1 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: The show goes on. This is the official show on 2 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: a fish on First podcast channel with me Eli Susman. 3 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: I'm the founder of this beautiful entity, fish on First, 4 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: providing you guys with complete Miami Marlins coverage. The FOF 5 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting. More 6 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: about them later in the show. I am hustling to 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: record this episode of the official show because I have 8 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: to catch a flight to South Florida. For anybody that 9 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: is not aware, I am not based in South Florida. 10 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: I'm based in New York. Most of my staff is 11 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: local to the Marlins, and for the next week through 12 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: March eighteenth, I will be in in around Jupiter, so 13 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: covering some of the mar Orlands Major League grape Fruit 14 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: League Spring training games, all along the backfields, looking at 15 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: the prospects, and I just look forward to seeing a 16 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: bunch of people in the organization, but of course most 17 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: importantly those guys, those men and women that support us 18 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: and what we do at FOF. So if you're going 19 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 1: to be at any of those games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, yeah, 20 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: thankfully it lines up in such a way that the 21 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: Marlins are at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium for a bunch 22 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: of this period of time. I look forward to to 23 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: meeting up talking, hearing what you have to think, you 24 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: have to say about what we're building here at fof 25 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: and what we could do to improve. I want to 26 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: say nice things. You want to give us criticism you 27 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: can now say it's straight to my face on most 28 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: days during this upcoming we're really looking forward to that. 29 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: It's a trip I've made the last couple of years, 30 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: and I think I'll be making it indefinitely because this 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: is the perfect time of year for me to get 32 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: down there and get caught up on being on the 33 00:01:55,400 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: ground myself. So this show was actually inspired by Stan Makowski. 34 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: He is one of our super subs. So just a 35 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 1: reminder become a super suber as little as four dollars 36 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: a month. This is when you make suggestions. I put 37 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: a little bit more weights into them than I might otherwise. 38 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: And Stan kind of innocently brought this up. I don't 39 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: think he intended for it to become content on its own, 40 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: but it is. In an email conversation he was talking 41 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: about aj Puck and Ryan Weathers in whatever order you 42 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: want to put them in. They're They've been the two 43 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,839 Speaker 1: biggest revelations of Marlin's camp here in twenty twenty four. 44 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: Both of them in prime position to make the Marlins 45 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: opening day rotation, especially Puck, but I think both of 46 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: them have a good path to it. And as he 47 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: pointed out, Stan pointed out, both of them were acquired 48 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: under kim Eng in trades and relatively low profile trades 49 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: as well, And now those two guys are going to 50 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: have a much larger impact on this coming season than 51 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: anybody would have imagined when they were acquired just last year. 52 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: It doesn't mean that they're guaranteed to succeed, but for 53 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: the moment, both of those deals are looking pretty efficient 54 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: for the Marlins, and I thought it was a good 55 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: time to bring that up to revisit some Kimmang's decisions, 56 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: and again a reminder to become a super sub yourself 57 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: fish on first dot com slash subscriptions. Also, there's a 58 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 1: sidebar on pretty much every page of the site, so 59 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: even if you don't go to this section directly, when 60 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: you are anywhere on the set, you'll see the available subscriptions 61 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: listed there, either monthly or annually. Your support is really 62 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: greatly appreciated. Another reason why I think this is good 63 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: timing to dive into this is that the latest farm 64 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: system rankings from MLB Pipeline came out and they are 65 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: perfectly aligned with all the other farm system rankings. Every 66 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: major outlet over recent weeks was updated their rankings of 67 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: minor league talents across baseball has had the Marlins no 68 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: higher than twenty seventh, All of them pretty well lined up. 69 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: This is one of the very weakest farm systems, which, 70 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: if you remember correctly earlier in the offseason, that was 71 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: pointed to as kind of the sticking point with Kim 72 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: and the big weakness of her administration. There's a trend 73 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: for people of you watching on YouTube all these episodes 74 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: posted over there on her YouTube channel. Pipeline was pretty 75 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: high on the Marlins system. Just two years ago, they 76 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: had them ranked sixth out of thirty teams entering twenty 77 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: twenty two. That fell to sixteenth in their mid season 78 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: update in twenty twenty two, then eighteenth just the year ago, 79 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: twenty fourth at mid season last year, and now twenty ninth. 80 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: Second weakest farm system, ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels. 81 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: So some of that had to do with Kim's trades 82 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: and the fact that she was aggressive in making deals 83 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: that were focused on short term improvement in sacrifice some 84 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: controllable long term pieces in that in order to make 85 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: those type of deals. So some of that was her 86 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 1: direct doing to reduce things. At the same time, you know, 87 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: as we can rehash again and again and again, the 88 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: team made the postseason last year, was an extraordinary achievement 89 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:21,119 Speaker 1: considering what the expectations were entering that year, and several 90 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: of our other trades have been like widely praised or 91 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,599 Speaker 1: were very popular at the time, and that you could 92 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: really see like the direct impact they had on the 93 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three Marlins, Louis a Rise being the big one, 94 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: having the fantastic year that he had upon arriving to 95 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: the team from Minnesota. Then at the trade deadline last year, 96 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: when this team seemed to be running out of steam 97 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: and needed some reinforcements, especially offensively, she got both Jake 98 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: Berger from the White Sox and Josh Bell from the Guardians. 99 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:56,040 Speaker 1: Both of them pretty immediately showed that they were they 100 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: were going to be important pieces of the team and 101 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: they fit very well both on and off the field. 102 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 1: With the Marlins down the stretch, and as it turns out, 103 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: Josh Bell, after a little bit of hesitation, he did 104 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,119 Speaker 1: exercise his player options. So they get an entire twenty 105 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: twenty four season of Bell and there as well as 106 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: Berger being now under control for the long haul. So 107 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: the Marlins traded prospects in order to get those as well, 108 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: And but those were easier to appreciate just because they 109 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: plugged holes in this lineup that the team knew was 110 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: a weakness and because their results were so immediately extraordinary. 111 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: Going back, or I should say fast forwarding to where 112 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: we are right now, we need to talk about it's 113 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: how Puck and Ryan Weathers came to be in this organization, 114 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: because those are the guys now looking forward to twenty 115 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 1: twenty four. Yeah, their impact on this team is going 116 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: to be immense. It doesn't whether it's goes well or not, 117 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: we don't know, because whether it's to this point his 118 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: career as an awful result of the major league level, 119 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: Puck has had solid results, but as a reliever, and 120 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: now he is transitioning to this entirely different role. These 121 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: were still part of her tenure right here, and as 122 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: I made pretty clear at the time, I was not 123 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: in favor of the Marlins, essentially breaking up with her 124 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: and them moving on from her after only three seasons 125 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: at the Helm instead of finding some sort of way 126 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: moving forward rather than as noted with. You know, there 127 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: are very significant concerns about how it is that the 128 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: Marlins were aligned player in the player development front, and 129 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: it was looking really unlikely that they were going to 130 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: be able to replicate their twenty twenty three success unless 131 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: they made substantial changes on that front. But reasonable people 132 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: can make adjustments, and I just find it so hard 133 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: to believe that they weren't able to find a path 134 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: forward where Kim would make certain alterations to her front 135 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,239 Speaker 1: office personnel and to her philosophies in order to create 136 00:07:56,280 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: a more sustainable way of improving minor league players. Like 137 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: it felt like there should have been some sort of 138 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: compromise they could have found. They didn't find it. Kim, 139 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: at least for now not employed by a major league team. 140 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: We'll see exactly where that goes. Bushing for all the best. 141 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: So yeah, we move forward, but right before we do, yeah, 142 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: it is important just the look of the process that 143 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: brought those guys here, because now they are going to 144 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: be so critical to what the team does at least 145 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty four, and if things go well, both 146 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: of these guys several years of club control even beyond 147 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four. From Baseball Trade Values we get a 148 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: general idea of why it is that, you know, these teams, 149 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: these trades weren't quite as quite as interesting at the time. 150 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 1: They weren't sexy trades at the time, just because of 151 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 1: the relatively low value that all the players involved have. 152 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: What Baseball trade values does is they calculate a surplus 153 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: value that every player in baseball has relative to what 154 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: they're being paid, how long they are under club control, 155 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: and most importantly, the production that they provide. You know, 156 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: how much value do they think they have in the market. 157 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: The Puck trade February eleventh, twenty twenty three, it was 158 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: a straight up one for one with the Oakland A's 159 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,599 Speaker 1: acquiring Puck for jj Blday, both of those guys that 160 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: shade over four million dollars in surplus value, and that 161 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: deal was accepted by the Baseball Trade Values model. It's 162 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: hard to be more perfectly aligned than that four point 163 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,079 Speaker 1: one million value for Puck four point two for bla Day, 164 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: and that's That's kind of why I like this site 165 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: for the flaws that it has and some of the 166 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: questionable behavior that it encourages because of its trade simulator 167 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: like this is it is ordinarily very hard to compare 168 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: a good major league reliever with a former first well, 169 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: you know, a former really highly regarded prospect outfielder who 170 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: struggled in his debut season. It's completely different roles, different 171 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: amount of club control, and I think their formulas do 172 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: a generally good job of incorporating all those factors in 173 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,319 Speaker 1: order to spit out this one simple number right there, 174 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: and that that trade was very popular at the time 175 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: because Puck was coming off a very productive twenty twenty 176 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: three season in the a's pen. He'd pitch some high 177 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: leverage endings. It looked relatively sustainable in that role. Whereas 178 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: Bludey has a referenced he was, he was awful in 179 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: his first dasse of the majors in twenty twenty three, 180 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: and essentially throughout his entire minor league career in the 181 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 1: Marlins organization from mid twenty nineteen on, it was just 182 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: clear that he wasn't as well rounded a player, and 183 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: most concernedly not as well rounded a hitter as they 184 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: had envisioned him being when the when they actually selected 185 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 1: him as the number four overall pick in that draft class. 186 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: His first year in the Marlins Organs as a major leaguer, 187 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: he hit one sixty seven five eighty six ops, only 188 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 1: five home runs in sixty five games. So I think 189 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: the thinking there was that Puck could continue to be 190 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: a good reliever, if not get a little bit better, 191 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: whereas Blu Day was, you know, the ceiling realistically was 192 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: a solid platoon outfielder, corner outfielder, and that the floor 193 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: was that he simply wouldn't be able to hit enough 194 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: in the big leagues have any role whatsoever, right there. Yeah, 195 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: that was a relatively popular one at the time, and 196 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: especially early on last season when Puck emerged as the 197 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: Marlins closer. He was great in that role for the 198 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: first month plus first quarter or so of the twenty 199 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: twenty three regular season. Then there was the injury. Then 200 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: there was a brutal mid season slump where he couldn't 201 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: keep the ball in the ballpark, and then by the 202 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: end of the year he was pitching medium leverage situations. 203 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: You know, he was, you know, a bit piece of 204 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: the true postseason push during the second half of the season. 205 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: And then the second trade was Ryan Weathers at this 206 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: past trade deadline, trading away Garrett Cooper and Sean Reynolds. 207 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: And that was personally painful for me because I went 208 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: out on a limb with Sean Reynolds as being one 209 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 1: of my handpick guys that I thought was a little 210 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: bit better than most talent evaluators gave him credit for 211 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: treading those two to the padres. For Weathers and Cooper 212 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: was a pending free agents, so his value was just 213 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: half a million dollars surplus. Sean Reynolds was, in btv's estimation, 214 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: the most valuable piece of the deal one point five 215 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:25,479 Speaker 1: million in surplus value. Where's Weathers. He was so unsuccessful 216 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: early in his pro career, in his major league career 217 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: that they had him as a total neutral piece, almost 218 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: one with zero value relative to what he was being 219 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: paid in his club control, meaning that they didn't seem 220 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: all that much different from a DFA candidate. And so 221 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,719 Speaker 1: this trade, from my observation, was not particularly popular at 222 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 1: the time when it was made on deadline day in 223 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, because the Marlins knew they needed some rotation, depth, 224 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: assistance down the stretch of the year, and weathers. To 225 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:01,439 Speaker 1: that point in his career, I've seven to three er, 226 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: a sixty nine ERA plus thirty one percent worse than 227 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 1: the league average, so prone to giving up homers, not 228 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: missing nearly enough bats as his stuff would suggest, and 229 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: he just wasn't any better in twenty twenty three than 230 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: he had been his prior two seasons in the big leagues. 231 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: He was to that point of the year, he had 232 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: started ten games and pitched in twelve of them. It 233 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 1: was just a really questionable fit with where the team 234 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: was at the time. So I think the thinking, at 235 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: least the way that I saw it in the moment, 236 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: is that it was an attempt to do a light 237 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: version of the Hasius Lozardo acquisition, which was also a 238 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 1: Kimmang trade by the way, but we're not going to 239 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: talk about this one. That on this show they saw 240 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: a guy that was very hard throwing lefty, great prospect 241 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: Pedigree's still extremely young, only twenty three years old at 242 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: the time of the trade, who had a bunch of 243 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: club control remaining, and that perhaps with an off season 244 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: of adjustments, could come back and look like a much 245 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: different version of himself, the way that Lozardo struggled a 246 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: lot in his first stints with the Marlins and then 247 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: came back the very next year and was all of 248 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: a sudden a really good major league starting pitcher. But 249 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: at the time it just didn't seem like Weathers would 250 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: provide any value down the stretch for the Marlins, and 251 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: spoiler alert, he just didn't. He was not. He barely 252 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 1: pitched in the big league seel good in Triple A Jacksonville, 253 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 1: but not dramatically enough changes to make you think that 254 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: he was really going to move the needle for the 255 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: Marlins or be trusted to win high leverage games down 256 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: the stretch. His best performance came in Game one sixty two, 257 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: which was the least important game of the entire Marlins 258 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: season because that was when they had already clinched a 259 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: postseason birth. He pitched very well, but with absolutely no 260 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: stakes involved, it was hard to know, one way or 261 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: another what it is that was really going to justify 262 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: making that deal, why he was the pick instead of 263 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: them going for a more conventional veterans starting pitcher at 264 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: the time, so that one, yeah, the piece is involved, 265 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: not all things considered, just not a whole lot at 266 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: stake there because Cooper himself was having a down year, 267 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: he was a pending free agent, and Sean Reynolds had 268 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: any big leag experience at that point. He was a 269 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: reliever only candidate right there. But that deal also accepted 270 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: by Baseball Trade values, with the Marlin sending out two 271 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: million dollars in value in getting back zero, but that 272 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: is within the margin for error in their model. Going 273 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: right rounds on the other side of the break, I 274 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: do want to talk about why it is that now 275 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: these guys are making waves during spring training and again 276 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: how this goes back to moves that Kim Eng made. 277 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: Even though she is no longer with the Marlins organization, 278 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 1: she doesn't get to directly benefit from that. This is 279 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: the first show where we are now being brought to 280 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 1: you by MPT College Consulting. At MPT, they pride themselves 281 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes 282 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:02,920 Speaker 1: preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with 283 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: essays and applications, and choosing their right college. Their work 284 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: is always geared towards the specific needs of the individual 285 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: client as they strive to make this process as stress 286 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: free for the family as possible. 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As we return here on the 289 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: official show, talking about Puck and Weathers and how they 290 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: got here in the first place, and how their outlook 291 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: on them has changed so suddenly entering their first Well 292 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: now for Puck his second full year in the organization, 293 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: with whether it's his first full year, but heading into 294 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: now this part of we're only two plus weeks away 295 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: from opening day, and Puck is looking like a virtual 296 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: locke to be one of the Marlins starting pitchers. And 297 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 1: Ryan Weathers he is doing absolutely everything in his power 298 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: to secure one of the back end spots behind Puck, 299 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: especially with as I'm recording this, still a little bit 300 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: of uncertainty in terms of what he's going on with 301 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: Edward Cabrera and his shoulder, whether or not that will 302 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: cost him his availability on opening day. As I mentioned 303 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: in official news this morning on Fish on First dot com, 304 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: anything related to a shoulder is typically followed by a 305 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: period of non throwing in order for that discomfort to 306 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: leave before you even resume, and for a starting pitcher 307 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,439 Speaker 1: one who's not quite stretched out all the way for 308 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: the regular season yet. Yeah, I would say it's unlikely 309 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,119 Speaker 1: that Cabrera is going to be available when things break 310 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: camp in a few weeks, and that Weathers is primed 311 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: to benefit from that. So with Puck, as a recapped 312 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: a few moments ago, his first season with Marlins was 313 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: mixed overall, got off to that great start, had that 314 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 1: big slump in the middle. All things considered, he was 315 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,639 Speaker 1: certainly a plus for their bullpen, which as a whole 316 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: pitch really well in highlight average situations. Finished with a 317 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,679 Speaker 1: three nine seven ERA three five nine FIP in fifty 318 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 1: six and two thirds endings. He saved fifteen games, showed 319 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: a lot of swing missability, nearly a third of the 320 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: battersey face struck out, and really good control as well. 321 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: So then we got news, as first report by our 322 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: own Isaaca Zoo, that Puck was going to be stretched 323 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: out as a starting pitcher entering the twenty twenty four 324 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: spring training And so that caught a lot of people 325 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: by surprise, just because he was a two bitch guy 326 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: last year. He was fastball all and he was sweeper 327 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: and that was pretty much it. It was occasional change 328 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: up in there, but for somebody that was moved to 329 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: the pen in the first place just because of his durability. 330 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 1: Concerned as a minor leaguer with the Oakland A's and 331 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: recently as twenty twenty one, he entered that camp trying 332 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: to crack their rotation and he got hurt right towards 333 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: the end of camp or right shortly after camp broke, 334 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: I believe, and that was years after undergoing Tommy John surgery. 335 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: They were just it's this is not an unusual story 336 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: about a pitcher that even they're extremely talented, they check 337 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: all out boxes you look for in a starter. In 338 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: Puck's case, having a massive six foot seven frame, looks 339 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 1: like a guy that would certainly be able to endure 340 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: a big workload, and yet time and time again he's 341 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: missed a lot of time due to injury. He's only 342 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: had one season in his entire professional career, which dates 343 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: back to twenty sixteen. He's only had one season in 344 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: there where he's topped one hundred endings or even come 345 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: close to that number as well. What stood out pretty 346 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: quickly upon camp starting is the breadth of his pitch mix, 347 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 1: his repertoire, going from essentially being a two pitch guy 348 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,200 Speaker 1: last year, other than coming to camp having a five 349 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: pitch mix. He's very proud of that. He's mentioned a 350 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: couple of times, and you can now see why. In 351 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: game action he's got the four seemer and a sinker, 352 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: a cutter, sweeper, and yeah, now this splitter has chanced 353 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: to change up to a splitter and it looks really 354 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: great in the limited action we've seen from him so far. 355 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: When these guys get stretched out, the question is how 356 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 1: much velocity do they maintain that they had in the pen, 357 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: He's had a mid nineties fastballs or reliever, occasionally touching 358 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: the high nineties, and so far in spring trending action, 359 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: he is sitting pretty comfortably ninety three, ninety four, ninety five, 360 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: so down a tiny bit, but still above average from 361 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: a left handed pitcher's perspective. And for somebody that has 362 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: that deep pitch mix, and really most importantly as a starter, 363 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,520 Speaker 1: is able to command those pitches. That's what stood out 364 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: for me when looking at this pitch mapping through his 365 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: first couple outings, is that every pitch that he was 366 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,960 Speaker 1: able to throw was he's able to put it either 367 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 1: in the zone or just throw competitive pitches along the 368 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: corners of the zone as well in order to get 369 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: chases from that. So like, there's there's still a couple 370 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: more tune ups to go, but like I see the 371 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: vision right here, Like this is extremely encouraging. The durability 372 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: question is an unknowable one in terms of how much 373 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: he's gonna hold up because of how little president he 374 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: has handling major workload over the course of the season. Like, 375 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: it seems really doubtful that he's gonna make thirty starts 376 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: for the Marlins this year. They may have to even 377 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: as a twenty it'll be twenty nine years old this season. 378 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: There's gonna be some sort of endings limit, you would think, 379 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 1: just because he's not been conditioned to pitch anywhere close 380 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: to what a normal starter would over the course of 381 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,919 Speaker 1: the year. But early on the season, Like, I just 382 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: have a little reason to doubt that he's going to 383 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 1: be good immediately once the real games get underway. So 384 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 1: I'm so confident that he was one of my bold 385 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: predictions on Fish Unfiltered. If you haven't seen that, you 386 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 1: can find this on the same channel as you're watching 387 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 1: and listening to now with with Kevin Barrall and Isaacazoo, 388 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 1: one of my five bull predictions is that Puck is 389 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 1: going to be a MLB All Star selection this year. 390 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean there's gonna be the ace of the rotation 391 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:19,199 Speaker 1: and doesn't mean it's gonna last the entire year, but 392 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 1: I mean, but just because of all the boxes that 393 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: he does check as they started, as long as he 394 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: is healthy like this just seems to be a really 395 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 1: well rounded starting pitcher. It is I guess just due 396 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: to the timing of the trade last year, and given 397 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: who they had in place already, there was not really 398 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: a strong desire it seemed to test him as a 399 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: starter at any point last year. Yea, And in hindsight, 400 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: that would make it that have made the second half 401 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:51,960 Speaker 1: of their season a lot less stressful, right if they 402 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: had stretched him out as a starter when they when 403 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 1: they were throwing Johnny Quato out there and Brian hoeing 404 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: no offense to those guys, that maybe they should have 405 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: been more open minded in the middle of last season, 406 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: And I guess you could put that against kim Eng, 407 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: but overall, just the acquisition of him, which at the 408 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: moment addressed a very pressing need for high leverage relievers 409 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: entering the twenty twenty three season, but also with the 410 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: potential to become something a whole lot more than that. 411 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: Forget becoming an All star. If he is just an 412 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 1: average starting pitcher ERA around four, able to go five 413 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 1: five and a third endings per outing, like, there's going 414 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: to be so immense value to him. We go back 415 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: to that the BTV Baseball Trade Values estimation of what 416 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 1: he had at the time four point one million dollars 417 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: in median trade value for somebody now who still has 418 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: three full years of club control. Well, let's fest forward, 419 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,959 Speaker 1: like to the trade deadline this upcoming year. If all 420 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 1: the marrow On starters or most of them get healthy 421 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 1: at that time, if you have a couple will prospect breakouts, 422 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: and the Marlins feel like, hey, we finally have the 423 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: immense depth that we thought we would. We were ready 424 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: to trade one of these guys for a bat instead 425 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,679 Speaker 1: of four million bucks. If Puck is just an average 426 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: starter who's on so underpaid to do during his arbitration 427 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 1: years and still has control through twenty twenty six, that 428 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: number is going to go from four million to forty million. 429 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 1: Like that is not unreasonable that he can make that 430 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: kind of jump if if he performs the way that 431 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: I think he's going to perform during the early portion 432 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: of the season, and the type of player you'll be 433 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,200 Speaker 1: able to get if you have a forty million dollars 434 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 1: surplus trade asset, the type of controllable impact hitter potentially 435 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: at a up the middle position that Martins can again 436 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: return is the kind of guy that they have not 437 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: been able to acquire for years and the one that 438 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: they still have long term questions about what they're doing 439 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: at catcher and at shortstop. And this is something that 440 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: indirectly because of the trade that was made under Ang 441 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: at this time last year, like they can be they 442 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: could come out way on top, even if they are 443 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: just taking this experiments month by month or part of 444 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: the season by part of a season. So yeah, just 445 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,600 Speaker 1: to keep him to perspective in terms of how radically 446 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: these values change, I think at this moment, without even 447 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: looking I think Punk's Puck's value has already jumped up 448 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: closer to twenty million. So even if they moved him 449 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: right now, like even on the verge of the season 450 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: they wanted to capitalize on the excitement, they would be 451 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: able to get a pretty significant bat or several in 452 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: return for Puck, much different circumstances than when they acquired him, 453 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: and as a reminder, with weathers in his case, barely 454 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: any value at the time by most estimations, due to 455 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: how badly he was performing in the major leagues so 456 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: far in this season, the fact that they had already 457 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: used up a couple of his minor league options, so 458 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,399 Speaker 1: entering twenty twenty four, he has only one option remaining 459 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: despite still being so young. But all he's done this 460 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 1: spring is lead Baseball in strikeouts. As a starting pitcher, 461 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 1: he is seventeen k's so far. The spring has already 462 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: been stretched out to five innings. He's faced a couple 463 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: of decent lineups, most recently a not so decent Astros 464 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: lineup as well. With the quality competition, and it's not 465 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: a great read on it. In his case, the pitch 466 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: mix is not quite as deep as Pucks, but he's 467 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: probably at four reliable pitches to this point, the new 468 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: addition being a sinker in addition to his former seemer 469 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,199 Speaker 1: and already having that slider, and I think he is 470 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 1: also throwing some sort of split change at this point, 471 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: perhaps a slightly different off speed pitch than he had 472 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: last year and prior in his major league career. The 473 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: big storyline with him has been the four seamer. It's 474 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: been the uptick in v low And actually I listened 475 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: to it to an interview that he did recently where 476 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: he described that Villa bump coming in even before the trade, 477 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:06,160 Speaker 1: going from sitting ninety three, ninety four to ninety six, 478 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: and now the spring it's been even a little bit 479 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: better than that. It's been a lot of ninety seven 480 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: and not so rare for him to pump ninety eight 481 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: from the left side and locate it really well. So 482 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: his ability to locate it up in the zone more 483 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: consistently than we've seen in the past, and wore him 484 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 1: to now be so. He already had, I think decent 485 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: control of his stuff, but I think that this stuff 486 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 1: now compliments each other a little bit better. The fact 487 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: that he has that secondary fastball and a sinker that 488 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: he can locate elsewhere to change eye levels and to 489 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: give him a better chance at least against right handed batters, 490 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: because for just as with any left e they're going 491 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 1: to be at the platoon disadvantage for most of their matchups. 492 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: Going on, I'd say I'm more confident in Puck right 493 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 1: away than I am in Weathers. But with both of them, again, 494 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: just considering where they are right now, to have any 495 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: degree of confidence them being solid starters has skyrocketed their 496 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: value based on what it was perceived to be at 497 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: the time of acquisition. So even if he doesn't, even 498 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: if he's not like a ton better than he has 499 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 1: been prior in his major league career, for him to 500 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,879 Speaker 1: be able to eat innings is valuable. That in itself 501 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 1: is a rare commodity being able to eat innings. And again, 502 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 1: the Marlins learned that the hard way last year about 503 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: how difficult it was to patch together some of these games, 504 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: and with Wathers, it's just not a whole lot of 505 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: reason root to believe the doubt that he can put 506 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: things together in a more complete way than he ever 507 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:51,719 Speaker 1: has earlier in his career. The Lozardo comp is still 508 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: a little very bold, and I was not willing to 509 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: go there. I know Kevin was. Kevin had him being 510 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: in All Stars one of his bold predictions. I'm not 511 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: quite on that train at this moment. Even so, you 512 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: can see the outline of a really good starting pitcher 513 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:12,600 Speaker 1: who has decent sized himself. It's not quite Puck strength 514 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: to him, but durability has been more on his side. 515 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: I mean. An interesting factor is that he's coming off 516 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:23,400 Speaker 1: a year where he ate a bunch of dings between 517 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: Triple A and the Majors. You combine his work with 518 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:29,760 Speaker 1: the Padres, the Marlins, and in Triple A, Ryan Weathers 519 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 1: pitched one hundred and thirty seven and a third innings 520 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: last year. This is somebody that over the course of 521 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four season he may be able to 522 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: actually make those thirty starts as opposed to Puck. So 523 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: things do go decently for him, He's he could be 524 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: a high end number five starting pitcher, if not something 525 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: more than that. But for just look around baseball and 526 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: see what that type of player is going for in 527 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: free agency. For example, there was Jack Flaherty got like 528 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: thirteen million dollars guaranteed something like that. In free agency, 529 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: Lance Lynn got over ten million. I think Kyle Gibson 530 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: got over ten million for just one year of control 531 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: over those guys. If Weathers can simply be on that 532 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: level of pitcher, I mean, you have him under control 533 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: for five years all the way through twenty twenty eight 534 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: at least, and that's if they don't even send them 535 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: down to the miners in limited service time a little bit. 536 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: That is what makes these particular trades so impressive and 537 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,440 Speaker 1: the upside so immense is because of the years of 538 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: club control that go beyond just the immediate term. So 539 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: even hopefully, you know, both of them can continue to 540 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: get better and improve as they get more accustomed to 541 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: these roles, but the flexibility to actually have them under 542 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: control and control that's such an efficient cost, whether they 543 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: contribute directly to the Marlins or whether they're eventually traded 544 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 1: down the road to help with that dire farm system situation. 545 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 1: Like that's part of the path to get this team 546 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: back in a place where they develop talent more consistently. 547 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 1: The most important thing under Peter Bendix is going to 548 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: be that the people that he hired in his player 549 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: development roles are going to institute better practices more effectively, 550 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: integrate technology to help these players find the best version 551 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: of themselves, to recognize what they're doing wrong and how 552 00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: to optimize that, how to find consistency. And I think 553 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: that is almost that might be the easy part, just 554 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: because the Marlins were pretty lacking in those departments when 555 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: it came to leveraging technology to make their players better 556 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: and providing them with all the tools they need to 557 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,760 Speaker 1: really analyze and understand what they do well and what 558 00:31:54,800 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: they do poorly. This other part of actually having players 559 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: with huge value that you can leverage in any sort 560 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: of ways as part of your team moving forward or 561 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: as players to be sent elsewhere to improve in other 562 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:17,440 Speaker 1: areas like that, that's going to continue to pay off 563 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: big time. So we have there's been a lot of 564 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:23,600 Speaker 1: talk about Lozardo this offseason, and he falls under the 565 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: same bucket as a player that was acquired for a 566 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 1: rental rental Starling Marte in twenty twenty one, and now 567 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: the Marlins listened closely on dealing him and they probably 568 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: had some pretty salivating offers for him that were many 569 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: multiples more valuable than a rental veteran would have been 570 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: to acquire him at the time, but didn't pull the trigger. 571 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: And these options are available to this new front office. 572 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: Because of the trades that Kim Ang made during her 573 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: relatively brief chant here as a Marlins GM, I thought 574 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 1: it was important to reflect on that. So this has 575 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 1: been Eli Susman on the Official Show episode two fifteen, 576 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: recording here right before catching my flight down to South 577 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: Florida to cover the next week or so of Marlin's action. 578 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 1: I think we'll be recording some sort of pod while 579 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: I'm down there. I might record the Official Show again 580 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: on Monday, right before leaving town. I hope to see 581 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,360 Speaker 1: a lot of you guys down there between now and then, 582 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 1: and excited about gathering some more intel and hands on 583 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: observations about this team while down there that I think 584 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: we'll better inform our coverage as we close on quickly 585 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: to opening day. One more plug to become a super 586 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: subfish on first dot Com Slash Subscriptions. Thank you to 587 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 1: Stan super Stub Stan for inspiring this episode with his 588 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 1: message about those trades and looking at it from a 589 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,840 Speaker 1: slightly different angle right there, But thanks to everybody that 590 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 1: supports what we do. Really getting close to the real stuff. 591 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 1: More than half way through marlin Spring training at this point, 592 00:34:02,520 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: and I hope you continue listening. Once again, brought by 593 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:12,239 Speaker 1: MPT College Consulting. Check them out Mptcollegeconsulting dot com. I'll 594 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: be talking to you guys again real soon. Check out 595 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,080 Speaker 1: all our coverage on the main website, follow us on 596 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:21,160 Speaker 1: social media, rate and review Fish on First the Podcast 597 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcast, to spread the word and 598 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 1: let more people know that we are covering this Marlin's 599 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: team as completely as we possibly can. Go Phish