Having seen the young starters this season, wouldn't you say there is reason for optimism for the 2019 rotation and beyond? Pablo Lopez, Trevor Richards, Jose Urena, Caleb Smith and others?
-- @JohnMoralesNBC6
I agree. One of the pleasant surprises has been the progress of rookies like Lopez and Richards. Both should be front-runners to be in the 2019 Opening Day rotation. Smith, who underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, was leading all MLB rookies in strikeouts before his injury. While Smith is expected to be ready for Spring Training, typically players returning from major surgery are often eased back. So it may be optimistic to think will be ready for the opener. If not, he could be impactful at some point in the season. Urena, who enters arbitration, would be a candidate to again pitch on Opening Day.
When rosters expand on Saturday, rookie Sandy Alcantara will get called up from Triple-A New Orleans. It's unclear if Dan Straily will be back next year or if he'll get traded. Also, in 2019, Zac Gallen, Nick Neidert and Jorge Guzman will be getting closer to being rotation options. I still haven't closed the door on lefty Dillon Peters bouncing back and being in the mix. The same goes for right-hander Jeff Brigham, who is at New Orleans right now. I expect him to be a September callup.
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Is it realistic that the Marlins' uniforms go back to the old colors and the old logo in some capacity?
-- @mchaps55
Actually, I think the organization may have a much more traditional and less colorful look in 2019. I wouldn't be surprised if the color scheme is simply black and white. More on that in a second. A quick refresher: As part of moving into Marlins Park in 2012, the name changed from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins. So going back to the "F" on the hats isn't an option. Many fans have asked about teal. In June, the Marlins had a throwback weekend against the Padres, and they wore the old teal-trimmed uniforms. I can see throwback weekends continuing to bring back the old uniforms.
Moving forward, there's speculation that the logo and the uniforms will be black and white. Nothing is official for 2019, but we're seeing the logo more regularly being displayed in black and white around the ballpark and elsewhere. Fans may have already noticed that after every home victory, mascot Billy the Marlin goes on the field and waves a giant-sized Marlins logo flag. Early in the season, it was orange. The past few months, it's featured the logo in black and white on a black backdrop. Again, nothing has officially been announced, so we'll see what happens. But I do sense the organization is committed to building toward the future with a different look, rather than revisiting its past.
Do you see a potential logjam with the outfield prospects? Who will be starting for the team in 2019 -- Austin Dean, Lewis Brinson, Magneuris Sierra, Monte Harrison, Isaac Galloway, Rafael Ortega or Braxton Lee?
-- @SlimDownDadBod
To me, I don't see it as a logjam. I view a surplus of players as necessary depth to achieve sustainable success. Also, none of the above has established himself as a clear front-runner to start. Brinson, on rehab assignment at New Orleans, is expected to be reinstated from the DL on Saturday. Ideally, the club would like for him to get about 100 at-bats in the final month. How he finishes will help the Marlins get a better evaluation heading into the offseason.
Harrison, ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami's top prospect, will be added to the 40-man roster in the offseason. But he hasn't performed above Double-A and has to cut down on his strikeout rate. Sierra is still young and likely will open next season at New Orleans. Lee missed time this year due to a hamstring injury. Dean could find himself in the mix for a starting or backup spot. Connor Scott, their first-round pick in the 2018 Draft, is at Class A Greensboro. But he's a few years away. Tristan Pompey, a third-round pick, is another possibility down the line. He's already at Class A Advanced Jupiter. To me, it's more than having just three regulars; it's having the depth to fill in when players inevitably get hurt or underperform. It's a good problem to have.
When do you think the Marlins might get their own Ronald Acuna Jr.-type of player? I'm guessing Victor Victor Mesa, if we sign him, might be the first guy.
-- @Brandon_P04
I'm not sure if you're talking about an international signing or overall prospect. Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa, who has yet to be declared a free agent, is on the Marlins' radar. When he becomes a free agent, Miami and Baltimore have the highest allotments of pool money to spend. As for a prospect already in the Marlins' system who may become a star, I am very high on Jose Devers. I think he has the makings of a future All-Star-caliber shortstop. At 18, he advanced from Greensboro to Jupiter this year. Devers, ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami's No. 12 prospect, has been shut down due to a sore right shoulder, which isn't considered serious. A left-handed hitter, he's not going to be a power threat, but he has really impressive bat-to-ball skills and should be an impactful top-of-the-order hitter.
Can you explain how the Arizona Fall League works? And who are potential players from the Marlins to be sent there?
-- @alexandtulo
Quite simply, the Fall League is regarded as "finishing school" for top prospects. The 2018 Fall League is scheduled to begin on Oct. 9, and it is a six-team league that includes prospects from all 30 MLB clubs. Rosters have yet to be announced. Players from the Marlins will be joining the Salt River Rafters. They will be joined by players from the D-backs, Rockies, Twins and Nationals. Without anything being official, I could see Harrison participating. Someone like Lee, who has some big league time but had an extended stint on the disabled list in the Minor Leagues, is also a possibility so he can get more at-bats. Peters, who is at New Orleans, could also make sense in order to get some more innings under his belt.