Vote: January 2024 Marlins Fan Confidence Poll

[Ely Sussman]

How do you feel about the direction of the Miami Marlins franchise? Every month, I'll be polling our audience to find out how you’re reacting to transactions, news, rumors and game results.

This month's poll is going up in the midst of a slooooow offseason under new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. The Marlins are coming off a 84-78 regular season and rare postseason berth, and the vast majority of their 2023 roster remains intact. However, the front office doesn't seem motivated to make short-term upgrades nor extend core players. Principal owner Bruce Sherman has not committed to raising payroll and Miami's farm system objectively stinks.

Taking these factors into consideration (and whatever else is important to you), let us know your current confidence level...

[Stanley J Makowski]

I would like to see the poll have two levels. One for the next year or two and one for the long term. For example, this off season has been a downer. It's not just the lack of activity, but also the lack of ANY positive publicity.  And our owner seems to be up to his old habits. If he doesn't give Arraex his much-deserved contract extension, then that portends toward mediocrity in both the near and long term future. In short, it all depends on our esteemed owner, and that's not good. 

This team wins with its pitching, yet it seems to be currently obsessed with obtaining a mid-level (read that relatively cheap) power hitter.  Concurrently, it seems to ignore a very decent prospect in Edwards simply because he has no power. But he is very cheap, can hit,can run, and would make a superb lead-off hitter. If you have pitching , and lack significant power, why not emphasize speed? An extra HR every week or two, which is what we would get, is insignificant in my opinion. Get a SS who can run ,  and offers more lateral coverage than our Berti, and let's play ball.

In conclusion, I would rate our short term as an 8, but our long term, under this owner, a 3. Bendix has an excellent pedigree, but he was brought in to better the team by economizing through building the farm system as cheaply as possible. If they do not improve the team on the field in some way, AND PUBLICIZE THE FACT, our ball park will be an echo chamber.

[Sean Millerick]

5. 

That 2028 team might have some studs. Every move they have made this offseason is encouraging and likely needed to improve the development and selection of position player talent in the long-term. 

However, if this current slow pace continues, and/or multiple pieces are dealt from this core...it's going to be the same empty seats and low revenues, thus perpetuating the same cycle. New fans and customers are never buying in anytime soon if that's the approach. 

[Ely Sussman]

3 hours ago, Stanley J Makowski said:

I would like to see the poll have two levels. One for the next year or two and one for the long term. For example, this off season has been a downer. It's not just the lack of activity, but also the lack of ANY positive publicity.  And our owner seems to be up to his old habits. If he doesn't give Arraex his much-deserved contract extension, then that portends toward mediocrity in both the near and long term future. In short, it all depends on our esteemed owner, and that's not good. 

This team wins with its pitching, yet it seems to be currently obsessed with obtaining a mid-level (read that relatively cheap) power hitter.  Concurrently, it seems to ignore a very decent prospect in Edwards simply because he has no power. But he is very cheap, can hit,can run, and would make a superb lead-off hitter. If you have pitching , and lack significant power, why not emphasize speed? An extra HR every week or two, which is what we would get, is insignificant in my opinion. Get a SS who can run ,  and offers more lateral coverage than our Berti, and let's play ball.

In conclusion, I would rate our short term as an 8, but our long term, under this owner, a 3. Bendix has an excellent pedigree, but he was brought in to better the team by economizing through building the farm system as cheaply as possible. If they do not improve the team on the field in some way, AND PUBLICIZE THE FACT, our ball park will be an echo chamber.

You're spot on with that very last point. Beyond being a quiet offseason of acquisitions, it's been such an uninspiring one. As capable as he seems to be, Bendix is still unproven as a lead front office decision-maker. I don't think he can sell fans on the idea that retaining most of last year's cast is sufficient to make this team genuinely good in 2024.

[John Nande]

5