1 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: We are gathered here today on the official Show, February seventeenth, 2 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, for a eulogy. The Marlins announced surprise 3 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: trade and an unsurprising signing, two moves that further clogged 4 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: their forty man roster. Officially adding free agent outfielder Adam Duval, 5 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: officially trading for reliever John Curtis from the Tampa Bay Rays, 6 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: and they had to make space on the forty man roster. 7 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: One of those corresponding moves. Really, both of these moves 8 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 1: are personally very annoying for me. Two players that I've 9 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: taken a liking to, one of them being Jeff Brigham, 10 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: a hard throwing reliever with a nasty slider who can't 11 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: stay healthy, and once again he's going to start this 12 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: season on the injured list, moved to the sixty day 13 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: IL to make room on the forty man and the 14 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 1: other casualty on the roster is Harold Ramirez, who has 15 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: been designated for assignment to fit in Duval and Curtis. This, 16 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: of course, is Eli Susman here on the Fish Stripes 17 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: podcast where we cover all things Miami Marlins. It's supposed 18 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: to be a celebratory day pitchers and catchers finally reporting 19 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: to spring training, and that's why they were able to 20 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: officially move Brigham onto the injured list. This should be 21 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: a pretty quick episode. It's an emergency episode. I wasn't 22 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: planning to record today. We're gonna focus on Harold Ramirez, 23 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: who I would have to say is my favorite player 24 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: currently in Major League Baseball. Not the best player. So 25 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: many people just are infatuated with the best players and 26 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: the star players, and I've never been under any delusion 27 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: that Harold is a star player. But he had a 28 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: really enjoying tenure with the Marlins, enjoyable tenure, and it's 29 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: just a shame to see it end two plus years 30 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: after they originally signed him. To take you through his 31 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: origin story, well, I thought he was interesting in the 32 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: first place, is that they signed him to a minor 33 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: league deal, non roster invite you to spring training, signed 34 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: in late twenty eighteen ahead of twenty nineteen spring training, 35 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: and at the time, he was tearing it up in 36 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: the Venezuelan Winter League off the charge numbers. I think 37 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: he was on top of their actual MVP rice in 38 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: the league. He was hitting on that kind of insane level, 39 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: and the more I dug into his backgrounds, the more 40 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 1: encouraging details there are that when he was healthy in 41 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: the past, he's a guy that could flat out hit. 42 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: Not a guy with very extraordinary raw power or tools whatsoever, 43 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: but someone just put a great feel for hitting, an 44 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: innate ability to spread the ball to all fields, the 45 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: kind of base that we're actually just seeing less and 46 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: less of in the majors these days. So that refreshing throwback, 47 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: I thought was very appealing someone that had just qualified 48 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: for minor league free agency, and the Marlins had to 49 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: outbid a handful of other teams to get him, or 50 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: at least offer a better opportunity, because again, you have 51 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: to put yourself in this frame of mind that this 52 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: is just a year removed from the beginning of the 53 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: rebuild and trading away Stanton and Yelich and Ozuna, coming 54 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: off a year where Lewis Brinson kind of fell on 55 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: his face and some of their other key outfield prospects 56 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: weren't even ready for the major league yet, there was 57 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: a pretty obvious opening for Harold And that's what he 58 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: said later on in explaining his decision to sign with 59 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: the Marlins, is that he just was very happy about 60 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: the opportunity to potentially break through to the major leagues. 61 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: He was someone at the time that hadn't played above 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: the Double A level, and I think that's very notable 63 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: because I'm going to do a deeper dive on this 64 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: at some other point, but I think it'd be hard 65 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: pressed to find any other player in Marlin's history that 66 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: signed a minor league deal this deep into their pro 67 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: career and had zero major league experience who actually ended 68 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: up being productive at the major league level. Every year 69 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: they seemingly find one or two guys on minor league 70 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: deals that are real contributors. But those are ones that 71 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: are generally veterans, veterans that are passer peak or trying 72 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: to bounce back from an injury, that have actual major 73 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: league experience. And that's what made Harold such a curious signing, 74 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: such an intriguing signing. He was only twenty four years 75 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: old when they picked him up, and as I said, 76 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: he had never played at the major league level yet, 77 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: so he was intriguing to follow. In spring training that year, 78 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: did all right, but not quite enough to make the roster, 79 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: and it was an interesting decision that he made towards 80 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: the end of that spring training because he was so 81 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 1: desirable as a minor league free agent that he had 82 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: an opt out at the end of spring He could 83 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: have chose to leave for another organization. Once he found 84 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,359 Speaker 1: out he wasn't going to make the opening day roster, 85 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: he reconsidered and he accepted an assignment to tre It 86 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: took barely a month into that season for him to 87 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: force his way up to the majors. The Marlins got 88 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: off to a horrible, horrible start through the first quarter 89 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: of the twenty nineteen season. The biggest culprit was their offense, 90 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 1: and for someone like him that was hitting about three 91 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: point fifteen TRIPLEA who had done just as well in 92 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: Venezuela the earlier that winter, I mean, it was kind 93 00:05:24,120 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: of a no brainer to call him up and give 94 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: him a shot. He played pretty regularly the rest of 95 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: that twenty nineteen campaign, and he got off to such 96 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: a scorching start at the beginning. I ought to look 97 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: up this specific record that he said, But the first 98 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: dozen games or so he had, he was hitting close 99 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,720 Speaker 1: to four hundred, and the number of hits that he 100 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: was piling up was almost unprecedented for a Marlins rookie. 101 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: Before again, the guy that was just twenty four years old, who, 102 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: at various points in his development going back to his 103 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: days in the Pirates organization, snuck onto some top one 104 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: hundred prospects list. That I mean, in my opinion, I 105 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: still thought of him as a prospect, even though he 106 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: was someone that had earned his free agency due to 107 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,760 Speaker 1: his tenure in the minor leagues. Very unconventional prospect. But 108 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: I think pretty quickly once he got called up and 109 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: had the same success that he had had in lower 110 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: leagues that I mean, all of a sudden, he was 111 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: someone that wouldn't be crazy to consider him a significant 112 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: piece of their future. So during that year in twenty nineteen, 113 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: it's not saying much because the talent around him on 114 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: that roster was pretty terrible offensively, but he was one 115 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: of the more valuable offensive players on the twenty nineteen 116 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 1: Marlins two seventy six batting average seven to twenty eight 117 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: ops just for league average in the environment, weighted runs 118 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: created plus was slightly below league average at ninety three, 119 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: where league average is one hundred. His defense was an adventure. 120 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:58,719 Speaker 1: They spent a lot of time remember putting him in 121 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: center field because Brinston spent a lot of that year 122 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: in the minor leagues. They hadn't, of course traded for 123 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: Starling Marte, yet that by default they just had no 124 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: answers at that position, and they tried Harold there. So 125 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: there were some adventures there because one of the things 126 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: that's most feeling about Harold, I mean, aside from his 127 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: ability to hit, is that he's just so unconventional, someone 128 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: that the most generous listing for him would be five 129 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: foot eleven, but he's probably about five foot ten, weighing 130 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: in anywhere from two hundred and twenty five to two 131 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: hundred and forty pounds. There's at one point in his 132 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: Marlin's career that he was noticeably similar, but I think 133 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: at this current time here in twenty twenty one, he's 134 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: probably back up around two thirty five two forty. That's 135 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: a shape that you just do not see very many 136 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: baseball players in anymore, aside from catchers. You could get 137 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: away with that body type as a catcher, but that's 138 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: what made him very unconventional. And yet the athleticism that 139 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: he had. Not the most coordinated guy are were fundamentally sounds, 140 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: but someone that was one of the faster runners on 141 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 1: the Marlins even in twenty nineteen and even in twenty 142 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: twenty went healthy. I mean, he was someone that according 143 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: to sprint speed by Statcast, he was right up there 144 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: with Lewis Brinson, probably a step below John Birdie Magneri Sierra, 145 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: but pretty much in that second tier of fast Marlins 146 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: players Jorge al Farrow, faster than Brian Anderson, certainly faster 147 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: than Miguel Rojas, other guys that play up the middle 148 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: positions on a regular basis. And yet he was this 149 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: anomaly and that was just delightful, someone that showed a 150 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: lot of happiness on the field and in the dugout 151 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: during games. One of the weird quirks about Harolds is 152 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: that even though he spreads the ball to all fields 153 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: and has a good knack for getting his bat on 154 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: the ball, I mean, throughout his minor earleague career, I'm 155 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: looking at the strikeout rates, never over eighteen percent. With 156 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: his strikeout right, it's always significantly better than league average 157 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: in that department, and that carried over to the majors. 158 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: He was right around twenty percent in his rookie year, 159 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 1: whereas league average in the National League is like twenty 160 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: two to twenty three. The one drawback is that he 161 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: didn't really hit the ball in the air. I mean, 162 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: especially for a big chunk of that twenty nineteen season, 163 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: he was right near the top of the league leader 164 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: boards in ground ball rate. And on the bright side, 165 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: he has a lot of speed, and there were I 166 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: think at least a dozen occasions where he took advantage 167 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: of that and earned himself some infield hits with that 168 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: speed that he has. Generally speaking, though, I mean, the 169 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: stats have borne this out and we've seen the evolution 170 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: in baseball, especially over the last handful of years, is 171 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: that if you want to score runs, you should be 172 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: hitting the ball in the air. That gives you your 173 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 1: best potential of extra base hits. And for someone like 174 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: Harold that has fairly good batted ball skills, you look 175 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: at the underlying numbers two and he's someone that maxed 176 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 1: out with it exit velocity of one hundred and thirteen 177 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 1: miles per hour, which is fairly rare even by Major 178 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: League standards. That really deep within him is a solid 179 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: power hitter if he could get the ball in the 180 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: air more often. Late in that twenty nineteen season, there 181 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: was a little, a little lull in his production there 182 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: in for the middle part of twenty nineteen where he 183 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: started starting to lose his grasp on being an actual 184 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: everyday player, every day starting player. But he had a 185 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: nice resurgence over the final quarter of that year, and 186 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: specifically with what he did to elevate the ball. He 187 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: hit a big chunk of home runs in August of 188 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: that year, including a couple walk off home runs that 189 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 1: I'm sure you guys remember. Those have been a couple 190 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: of really the best moments of this entire rebuild. Today. 191 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: One of those came in extra endings, but I remember correctly. 192 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: I can's play how I feeled right now. I feel 193 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 1: so good. He was clutch, and that stuff adds up. 194 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: So I already said before that, you know, the overall 195 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: numbers didn't really tell the whole story of how important 196 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 1: he was to that team, a team that you know, 197 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 1: I'll admit it was pretty terrible overall and over posting 198 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: a record of fifty seven and one hundred and five, 199 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: held back by their offense dead last in home runs, 200 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: he stood out among that kind of uninspiring group of players. 201 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: He was definitely a bright spot of that season. So 202 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: he played a little bit of center field. He played 203 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: mostly though in left and right, and finished that year 204 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: with with solid numbers overall. Again guy for that was 205 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: just twenty four years old for that season, and so 206 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 1: we entered twenty twenty and he had a noticeable weight 207 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: loss entering twenty twenty spring training. He played even better 208 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: that spring than he did the prior spring, if I 209 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 1: remember correctly, and that there was never really any doubt 210 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: that if the Worlds had been going normally for a 211 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 1: full length twenty to twenty season, that he would have 212 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: been on the opening day of Ross. This was without 213 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: the designated hitter even being a possibility in our minds 214 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: for the National League under normal circumstances, that he was 215 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: going to make the team anyway, because he was one 216 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: of their better hitters, and especially I believe in right 217 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: fields he would again most of his playing time, if 218 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: I've put myself back in that frame of mind correctly, 219 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: that it was pretty exciting to have him there and 220 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: to be a guy that you can actually expect improvement 221 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: for given where he is on the aging curve. Of course, 222 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: COVID hit. When he came back from COVID, he put 223 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: on a little bit of wage and even admitted to 224 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: doing that. Yet we got to summer camp in late 225 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: June early July, and he was one of the more 226 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: impressive players there. I mean, one of the other big 227 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 1: storylines in twenty twenty with the outfield was the emergence 228 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: of Monte Harrison. Monte Harrison, who a little bit younger 229 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: than Harold and just a far superior athlete overall, someone 230 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: with my higher ceiling if he was able to get 231 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: everything to click. And Monte was great in that spring, 232 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: and he had some great moments during summer camp as well, 233 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: but Harold kind of beat him out for a spot. 234 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: I mean, both of those guys had minor league options remaining, 235 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: and Harold was the one that was more impressive to 236 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: the decision makers, which even led to more excitement once 237 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: we finally got to that belated opening day. It was 238 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: and even for someone that had pretty high standards for Harold, 239 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: I was shocked when for that opening day game July 240 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: twenty fourth, he was their clean up hitter, patting forth 241 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: in a lineup that had just added Corey Dickerson and 242 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: spent a lot of money on him, that had just 243 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: added Jonathan vr and Hayesiu Sagalar that they somehow found 244 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: room for Harold in the number four spot of that lineup. 245 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: A big key to that, I imagine was having confidence 246 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: in him being able to elevate the ball, because that's 247 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: really what was going to separate him from being a 248 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: fun role player to being one that you can squint 249 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,839 Speaker 1: and see as an actual everyday player and critical part 250 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: of your lineup. And we really didn't get to find 251 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 1: out exactly how those adjustments would go into effect because 252 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: two games into the season he was one of those 253 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 1: first few players that was conspicuously absent from that series 254 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: finale in Philadelphia. That third game, he tested positive for 255 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: COVID nineteen. Eventually, as you remember, most of the active 256 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: roster that was with the Marlins are tested positive, and 257 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: it was a long road back for him. I mean, 258 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: players started coming back from the COVID list about three 259 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: weeks later, with Miguel Rojas, Sandy al Contra, and with 260 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: Harold it took over a month. It wasn't until that 261 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: first week of September after originally testing positive in late July. 262 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: A long road back for him. I don't know exactly 263 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 1: what possible complications he was dealing with, but I mean, 264 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: thankfully got all the way back and then tragically that 265 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: first game off of the injured list, suffering an injury, 266 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: suffering a really gruesome looking hamstring injury, like the moment 267 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: you saw it. This was in Tampa Bay, September fifth. 268 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: Like the moment you saw it. He thought the worst 269 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: that it was something structurally wrong, that he may need 270 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: surgery because he couldn't get off the fields under his 271 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: own power. He was carded off the field in Tampa 272 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: Bay and unsurprisingly ruled out for the season the next day. 273 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: They called it a hamstring strain, and as far as 274 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: we know, he didn't have to undergo any sort of 275 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: surgery for it, which leads us to, well, I mean, 276 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: where we are right now entering the winter. The Marlins 277 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: made the playoffs without Harold, and they did it with 278 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: some occasionally good outfield production. I mean a lot of 279 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: key moments from Starling Marte, who they traded for in 280 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,160 Speaker 1: the middle of the year. And by acquiring Marte, they 281 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: made it pretty obvious that Harold wouldn't be needed in 282 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: center field, which is for everybody's best interest. But Corey 283 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: Dickerson didn't quite live up to expectations. Matt Joyce deal 284 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: with him kind of fell short of what they wanted. 285 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: Lewis Brinson had some nice flashes but inconsistent, and Magneri 286 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: Sierra also had some great hot streaks during that season, 287 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: but the other young outfielders were struggling, no doubt about it. 288 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: Monte really struggled, Hayesius Sanchez really struggled and barely spent 289 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: any time on the major league roster. So I mean, 290 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: heading into twenty twenty one, it was not hard to 291 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: imagine some kind of role for Harold, even bringing Dickerson 292 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: back for the final year his deal. Starling Marte had 293 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: another year remaining on his deal. That Harold, you could 294 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 1: squint and see like a significant role for him on 295 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: this team. So what are the series events that led 296 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: us here with him now seemingly on his way out 297 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: having been designated for Simon. I mean, one is his defense, 298 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: the fact that, as I mentioned, it rated pretty poorly 299 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: his first year in twenty seven team at both center 300 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: fields and in the corners. And I mean one stat 301 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: that I dug up recently that alarm me is the 302 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: fact that he has zero outfield assists in his major 303 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 1: league career. He's almost what a thousand innings into his 304 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: major league careers defensively zero outfield assists after nine hundred 305 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: and forty in a third innings, and there are less 306 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: assists to go around in baseball these days because players 307 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: are being coached to be more conservative on the base paths, 308 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: understanding that gaining that extra ninety feet isn't quite as 309 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 1: valuable as the opportunity cost. Doesn't really add up considering 310 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: that there are other ways to get you around to score, 311 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,919 Speaker 1: especially with how many home runs are being hit in 312 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: the major leagues, that there are less assists to go around. 313 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 1: But that being said, you dice up the numbers and 314 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: there's really no camp comp There's really nobody else in 315 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: this position that has played this many innings over the 316 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: last couple of years and hasn't even accidentally like backed 317 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: his way into one. When you really dig deeper, you 318 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: can find out that Harold actually does have two outfield 319 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: assists over the past couple years. The caveat to that 320 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: is that they didn't happen in the majors. One happened 321 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: in Triple A, and then one happens in very recently 322 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: in the Caribbean Series that he was playing for his 323 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: native Columbia just a few weeks ago and I looked 324 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: up the video to those outfield assists and it's hilarious 325 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 1: because they are they really had nothing to do with Harold. 326 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: It was just him throwing the ball into the infield. 327 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,400 Speaker 1: I think both of them. Both those throws he threw 328 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: to home plate, there wasn't really a play at the plate. 329 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: The ball was cut off and they caught another runner 330 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: in a rundown. And somehow there was like four or 331 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: five throws in between the one that Harold made and 332 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: the one that finally got the runner out. But yet 333 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 1: that outfielder gets credited with the assists because he was 334 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: the first one to actually field the ball when it 335 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: was put in the play. So he lucked his way 336 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: into two quote unquote outfields assists over the past couple 337 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: of years, but he has none in the major leagues. 338 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: So he is a weak throwing arm and somewhat inaccurate 339 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: throwing arm, and his technique in the outfield is just 340 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: really problematic for a guy that has above average speed 341 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: and has made a couple of highlight reel catches. I'm 342 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: sure you remember those from twenty nineteen, at least one 343 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: that actually robbed a home run that generally, his fundamentals, 344 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: his awareness in the outfields is a deficiency and that 345 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: prevents him from being valuable out there. He's a liability 346 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: anyway you slice it. I'm someone that I mean, with 347 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: all due respect to other people that cover the Marlins, 348 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 1: I think I'm the only one that actually watched Harold 349 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: pretty religiously during the winter. I mean, he played in 350 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: his native Columbia for Kaimanas de Barankiya. He played overall, 351 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: he played thirty seven regular season in postseason games in 352 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: Colombia and then another five in the Caribbean Series, which 353 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: took place in Mexico. He was representing his Colombian national team. 354 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 1: After Kimanas they won their league title. Thanks to Harold, 355 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: he was one of the best players in the league. 356 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: Hit over three thirty Let me get the exact slash 357 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 1: line for you. Three thirty one, three ninety four on 358 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: base percentage, four sixty three slugging percentage. Actually that's if 359 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,640 Speaker 1: you combine everything. So that's all forty two games between 360 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: Columbian League and the Caribbean Series. So if you look 361 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: at the Colombian League, it's even better. He slugged nearly 362 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: five hundred on base right around four hundred. He was 363 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 1: among the league leaders in most significant categories except for 364 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: power hitting. He only hit one home run the entire winter, 365 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,679 Speaker 1: in what I estimated was about one hundred and eighty 366 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: played appearances. Thankfully, but through a service called Telecreibe, I mean, 367 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:57,679 Speaker 1: you were able to watch most of these Colombian games 368 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: live on YouTube. So I was to watch of those 369 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: one hundred and eighty played appearances that he had this 370 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: winter overall, I'd say I watched at least sixty or 371 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: seventy five, close to half of those played appearances. I 372 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:17,639 Speaker 1: actually I watched because I'm a fascinated by Harold and 373 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: I wanted to see how he looked coming off that 374 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: significant injury. Early on in the winter, it was pretty 375 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 1: clear that he was tentative, that he was being careful 376 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: with the way that he was running, and he pled 377 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: a significant amount of DH As the winter wore on, 378 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: he became their regular corner outfielder, a lot of right field, 379 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: a little bit of left fields, occasionally in center field 380 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: as well, occasionally at first base, a handful of games 381 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: at first base that from what I saw, he didn't 382 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 1: have a whole lot of plays to prove himself as 383 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 1: a first baseman. So I mean, obviously, looking at the stats, 384 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 1: there was plenty of positives, a lot of production. At 385 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: the same time, the level of competition there in Columbia 386 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: wasn't quite at the same level as other Winter leagues. 387 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: The majority of players there had no major experience. I 388 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:05,880 Speaker 1: would wager that only slightly more than half of those 389 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: players were even currently in affiliated minor league baseball. That 390 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 1: I mean, the average player there was probably a high 391 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: a player that was a year or two removed from 392 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: playing affiliated baseball. So these guys, it's just not quite 393 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: the best competition. And you could just see in watching 394 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: him that he was benefiting a lot from some sloppy 395 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:33,120 Speaker 1: defense guys that just were not quite at the kind 396 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: of level that he's going to be facing the majors. 397 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: And for that reason it was hard to see. Just 398 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 1: because he was a batting title contender in Columbia didn't 399 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: really change my expectations of who he'd be in the 400 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: major leagues. And again, I mean, the most concerning part 401 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,479 Speaker 1: was the inability to drive the ball deep. That he 402 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: only had one home run, He had a couple others 403 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: that made it to the warning track. One was an 404 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 1: extra base hit, another was a long sacrifice fly. In general, 405 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,959 Speaker 1: he just wasn't the ball, and I mean that's such 406 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: a critical part of his game. I mean, they're playing 407 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: in a league that had the DH, but he's a 408 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: guy that the whole key to him even being in 409 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: the NL in twenty twenty one, even assuming there's no DH, 410 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: that he's a viable player if he's an above average hitter. 411 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: And I mean, for all the fun of twenty nineteen, 412 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:25,879 Speaker 1: he wasn't really above average overall at that level. And 413 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: the difference is going to be driving the ball while 414 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: continuing to make a whole lot of contact. And that's 415 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: what he did in Columbia. I mean, he really he 416 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 1: was better than even his normal standards. Strikeout raid around 417 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: thirteen percent, only one eight won every seven played appearances 418 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: at most. That was encouraging. Also just watching him defensively 419 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: though that yeah, I mean, some of those fundamental issues 420 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: are just going to be hard to correct. He's a 421 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: guy that is still relatively young, twenty six years old, 422 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 1: but that stuff is not an easy fix. Either have 423 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: it or you don't, in terms of the way that 424 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: you recognize the ball off the bat and just the 425 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: situational awareness of what to do with the ball once 426 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: you field it that that continues to make him a 427 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: pretty significant liability, as we usually do on this podcast. 428 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: A lot of credit to Craig Mish, contributor for the 429 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: Miami Harold that he was pointing out over a week ago, 430 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,119 Speaker 1: even before the Marlins had signed to Adam Duval that 431 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: he identified Harold as a quote odd man out of 432 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: the Marlins outfield. Didn't really go into specifics all that 433 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: much other than saying that the Marlins were considering it 434 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: a higher priority to give Lewis Brinson and Magneri Sierra 435 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: some playing time. Both those guys don't really have anything 436 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: left to prove in the Miners, and Sierra can't even 437 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: be optioned down he's out of minor league options, which 438 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: gave him a priority over someone like Harold. Harold technically 439 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: had one option remaining in the same situation where he 440 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: didn't really have anything to prove in the Miners, at 441 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: least offensively, and so without the DH and with those 442 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 1: guys expected to handle the Lion's share playing time and 443 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 1: right that it would kind of reduce Harold to just 444 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: a glorified pinch hitter. And then the team actually signed Duval, 445 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: someone that Mish had linked them to for most of 446 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: the off season, and they finally got Duval at the 447 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: price they were comfortable with. And as things currently sand 448 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: duval is deal finally becoming official today. Now he's projected 449 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: to get most of the playing time in right fields. 450 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: Leaves a little bit of part time opportunity for Brinson 451 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: and Sierra to fill in the gaps in left and 452 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: and right. You know, when Dickerson gets off against a 453 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 1: tough lefty, when Duval may get off against a tough righty, 454 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: and both of those guys being over thirty. But it's 455 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,439 Speaker 1: a tight squeeze, and there's no chance in hell that 456 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: Marlins were going to carry six outfielders on their active 457 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: roster to enter the year. And I mean this is 458 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: without even going into Garrett Cooper, who has played the 459 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: outfield in the past and may have the best that 460 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: the best power bat certainly of all these fringe players, 461 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: that it was understandable that Harold would be the odd 462 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: man out. As it turns out, after the news comes 463 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: out that Harold was Dfaid miss notes that the Marlins 464 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: quote have been trying to move Ramirez to no avail 465 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: that should speed up the process that they had had 466 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:25,879 Speaker 1: conversations with other teams about trading him, and I mean 467 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:27,920 Speaker 1: the wording of that makes me a little bit concerned 468 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: about what they're going to get back in return, because 469 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: I mean, ultimately, that's a hope once you decide to 470 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: cut ties with him, and when you choose this timing. 471 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: There was nothing forcing the Marlins to make this move 472 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: right now. I mean, Duval needed to get on the roster. 473 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: But the trade they made with the Rays to acquire 474 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: Curtis John Curtis in exchange for prospect Evan Edwards. Do 475 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: you think that's something that probably could have waited until 476 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: later in the spring. The fact that they're making this 477 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: trade right now, still a handful of days before the 478 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: first full squad workout. I guess they're under the impression 479 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 1: that his stock is not going to go up under circumstances. 480 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: They're showing faith, I guess in everybody else reporting the 481 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: camp healthy, because I mean that was really the last 482 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: hope for Harold to hold on a little bit. Is 483 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: if there was an injury, an injury to either the 484 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: corner outfielders. Yeah, really, anybody as long as there was 485 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: some sort of injury to one of those guys that 486 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: was projected to make the roster ahead of him, then 487 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: you can see him going on. And I mean, presumably 488 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: they'll be injuries at some point during the season, but 489 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:40,240 Speaker 1: it's impossible to really anticipate exactly what they're pulling the trigger. Now, 490 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: then they're pretty content with the depth that they have. 491 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 1: They have invited a whole lot of outfielders to major 492 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: leagues from training, including a bunch that don't have major 493 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: league experience but rank among their top prospects. So hopefully 494 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: they're just able to salvage something in return because Harold 495 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: has been such a night sprite spot. As I said, 496 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: it's very rare for someone with no major league experience 497 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 1: signed in free agency, reaching the majors for the first 498 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 1: time and actually being a legit contributor to your team 499 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: and making some positive memories, and so hopefully it's easier 500 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: to swallow if they get something in return for Harold. 501 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: Best case scenario would probably be similar to Austin Dean, 502 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: where I think there are some comps between the two. 503 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 1: Dean was a guy that most of his minor league 504 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:34,040 Speaker 1: career was held in brief stretches. He was held in 505 00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: high regard but for the most part, he's someone that 506 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: was just lacking in the certain tools to be a 507 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 1: high end player, had some of the same defensive deficiencies 508 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: being a right handed hitter instead of a left handed hitter. 509 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 1: That there were some things working against him. And yet 510 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: the Marlins were able to get outfielder deal Wheel Burgos 511 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: in return from the Cardinals in a trade. But whoever 512 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 1: they move out Harold for I mean, keep in mind 513 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: that this entire situation was forced on them by the 514 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: fact that their forty man roster is full and they 515 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: needed to make a corresponding move, and by trading Harold's 516 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: they're going to be looking for someone that is not 517 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,640 Speaker 1: on the forty men, someone else that a prospect, and 518 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: a very young prospect in all likelihood that they can 519 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: acquire and doesn't need to be on the forty men 520 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: right away because they don't have any room. So they 521 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: made the best out of that situation around this time 522 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: of year ago when they traded Austin Dean and got 523 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: Burgos in return, who was a power hitting outfield prospect 524 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: I think even now, only about twenty years old, and 525 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: that's going to be the hope, not necessarily getting an 526 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:42,959 Speaker 1: outfielder in return. It'd be nice to get another catcher. 527 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: I mean, this is a team that could use more 528 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: at that position. The fact that they traded Evan Edwards 529 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: in this deal to get Curtis, I mean first base 530 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: was already a position that they were lacking in depth 531 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: if you look deep into their minor league system. So 532 00:29:56,600 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: maybe a first base prospect. It all depends largely one 533 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 1: who claims him off waivers. I mean that's the first step, 534 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: is someone puts in an acclaim for him, and then they 535 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: try to negotiate a trade from there. I think either way, 536 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: it's hard to imagine a scenario where he goes unclaimed. 537 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: And that's the whole point of recording this in the 538 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:15,200 Speaker 1: first place, is that we see this as the end 539 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: of the road for Harold after two plus years in 540 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:23,560 Speaker 1: the organization. So I'll have to find a new favorite 541 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 1: Marlins player. I mean, there's a lot to choose from 542 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: a lot of high character guys on this team that 543 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: really enjoy the game, and the Marlins are gonna be 544 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 1: all right, I think, all things considered this offseason, later on, 545 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: we're gonna wait until Harold's status's results. This is gonna 546 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: be officially marking the end of the Marlins offseason when 547 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: they finally hopefully a trade. If not, he claimed off 548 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 1: waivers that that's gonna mark the unofficial end of the 549 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: Marlins offseason to me. So I'll have a long article 550 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: up on fishtraps dot Com breaking down the Marlins offseason 551 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: grading it. I have a very specific grading system that 552 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to break out for This team started off 553 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: pretty slow this off season. Not just slow, but a 554 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: little underwhelming. And generally speaking, they've done well with these 555 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 1: last handful of moves here in late January and then 556 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: so far in February that all these moves make sense 557 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 1: on some sort of level, and I mean ultimately signing 558 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: Adam Duval, having Duval replace Harold on the roster, it's 559 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: hard to dispute that that's going to be an upgrade 560 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 1: for this upcoming season, so' in a vacuum, it's yeah, 561 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: it's hard to blame that, and even fitting that within 562 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: the larger narrative of what they've done this offseason that 563 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: it's I think Marlins fan should feel all right about 564 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: where the front office is right now under the leadership 565 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 1: of kimme Ang, But keep your eye out on the 566 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: website for a full breakdown of the off season, and 567 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: we already have several articles up there about this trade 568 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 1: that they just made with the Rays. Last time they 569 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:05,320 Speaker 1: traded with the Rays didn't go so hot, thought they 570 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: were selling high on Nick Anderson, and yet ever since then, 571 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: he's been one of the best for lievers in baseball. 572 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: But this is their first trade with the Rays since then, 573 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: since mid twenty nineteen, So hoping they don't regret trading 574 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: away Ethan Edwards, who was pretty impressive in his pro 575 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: debut in twenty nineteen. But we have a couple of 576 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,960 Speaker 1: articles up on there from myself and from Juan Piez, 577 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: so read those as well. Our season preview series continues 578 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: on fish Drives. Harold was the first player that we 579 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,240 Speaker 1: did in the series preview and season preview, and the 580 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: reason how we did that is because I was concerned. 581 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: I mean, the writing was on the wall. It was 582 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: technically the writing was on the Harold from craignish about 583 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: Harold being the odd man out, and so that's why 584 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: I put out his article super early in anticipation of that. 585 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 1: And at the bottom of that article, I asked the 586 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 1: readers will Harold Ramirez be on the twenty twenty one 587 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: Marlin's opening day roster, and unfortunately, seventy percent of you 588 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: got that wrong. Seventy percent said yes, and it turns 589 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: out that that will almost certainly not be the case. 590 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: The next steps for him are going to be pretty 591 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,520 Speaker 1: curious to see, because he's certainly a better fit with 592 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 1: on a team that has a designated hitter spot. Ultimately, 593 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: his ceiling is somewhat limited unless the defense improves, unless 594 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 1: he's able to elevate the ball more consistently in a 595 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: way that actually results in slugging in getting on base 596 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 1: more often. Either way, I'm going to be following him 597 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 1: pretty obsessively no matter where he goes, wishing him the 598 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: best of luck. And we're about to turn the page 599 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: to spring training now that pitchers and catches have reported 600 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: only a few days away from the first full squad workouts. 601 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 1: In advance of the full squad workouts, we're going to 602 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: have a special podcast episode that's going to give a 603 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 1: more comprehensive preview of where the team stands, So be 604 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: on the lookout for that posting next Tuesday, and between 605 00:33:57,680 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 1: now and then, obviously we're going to have a whole 606 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 1: lot of stuff on fish stripes dot com and on 607 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: the fish Stripes social media accounts. Give us a follow. 608 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:09,760 Speaker 1: We're verified on Twitter. Verified, but the same good stuff 609 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: that was always we've always had up there, covering the 610 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 1: team for better or for worse. Thanks for listening and 611 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: go fish