'We want to win': Marlins plan to bounce back in 2022

JUPITER, Fla. -- Hope springs eternal, especially at Marlins camp where moving forward has become the mantra following a disappointing 2021 season. After snapping a 17-year playoff drought in 2020, the Marlins entered '21 with expectations to contend. But injuries put them in an early-season hole they couldn't climb out of and exposed their depth en route to a 95-loss campaign.

"I'm going to consider last year a step back to go forward," manager Don Mattingly said following the club's first workout on Monday. "I think, as an organization, and with our players, we felt like, 'OK, we're crossing that threshold, going through this build to being competitive and feel that coming.' And then last year, it really was kind of a punch in the gut to be quite honest with you. It felt like a step backwards, but as you get away from it, you say sometimes you take a step backwards to go forward."

Mattingly's reason for optimism begins with the pre-lockout pickups the Marlins made: acquiring Gold Glove-winning catcher Jacob Stallings, utility player Joey Wendle and reliever Louis Head; signing middle-of-the-order bat Avisaíl García; and extending ace Sandy Alcantara and shortstop Miguel Rojas. It extends to the returns of third baseman Brian Anderson, first baseman Jesús Aguilar and first baseman/designated hitter Garrett Cooper from season-ending surgeries. It depends on the progressions of second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. and outfielder Jesús Sánchez. It likely comes down to the health and performance of one of the game's most talented starting staffs.

That belief trickles down to the players. Rojas, the club's unofficial captain whose contract goes through 2023, coordinated a mini camp in February with handfuls of teammates in nearby Palm Beach Gardens to stay prepared for when the lockout ended. Stallings even flew into South Florida to participate. It showed a willingness to play and a commitment to winning. That mentality hasn't changed, and it will take every person's buy-in to see the results when the games count.

"We're in the situation right now where the organization has been doing a great job up and down, from top to bottom, to actually create a sustainable winner, and that's what we're thinking we are right now," Rojas said. "We are in that phase of this building of the organization that we are ready to go, and the mentality has to be something that is important for us. It doesn't matter what everybody else thinks. In our clubhouse, the players, manager and all the coaches, we're ready to win. And we're thinking about winning, and that's our mentality."

It's a sentiment echoed at the top rung, where principal owner and chairman Bruce Sherman assured "we have money, and we will spend it" to complement the existing pieces of the puzzle. The big-picture goal is to put forth a team that Marlins fans can be proud of.

"We want to win, and we're going to do everything we can to win," Sherman said. "Last year was a disappointment. It was terrible, it was hard to go through. We're going to fix that, and we want to be competitive not just this year, not just next year, my entire lifetime. I am not interested in doing anything with this team other than winning."

Those are encouraging words for general manager Kim Ng, who will run baseball operations with assistance from VP of player development and scouting Gary Denbo and the rest of their staff following the departure of CEO Derek Jeter. The main priority remains adding more offense; Miami ranked toward the bottom of nearly every category. Whether it comes via free agency or trade -- and also fills the center-field void -- is still uncertain. The club has shown interest in free agents like Nick Castellanos, Michael Conforto, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler as well as Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds. The Marlins also could use a proven closer.

"The same as what we've been doing prior to the lockout," Ng said. "We've been on the horn the last few days, getting in touch with clubs, talking to agents. I think we're in pretty good position, and so we're anxious to just make something come to fruition."