The Legend of Benny Maybird

[Francoeurstein]

April 24, 2024
--So far, so good. The Marlins are tied for first place with a 15-9 record and Benny is playing at an MVP level. With considerably improved power and plate discipline, he’s hitting .306/.404/.551 with 7 bombs. He currently has more walks (15) than strikeouts (13). Jazz Chisholm (.360, 7 bombs), and Jesus Sanchez (.366) are playing at a high level for the top-ranked offense in the National League. The pitching staff has been great as well, with German Marquez, Sandy Alcantara, and Trevor Rogers combining to go 7-0. Sixto Sanchez and Jorge Guzman are finishing up their rehab assignments and should rejoin the team within the next week. Contributions from those two will make our pitching staff that much scarier.

Perhaps most importantly, Miami is averaging 31,000 fans a game - which is almost 3x as many as they had four years ago! With young, recognizable superstars and a strong core of latin players, fans finally have a reason to come to the ballpark. Things are looking up for a franchise that was in grave danger of relocating just a few years ago.

April 26, 2024
--Sixto Sanchez and Jorge Guzman are added back to the Major League roster. Eduardo Jimenez (7.42 ERA) is waived and designated for an assignment. Braxton Garrett is optioned to AAA Wichita.

May 21, 2024
--The Marlins have hit a relative rough patch, going 10-12 in their last games bringing their overall record to 25-21. Rookie manager Mark Trumbo has been criticized for pulling his starters too early and overworking his bullpen. In a recent press conference, he vowed to trust his starters more to avoid overtaxing his pen. Benny is still playing at a high level although his power output has slowed down. He’s currently sitting at 2.7 WAR, tied for second with Bryce Harper and behind Fernando Tatis for tops in the National League. The offense has slowed down considerably, with Lewin Diaz, Jesus Sanchez, and Jeren Kendall all falling into considerable slumps.

The NL East is a dogfight at the moment. Here’s what the standings look like
Atlanta 27-20
Washington 26-20
Miami 25-21
New York 25-21
Philadelphia 25-21

Some more news from around the league:
-Former Marlins are lighting it up. J.J. Bleday has a .993 OPS for Toronto and Lewis Brinson is hitting .311 for Colorado
-After a disappointing 2023 season (-0.5 WAR), Bryce Harper has a .688 slugging percentage and is on pace for over 60 homers
-Luis Arraez, who owns a career .340 batting average, is hitting .388.
-Miguel Sano and George Springer swatted their 300th career homer in May

[Francoeurstein]

Draft Day 2024
--Benny is playing out of his mind lately! He won Player of the Week for the first time in his career for the month of May 20-27, hitting .455 with 2 bombs. He followed that up with another red-hot week, which included the first multi-homer game of his career. Overall, he’s 25 for his last 60 (.416) with 7 home runs during that span. He’s hitting .336/.426/.601 on the season and his 4.0 WAR is by far the tops in the National League. He’s also the leading vote-getter for the National League All-Star team.

Unfortunately, he’s just a piece of the team that has otherwise been struggling. The offense has been brutal, as Benny and Jazz Chisholm have been the only above-average hitters in the lineup. Jesus Sanchez (76 OPS+) and Lewin Diaz (74 OPS+) have been notably struggling - and they’re supposed to be two of the anchors in the lineup. Someone in this lineup needs to step up before they get lost in the shuffle. The rotation has taken a step back as well. German Marquez (4.57 ERA), Sixto Sanchez (4.76 ERA), and Trevor Rogers (5.22 ERA) have all struggled as of late, although their underlying performance suggests that some regression is coming. The bullpen has been the lone bright spot on this team with Jorge Guzman, Jordan Holloway, and Nabil Crismatt all putting together superb seasons. The bullpen has the 4th best ERA in the National League.

The Marlins sit at 31-28, four games back for the division lead. The entire division is within five games of each other. Hopefully GM Josh Alley has a few tricks up his sleeve to improve this team as they gear towards contention. Let’s take a look at their top draft pick…

15th overall RHP Kevin Pledger: The 6’0”, 200 lb righty had a fantastic career at Coastal Carolina. Although he’s a bit old for his draft class at 23, we believe that he was a steal at the 15th overall pick. He can regularly run his fastball up to 99 and repeats his delivery well. His hard two-plane slider is a plus secondary offering and his changeup is a work in progress. He should be able to progress through the system quickly and offer upside as a #2 starter.

[Francoeurstein]

From the Corn Fields to Cooperstown: The Growing Legend of Benny Maybird
Sports Illustrated

We love baseball because of the characters that narrate the play for us. Throughout history, baseball has been littered with men from a variety of backgrounds - American boys with a dream from humble beginnings, Latin-American teeangers growing up dirt poor. The combination of these men from diverse backgrounds have been woven in the fabric of the sports since the beginning of time. We give these young men nicknames, we buy cards with their faces on them, we idolize and worship them; mimicking their batting stance in our little league games. Baseball gives hope to young children around the world and there is no better idol for a young boy to have than Benjamin Thomas Maybird.

Benny, who his friends call him “Benji”, is the unlikeliest of baseball heroes. He didn’t grow up in a warm-weather state, playing baseball year round in hotbeds of talent. He didn’t play year round and have his parents pay for expensive instruction and showcase tournaments. He was a multi-sport athlete in the heart of the Midwest, suburban Ames, Iowa. You may or may not have heard of Ames, a town with a population of roughly 70,000. It’s famous for being the home of Iowa State University, where the majority of the residents are employed. Benny grew up a rabid ISU football fan and his dad was a star there in the early-80’s. He has fond memories of going to Cyclone football games with his dad as a youth. Their baseball team disbanded over 20 years ago, so when you think of Ames, you don’t associate it with baseball. There is a rich history of baseball in Iowa. Think the Field of Dreams or pitching legend Bob Feller. Sure, there have been a few good players to come out of the state like Mitch Keller or A.J. Puk. But when you picture baseball’s newest wunderkind, you don’t picture him being from the Hawkeye State.

At 20 years old, Benny Maybird has arrived as the most exciting young player in the entire league. The expectations have been enormous since he was a pre-teen and he’s delivered every step of the way. In 2022, he was the first 18-year old to make his debut since A-Rod back in the early 90’s. At 19, he was the Rookie of the Year. At 20, he’s leading the major leagues in WAR and looking like the next big thing. Each year, he’s improved an area of his game significantly. He was a decent major league hitter at 18, so he worked on his approach and become a good one at 19. This year, he has seemingly put it all together adding a power stroke to his game - he is on pace to hit over 40 home runs this year after hitting only 22 last year. The scary part? He’s not even close to a finished product. He’s emerged as one of the best hitters in the league, but he believes he can do more. He won’t stop until he’s THE best. Combine his hitting prowess with his awe-inspiring defense and blinding speed and the result is the perfect ballplayer. It’s almost like he was made in a hidden lab somewhere in the depths of Ames.

I haven’t even mentioned the most fascinating part about the young man: his character. If I was 20 years old and on top of the world, I would be a headcase - I’m sure of it. At 20, he’s as well-spoken, humble, and grounded as any player we’ve ever seen. He reminds us of unassuming young superstars of the past like Cal Ripken Jr. or Mike Trout. Although his gravitas makes it impossible to take our eyes off of him, he tries to deflect all of the attention. He’s a team-first guy who doesn’t like to speak about his accomplishments. Teammates often joke around with him, calling him “Golden Boy”, and he usually just responds with a laugh and a nudge. He doesn’t drink, nor does he curse. He’s just a good old boy from the Midwest who loves to play ball. The sky’s the limit for Benji, and I don’t even think we’ve reached the troposphere.

[Francoeurstein]

All-Star Break 2024
--As expected, the NL East remains a dogfight at the All-Star Break. The Marlins sit at 53-43 in 3rd place, 3.5 games behind Atlanta. They are 2 games behind New York for the second Wildcard spot. Sitting around and expecting this offense to improve is not going to cut it. They are struggling badly and Benny can’t completely save them - he needs help. This organization still has a surplus of talented arms and could potentially flip one for an impact bat. We’ll just have to wait and say.

Well, what do you know!? Benny made his first All-Star Game in incredible fashion - as the leagues top vote-getter with over 5 million votes! It was his first time on the national stage, playing in Camden Yards in a star-studded packed house. And how did he respond? By batting leadoff for the NL All-Star team and hitting two home runs! He was responsible for all three runs driven in, in a 4-3 loss to the American League. It was his first time on a big stage and he delivered because… Of course he did.

After the euphoria from his magical All-Star evening wore off, Benny was able to relax for a few days and spend time with family. The season had been a grind and he knows it’s going to be a tough fight to secure a Wildcard spot. After clearing his head, he headed back to Miami to go to work. He knows that he can win MVP with a strong finish this season, doing what no 20-year old has ever done before.

[Francoeurstein]

Trade Deadline 2024:
--At 58-48, 6.5 games back in the division and 2 games out of the Wildcard hunt, it was time to strike. The Marlins complete a trade that should address multiple holes on the roster:

Miami sends 1B Lewin Diaz and LHP Braxton Garrett to Seattle for 1B Evan White and RHP Wyatt Mills

This deal makes sense for both clubs. Miami gets rid of Lewin Diaz, a high-upside hitter who has underperformed and Braxton Garrett a major league quality pitcher who was toiling in AAA for Evan White whose owed about $10 mill a year until 2028 and Wyatt Mills a former All-Star closer. White is hitting .263/.321/.448 on the season, but has a career 128 OPS+ while playing elite defense at first. Mills has kind of struggled this season with a 4.58 ERA but is just 29 and has a track record as a good closer. He is earning $4.3 mill and is under team control for two more seasons. He will slot into the closer role. The Mariners who are out of contention get to shed salary while getting two cheap high-upside pieces.

August 12, 2024
--So far it looks like Alley pushed the right buttons at the Trade Deadline. Evan White is hitting .326 as a Marlin and Wyatt Mills has thrown 5 scoreless innings as the closer. Miami has a cool 67-51 record and is tied for first in the Wildcard race. They are currently within sniffing distance of the division lead, only 3.5 games behind Atlanta. Sandy Alcantara continues to carry the pitching staff with a 3.12 ERA and German Marquez has put together a few dominant starts in August to help share the load.

Benny is leading all of baseball in WAR right now with an 8.3 figure. The MVP is his to lose at this point. In other news, Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton slammed their 500th career home runs within a two day span!

[Francoeurstein]

August 26, 2024
--There’s good news and there’s bad news. The good news is the Marlins continue to roll! At 75-56, they’re only a game and a half behind Atlanta for the division lead. It would be incredible if the Marlins can clinch their first division title in franchise history.

The bad news? Benny hurt his hamstring running the bases today. The team doctor says it is not severe, and he should be able to play, but the team should monitor his progress and proceed with caution. The team needs the young superstar in order to clinch a playoff berth, but they don’t want to jeopardize his career with recklessness.

September 2, 2024
--Oh man, this is fun! The Marlins start the month with a 79-58 record, still 1.5 games out of the division lead. They are currently tied with San Diego for the top Wildcard spot. Benny is closing in on a 40/40 season, but it’s unlikely that he reaches 40 steals with his hamstring ailment. Still, after hitting .383 in August, Benny is running away with the MVP honors. He is hitting .336/.420/.619 with 37 bombs and 33 steals. Unfortunately, one of our most reliable hitters is going to be out the next week with a back ailment. Adam Haseley tweaked his back the other day and isn’t set to return until the 9th. Also, Sixto Sanchez sprained his elbow and isn’t set to return until the 20th or so. With that said, German Marquez has really stepped up to carry the pitching staff and Asa Lacy (3.51 ERA) is really starting to come into his own.

[Francoeurstein]

September 4, 2024
--The Marlins decided to place Benny on the 10-day IL. He could play through his hamstring injury, but the risks did not outweigh the reward. He should be 100% after the 10 day hiatus, but it's going to be difficult to win games without their superstar. Especially considering the next 3 games are pivotal against Atlanta in Miami.

September 15, 2024
--Even though the offense went AWOL without Benny, the pitching staff allowed us to keep our heads above water. The Braves took 2 out of 3 from us, but then we were able to win 3 of our next 5. Benny went 1 for 4 in his return to the lineup in a 4-2 victory over Washington. We are currently tied for first place with Atlanta for the division. It's time to make a statement.

September 20, 2024
--Although the Marlins have played well since Benny's return (5-1), he has looked rusty. He's gone 3 for 23 since his IL stint. There's still no clarity to the division picture, as the Marlins remained tied for first for the sole possession of first place in the division. Asa Lacy has been brilliant, with a sub 2.00 ERA in 3 starts this month.

[Francoeurstein]

September 26, 2024
--A four game losing streak has put the Marlins in danger of failing to win the division. They are 2 games behind Atlanta with four games left to play. Fortunately, they clinched a postseason berth today. They are a game behind San Diego for the top Wildcard spot.

September 30, 2024
--Well, we fell short of the elusive division title, but we clinched Home Field Advantage for the Wildcard game! We are set to face San Diego on October 2nd and ace German Marquez is scheduled to face off against stud RHP Chris Paddack. Speaking of Marquez, on the last day of the season the Marlins awarded him with a 4-year extension worth $80 million. This includes an opt-out after year two.

Benny turned in an age-20 season for the ages. His final batting line .336/.420/.601 with 38 home runs and 35 stolen bases. He was good for 10.7 WAR. His age 20 season was eerily similar to Mike Trout’s and it looks like they will be on a similar career path. His .336 average was good enough for the National League batting title. He’s hungry and ready for his first taste of postseason action! Stay tuned...

[Francoeurstein]

Wildcard Game

Marlins defeat Padres 3-0

--Ace German Marquez really stepped up. Throwing an 111 pitch, complete game shutout to secure our bid for the NLDS. Benny went 0 for 4 after hitting a few balls right on the screws, but him teammates were able to bail him out. Adam Haseley drove in two runs with a 2 for 4 performance. Benny's first taste of postseason ball was incredible and the atmosphere in Miami was electric! He went back to the clubhouse to pop champagne with his teammates, even though he wasn't legally old enough to drink.

National League Division Series

Game 1: Cardinals defeat Marlins 7-2

--Starter Sandy Alcantara got roughed up and didn't even made it through 4 innings. Noah Syndergaard was dominant, allowing one earned run in 7 innings. Benny went 1 for 4 with a double, notching his first postseason hit.

Game 2: Cardinals defeat Marlins 8-3

--Dang. The 110 win Cardinals are a force to be reckoned with. Again, Sixto Sanchez turned in a lackluster outing for the struggling Marlins pitching staff. Benny provided the majority of the offensive output, going 2 for 4 with his first playoff homer! He notched 2 RBI's in the loss. It's time to go back to Miami to see if we can turn this thing around... If not, it's going to be a long off-season.

Game 3: Marlins defeat Cardinals 11-1

--Way to make a statement! German Marquez was dominant again, pitching 8 strong innings of 1 run ball. Benny was electric, going 3 for 4 with a homer, double, and 2 RBI's. Hopefully Benny can stay hot and continue to carry the offense.

Game 4: Marlins defeat Cardinals 8-5

--Trevor Rogers turned in a gutsy performance, allowing 3 earned runs in 6 innings despite not having his best stuff. Benny and the boys bailed him out, as he notched another 3 hit game, scoring 2 runs!

Game 5: Marlins defeat Cardinals 5-2

--WE DID IT!!! Sandy Alcantara was dominant, allowing no earned runs through six innings. Benny had a modest day, going 1 for 4, but a two-run bomb late in the game by Jazz Chisholm sealed the deal. We were able to turn the series around against a dominant Cardinals squad. Next stop, Los Angeles.

**Benny won the MVP Award for the Division Series, going 10 for 17 with 2 homers and 6 RBI's

[Francoeurstein]

Game 1: Miami defeats Los Angeles 3-1

--German Marquez is on fire!!! Our ace was able to give us 7 strong innings of one run ball, striking out 11. Benny was 1 for 4 with a run scored.

Game 2: Los Angeles defeats Miami 9-0

--A deflating loss on the road. We could not get the bats going against young hotshot Dustin May. Benny was 0 for 2 with a walk.

Game 3: Los Angeles defeats Miami 5-3
--A late comeback was not enough against the mighty Dodgers. Trailing 5-0 until the bottom of the 8th, a Jeren Kendall 3-run homer began the comeback trail. Unfortunately we fell short. Benny was 1 for 4 with a single and a run scored.

Game 4: Los Angeles defeats Miami 12-2
--Another deflating loss. Sixto Sanchez bombed his start, giving up 6 in 2.2 innings pitched. Benny has gotten cold as well, turning in an 0 for 4 performance.

Game 5: Los Angeles defeats Miami 6-1
--Well, our bats got cold at the worst time possible. It's over, time to go home. Despite a 2-hit performance from Benny, the Marlins offense couldn't get it going against a stingy L.A. bullpen.

Although it stung, it was a wonderful experience for a young and exciting team. They averaged 33k fans a game throughout the season and were put on the map nationally. Miami is starting to feel more and more like a baseball town. With a newfound steady stream of revenue, the Marlins ownership is granted the opportunity to put an exciting product on the field.

As for Benny, his first taste of the postseason was a good one. He finished 15 for 41 with 2 home runs, good for a .983 OPS. Between his All-Star Game performance and playoff dominance, Benny was now a household name. He's a 20-year old kid that has taken the world by storm. It's time to keep working so he can get the ring he's dreamed about since he was a boy.

[Francoeurstein]

2024-2025 Off-Season

Los Angeles defeats Minnesota in the World Series 4 games to 1

Major Award Winners:
NL MVP: Benny Marybird (MIA) .336/.420/.601, 38 HR, 35 SB, 10.9 WAR
AL MVP: Mike Trout (LAA) .306/.450/.696, 54 HR, 8.8 WAR
*Ties Barry Bonds with 7th MVP for most of all-time
NL CYA: Noah Syndergaard (STL) 19-5, 2.55 ERA, 172 ERA+, 225 K in 215.1 IP
AL CYA: Shohei Ohtani (LAA) 13-5, 3.18 ERA, 140 ERA+, 243 K in 206.1 IP Also had 4.8 as a batter
NL ROY: Bryce Reagan (NYM) .266/.326/.495, 26 HR, 2.4 WAR
AL ROY: Joon-Ho Choi (NYY) .292/.345/.599, 40 HR, 44 2B, 4.7 WAR

--And just like that, at age 20, Benny Maybird was a 2x Gold Glove recipient, a Silver Slugger, and a National League MVP. He’s already more accomplished than Mike Trout was at his age, which is no small feat. He’s got a long way to go to catch up to Trout, who is still on top of his game. Trout just won his 7th AL MVP, is worth 107.1 WAR, and at age 33, is bee-lining straight towards the record books. Is Benny the best player in the game? Possibly. Next season is his chance to claim that title.



Marlins Off-Season Overview:
--On the player side of things, it was a relatively quiet off-season for Miami, who is returning plenty of talent next season. They did decide to part ways with career Marlin Brian Anderson, declining his $12mill option. That stung for Benny, who viewed him as the older brother he always wanted. The only significant move we made was signing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to a 1 year/$4 million dollar deal. Gurriel figures to pack a punch as a complement to an exclusively left-handed outfield. He’s coming off a rough injury-riddled campaign, but is two seasons removed from bopping 31 homers with Toronto. He mashes lefties and plays solid corner outfield defense. While we didn’t add a lot of talent from the outside, we did hand out a few extensions.
-Trevor Rogers signed a 4 year/$53 million extension
-Jazz Chisholm signed a 3 year/$20 million extension

The biggest moves we made were regarding the coaching staff. Owner Bruce Sherman decided to shake things up a bit. He started off by firing Mark Trumbo after one year as the head skipper - he didn’t do a bad job, but they didn’t see eye to eye. He’s being replaced by Andy McTigue who is coming off back to back 100+ seasons as the manager for the Cardinals. McTigue is an aggressive strategist that manages with a fiery passion. Sherman also canned hitting coach Eric Almonte for hitting coach savant Robert van Scoyoc. Van Scoyoc is best known for being the personal hitting coach of Justin Turner and JD Martinez and is considered one of the posterboys for the launch angle revolution. The past few years the talent hasn’t matched the results when it came to our lineup, so we decided to bolster the staff. Perhaps the hitting guru will allow us to ascend to a higher level as an organization and will help squeeze more talent out of our guys.

[Francoeurstein]

2025 Season Preview:

NL East Prediction
1. Miami 97-65
2. Atlanta 85-77
3. Washington 80-82
4. New York 79-83
5. Philadelphia 73-89

For the first time ever, the Marlins are predicted as heavy favorites to win their division. Led by the 21-year old phenom Maybird, a revamped coaching staff, and a dominant rotation, the Marlins look to do damage this year. With a newfound rabid fanbase and the revenue of a mid-market team, the NL East paradigm has shifted to Miami.

Lineup
C Alejandro Kirk (26): He was reliable last year, but we think there's some untapped potential. A natural born leader behind the plate, we expect Kirk to take another step offensively this year. A .270/.340/.450 type season is not out of the equation for the young catcher
1B Evan White (28): Just couldn't seem to get it going last year with a roughly leave average performance. We still have faith in White, a Gold-Glove first baseman who compiled 9.7 WAR in 2022-2023 combined.
2B Jazz Chisholm (27): A fan favorite in Miami, the Bahamian Basher finally broke out offensively in 2024. He probably won't sustain a .366 BABIP, but he should steal bases, hit for power, and play solid infield defense.
INF: Jose Devers (25): The young left-handed hitter is going to be the strong side of a platoon at 3rd while filling in everywhere else around the infield. He doesn't have much pop but makes a lot of contact and runs well.
3B/2B/1B Jonathan India (28): At this point in his career he's a pretty vanilla utility guy. Will see reps all across the infield while primarily starting against lefties at third. Strikes out a ton but has 25 HR power.
SS Benny Maybird (21): The world is excited to see the encore for the youngest MVP in league history. He has 40/40 potential and is arguably the best defensive shortstop in baseball.
LF/RF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (31): Struggled in 54 games last year but has a career 127 OPS+ against lefties. Plays good defense and has a howitzer for an arm.
LF Adam Haseley (28): Mr. Cool had another above-average season for The Fish. Is pretty much average-to-good at everything across the board.
CF Jeren Kendall (29): Kendall finally showed promise last year after a red-hot second half. Major contact issues that are mitigated by 30/30 potential and Gold-Glove caliber defense.
RF Jesus Sanchez (27): The enigmatic Sanchez is the guy that'll likely benefit the most from our coaching changes. His low walk-rate lowers his ceiling a bit, but he still has the tools to hit for average and power.

Bench
C Willians Astudillo (33)
OF Kameron Misner (27)

Rotation
1. German Marquez (30): May not be the best pitcher in baseball, but he pumps out 4 WAR, 200 inning seasons like a metronome. He's never made an All-Star team somehow, but we'll take the 2024 Postseason hero as our ace any day.
2. Sixto Sanchez (26): The fragile youngster has only made 45 starts the past two years combined, but he's always good when he's on the field. Ran into a bit of bad luck last year, but still puts up fantastic strikeout to walk ratios.
3. Asa Lacy (25): Benny's best friend on the team and former #3 overall pick. Lacy finally delivered on his expectations last year with a solid stretch run. We think he can piece together an All-Star campaign if he puts it all together.
4. Trevor Rogers (27): While his 4.84 ERA last year looked rough on the surface, there's no doubt that his .325 BABIP allowed will go down this year. He still continued to strike guys out while limiting walks and we're thinking that he will be more fortunate this year.
5. Jorge Guzman (29): He was stretched out during Spring Training and is looking to start more than a handful of games this year. He walked a ton of guys, but his 15.3 k/9 was absolutely ludicrous. Even if he only goes 5-6 innings at a time, he has the stuff to absolutely blow hitters away.
6. Sandy Alcantara (29): How good is this rotation? So good that Alcantara, coming off of a 3.15 ERA season, will start this year in a swingman role. He started to fade down the stretch last year and they want to preserve his bullets for October. His stuff took a leap forward last year as he posted a career high 8.5 k/9. His stuff will play even further up in the pen.

Bullpen
CL RHP Wyatt Mills (30)
SU RHP Jordan Holloway (28)
SU RHP Edward Cabrera (26)
MR LHP Alex Vesia (28)
MR RHP Nabil Crismatt (30)
MR RHP Nick Pivetta (32)
LR LHP Matt Krook (30)

--A hard throwing group capable of dominating National League hitters. Pivetta was unmentioned, but he signed a $1.5 million dollar deal this off-season after 70 IP and a 3.82 ERA with the Mets. All together, this could be the best pitching staff in the National League



Baseball America's 2025 Farm Report
--The Marlins did a good job stockpiling depth in an empty farm system. It's still not great - we have it ranked as the 27th best system in the game, they've made a lot of improvements down on the farm. Let's take a look at their top prospects:

1. RHP Kevin Pledger (49): An absolute steal with the 15th pick last year, Pledger is a guy that should move through the system quickly. He's got a sturdy, stocky frame that's built for durability and he throws in the upper 90's. His upper 80's slider is his go-to out pitch, and his changeup is a work in progress. He could probably be a major league bullpen arm by the end of this year, but his changeup progression is imperative for him becoming a starter.
2. RHP Ben Wiegman (123): 23-year old pitchability arm that could probably start on a lot of teams right now. He provides quality innings, generates a ton of ground balls with his low 90's sinker, and has a kneebuckling curveball. Future #4 starter
3. SS/CF Nasim Nunez (144): The scouting report hasn't changed much on Nunez who got a taste of the majors last year. He is a very useful utility player with plus-plus speed and above-average defense at two key positions.
4. 1B Jeff Prodzinski (163): Drafted in the 3rd round after a solid career at UCLA. Prodzinski has 60 grade raw power and plays solid defense at first. A bit aggressive but can hit the ball with authority. Can probably fake it in the corner outfield.
5. RHP Jose Calderon (169): 2nd round pick last year out of the University of Houston. Calderon is very raw for a college guy, but offers significant upside. He's got a 5 pitch repertoire that includes a sinker at 92-96 and a nasty splitter. Could be a durable #3 groundball specialist if he puts it all together.
6. 1B Danny Fierro (196): 19-year old who is likely limited to first base. First base prospects have to mash to stand out, and this kid is more than capable. He's got a compact right-handed stroke and has 65 raw power. Reminds us of a young Andres Galarraga.

[Francoeurstein]

April 1, 2025

--Well, things were going smoothly. Benny was hitting a cool .350 (7 for 20) in his first 5 games before getting hit by a pitch on his foot. The team trainer diagnosed it as a foot contusion and says he will need to rest for about 2 weeks until he is ready to play again. Although Miami is 4-1, not having their best player for a few weeks is going to hurt. Fortunately, it was a freak injury and not of the chronic nature, so we're hoping that he makes a swift return and is able to put it behind him.
Note: Benny has recorded a hit in each game this season, which extends his hitting streak to 14-games dating back to last year.

April 15, 2025
--The Marlins were able to hold their own in Benny's absence and now their record stands at 10-8. Nasim Nunez (.234) struggled while filling in at short - he's been optioned back to the minors. In Benny's return back to the lineup, he went 1 for 6 in a loss to the Angels, extending his hitting streak to 15 games.

April 23, 2025
--Benny's hitting streak finally snaps at 20 games after an 0 for 4 performance in a victory against the Phils. The Marlins sit at 12-12 and have yet to get it going this season. Time to right the ship and get back on track.

May 10, 2025
--We were dealt a major blow today as young hotshot Asa Lacy fractured his elbow throwing a pitch (ouch). His timetable for recovery is 6-7 months, effectively ending his season. Through 8 starts the 25-year old southpaw was 2-2 with a 3.17 ERA. Fortunately we have enough depth for these kinds of issues, so Sandy Alcantara will slide back into the rotation. We're currently 20-19, and we just can't seem to break out and get that hot streak going. Fortunately we're only a half game out of the division. Every team in the division is either 20-18, 20-19, or 18-20.

Benny's playing well, but he hasn't found his power stroke since his injury. In 28 games he's hitting .313/.391/.473 with just 5 bombs. We think that we will take off once he starts to rediscover his stroke.

Notes from around the league:
-Bryce Harper, whose having a late career renaissance, is hitting .367 with 14 bombs and leading the majors with a 3.0 WAR
-Eric Hosmer, a miserable player that still somehow plays everyday, recorded his 2,000th hit for the San Diego Padres
-Gary Sanchez (STL), Kyle Seager (LAD), Jose Altuve (HOU), and Christian Yelich (MIL) all slugged their 300th career homer
-Paul Goldschmidt recorded his 2,000th hit for the Mets
-Kenley Jansen retires with a decent Hall of Fame case. 341 career saves, 2.72 ERA, and 1,077 K's in 753.2 innings

[Francoeurstein]

May 21, 2025
--Just like the rest of the NL East, our record keeps zigging and zagging. Miami currently stands at 25-23 which is a three-way tie for first in the division. Benny keeps plugging along with a line of .329/.411/.507. The offense just isn't where we want it to be at the moment. The duo of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jesus Sanchez have been miserable, each of them posting an OPS below .600 and a negative WAR. Corner outfield might be a major source of upgrade going forward. Jazz Chisholm has yet to get it going with just a .693 OPS. The platoon of Jonathan India and Jose Devers has been a pleasant surprise as they combine for a 110 OPS+ and 1.1 WAR. Evan White, Adam Haseley, and the catching tandem of Kirk/Astudillo have all been steady and reliable.

The pitching staff has been solid, with 4 out of our 5 starters having a sub 4.00 ERA. Trevor Rogers has been brutal this year though, with a 7.07 ERA through his first 9 starts. Shout out to bullpen arm Matt Krook, who has an 0.79 ERA through his first 22.2 innings. He's been the anchor of a solid group.

June 4th, 2025
--Summers here and the bats are finally starting to warm up! We now stand in the sole possession of first place with a respectable 34-27 record. After a small lull, Benny has been catching fire as of late, going 9 for his last 20 with a few bombs. He's up to .313/.386/.502 with 9 home runs. With new manager McTigue's aggressive baserunning tactics, Benny has gone 18 for 24 in stolen base attempts and looks to set a career high this season. Meanwhile the tandem of Jose Devers (.359/.410/.450) and Jonathan India (.265/.341/.558) continues to light it up. Jeren Kendall is leading the squad with 15 bombs and a solid 119 OPS+. Evan "Mr. Reliable" White has a cool .292 batting average while slugging 10 home runs and Willians Astudillo is hitting .345 in a timeshare at catcher. Some of our guys really seem to be benefiting from Van Scoyoc's instruction.

Trevor Rogers was pulled before the first inning in his last start with complaints of low back pain. He's got a herniated disc in his lumbar spine and we believe it's been holding him back all year. He will be on the IL for a few weeks to try and calm down the injury. Reliable reliever Nabil Crismatt has taken over to make a few spot starts and twirled an 8-inninng shutout gem in his first one.

[Francoeurstein]

Draft Day 2025:
--The pre-draft Minor League System report ranked the improved Marlins Farm System 25th in baseball. Two right-handed arms were named as top 100 prospects including #40 Kevin Pledger (3.48 ERA in A-Ball) and #84 Ben Wiegman (2.73 ERA in AAA). Wiegman has developed nicely as a prospect and there's not much more for him to prove in the minors. The 23-year old will likely see time on the big league roster before the end of the season. Lucas Gordon, a 23-year old lefty, has a 2.32 ERA in AAA.

The Marlins, an organization that has earned a reputation for developing quality pitching this decade, opted to draft a pitcher with their first pick again this year.

27th overall: RHP Sean Patrick - Patrick is a 6'1", 21 year old righty coming off an illustrious career as a Long Beach State Dirtbag. The outspoken Phoenix has nasty stuff and a good feel for pitching. His fastball sits 94-97 and holds in the mid 90's late into starts. His splitter falls off the table and is a devastating secondary pitch. His slider can float up there at times, but it's a work in progress. If his slider comes along, he can be a #2/#3 guy. If not, he's a future All-Star closer.

72nd overall: 1B Jim Harper - This organization loves 1B only prospects with massive raw power. A left-handed stick out of high school in Colorado, Harper was famous for hitting 450+ foot bombs regularly in the Colorado altitude. His swing has a violent uppercut and he's prone to whiffs and weak contact, but it's electric when he gets ahold of one. He can range anywhere from being the next Richie Sexson or the next Russell Branyan.

[Francoeurstein]

June 18, 2025
--Guess who's back? You're probably thinking I'm going to say Benny Maybird, since this dynasty is about him. You thought correctly. Benny is back - and with a vengeance. In 13 games in June he's hitting .431 with 5 bombs. His tear allowed him to skyrocket up the leader boards and he is now the NL Leader in WAR with 4.1. Hitting .336/.408/.553 with 12 home runs and 21 steals, Benny has inserted himself back atop the MVP race. At 42-30, the Marlins are just a half game up on Atlanta. The offense continues to play well save for Jesus Sanchez, who has a .611 OPS in 61 games. The perpetually-frustrating Sanchez has been performing at an unacceptable level this year and the organization may be close to cutting ties with him.

Nabil Crismatt was a major plus for our rotation in Trevor Rogers' absence, going 2-1 in 4 starts with a 2.67 ERA. Rogers returned from the IL today and Crismatt will slide back into a high-leverage relief role.

June 30, 2025
--The Marlins have been playing well (50-34) but the Braves are on fire, winning 13 of their last 15. We're currently 2.5 games out of the division lead so we decided to upgrade the roster.

TRADE
Miami sends Jesus Sanchez and prospect RHP Ben Wiegman to the Cubs for OF Ian Happ and UTIL Christopher Morel

--This trade makes sense for both sides. Chicago gets a talented outfielder who desperately needed a change of scenery and a solid major-league ready pitching prospect. They are 39-45 and not looking to make a push for the postseason this year. In return, they shed Ian Happ and his $18mil/yr salary. Happ is signed through next season.

Happ plays both corner outfield spots well, can fake it in center, and can fill in at second base. He will slot in as our everyday right fielder going forward. A solid career hitter (.249/.346/.464) Happ adds much-needed pop to Miami's lineup. He strikes out a ton, but currently has 22 home runs on the season and a respectable 117 OPS+. The switch-hitter is no doubt a massive upgrade to this lineup and for a reasonable salary. We also get Morel who is a 26-year old depth piece. He has solid pop and can fill in at 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and left. He will likely be sent to AAA but can contribute if called upon.

The Marlins also claimed reliever Jose Butto off of the waivers from Baltimore. He's owed 4.48 million this year and has a 4.48 ERA on the season. He's a solid flyball pitcher with a nasty changeup.

[Francoeurstein]

All-Star Break: July 16, 2025

--Baseball is complicated. The Marlins have been playing well - they've made adjustments on the fly and pieced together a very respectable season. Sometimes playing your best ball isn't good enough though. The Braves are on an INSANE run, going 33-8 since the beginning of June. They've looked unstoppable lately and the fact that we're only 4 games back speaks volumes about how talented we are. Perhaps Atlanta will slow down eventually, but until then we've gotta be going full throttle. All of that starts and ends with Benny.

The team is pretty much Benny and a solid, but unspectacular supporting cast. I mean, let's face it, not many ballplayers compare to him anyways. As a 21-year old he received the highest amount of All-Star votes for the second year in a row. In June he hit .447 and won Player of the Month. Most other players in baseball play on a diamond, but Benny is on a whole different playing field. '

Benny enjoyed himself and the All-Star festivities again this year. He had a good game, going 1 for 4 with 2 walks in an 11 inning thriller. Our only other All-Star representative was superlative swingman Nabil Crismatt. Again, this teams identity is built on Benny and a supporting cast. Nothing wrong with that. Since this team is built well from the top to bottom, there's no pressing needs after trading for Ian Happ. However, the front office will continue to evaluate the team going into the Trade Deadline and keep an eye out for any potential upgrades. Money isn't an issue anymore in Miami. The Marlins have sold out their past 20 games. Can you believe that?

[Francoeurstein]

July 25, 2025
Trade: Miami sends LF Adam Haseley to Detroit for LHP Joey Wentz

--One of the best Rule 5 Draft Picks in recent memory, Adam Haseley has been a solid regular for us for close to 5 years now. His performance was really suffering this year though with a .234/.335/.343 line in 80 games played. The Marlins flipped him for Joey Wentz, a 27-year old arm who has been a pretty reliable innings eater. He's struggling this year with a 5.74 ERA, but the Marlins front office believe he's a major regression candidate. The previous two seasons he combined for 370 innings of roughly league-average output. He's making $3.7 million this season and is under team control for two more seasons.

This was a good depth move for Miami, who was just forced to put ace German Marquez on the Injured List. Marquez had some minor elbow inflammation and is expected to rejoin the rotation after his IL stint, but it never hurts to have too much pitching. As for the lineup, the Marlins are going to slide Ian Happ to left and use a combination of Kameron Misner, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Jonathan India in right.

July 31, 2025
Trade: Miami sends SS/CF Nasim Nunez to Colorado for RHP Tommy Doyle

--Nunez is a solid prospect who is ready to contribute in the major leagues, but he was blocked in our system. We decide to deal him for Doyle, a 29-year reliever who won't reach arbitration until after next year. Doyle has high-90's heat and a dominant high-spin curve that he uses to dominate hitters. He's been solid for the Rox the past two seasons with a 3.80 ERA and a 3.36 FIP. We believe he will be a dominant set-up man for us and will post even better numbers pitching a better environment.

The Braves continue to dominate and they've built a large 8 game lead in the division. We're still in a good position to finish strong though, with a 65-45 record and a place on top of the Wildcard standings.

**This is unrelated but I noticed something interesting when I went on Juan Soto's page. In this fictional universe he continued to develop as a player and put together a solid 2020 season: .282/.427/.529, 6.2 WAR. Then in 2021, he really put it together: .323/.433/.622, 8.4 WAR. He signed an 8 year/$189m deal after that season. In 2022 he was awesome again: .288/.404/.544, 6.3 WAR. Then the next season at age 24, the strangest thing happened... He just stopped being good. Here's what the rest of his career looks like:
2023: .247/.340/.447 2.1 WAR
2024: .262/.346/.421 0.8 WAR in 162 games
2025: .242/.314/.410 0.3 WAR in 107 games so far

What!? He went from being a potential legend to a pumpkin almost overnight. He's still only 26 years old, but hes a 2-star on perfect scouting and hasn't played well in years. I've never seen anything like this in all my years of OOTP! I can't even think of a good real-life comp for this. He's had a few injuries, but nothing has ever kept him out for more than a week.

[Francoeurstein]

Damn it! My computer crashed and my last save was on Draft Day. I ran a couple of sims to try and recreate where we were at. I made sure the same trades and injuries occurred. I will highlight a few of the minor differences in this sim. For the one or two people that read this, sorry. I'll be better.

-The Marlins are now 65-46, 2 games behind Atlanta in the division. They have a commanding lead in the Wildcard race.
-German Marquez is downright dominant. 13-3 with a 2.53 ERA
-Same for Jorge Guzman: 11-4 2.67
-Jazz Chisholm is doing great: .292/.353/.523, 3.5 WAR. He was struggling in the other sim
-Jose Devers and Jonathan India are mehh, combining for 1.0 WAR. They were around 3.0 in the other sim.
-Minor league FA Avisail Garcia took over as the starting RF after the Haseley trade. He's been worth 0.0 WAR in roughly 100 plate appearances
-Benny's stats are pretty similar to what they were: .315/.396/.533, 18 homers, 38/50 stolen bases, 7.1 WAR. He's first in the NL in WAR.


Again, my apologies for this makeshift re-sim. I will post a stats update a few weeks into August.

[Francoeurstein]

August 16, 2025
--A red-hot August run is just what this team needed. Even though the Braves are right on our tail (1 game back), we sit with an impressive 74-49 record. Benny's been tearing it up in August, with a .457 average and 4 taters. Ian Happ and Kameron Misner have really stepped up in the outfield and Evan White (.298, 21 HR) has really taken his game to a new level. This is starting to shape up like a postseason lineup. German Marquez continues to build his Cy Young resume while the rest of the rotation is carrying their weight. Closer Wyatt Mills has struggled lately (5.17 ERA) and is in danger of losing his job.