Miguel Rojas grew up a fan of the Florida Marlins when he was a young boy growing up in Venezuela.

Teal was his favorite color and on the weekend where he finally got to wear the very uniform of the 1997 World Series champion Marlins, the shortstop slugged a leadoff home run in back-to-back games. Ironically, the Marlins were throwing back to a year in which their opponent, the Arizona Diamondbacks, didn’t exist.

Rojas became the first player to deliver consecutive leadoff homers since Hanley Ramirez on July 17-18, 2006, a year in which he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

“That’s a great way to start the games, not just for me, but for the whole team to have success,” Rojas said. “Finding our power stroke, it’s been really good to watch. All the credit goes to the pitching staff, keeping us in the game. I feel like we’re playing really good baseball lately.”

The Marlins started the season 10-31 feeling hopeless at the plate despite seeing potential palpitating on the mound. They turned the corner on May 17 and went 30-32 the rest of the way. Part of that turn around involved Rojas taking command of the shortstop position and the leadoff spot in the batting order. In 40 games batting leadoff, he slashed .298/.335/.416 with all three of his home runs hit in that position.

“Miggy has been really good, kind of all year long,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s taken over short, defensively. He had a little stretch where it got off track offensively.

“In the leadoff spot, he’s stayed the same. Now, all of a sudden, we’ve seen a little more power recently, which he showed last year. Obviously, we don’t want him to force that, but that will happen for him. He just kind of keeps making good contact, and having solid at-bats.”

Those numbers from the leadoff spot are in line with his .290/.343/.718 slash line on the season. In his fifth year with the Marlins, the 30-year-old has emerged as the leader of the team. The initial process of the Marlins building project led to many household names being traded in order to stockpile talent and replenish the farm system. While some of the trades were motived by money, others were done by the request of the player himself. Had Christian Yellich and JT Realmuto not express their desire to leave Miami, they would most certainly be central figures of in the team’s project.

No established player wants to be a part of a rebuilding project after years of trying to contend with the same team, however, Rojas does. He sees improvement this young team is making and how the moves of the front office are starting to bare fruit, especially on the pitching side.

“I’m all in this project right now, and this organization,” Rojas said. “Whatever they preach, and whatever they’ve brought to the table. I’m all in, and I really wish I can stay here because I found here in Miami a home away from Venezuela. For me to be part of this organization, this franchise from now on, would be great.”

He’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2020 season, which makes him an understandable trade target by contending teams that need the extra push to reach the playoffs. Who wouldn’t want a veteran infielder who can play all four spots and bat leadoff proficiently? However it would it would be bigger for the franchise to keep Rojas for the long term and have him continue to lead the young core as they trend towards being a contender themselves.

“I think, when we’re ready to win, and we’re ready to be in the playoffs, that’s going to be huge for the organization,” Rojas said.

The Marlins celebrated a time where the franchise was on top of the baseball word this past weekend. It is now known for low attendances and trading household names. They can not afford to continue the trend of trading their better players for prospects just because they are close to their 30’s or are a year away from free agency. If this franchise is going to change its narrative, extending Rojas would go a long way.

It just makes too much sense for a franchise that is run by a legendary shortstop known at “The Captain” to have a team led by a shortstop that could eventually be its longest ever tenured player.

Day two of training camp is in the books, and the Miami Dolphins are getting ready for things to get real. While the pads still haven’t come on, minimizing the amount of hitting that can be done, there are still takeaways to take under consideration.

The top three performers of day two, strangely enough, are going to look oddly similar to the top performers of day one. But when players stand out, they stand out.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB

The first player to stand out is the first player who stood out on day one. Redundant, perhaps, but unavoidable. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was on point for the second straight day of camp. He was decisive, he was accurate, and he looked a lot more like “Fitzmagic” than the player he was known as before earning that nickname.

If this sort of performance continues, it’s hard to imagine young Josh Rosen will ever keep up. Fitzpatrick is gunning for the starting job, and he’s not slowing down to let Rosen get a chance to take it from him. This puts head coach Brian Flores in an interesting position. The common sense solution would be to let Rosen start in order to get full evaluation of his skills. But Flores keeps saying that the best player will play. Letting Rosen start when he’s not the best forces Flores to go back on his word. Players struggle to respect coaches who don’t keep their word.

It’s still early, there’s still time for Rosen this training camp. But with Fitzpatrick earning top honors two days in a row, it’s hard to imagine Rosen getting to start under those circumstances.

DeVante Parker, WR

More of the same from day one of training camp. In the battle between Brice Butler, Preston Williams, and of course Parker…Parker is the best player of the three. Shocking, considering Parker’s checkered past on the football field. Then again, it may not be so shocking.

Parker is well known for making big plays when hitting isn’t involved. He did so again on Friday, making plays and tough catches that Miami always wanted him to make but he never did when it counted. This is the source of the frustration with him. He looks great in practice. He matches up fairly well against Xavien Howard of all players, everything he’s done so far indicates he can take the next step.

And yet…this is not the first time that assumption has been made. If Parker can continue his dominance when the pads come on, then maybe it’s safe to get hopes up. However, we can still credit him for stringing along two excellent practices.

Preston Williams, WR

Time to give one of the dark horses a little bit of love. After a somewhat disappointing first day, Preston Williams showed improvement and was able to make some impressive catches. While Parker still has the upper hand on him, it’s encouraging to see that he’s not going down without a fight.

His real chance to show what he can do comes on Saturday, when the pads come on for the first time and players start hitting each other. Parker tends to shy away when that happens, as noted previously. If Williams doesn’t, that will be telling. That will give him something he can hold over Parker, and it might be the difference between making the team and landing on the practice squad (if someone else doesn’t swipe him first).

DAVIE – Welcome to the Dolphins season of low expectations.

As freshman coach Brian Flores opened his first training camp Thursday, it is OK to hope for pleasant surprises. But before climbing about this express to parts unknown, be aware that it could get butt ugly along the way.

That is not to say there aren’t some talented players and an accomplished coaching staff to guide them. There also is nothing that suggests the makings of a formidable pass rush, even with Flores’ moxie as a defensive strategist.

It is very difficult to counter competent NFL offenses without one.

When this team needs a stop on third down there is no Cameron Wake to count on to put the heat on the opposing quarterback – not even the aging Wake of last season.

More from Dolphin Maven: Josh Rosen has long climb to fulfill hope as QB of future

Without pressure up front, skilled DBs like Xavien Howard, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Reshad Jones can only be expected to maintain coverage for so long.

That is the most dangerous scenario I see derailing Sunday after Sunday in the early stages of this rebuilding project.

What should fans wish for?

There is always the possibility they may overachieve, particularly if key playmakers can dodge the rash of season-ending injuries that dragged down last season.

That could lead to a middling record, too good to achieve the Tank for Tua objective of those hoping the Dolphins will lose enough to have a chance to draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

This can be a more confusing season than most for genuine Dolfans who must be wary of what they root for.

Rest assured, the concept of tanking is anathema to Flores, his coaches and players. They will be doing everything they can to win every week.

The best approach for fans could be to watch with an eye to identifying players that will form the platform for winning, if not this season then hopefully soon.

Some players to watch

How good can versatile DB Minkah Fitzpatrick be in his second season?

Can Josh Rosen show enough to make Tua unnecessary?

Will tight end Mike Gesicki prove worthy of a second-round pick in his second season? He showed the athleticism Thursday with a leaping, one-handed snatch of a goal-line fade from Ryan Fitzpatrick over Bobby McCain.

Can rookie Christian Wilkins translate his championship pedigree at Clemson to become the anchor of a stalwart defensive line?

I am glad they didn’t bring back Frank Gore to afford the opportunity for the younger backfield tandem of Kenyan Drake and Kalen Ballage to show what they can do.

Even gladder they finally moved on from Ryan Tannehill.

It was good to see jitterbug receivers Jakeem Grant and Albert Wilson on the field Thursday, healthy after last year’s debilitating injuries.

Flores out of Belichick’s shadow

Meanwhile, eager to see what Flores and his coaching staff can accomplish after predecessor Adam Gase failed to measure up to the hype as an offensive prodigy.

Flores is coming off leading one of the greatest Super Bowl defensive performances in the Patriots shutting down the high-flying Rams in February.

Granted, Bill Belichick assistants don’t have a distinguished record of success after leaving New England, and Flores doesn’t have the Patriots defensive personnel in Miami.

But New England defenses often turn out to be greater than the sum of their parts. They play right and exploit opponents’ weaknesses.

So part of the intrigue of this season will be to see if Flores can fashion prime rib out of ground chuck with the defense.

Can he get the most out of young linebackers Jerome Baker and Raekwon McMillan while working in rookie Andrew Van Ginkel as a situational component.

“Obviously, we haven’t played in a real game yet, but he’s got the attention, command and respect of the team right now,” veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said Thursday.

Message to Dolfans

Flores is reluctant to be drawn into discussing expectations, repeating the mantra of focusing on getting better each day.

It’s not sexy, not what fans want to hear. Especially fans who may not be quite sure what they expect or want out of this season.

Prior to Thursday’s first workout of training camp, Flores was asked what he’d tell the fan base that feels conflicted about winning and looking ahead to the future and wanting a high draft pick?

Flores response: “I tell them, support the Dolphins. You’re going to have a tough, smart, disciplined team that works hard. That’s not going to beat themselves. And, we’re going to fight to win every week. That’s what I tell them. And they’ll support us if you do that.”

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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DAVIE – If conclusions were to be drawn from the first day of Dolphins training camp, drafting a quarterback would remain high on GM Chris Grier’s to-do list next year.

As during OTAs in the spring, Josh Rosen didn’t look like anything special and perhaps less than adequate in terms of accuracy and execution Thursday. Quite frankly, all that distinguished him from presumed third-stringer Jake Rudock were the numbers on their jerseys.

To be fair, the starting job wasn’t being decided Thursday with the team working in shorts in front of a diehard crowd that packed the stands overlooking the practice field at the Dolphins training complex. As coach Brian Flores stressed, no one was expected to be in midseason form.

But the reason many of those fans were waiting patiently at the gate an hour before practice was to see for themselves any indication as to whether the Dolphins have found a quarterback to lead them into a more successful future in Rosen.

That was the objective of the offseason trade with Arizona for the 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Dolphins fans hopeful

There were quite a few in the crowd sporting new No. 3 Rosen jerseys, but the first glimpse brought little return in the hope that went with those investments.

At his point, you don’t expect a finished product but you’d like to see signs, something that telegraphs standout talent in the 22-year-old from UCLA.

By Rosen’s own evaluation of Day 1, “Thought I had a slow start but finished pretty strong.”

​Rosen’s best moment did come near the end of the session in an 11-on-11 drill in the red zone when he lofted a perfect lob that tight end Nick O’Leary caught in stride in the back of the end zone.

Earlier, he was picked off by undrafted rookie safety Montre Hartage trying to force a pass into the middle of the opposite end zone.

Meanwhile, it is abundantly clear that journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick is the most polished, intuitive and self-assured quarterback on the team at this moment.

If you are a coach whose top priority is winning games, you put the ball in Fitzpatrick’s hands.

The bearded veteran entering his 15th season is taking snaps with the first team and is playing like he intends to keep doing so. His passes are on the mark with zip, and most important, he is in command of the offense.

Season is about the future

But everyone knows, this quarterback completion isn’t as much about now as it is about the future. At 36, Fitzpatrick isn’t going to be the future.

What must be determined, will Rosen be?

Everyone interested in the Dolphins wants to know the answer, and they want it fast. Realistically, it won’t come in a day. Probably not by the end of the preseason.

Rosen explained that his mindset is different from fans and media who are fixated on the question.

He’s living in the moment.

“I’ve just got a play call [that] I’m trying to execute – that one play, regardless of my situation on the team or at the position,” he said.

“Regardless of whatever battle or situation you’re in at any position, you’re just trying to get better. [I’m] just trying to watch as much film as I can, listen in meetings and get better every day.”

That’s the players’ mentality, and it doesn’t change with experience.

“Just trying to be the best version of me that I can be,” Fitzpatrick said.

Unless Rosen dazzles and closes the gap with eye-opening efficiency in the exhibitions, Fitzpatrick will likely begin the regular season as the starter.

It would be preferable if Rosen won the job outright. If not, that doesn’t close the book on him.

Answer on Rosen will come … eventually

Maybe Rosen is the QB to build a future around. Maybe he’s not. One way or another, the Dolphins will draw their own conclusions by the end of the season and shape their plans for the next draft accordingly.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ quarterback story is beginning yet again 20 years after Dan Marino’s final season. It’s going to be novel-length. Might as well sit back, pop open a beer and enjoy all the twists and turns and hope the ending leaves you with a smile.

There’s no other way to approach it.

“Regardless of what you guys say or write, I’m going to go about my approach that’s gotten me this far,” Rosen said.

“It’s about getting better day by day and just trying to improve. It’s not about taking a massive step forward, it’s just about continuing to grow and continuing to make positive progress.

“Any kind of setback is worse than any progress you could gain.”

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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Now that the offense has been taken care of, it’s time to take a close look at who should be watched very carefully on defense once training camp begins. The team’s young talent is more centralized on this unit, and head coach Brian Flores has a defensive background. There’s no shortage of players to watch here, so let’s narrow it down to five.

Jerome Baker, LB

Baker brings a lot to the table that a lot of Miami’s other linebackers don’t. He’s fast, he can cover, and he can be wherever the ball is at any given moment. Those are traits that other Dolphins linebackers like Kiko Alonso and Raekwon McMillan struggle in. Now, however, there’s no telling what the plan is for Baker at this point. In the simplistic scheme run by Matt Burke, Baker’s role was clear. He was the one who ran around the field, chasing tight ends and running backs as an outside linebacker.

Many view Baker as the best linebacker on the roster as a result, but there is still some learning for him to do. Baker is sometimes a tad late when reacting to plays; his speed bails him out a lot in these situations, but that’s not something to count on. Fortunately, coach Flores believes Baker has learned from his rookie season and is on the fast track to further development.

Pick 6 for Jerome Baker off Sam Darnold. Mistakes continue to pour in for Darnold. Had another dropped INT earlier. pic.twitter.com/8teoyEklRW

— Ian Wharton (@NFLFilmStudy) November 4, 2018

“He’s taken a little bit of a leadership role.” Flores said back in May. “He’s taken a step in that direction, he’s obviously smart, he’s very athletic. Again, his lateral quickness, as you mentioned, is good for the linebacker position. I think the challenge for him will be putting everything together. Really, the challenge for all of our players is consistency.”

Preaching consistency is a very New England thing to do, and it speaks volumes as to what Flores expects from his linebackers. Baker will be used a lot to be sure, but the question is how? One theory is that he and fellow Ohio State alum Raekwon McMillan would make a perfect pair as inside linebackers in a 3-4 defense. McMillan acting as the SAM linebacker (lined up wherever the tight end is on offense) with Baker as the WILL, cleaning up messes.

Seeing how the defense uses the linebackers in training camp, particularly Baker, will be interesting to say the least. There’s no telling what coach Flores has in mind for such a versatile player.

Xavien Howard, CB

This is an obvious pick. Xavien Howard is now the undisputed superstar of the Dolphins defense, signing a five year, $75.25 million extension on May 9. However, in spite of tying for first place in interceptions last season with seven, Howard is still being overlooked by a large portion of alleged NFL experts. Though there are some who acknowledge his ability.

Consider the release of the player ratings on the latest edition of EA’s Madden series. In that game, developers are tasked with assigning overall ratings to every player in the league. What did Miami’s superstar cornerback earn himself after all the work he put in?

An overall 83 ranking. Not even the best player on the roster. That honor is shared between Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills of all people, who both have an 84. Needless to say, Howard is being snubbed.

Great play by Xavien Howard to undercut the route and get this interception. pic.twitter.com/9ZzWzfOoYe

— Eric Elizondo (@EricElizondo8) December 12, 2017

Why is this the case? The best theory is simply that Howard wears a Dolphins uniform. If he played in New England, he would be getting a lot more credibility. Yet in spite of the lack of respect being put on his name, Howard was still voted to the Pro Bowl in 2018. Now, with Miami projecting to use more press coverage, Howard stands to improve even more as he gets to do what he excels at.

Former defensive coordinator Matt Burke had an unhealthy obsession with zone coverage, sending his corners ten yards away from the line of scrimmage. That strategy allowed teams to punish Miami with short passes and methodically go down the field. Howard’s specialty is playing press, locking up a team’s top receiver and taking them out of the game. Howard managed to do that quite well in 2018.

That success is expected to continue in 2019, and he will prove that whoever is in charge of Madden ratings made a grave mistake ranking him so low.

Bobby McCain, DB

Everyone knows that Bobby McCain brings to the table. He’s one of the better slot cornerbacks in the NFL, and he’s not afraid to be aggressive. He can cover, he can go after quarterbacks on a blitz, and there’s never a moment where he’s not intense on the field.

💪 Bobby McCain 💪

📺 » @NFLonCBS#BUFvsMIA #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/pV7fCQ6Kgn

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 2, 2018

So why choose him to watch in training camp over someone like Minkah Fitzpatrick? It’s because McCain is the subject of a coaching experiment this season. Reports say that McCain is getting time at a position he has no experience playing. Free safety.

One might wonder why the coaching staff would bother to make that move. McCain is a very good slot corner, why move him now? It’s very likely because Fitzpatrick is an even better slot corner, and only one can play that position at a time. Fitzpatrick spent the vast majority of his college career in the slot, only occasionally moving to safety. There’s a reason for that. So if Fitzpatrick has what it takes to be elite in the slot, it makes perfect sense why the coaches want to see if McCain can find another role.

Contrary to popular belief, McCain is not undersized for a free safety. He sizes up quite nicely with the likes of Tyrann Mathieu and Earl Thomas, whom experts consider the best at their positions. Therefore, there’s no reason to believe McCain can’t handle it. Training camp is the time for experimentation. If it turns out McCain can’t handle playing safety, then Fitzpatrick will just take over as he’s more versatile. McCain finding a new home at safety, however, upgrades the whole defense.

Charles Harris, DE/OLB

What can anyone say about Charles Harris at this point? Is he a bust? Does he need more time? As the heir to Cameron Wake’s throne, Harris is a disappointment. There’s no disputing that Harris has failed to live up to the expectations placed upon him, seeming more like another Dion Jordan than anything. The Dolphins can’t seem to find good pass rushers in the draft anymore. Nevertheless, with the departure of Wake to Tennessee, and veteran Robert Quinn traded to Dallas, Harris is the headlining pass rusher.

For better or worse.

The @NFLNetwork breaks down the selection of Charles Harris. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/X1G5sy8Tew

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) April 28, 2017

There’s one last hope for Harris to revitalize his career, and that’s going back to doing what he did best in college. As the Dolphins shift to a hybrid defense, Harris will have chances to rush the passer standing up as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. That’s what Harris did best back at Missouri, which used a lot of 4-2-5 elements (four linebackers, two defensive tackles, five defensive backs) in their defense.

Since Harris isn’t making an impact as a defensive end with his hand in the dirt (again, parallels to Dion Jordan), perhaps he can contribute with the help of the 3-4 formation. This is why he needs watching in training camp this year. If he fails this time, it may be time to cut ties and chalk Harris up as another first round bust.

Vincent Taylor, DT

There are a lot of talented players on the interior of Miami’s defensive line. Davon Godchaux, Akeem Spence, the newly-drafted Christian Wilkins…so why focus in on Vincent Taylor specifically? Simply put, Taylor is supremely talented, and only injuries have held him back.

In the 21 games he’s played since being drafted, Taylor has made 45 tackles, two sacks, and he’s shown a knack for blocking field goals. Even when he’s not increasing his numbers, Taylor finds ways to make things difficult for opposing quarterbacks.

Finishing up a new story for @5ReasonsSports, here's a sneak peek at one of the players featured in it that I'm really looking forward to seeing return to the field in 2019. pic.twitter.com/GDwjEGHiFd

— Luis D. Sung (@LuisDSung) July 20, 2019

Durability is one of the few question marks in Taylor’s game at this point. Considering most draft scouts viewed him as a practice squad player at best, he’s quite the overachiever. Head coach Brian Flores had some good things to say about him as well.

“You see some athleticism. You see some strength. He’s got good size. He does a good job of staying on his feet.” he said back in early June. “Again, at that position, you said it. At that position, it’s hard to evaluate without putting pads on from a run-read standpoint, going from a run, play-action transition to a pass rush. These are things that are, until we get the pads on, there is no way to really evaluate it.”

With camp almost here, Flores will have all the chances he needs to see what Taylor can do. While everyone focuses on Wilkins and Godchaux – talented players in their own right, of course, Taylor’s return to training camp will hopefully come with even more domination, forcing opposing offensive lines to keep him at bay. That will open the way for the rest of the team. Taylor isn’t making headlines, but every team needs someone to do the dirty work.