The Miami Marlins finished with 71 wins in 2015, but it was a season of what-ifs.
What if Jose Fernandez was healthy in April? What if Giancarlo Stanton didn't get injured? On June 20, the Marlins were 30-40, but just 6 1/2 games back in the division.
With that in mind, and since it's the holidays, let's get a little festive. What is atop the Marlins' wish list this offseason for the 2016 season? Obviously, "winning the World Series" could be on there, just as "a billion dollars" could be on yours. But let's be a little realistic, shall we?
Take a stance on Jose Fernandez
Do you want to trade Fernandez, or do you not, Miami? The Marlins have said for a while that they won't, yet rumors persist that requests and names are at least being brought into discussion. If a player is off-limits or "untouchable," then he probably shouldn't be discussed. The 23-year-old ace could bring in a massive haul on the trade market (if a team wants to meet the extraordinary asking price), or he could be a part of the future. The on-field team is decent, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Marlins could "go for it" before 2019, Fernandez' first year of free agency. They just have to decide what they want to do with him.
Have a steady manager
Mark Redmond was at the helm of the team from 2013 to mid-2015, the Marlins' longest tenured manager since Fredi Gonzalez (2007-2010). That's not something to be proud about. Dan Jennings, the Marlins' former GM, transitioned to the on-field manager in an interim basis last season, before Don Mattingly signed a four-year deal in October. The former Dodgers skipper is the 10th during owner Jeffery Loria's tenure, which started in 2002. Some stability in the dugout would be a welcome improvement in Miami.
A healthy Giancarlo Stanton
Stanton, he with prodigious pop and a chiseled jaw, is the face of the Marlins. After slugging 37 home runs in 2014, Miami handed him the richest contract in sports history -- 13 years, $325 million with an opt-out after the 2020 season. When healthy, Stanton is one of the best players in baseball, a force in the batters box and above-average in the outfield. He was limited to just 74 games in 2015 after breaking his hand on a swing-and-miss, but still hit 27 homers with 67 runs driven in (both led the league at the time of his injury).
Be relevant for on-field matters
Seemingly every season, the Marlins are in the news for off-field problems. Whether it's managerial changes, front-office shifts or ownership decisions, it's always a rollercoaster ride in Miami. Marlins fans would surely welcome a season where the focus was on the field -- and the hiring of Barry Bonds as hitting coach is a step in the right direction.
