The Miami Marlins will have their pitchers and catchers at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter on Tuesday.
While some players may have already spent a little time at the complex, Tuesday marks the official start of spring training for the team. Pitchers and catchers report ahead of the rest of the roster, but the full squad is just days away from joining them.
This could be a somber day in camp for the players, as it will be their first workout in Jupiter since the untimely passing of Jose Fernandez. Spring training includes plenty of down time for the players to chat and reflect. Not having #16 alongside them during practice, will undoubtedly be difficult for the players on the field.
The Marlins will have Fernandez's number on their jerseys during spring training and throughout the entire regular season. The black patch sits symbollically near each player's heart. Fernandez's old rotation mate, Tom Koehler shared a photo and said a few words on his Instagram account on Monday evening. The picture shows Fernandez and Koehler together in Jupiter last spring.
Besides the inevitable sadness, there are also some reasons for optimism and hope. The Marlins enter spring training with a roster that is mostly set in stone. This is a rarity for Miami, as the team often has multiple roster spots up for grabs. Non-roster invitees traditionally have a good chance at making Miami's roster due to this, but this season should be different.
The pitching staff's exact design is a question mark, but all signs point to the Marlins going with an extra arm to begin the year. Without Fernandez or a true ace, Miami can go with a piggyback type design, and have starters in the bullpen. There could be several days where two traditional starting pitchers see action in the same game.
The rotation as of now appears to point to some mix of Koehler, Adam Conley, Edinson Volquez, Wei-Yin Chen and Dan Straily. The exact order of these men has not been determined yet, nor has the assignment for Opening Day. Also in the mix for jobs are Jose Urena and Jeff Locke. The latter two would appear more likely to head to the bullpen for the aforementioned piggyback roles.
Local
Catching these men in the early days will be an assortment of backstops. J.T. Realmuto and A.J. Ellis will be in Jupiter on Tuesday, but the two roster locks will also have some company. There are many arms to catch, and this means some work for players such as Tomas Telis, Ramon Cabrera and Carlos Paulino as well. Telis could see time in Miami this season, but the latter two are unlikely to have the same opportunity.
The rest of Miami's roster will report on Friday, and exhibition games are set to begin on February 25th.
