Miami Marlins: Host of New Players Make Marlins One of MLB's Most Exciting Teams

The Miami Marlins made big news in late November when they signed Giancarlo Stanton to a record-breaking 13-year, $325 million contract.  That was only the start, though, as an aggressive winter meeting haul makes the Marlins contenders going into 2015.

Sure, they haven’t had a winning season in five years and have missed the postseason every year since 2003, but the organization still has plenty of optimism.

“Given the steps we took last year, and the core talent we now have, we feel we’re ready to contend, too,” Marlins president Michael Hill told USA Today.  “You say it every year, but this time, there’s a belief in this club that this team is ready to compete.”

This might be labeled by some as wishful thinking by an unrealistic team executive, but Hill’s statements aren’t too exaggerated.

With a cornerstone player like Stanton paid, happy and locked up long term, he should be one of the most productive players in the league for several years down the road.  And he is no longer the only offensive threat in the lineup.

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The Marlins acquired Dee Gordon from the Dodgers in a trade, giving them arguably the most dynamic baserunner in the MLB at the top of the order.  He should thrive in his new home and will likely steal at least 50 bases.

The price for Gordon might have seemed a bit steep, giving up left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney, who ranked as the second-best southpaw prospect in the majors, according to MLB.com.  But Heaney was expendable because the club has been stocking up on young, talented pitchers for a few years now.

That has resulted in the Marlins pitching staff being loaded with hard-throwing youngsters.  Henderson Alvarez, Nathan Eovaldi and Jarred Cosart will all start the season in the starting rotation, along with veteran Mat Latos, who the Marlins acquired from the Reds last week in exchange for two prospects.

And don't forget about young phenom Jose Fernandez, who dominated hitters to the tune of a 2.44 ERA and 70 strikeouts in only 51.2 innings pitched before needing Tommy John surgery to repair an elbow injury.  He is targeting a June or July return in 2015, and he will make the Marlins rotation flat-out scary if he comes back at full strength.

Also, the Marlins are going to be able to score runs in bunches.  The Marlins front office has done everything they can to give Stanton help in the order.  Gordon and Christian Yelich will get on base plenty in front of Stanton, and Casey McGehee and newly signed Michael Morse should instill enough fear in opposing pitchers that they can't pitch around Stanton on a regular basis.

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The signing of free agent Morse could turn out to be one of the most underrated moves this offseason. He possesses mammoth power and is comfortable in the NL East.  He hit 31 home runs for the Nationals in 2011, and even though he struggled in 2013 with the Mariners, he had a nice bounce-back season last year with the Giants.  Don't expect huge things out of Morse, but he should be a solid right-handed power bat if he can manage to avoid injury and stay in the lineup.

Gordon will team with Adeiny Hechavarria to make one of the most exciting middle infields in the league. Hechavarria is a former top prospect who is a human highlight real, and Gordon is a solid defender as well.

But it's not going to be easy due to the improvement of the NL East.  The Nationals are going to once again be the most talented team in the division and will probably win it, but it's not going to be by the 17-game margin it was last year.  

The Mets are going to be a lot better with the return of Matt Harvey and one of the most dominant pitching staffs in the league, and the Marlins are going to be competitive.  The Braves have been active so far this offseason, and it looks like they might not be done.  

2015 might not be the Marlins' year, but their time will come sooner rather than later.  As the pitchers continue to develop and the hitters get more big league at-bats, they could be a scary team in the very near future.