1 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Hey, Marlins fans, this is Big Fish Small Pod Eli 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: Sussman hosting for you on the Fish on First Podcast 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: presented by MPT College Consulting. Let's talk about Edward Cabrera 4 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: because I was watching a pair of games very closely 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: on Wednesday. Of course, at night there was the Marlins 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: much needed win over the Yankees. In the middle of 7 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: the afternoon on Wednesday, Edward Cabrera made his third and 8 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: I believe what will be his final rehab start with 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: Triple A Jacksonville before returning to the Marlins rotation and 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: making his twenty twenty four regular season debut for the team. 11 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 1: To rewind a little bit, Cabrera signed and developed by 12 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: the Marlins. He's been in this organization for about nine 13 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: years at this point, still not yet twenty six years old, 14 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: a couple of days shy of that birthday, and yet 15 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: there have been a lot of ups and downs for him. 16 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: One of their best prospects, if not the very best 17 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: prospect in the organization as of a couple of years ago, 18 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: but in parts of three seasons at the major league level, 19 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: his lack of control, his lack of durability, and overall 20 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 1: lack of consistency occasionally some lack of work ethic and 21 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 1: lack of adjustments have made him kind of expendable considering 22 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: the pitching depth that this organization has. There were, as 23 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: of mid February, less than two months ago, pretty serious 24 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: negotiations between the Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates that would 25 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: have sent him to a new organization. The deal did 26 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: not go through, but I pretty honestly was and am 27 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: relatively low on Carrera. I would have been fine with 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: trading him entering this season in order to turn the page, 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: get a fresh slate, get different pieces in return for 30 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: somebody that to this point has an era right round 31 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: four in his major league career, but underlying numbers that 32 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: are a little bit more concerning, and a just general 33 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: lack of trust and his availability and his consistency moving forward. 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: Bas It turns out, though that deal with the Pirates 35 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: sin go through, he enturing camp he was a virtual 36 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: lock to make the Marlins roster, mainly because he's out 37 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 1: of minor league options. Marlins burned his final option in 38 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: the middle of twenty twenty three when they demoted him 39 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: to the minors when the team was still very much 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: in the playoff hunts due to yet another slump in 41 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: terms of him being able to find the strike zone 42 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: and trust his stuff, his immense stuff. Cabrera is a 43 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: polarizing guy because of what he brings to the table 44 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: in terms of the sheer quality of his stuff, his 45 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: fastball velocity, even during this rehab stint, regularly touching ninety 46 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: eight miles per hour and maxing out at ninety nine 47 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: nasty changeup, one of the more unique change ups in 48 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: all baseball, and overall, a deep pitch mix, a couple 49 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: of different breaking balls that he as well. He has 50 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: a lot of the ingredients that you look for in 51 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 1: a great starting pitcher. And as it turns out, even 52 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: though I felt that he was kind of expendable to 53 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 1: the team list for where they are right now in 54 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four season, things are lining up for 55 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: him to potentially break out. All the stars are aligning, 56 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: unfortunately for the Marlins who enter this home stand at 57 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: two and eleven overall knowing that they'll be down a 58 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: couple starters for the rest of the season in Sandy 59 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: al Contra and Uri Perez, where there's all of a sudden, 60 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: this pretty big lane for Carberra to fill in and 61 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: the situation where the Marlins can afford to be patient 62 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: and sit through the rollercoaster, knowing that potentially on the 63 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: other side, if you get a better version of this 64 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: player moving forward, he's somebody that you could conceivably build 65 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: around and be excited about in twenty twenty five and 66 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: be on. Edward suffered in March relatively early March, suffered 67 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: a shoulder impingements. It was the same injury that kept 68 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: him out for a portion of twenty twenty three, and 69 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: about a month later he is stretched out as a 70 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: starter again. He made his first rehab start of March 71 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: thirty first walked four batters in three innings. He five 72 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 1: days later another rehab start, stretched out to four innings, 73 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: again a few too many walks, only one strikeout. And 74 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: I watched more so than those first two oddings. I 75 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: was paying very close attention on Wednesday against the Charlotte's 76 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: Charlotte Knights, the White Sox Triple A affiliate, and he 77 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: was excellent in this one five and two thirds innings, 78 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: five hits, almost all them singles, one run that was unearned, 79 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: one walk in nine strikeouts, the only walk coming in 80 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,400 Speaker 1: a full counts in the fifth inning, the strikeouts coming 81 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: in a variety of different ways, with both his change 82 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,239 Speaker 1: up and his fastball both well located called strike threes 83 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: as well as swings misses. He was excellent as a pitcher. 84 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: And to go back to that one unearned drawn, it 85 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: came as the result of his own poor defense. He 86 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,599 Speaker 1: dropped a not relay throw or turned throw to first 87 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: base when covering the bag, and the ball got away 88 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: from him and allowed that loan run to cross the plate. 89 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: Some context is important here because when you combine those 90 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: three starts, only one earned run allowed. So that's that 91 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,679 Speaker 1: result is obviously awesome, only one earned run in twelve 92 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: and two thirds total innings. But he did walk eight 93 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: batters if he combined all three starts, and I'd have 94 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: to think that is a better indication of who he 95 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: is right now than just focusing on the most recent one. 96 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: Eight walks against fifty four batters faced, and pretty coincidentally, 97 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: his walk rate last year in twenty twenty three, when 98 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: he was driving everybody crazy. When he got to modes 99 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: of the miners last season, his walk rate was fifteen percent, 100 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: way too high, almost doubled league average, and his walk 101 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: rate during these three rehab outings combined, is you guessed 102 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: it fifteen percent? So there is still a very big 103 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: question as to whether it is that he has found 104 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: what he wants to do mechanically and tactically in order 105 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: to be effective as a starting pitcher in order to 106 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,599 Speaker 1: go deep enough into games to make this work. But 107 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: as I mentioned up top, out of minor league options 108 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: at this point, so this is a crucial year for him, 109 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: a make or break here, and I'd say just about 110 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: as much as anybody on this rusher, he is so 111 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: much at stake in this particular year. If he puts 112 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: it all together, he could he has the potential to 113 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: be a rock solid starting pitcher. Some would even say 114 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 1: all star potential if he puts it all together. And 115 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: if he doesn't, then by the end of the season 116 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: you could be looking at somebody that is transitioning to 117 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 1: the bullpen and he could have quite a bit of success. 118 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: There is just a lot less valuable to the team 119 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: overall if that is what he amounts to after all 120 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: the years of developments and opportunity that Cabrera has been given. 121 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: To get more specific with his return, he'd be on 122 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: regular rest to pitch on Monday, against the Giants. Potentially 123 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: they give him an extra day beyond that if they 124 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 1: want to, maybe it's Tuesday. If it is on Monday, 125 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: then that would slide in seamlessly to AJ Puck's spot 126 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: in the rotation. Puckets somebody that I was high on 127 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: coming out of spring training making his conversion to a 128 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: starting pitcher, and he has certainly fell short of that 129 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: optimism so far. There are a few different ways they 130 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: could go. They could simply move Puck back to the bullpen, 131 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: where the bullpen is still a very dicey for this 132 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: team and lacking in left handers in particular beyond Tanner, 133 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: Scott and Andrew Nordi, So Puck, that'd be a great 134 00:07:55,120 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: opportunity for him to regroup and get back to the 135 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: quality of the pitching that he had for most of 136 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: last year that made him really valuable to the team. 137 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: I guess other there's only like a real clear lock 138 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: in this rotation moving forward, aside from Lozardo, but I 139 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: think the two weakest leakest links at this point would 140 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: have to be both Puck and Trevor Rodgers. So Rogers 141 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: has minor league options. We'll see how his next performance 142 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: goes against the Braves this upcoming weekend. I think in 143 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: his case, rather than moving him to the bullpen, that'd 144 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: be a case where if Rogers is the odd manned out, 145 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: he gets sent down to Triple A and stay stretched 146 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: out as a starter. It wouldn't be shocked either way. 147 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: But I think for for as badly as this has 148 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: gone for the Marlins this year, and in a situation 149 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: where I think in Cabrera's case there he's kind of 150 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: a development's case that they'll be following moving forward. Right now, 151 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: they still want to put together a competitive roster. They're 152 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: not punting on the season quite yet, and I think 153 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: it's very complimentary. It optimizes this roster. If Puck goes 154 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: back to the bullpen and everybody else stays available, pretty 155 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: soon they'll have to look at opening another rotation spot 156 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: for Braxton Garrett's return. He used Doe to make another 157 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: rehab start on Friday. Potentially that might be his final 158 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: rehab start. So just one piece at a time. I've learned, 159 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: especially on the pitching side, you never know when injuries 160 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: fortunately could make some of these decisions a little bit 161 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 1: too easy. But for the moment, this is a nice milestone. Yeah, 162 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: I guess you could say for the Marlins, where getting 163 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: deeper on the pitching side that was supposed to be 164 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: a key to their contention possibility entering spring training, and 165 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: now they're a little bit deeper in this regard. With 166 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: Edward Cabrera seemingly being on the cusp of returning, we 167 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: should get confirmation about that on Friday. By the way, 168 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: as somebody that's now stretched out to eighty two pitches 169 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: five and two thirds, I think he's ready to go, 170 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: and he potentially could be part of this rotation the 171 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: rest of the way. If things go well with Cabrera, 172 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: whether his future is with the Marlins or somewhere else, 173 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: he has a whole lot to prove. His trade value 174 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: could fluctuate quite a bit on how his performance goes 175 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: moving forward. He is one of these guys that I 176 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: have to say I'm most fascinated to follow the rest 177 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 1: of this season for sure on the Marlins roster. This 178 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,679 Speaker 1: has been the small pod on Fish on First podcast 179 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 1: presented by MPT College Consulting. Check them out at MPT 180 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: College Consulting dot com. A whole lot of Marlins coverage 181 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 1: coming your way from Fish on First. As Marlins kickoff 182 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: a new home stands a couple of weeks into this 183 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: regular season. Thanks for listening, and go fish.