Jeter explains ‘tricky situation’ Marlins face as they approach the non-tender deadline

Derek Jeter has repeated the mantra multiple times since the 2020 season ended. Yes, the Miami Marlins had a successful season. They went 31-29, posting a winning record for the first time since 2009. They reached the playoffs for the first time since 2003 and swept the Cubs in the best-of-3 wild-card round before being swept by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series.

But should the Marlins be content with that? Absolutely not, he has repeated time and time again.

“When you look at the overall picture of what we’ve been building here and the impact that we’ve had to add in the community, I think, overall, I’m happy with where we are,” Jeter said Tuesday on the Marlins’ in-house Hot Stove radio show. “I’m not satisfied with where we are, but I’m happy with the progress that we’ve made but we still still have a long way to go.”

Which brings us to the latest juncture of this offseason, one that will help paint a clearer picture of how the Marlins plan to move forward into the 2021 season.

The team has until 8 p.m. Wednesday to tender contracts to players on their 40-man roster. Eight of those players are eligible for arbitration.

What is the Marlins’ plan of attack for its roster as they prepare for Wednesday’s deadline and beyond? Jeter’s full response, as said Tuesday on the Marlins’ weekly offseason in-house Hot Stove radio show:

“Well, I think it’s kind of a tricky situation because when we got here, we said that we had our plan. We were going to build our minor league system, which we have done. And ultimately we have a lot of guys who are at the upper levels of the minor league system. You have to give them an opportunity, and you have to give them their chance to show that they can play at the major league level. So, in that sense, we’re going to have to be patient. Now we’re always going to look at how we can get better.

“And another thing you have to take into consideration is when you add guys you’re subtracting guys. We’ve had a lot of people that have obviously helped us throughout the 2020 season, but we have to make some decisions. Like we do every year in the organization, we take a look back and we see that the things that we did well and the things that we can improve upon. That’s how you’re going to get better, but at the same time, we have to give these guys an opportunity to show that they can play at the major league level.”

Miami Marlins have decisions to make as another key offseason deadline approaches

Eight of the Marlins’ top-11 prospects according to MLB Pipeline made their big-league debuts last season. The Marlins already opened the door slightly for its top-end starting pitching prospects by designating Jose Urena for assignment on Monday. As it relates to the remaining arbitration-eligible players, only one of those top prospects will be directly impacted by decisions made on Wednesday: First baseman Lewin Diaz, as both Jesus Aguilar and Garrett Cooper are up for arbitration this winter. If the Marlins believe Diaz, the club’s eighth-ranked prospect, is ready to be at the MLB level full-time, then a decision is likely going to have to be made regarding either Aguilar or Cooper prior to the start of the season.

Other quick hits

▪ While nothing is finalized yet, Jeter said the Marlins are anticipating that fans will be allowed into Marlins Park for the 2021 season. “You look at the postseason there and the World Series and the NLCS last year,” Jeter said. “MLB, they they introduced fans back in the ballpark, so we are preparing for that but we’re going to make sure that when they do enter the ballpark that they’re very comfortable with health and safety protocols.”

▪ On the rule changes from last season (the universal designated hitter, three-batter minimum for pitchers and runner on second base in extra innings): “I’m coming from the American League so I like the DH, and I say this respectfully to most pitchers - I can’t say all pitchers - but I’d rather watch a DH hit than some of the pitchers. The three-batter minimum, I actually like it. I think if you’re at the major league level, you should be able to get three guys out and should be able to face three guys so I like that. And extra innings, I think, was very exciting for the fans. From all the feedback that we’ve gotten they really enjoyed the extra innings, and the different strategy that teams are using whether you’re at home or on the road so I actually liked all those three of those rule changes.”

▪ On Don Mattingly winning NL Manager of the Year: ”I’ve known Donnie since I was 18 years old. I had an opportunity to play with him briefly and then he was a coach in the Yankee organization. He’s someone that I spent a lot of time with, and no one had to tell me the value that Donnie brings in a clubhouse. A lot of times, it’s things that that a manager brings that most fans don’t get an opportunity to see and I think that showed this year, taking into consideration everything that our team went through to have that calming influence in the dugout and in the clubhouse is a big reason why we were successful. I couldn’t be happier that Donnie won the award. I’m a little biased, but I think he definitely deserved it. We look forward to everything that he’s going to bring in the future as well, but I think to a man if you ask anyone that was on the team, they would have high praises for him.”

▪ On the team’s expectations heading into 2021: “Expectations don’t change. Our expectation is always when you take the field, you’re competing to win a game. Our guys bought into that this year. They bought into it throughout the minor-league system as well and you can really see the attitudes start to change with the guys in our organization. When they take the field, they expect to go out there and compete and they expect to go out there and win. So in that sense, the expectation level doesn’t change.

“Now,” Jeter continued, “in order for us to get to the level that we want to be at, then we need guys to continue to improve. And I know it sounds simple, but we’re going to be as good as our guys’ level of improvement, and that’s why the offseason or the non-playing season is extremely important for our guys to continue to work at it and not be happy with where we were in 2020 because we still have a long way to go.”