RADIO
Miami Marlins Pitchers for 2014 Fantasy Baseball
The Miami Marlins have put together a rotation that arguably carries a top five upside for 2014 and beyond. With all of the changes this franchise has gone threw, the one thing that has always been headstrong and consistent is solid young pitching. The Marlins finished 2013-ranked 11th in ERA despite having to start 12 different pitchers throughout the season. The pitching really improved during the second half of the year with Jose Fernandez leading the way. Post All-Star game, Fernandez went 7-1 with a stifling 1.32 ERA. To put things in perspective, the Marlins’ starting rotation is composed of four players that are all below the age of 25; a lot of talent to be had.
The Marlins finished last week with a Spring Training-best 2.78 ERA, and their 1.16 WHIP is second only to Detroit's 1.14. The pitching staff is off to a great start, but now they will look to keep pushing the momentum over to the start of the regular season.
Jose Fernandez
There is nothing I can write to fully describe this kid’s potential. Not only did he lead the league in 2nd half ERA, but he finished the year with 187 strikeouts in only 172.2 innings of work; and that’s only because the organization shut him down in early September for precautionary reasons. Jose Fernandez had an ERA under 2.20, to show you how impressive that is, only 11 other pitchers even had an ERA under 3.00. He is only 21, I repeat only 21 years old! If he played on a team that had a solid offense he could be a 25 game winner, but because he plays on a team that is full of suspect bats, 15-17 wins would be a good estimate. High strikeouts, low WHIP, and a low ERA will be all but guaranteed with Fernandez. If you're still drafting, get him early in standard one-year leagues, and even earlier in dynasty leagues.
Nathan Eovaldi
Probably the second-most talented pitcher on the squad, Eovaldi carries with him a fastball that has reached triple digits on multiple occasions. Eovaldi who dealt with injuries all throughout the first half of last season, still managed to finish the year with a respectable 3.39 ERA. He is currently going undrafted in most standard leagues, which I find baffling given his potential. He is worthy of a late round pick in standard leagues, and a very strong pickup in dynasty formats. Look for an ERA anywhere from 3.40-3.85 along with some decent strikeout numbers.
Jacob Turner
Once considered one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, Tuner’s value has slipped over the last year. While he did struggle at times last year, he finished the season with a solid 3. 74 ERA. His strikeout per walk ratio decreased mightily last year (77/54) leaving much room for improvement. Still at only 22 years of age, plenty of time for Tuner to get it right.
Henderson Alvarez
A name that was not commonly known around the baseball world last year; that is until the last day of the season when he threw a rather flukey no-hitter against the powerful Detroit Tigers. While not known for high strikeouts, Alvarez can offer you a solid ERA along with a low WHIP. The wins like the rest of the pitchers on this squad, will be mostly reliant on whether the offense can provide them with enough run support.
Tom Koehler
The old guy of the rotation at a whopping 27 years old, Koehler is still technically battling to claim the 5th spot of the rotation. So far his ERA this spring is at a ridiculous 0.75 to go with 11 Ks and just 2 walks. While I wouldn’t be jumping to get Koehler on my fantasy team, he is a one I would keep an eye on throughout the first month of the season. He will have the benefit of pitching half his games in a spacious ballpark in Miami.
