The people have spoken

A look at the results of our latest VFTB Fan Poll

---

TicketRev is the presenting sponsor of VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS. Click to learn more, and download the TicketRev app on the App Store and Google Play to save on tickets to see the Marlins on their final homestand of 2023, the Dolphins, Inter Miami and the rest of the games and concerts you don’t want to miss.

---

We ran a brief VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS poll Tuesday through Thursday to get a sense of how Marlins fans feel about the club’s chances down the stretch in 2023.

Here’s what you had to say:

77 percent said they didn’t think the Marlins would make the playoffs although some of the votes were cast while or even before the club was in the midst of winning 2 out of 3 from the Dodgers last week and before last night’s win in Philadelphia. My guess is the 23 percent “yes” may be on the rise since the polls closed.

---

2 out of 3 respondents said they think the Marlins will finish above .500.

The last time they did that in a full season was 2009.

9-12 the rest of the way will get that done, and with 9 of their final 12 games against the Mets (6) and Pirates (3), it's become increasingly difficult to envision this team not getting over that .500 hump.

---

55 percent of you think the Marlins will win between 83 and 88 games, while 45 percent expect them to finish with 82 victories or fewer.

---

46 percent of you rightly credit the organization for picking up Josh Bell and Jake Burger at the deadline.

54 percent of you likely look at David Robertson as a rental bust, maybe wish the Marlins would have been able to pull off some additions at the August 31 deadline to claim a player on waivers and have him eligible for the postseason and maybe even agree with me going back to early July that the Marlins needed to add impact starting pitching at the deadline or after.

To that point, finding themselves in a position where they’re forced to go with 2 bullpen days against the Dodgers and Phillies during the current turn through the rotation with their playoff hopes on the line is less than ideal.

---

Finally, I asked who you would choose if you could sign one player to a long-term contract extension today. Luis Arraez was the run-away winner, with Eury Perez the only other of the 5 candidates mentioned to receive notable support.

While both are certainly players you’d like to see locked up for the long haul, I’d suggest that with Arraez still under club control through the end of the 2025 season and Perez controlled through at least 2028, Jorge Soler’s future should be the club’s top immediate contractual priority.

As I’ve discussed in the past, the Marlins’ 35-home run designated hitter is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract at the conclusion of the season, and—for a team that needs more power even with Soler—the thought of trying to build a competitive lineup in 2024 without him is scary. If you don’t re-sign Soler, you’re going to have to pay as much, if not more, to bring in a comparable bat merely to replace his power let alone add to it, and this winter’s free agent pool of position players is not strong.

---

See the full poll here…

POLL: What do you think?

---

While you’re here…

• Interested in advertising on VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS? Contact me here to learn about opportunities to promote your business on a daily or weekly basis.

• Learn more about one-on-one play-by-play coaching from Glenn Geffner via Zoom at glenngeffner.com.

• Your feedback is always appreciated. Hit the “LIKE” button below if you enjoyed this post.