Marlins’ Corey Dickerson opens up about ‘difficult’ 2020, thoughts on team’s future
Corey Dickerson has no problem admitting the mental toll the 2020 season had on him.
“You have to try to amp yourself up every single game,” Dickerson said Friday. “After a while, it’s hard to keep yourself at that level.”
The COVID-19 protocols the team had to adhere to, including being away from family and not having fans at the ballpark, were one thing.
Events going on in his personal life only amplified it. His grandfather died during the regular season. His dad was diagnosed with kidney cancer. While Dickerson is not one to make excuses, the Marlins’ veteran outfielder acknowledged that he may not have always been playing up to his potential.
“A lot of people turn on the TV and expect us to be machines,” Dickerson said. “They don’t see what we’re going through. ... It’s just difficult.”
Dickerson’s individual numbers suffered during the 2020 season. His .713 OPS was the lowest of his career. His .258 batting average was the second-lowest behind the 2016 season when he hit .245.
One area where he took solace in a trying year: Watching a young Marlins team make enough strides to reach the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.
“We figured out how to play as a very unselfish club,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson, heading into his ninth big-league season and final season of a two-year deal with Miami, figures to play a prime role in how the Marlins follow up that 2020 success. He’s penciled to start in left field as part of a veteran outfield that also includes Starling Marte in center field and Adam Duvall primarily in right field.
The three have a combined 24 years of MLB experience. Dickerson and Marte have each won Gold Glove Awards. Duvall has been a finalist twice.
Their presence has been invaluable to the Marlins’ next wave of outfielder prospects. Ten of the Marlins’ top-30 prospects according to Baseball America are outfielders: JJ Bleday (No. 2), Jesus Sanchez (No. 8), Monte Harrison (No. 11), Kameron Misner (No. 13), Connor Scott (No. 14), Peyton Burdick (No. 16), Jerar Encarnacion (No. 18), Griffin Conine (No. 19), Victor Mesa Jr. (No. 28) and Victor Victor Mesa (No. 30). Sanchez and Harrison made their MLB debut’s last season. All except for Conine and Mesa Jr. are part of big-league camp this year.
The trio is willing to mentor the next generation of Marlins outfielders and, as Dickerson put it, can give them “a sense of comfort” that they don’t have to put too much pressure on themselves to rush their development.
“I’ve played long enough now that I don’t put pressure on myself and I trust the young guys to go up there and perform just as well as when I go up there,” Dickerson said, “but to have consistency and to go out there each and every day, to be available for your team, is very important. I think having a constant core out there that’s been there does give that sigh of relief to the younger guys that it’s not all on their back. But we feed off those guys, too. They’re just as important. We try to bounce things off each other and continue to learn and teach and be willing to learn from them.”
From an individual standpoint, Dickerson’s offseason plan including more running and building strength so that he could make a smoother transition into spring training.
But success to Dickerson this season won’t be defined by his personal stats. To him, what he leaves behind will be much more important.
“How can I serve the guys?” Dickerson said. “I’m big on that. How can I be a better leader? The gold standard is trying to treat people with respect and help the person next to you grow. That’s what we’re here for.”
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