Giancarlo Stanton opens up on debut year with Yankees, time with Marlins

Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton talked about his first season in New York and eight seasons playing with the Marlins on Tuesday before his first game in Miami since being traded last winter.

MIAMI — Giancarlo Stanton seemed to be in a great mood squeezing through a big crowd of awaiting reporters to take a seat in the Yankees dugout for Tuesday afternoon’s scheduled 4:30 interview before his first game back in Marlins Park, his old stomping grounds.

Stanton was the face of the Miami Marlins when they were still playing in the Dolphins football stadium 15 miles to the north and he was still going by Mike. He developed into a superstar following the franchise’s 2012 move to Marlins Park, a retractable-roofed ballpark that was built in the footprints of the Orange Bowl in the Little Havana section of Miami.

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Back in town eight months and change after he was traded to the Yankees as part of the Marlins’ offseason fire sale, one conducted by new part-owner Derek Jeter, Stanton seemed eager to share how happy he is being a Yankee … and he happy he is to be back in South Florida.

“I always miss Miami,” Stanton said before his 78-46 Yankees and the rebuilding 50-76 Marlins began their two-game interleague series. “I miss this city. I was cool flying in and driving over the bridge.”

During a short Q & A that lasted just under five minutes, Stanton delivered a message that he’s not holding a grudge at Marlins ownership for breaking up an up-and-coming ballclub that seemed on the verge of contending in the NL East.

“The coaching staff, all those years … we grinded together … hard,” Stanton said. “We know what it took. We know what the situation is there now and how it was. We understand.”

Asked about his hope for baseball in Miami, Stanton said, “I hope they figure it out. I hope it gets turned around. It’ll take a couple years, but if the pieces are put together right, I think it’ll turn around.”

Stanton said he still wonders what could have been in Miami, although he was more diplomatic in Tuesday’s interview than he was last winter when the Marlins were trading away his buddies before moving him.

“The thought was always there,” said Stanton, who was traded after a season in which he hit 59 homers and won the NL MVP. “I stressed it before. We understand what it could have been, but you understand what it is now and how things pan out.”

After being on eight consecutive Marlins teams that finished with losing records, Stanton is having a blast being part of a Yankees team that appear headed for postseason baseball.

“That’s what I wanted to experience,” he said.

Stanton’s first season with the Yankees started with a tremendous high – he hit two homers in an Opening Day win in Toronto – then he quickly dipped into his annual early season slump before getting very hot and staying hot.

Heading into Tuesday night, Stanton was hitting .285 with 32 homers and 80 RBI in 123 games.

“(New York) been an adjustment for sure, but besides the outside noise, you still have to handle your craft out there and be ready to go every night,” Stanton said. “It’s still baseball at the end of the day.”

Stanton hit the beach, saw some friends and had a good dinner during Monday’s off day in Miami. He’s hoping to make this visit extra special by homering. One more and he’ll have 300 for his career.

“Honestly, it would be really cool,” he said. “I got 100 and 200 over there.”

Stanton misses Miami, but he’s falling in love with New York, too.

“They’re different vibes,” he said. “This is more of a tropical vacation spot. Up there is historic, big-time … one of the biggest cities in the world, one of the most popular cities in the world. They’re great in their own aspects. I’m glad to be part of both.”

Randy Miller may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.