Who is a Perfect Fit for Marlins?
The Marlins are determined to sign impact bats to help bolster their lineup of young players this offseason. The only question is who should they sign? There have been reports that the Marlins are interesting in bringing in free-agent outfielders Nicholas Castellanos, Avisail Garcia or perhaps a reunion with Marcel Ozuna. However, in my opinion, the one option that I believe would be more cost-friendly for the club after they burned $22 million dollars to release Wei-Yin Chen would be Yasiel Puig.
Puig hit for a .267 average while belting 24 home runs and driving in 84 RBIs during the 2019 season. His stats may not be eye-opening but for a Miami lineup who struggled to hit for power, it could be the boost they need for more run production. They say hitting is contagious and when Puig gets going, so does the rest of the line-up. (Video credit to @Starting9)
Yasiel Puig has his first bomb in an Indians uni and it was an absolute nuke pic.twitter.com/6gCuG1QJlD
— Starting 9 (@Starting9) August 11, 2019
So, why would the Marlins go after Puig when Castellanos, Ozuna, and Garcia are on the table? Puig is from Cuba and Miami who has a vast Cuban population would go well together. Puig has a lot of energy and could provide a spark that the team along with their fans have been missing.
Fans from all over love Puig because of the antics he performs on the field, whether he’s on the opposing team or not, fans cheer him on because of his electric personality. His competitive nature brings some enjoyment and an energy boost to the long nine-inning games. Everyone knows Yasiel Puig, and to be quite honest with you, his name alone could draw in more fans to Marlins Park.
Whether the team is down or up, Puig plays the game with the energy as if it was Game 7 of the World Series. If the Marlins do take a chance on Puig, he would be the first Cuban born player on the team since Jose Fernandez. Believe me, the Marlins and their fans need a player like Puig. They should not overlook his ability to bring up the energy and to mentor the younger players. Speaking of his energy and the World Series, here’s a video. (credit to @SportsCenter)
Yasiel Puig just LAUNCHED ONE, and both his and Eduardo Rodriguez's reactions are amazing.
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/xa35v1yzSc
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 28, 2018
He has played on the game’s biggest stage more than once so he has the experience that many players don’t and the Marlins could use that to their advantage in developing their young core. He has been through his failures and has been able to overcome them and he has had his successes. Providing lessons on how to overcome those failures and to sustain those successes would be a huge lesson that Puig would be able to provide.