opportunity is, regardless of where and what the circumstances are.
What’s better?
A – sign a minor league deal, which does not guarantee job security or money
B – Go play in another country
C – sign a MLB deal for a team that will trade you to a contender at the deadline; you have more job security and more money
But that will cost money.
I’d love to see a return of Dan Jennings. Dude has been nothing but solid in his MLB career. Can be a mentor to Adam Conley as well.
On a side note, the Marlins need to trade Conley and Steckenrider when they reach at peak value. They had the chance to trade Barraclough, Conley, and I think either Wittgren or Steckenrider after all 3 had a very solid first 3 months of the season. And they kept them all, then Conley and Barraclough got roughed up in the last few months. Theres such high volatility in relievers, you just don’t know. if they can acquire some prospect capital, that would be great, acquire some more arms, and try and develop more. If they truly believe Conley and Steck will be great one day, sure keep them. But they did not believe in Barraclough, and traded him after the season, instead of in July, when his trade value was at its peak.
They probably should’ve trade bearclaw back in July, but they still flipped him for 1M used for Victor Victor Victor Victor Mesa and his brother Victor
Yeah that 1M was definitely put into good use. But I think they could have gotten more out of him when he was on that 20 inning scoreless streak or whatever it was back in June
Marlins are also eyeing a noncompetive window for the next decade! If they do somehow get good, they will make sure to fire sale all talent to the lowest bidder, ensuring that the cellar of the NL East only smells like rotting fish.
“Eyeing a non-competitive window for the next 2-3 years. “
Fixed it for you.
Yeah, the Marlins make sure to do as you say. Forget the FACT that they are one of a very few teams that have won multiple championships over the last 25 years.
Good post genius! Now go back to watching E!SPN like a good little sheep.
The fact that you have to specify ‘the last 25 years’ here is more telling than I think you realize…
To the Marlins or the many many many other MLB teams who don’t have that?
I hope your favorite team is one of the teams that has done something over that span.
How about the fact that they’ve won two World Series and have only been around for 25 years. With two World Series in two postseason appearances both through wild cards, the marlins are a team that will always surprise you
Let’s put it this way, in the 15 years since the Marlins won a world series, they’ve been occasionally mediocre and mostly just bad.
That’s basically an entire generation of baseball fans that’s grown up knowing the Marlins for being forgettable on the field and a joke off it, thanks to an owner known for that magical mix of being cheap AND dishonest
When you have to reference things that happened before most players in MLB were even drafted to defend a team… Yeah, it doesn’t resonate that well.
Sign with a bad team and end up on a good team in July. This sounds like the way to go, rather than sign with middle of the road team.
Yep. Marlins are undoubtedly trying to find a reliever who will catch fire in the first few months so they can trade them at the deadline.
Marlins are looking for veteran relievers who are interested in throwing meaningless innings
Any older mlb players who aren’t really getting too much interest from big teams might as well sign with teams like the Marlins, Royals, and Orioles. If you perform well, there’s a 99% chance you end the season on a team that’s likely in competition for a playoff spot looking to add pieces to boost their roster.
I just heard the Fish hired former backstop Jorge Posada as an advisor.
So Jeter gives a free paycheck to an old Yankee buddy for a no-show job but continues with the perpetual rebuild/salary dumping, interesting…
You mean like every other team in MLB? I’m hardly a Jeter fan… But teams give out ‘special advisor/assistant’ jobs like candy to anyone with name recognition…
Remember, this is the Marlins. E!SPN have trained the sheep in the flock to criticize the Marlins for anything that every other team does. For example…if E!SPN’s beloved Red Sox do this for Big Papi; beloved Patriots do this for Tom Brady; or beloved Celtics do this for Paul Pierce, it is a great classy move. Marlins do this for someone, there’s something wrong with it, even if the guy is going to be around to actually help.
then there is the angels, lol!
Yes like every Major League team, not this AAAA organization.
Another difference is all those players actually played for those teams. This club hasn’t exactly treated their own formers players great.
Now you’re just reaching.
And FYI – many organizations do the same thing for players that have not played in their organization, and their only ties was someone in leadership.
Keep reaching more. Maybe go back to your E!SPN reference source. They might be able to help you fudge up something.
Ironic that you would post as the “MarlinsFanBase” since their fan club could have their annual convention in a phone booth…
And back to my original point, nice to see them take such great care of somebody that never worked for them a day in his life. They’re extending the great courtesies they failed to for former franchise people like Tony Perez, Jack McKeon, Andre Dawson, Jeff Conine, a scout laying in a hospital with cancer and the icing on the cake – Billy the freakin’ Marlin!!! Kudos Jeter, you’ve done a bang up job, you’ve traded away any player with value, canned any non-players with value and turned those savings into hooking up an old pal for a no-show job, because after earning over $117million in his career he needs this charity now.
This is the kind of team I would love following. Young prospects making their mlb debuts all season long. Get past the short-term (hopefully) losing and find the silver linings. Best of luck fish, closet fan here.
It is the Marlins, probably advertised in the classifieds to fill out their AAAA roster…
Keep adding the vets to mentor for the first half, and get us more prospects for the future…even if they are minimal prospect returns and limited talents with the hope of striking lightning in a bottle.
Nick Wittgren would be a great fit
Well said.
Kimbrel can lock down all 50 of their wins!
And dedicate each one individually to all of their fans…