1 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: The show goes on. This is the official show on 2 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: the Fish on First podcast channel. I'm Eli Sausman, the 3 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: managing editor of Fish Stripes, where we cover your Miami 4 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: Marlins every day in our own way. This edition of 5 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: the show a little bit different than any previous one 6 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: I've done because we are going to simulcast this one 7 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: on YouTube, the Fish Strips YouTube channel. You just look 8 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:37,279 Speaker 1: for the Fish on First playlist and you'll find it 9 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: all there to reach an additional audience that likes to 10 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: get their pods this way, if not on the traditional 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: podcast feed. If you're watching us on that channel, please 12 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: leave a like on this video early on. That's so 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: we can let me know whether or not this is 14 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: a useful endeavor and a useful second platform to put 15 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: this stuff on. But the plan is to do this 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: moving forward so that we reached as many people as 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: Potum and I brought some visual aids of course, to 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: go through on this show. The Marlins twelve and ten. 19 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: I'm recording this right after the series finale in Cleveland. 20 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: They've won four straight series. I think by most people's opinions, 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: they are overachieving what we thought they would at this 22 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: point in the season. The big reason why is their bullpen. 23 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: This bullpen has been pretty terrific so far this season, 24 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: a very deep bullpen and at the very end high 25 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: leverage situations, they've been nails to this point in the season. 26 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: The stats tell a very interesting story. From one they 27 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: entered Sunday with the number one bullpen in all Major 28 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: League Baseball and win probability added, they were tied for 29 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: third in Baseball Reference wins above average. On the other side, 30 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: they were only sixteenth in ERA, and that got a 31 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: little bit worse. On Sunday. They were only twenty third 32 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: in Fangrafts wins above replacement and twenty fifth out of 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: thirty in fielder independent pitching. Mainly that is due to 34 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: the very low strikeout rate that this whole group had. 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: A looking at distance, I think most people wouldn't think 36 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: that this is a very formidable group. Those of us 37 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: watching every day might have kind of an inflated sense 38 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: of how effective and reliable these guys actually are. The 39 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: truth probably somewhere in the middle. I will circle back 40 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: to that at the very end of the show, I 41 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: wanted to take this opportunity to just go through one 42 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,399 Speaker 1: by one everybody that's in the current pen. I'll pull 43 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: that up for you right here. As of this middle 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: of this road trip, there are nine members of the Bullpen. 45 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: It's probably gonna go down to eight on Tuesday when 46 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: they need another starter. In no particular order, it's Matt Barnes, 47 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: Wasscar Brazo, Bond, Steven Okert, Andrew Nardi, George Soriano, Tanner, 48 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: Scott Devin Smeltzer, Dylan Floro, and aj Puck. We'll do 49 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: quick hits on all them as I am going to, 50 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: as the name of this episode suggests, rank these Marlins 51 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: relievers from top to bottom, a combination of how they're 52 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: doing so far, but more so about what I expect 53 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: from them production wise movie through the rest of the season. 54 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: I think this is a good time to take a 55 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: stock of what we have in this current group and 56 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: whether they can continue to be so lights out in 57 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: these close games to allow the Marlins as a whole 58 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 1: to perform the way that they have so far. On 59 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: the other side of this break, I will get to 60 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: the very first tier of these relievers and we will 61 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: work our way up here on fish On first. Thanks 62 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: for watching and stick with me, so we will begin 63 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: all the way on the bottom. Here, I'm going to 64 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: group together Devin Smeltzer and George Soriano in what i'll 65 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: call the fresh arm category here, the fresh arm tier. 66 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: Both of them have had some struggles at times. Soriano 67 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: fresh in our minds on Sunday and then Smeltzer in 68 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: each of his first two outings after he was brought 69 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: up from Triple A. Aside from these two, the other 70 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: seven names that we'll get to, I feel like they're 71 00:03:56,120 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: the ones that have a very stronghold on the roster spots. 72 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: They're not going anywhere anytime soon unless it's for a 73 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: sudden injury. But it's his final spot. The typical you're 74 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: going to have five starting pitchers on your roster at 75 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: of a thirteen man pitching staff. That leaves room for 76 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: eight relievers that eighth spot. Look around the league, that 77 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: is kind of a revolving door depending on who's available. 78 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,239 Speaker 1: Who simply has that fresh arm, as it would suggest. 79 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: So there are pros and cons to both these guys 80 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: who are on the roster at this moment. I do 81 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: anticipate one of them getting squeezed off when the Marlins 82 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: need another starter in Atlanta. With Soriano, what stands out 83 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: is his slider. An average spin rate entering Sunday at 84 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: two seven hundred and sixty five r pm. That is 85 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: more spin on that pitch than any Marlins pitcher has 86 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: on any individual pitch type on this entire team this season. 87 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: It is a standout pitch is one where if he 88 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: just locates it close enough to the zone, he's going 89 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: to get some whiffs on that pitch and we'll even 90 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 1: get whiffs on it in the zone. So what it 91 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: makes up for and not having huge movement overall is 92 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: that it gets very late movement with this spin and 93 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: they give some kind of a decent floor in terms 94 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: of how many bats you can expect Soriano to miss 95 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: When it comes to Smeltzer, he did get shelled each 96 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: of his first two outings, including the middle outing where 97 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: he cost the Marlins. Well, he didn't really. He ended 98 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: up being the losing pitcher because the Marlins offense didn't 99 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: show up in that game against the Giants. It's hard 100 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: to watch those games when he doesn't have it and 101 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: inspire any confidence. However, he does have a pretty step 102 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 1: sanial track record now in the big leagues. He has 103 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: a very deep pitch mix because he is. He came 104 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 1: up primarily as a starter who's mainly a starter as 105 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 1: a twin, and I think overall he is a serviceable pitcher. 106 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: It's not the worst thing in the world if he 107 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,559 Speaker 1: hangs around this roster for a few extra weeks until 108 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: they get a more dynamic arm healthy in order to 109 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: replace him. This is your very bottom tier. And then 110 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: next up, I have a five man tier that I 111 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: feel all these guys are really close. It's almost splitting 112 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: hairs in some cases in terms of where to put 113 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,679 Speaker 1: them from number seven through number three. But number seven 114 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: we'll go to Matt Barnes, the new acquisition. I was 115 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: a big fan of this trade when the Marlins made 116 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: it him straight up for Richard Bleier and even exchanging 117 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: some cash that made it a cash neutral deal as well. 118 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: I thought that was very smart, and to this point 119 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: the season, the Marlins are certainly winning this trade. Barnes 120 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 1: has been getting outs. That's ultimately what's most important is 121 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: for you to get outs, and to this point, most 122 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: recently on Sunday. Sunday was arguably his best outing so 123 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: far going what was it? One in two thirds and 124 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,239 Speaker 1: I think you retired all five batters that he faced, 125 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: including a couple of strikeouts, so lowers his ERA to 126 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: one ninety three. But just to get the stats up 127 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: here again on Marlins pitchers this season, Barnes his FIP 128 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,799 Speaker 1: was doubled his RA and turned today fielder independent pitching 129 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: four to seven nine. Strikeout rate is down quite a 130 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: bit from where it was at his peak. His fastball 131 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: velocity is the lowest it has ever been in his 132 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: entire career. That's kind of where all my concerns start 133 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: with Matt Barnes as the lack of fastball velow. He 134 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: used to be a mid nineties fastball guy who could 135 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: like ramp it up to the high nineties when he 136 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: needed it. That does not appear to be in the 137 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: tank anymore. He's a low nineties fastball guy, and I 138 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: guess we'll be patient to see if that changes. If 139 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: there's no particular injury to explain that. He just limits 140 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: the way that his breaking ball can play off of 141 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: that fastball. He still does have a great breaking ball. 142 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: I think he had a couple of strikeouts on that today, 143 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: one of them just a beautifully located one. You can 144 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: not only get whiffs on it, but sometimes locating it 145 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: on the edges of the zone. It's very impressive. It 146 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: shows the way that skip that Schumacher has used him 147 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: to this point of this season, that there's not a 148 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: lot of trust. He's mainly you going in these lowlish 149 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: leverage situations, and I think that's the best spot for 150 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: him at this point because just that limitations of his fastball. 151 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: He experimented with the changeup going back to last year 152 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: in Boston, and from what I've seen, it's just not 153 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: a viable major league pitch. It's not really doing very 154 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: much for him. He doesn't get enough drop on that 155 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: changeup to really improve his game at all. So we'll 156 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: see whether or not even attempts to make it a 157 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: regular part of his knicks. I think he's primarily going 158 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: to be a two pitch guy. Like I said, just 159 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: one of those pitches. I don't have a whole lot 160 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: of confidence in moving forward. He's exactly where he needs 161 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: to be, and for him to be the number seven 162 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: guy in this bullpen just fakes volumes of how far 163 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: this team has gone, and as does the number six guy, 164 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: Tanner Scott. Tanner Scott, who had times last year, was 165 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: at the very top of the Marlins bullpen hierarchy. Don't 166 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: you remember he was the closer for months. There were 167 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: months where he was pitching the biggest situations. The reason 168 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: why he earned that opportunity is largely because of his 169 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: ability to miss bats. It is on par with anybody 170 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: in this pen, and it still is now, mainly because 171 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: he still has his mid nineties fastball velo that gets 172 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: even higher when he needs to, and his slider is 173 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: extremely difficult to hit. For hitters on that slider, you 174 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: are mostly just waiting for him to lose control. And 175 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: that is the big weakness with him is that he 176 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: goes through stretches where he simply does not know where 177 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: the ball is going at all. The clearest example on 178 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: Saturday during that doubleheader, there was a sequence of ten 179 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: consecutive balls. Oh boy, he just There are some pictures 180 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: in this very bullpen, a lot of them where that 181 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 1: simply doesn't happen. These guys are able to regain that 182 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: release point and Scott this is nothing new for him. 183 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: We saw it a lot last year. He goes through 184 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: these stretches in these games where he totally loses that 185 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: release point and his misses aren't even close. They're not 186 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: even competitivenesses, So regardless of who he's facing in the lineup, 187 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: they are going to get into advantageous counts. It puts 188 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: on extra base runners, It puts a lot of pressure 189 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: on the Marlins defense. That's one other thing I'll circle 190 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 1: back to this Marlins defense this year with Tanner Scott. 191 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: There were extended strutchers last year where he was great. 192 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 1: I have a feeling that there will be at least 193 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: one of those coming up later this year. He certainly 194 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,319 Speaker 1: isn't a guy that you want in these high leveraged 195 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: situations unless it's a very particular matchup. It's been an 196 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: interesting ride for him. The upside is still pretty impressive. 197 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: But this isn't a very young pitcher anymore. This is 198 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: somebody that has not been in the league for parts 199 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: of six seasons. I think it is he's been arounds, 200 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: and if he hasn't quite figured out that control aspect 201 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: of it yet, I don't think he's going to. I 202 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: think the stat that's still applicable is that he is 203 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: the highest career walk rate of any active pitcher that 204 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: has pitched as many endings as he does. Talking about 205 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: guys that have pitched at least two hundred or so innings, 206 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: so that kind of says it all. That's a pretty 207 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: big limitation. Ultimately, he's difficult enough to make solid contact 208 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,559 Speaker 1: against that he can work around a lot of those 209 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: free passes. Just overall, that is a pretty big flaw 210 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 1: that I don't think he can overcome, and he got 211 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: playing opportunities to overcome it last year, and it was 212 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: only in small spurts that he did so. Moving on 213 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 1: to number five my relievert rankings, it is newly reinstated 214 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: Stephen Okert. This is Okret's third season with the Marlins, 215 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: I believe, and the last two years have been almost 216 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: carbon copies of each other because of the way that 217 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: he's his run prevention has overperformed his peripherals by such 218 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: a big margin both those years, a sub to era 219 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one in twenty twenty two, and yet 220 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: a fip in the mid fours a four to three 221 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 1: four in twenty twenty one, four to three six in 222 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. It's hard to do that. He is 223 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 1: on a very short list of guys in the big 224 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: leagues that have that kind of differential between them. His 225 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: fastball isn't as overpowering as Scott's. For example, he does throw. 226 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: His control is better, but when you look at the 227 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: you kind of look back on it, it's not quite as 228 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: reliable as you would like for somebody, just like Scott 229 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: Oger was pitching in some very important situation Throughout most 230 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty two. He was the main eighth nning 231 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: guy that Don manningly used, despite the fact that he 232 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: was walking somebody every other ending. He also had seven 233 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: hit by pitches last year. I imagine most of those 234 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: were on the slider in his case where it gets 235 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: away from him. He's even more slighter reliant than Tanner 236 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: Scott is. His slider usage last year was sixty eight percent. 237 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: That is right near the highest end of any breaking 238 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: ball usage of any regular pitcher in the big leagues. 239 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:51,839 Speaker 1: So it shows you how much he trusted against both 240 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: lefties and righties. He does get a good velocity separation 241 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: between that low eighties slider and is occasionally mid nineties fastball. 242 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 1: He looked good during his rehab assignment, and he pitches 243 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: a score as sending in his season debut. So with him, 244 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: you're just relying a lot on his history, and his 245 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: history is that he's been very good, but it's just 246 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: somebody where I don't think he can count on him 247 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: replicating that a very unusual stat line. Again, I don't 248 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: think he could count on him posting another sub three er, 249 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: somebody that pitches well in high leverage situations as well, 250 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: if it's the same guy that people are used to. 251 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: If he's strictly a two pitch pitcher, and there are 252 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: some limitations with that fastball in terms of missing bats. 253 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: He relies so much on the slider, both to get 254 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: whiffs and also to get ahead in the count and 255 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: to steal strikes, especially on the outside corner against right 256 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: handed batters. In the past, he's been pretty good at 257 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,560 Speaker 1: stranding inherited base runners. That's the first time, but not 258 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: the last time, that I'll bring up that aspect in here. 259 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: Era tells us a lot about starting pitchers and a 260 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: little bit less valuable talking about relievers because it overlooks 261 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: the elements of inherited runners. So Okred pitched in a 262 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: lot of those situations last year. Still to be determined 263 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 1: how often Skip uses him this year in situations, And 264 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: that's kind of why I have Okret number five on 265 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: here directly below another lefty Andrew Nardi. Andrew Nardi, can 266 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: you believe number four? The top half? You could say 267 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: we're still in this middle tier. But the fact that 268 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: I have more confidence in Andrew Nardi moving forward than 269 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: Steven Okert despite the huge disparity in the performance last year. 270 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: Nardi was totally overmatched in the big leagues last season. 271 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: So much hard contact, so much, and that kind of 272 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: played out in the run prevention aspect of it. He 273 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: allowed you know what the era was, The era was 274 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: knocking on the door for double digits last season because 275 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: of so many hits, so so, so, so much hard contact, 276 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: line drives everywhere against Andrew Nardi last year. I never 277 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: totally bought that he was as bad as that showed. 278 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: And I'm glad that the Marlins felt the same way. 279 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: The way that he performed in the minor leagues and 280 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: what he showed his four seam fastball velocity wise right 281 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: in the same area as Steven Okert, but it plays 282 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: so much better up in the zone, and Nardi is 283 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: generally able to locate it up in the zone the 284 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: way he needs to to get swings and misses. As 285 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: we've now got on a larger sample of Nardi. The 286 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: batting average against has calmed down because the batting average 287 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: on balls and play came down in his first year. 288 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: Was it at five hundred against him? On batting averages 289 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: on balls and play? Just for context, the league average 290 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: on that is three hundred, and that excludes home runs. Right, 291 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: So he allowed five home runs last year in a 292 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: very small sample of fourteen and two thirds. But the 293 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: batting average on balls and play just looks at the 294 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: other stuff that actually stayed in the park, so that 295 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: was bound to improve. We'm going from a five hundred 296 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: last year, knowing the league average is a little under 297 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: three hundred, and so far this year it's at one ninety. 298 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: As we're talking, he is in the middle of a 299 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: stretch of eight consecutive hitless innings, eight hitless endings for 300 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: Andrew NRDI across a handful of games. And I don't 301 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: think that sustainable either. I would think that the real 302 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: Andrew Nardi is pretty close to what we're seeing, but 303 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: not quite as I think that this is also his 304 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: luck now turning in his favor since opening Day, fully 305 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: making up for where it was last year. But yet 306 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: there's going to be somewhat of a middle ground that 307 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: he's going to settle into. So with Nardi a three 308 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: seven to two ERA this season so far, a three 309 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: to nine to eight fielder independent pitching, only about five 310 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: hits in those nine to two thirds innings, only one 311 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 1: home run. What stands out to him to me about 312 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: him is his performance with hereted runners. That is a 313 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: big part of the job for some of these relievers. 314 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: With Nardi, he has inherited as many runners as any 315 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: Marlins reliever this year, and he has stranded every single 316 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: one of them eight for eight in preventing inherited runners 317 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: from scoring. So that is not reflected in your er 318 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: very much, aside from the outset you receive that there's 319 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: so much pressure on you to mis bats or to 320 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: at least keep balls in the infield if you're going 321 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: to come in with inherited runners. He is already being 322 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: trusted to do that, and he is kind of rewarding 323 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: that trust without the way he's pitching. What I just 324 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 1: noticed about last year is how insanely low his ground 325 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: ball rate was and that has normalized, So that's gonna 326 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: be a big aspect of him. Is not only getting 327 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: those fastballs to miss bats up in the zone, but 328 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: also now putting low and away sliders off of that 329 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: in order to get whiffs on that and also to 330 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 1: get people to pound the ball into the grounds. He 331 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: has that third pitch, He has that decent change up 332 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: that separates him from somebody like Tanner Scott or even 333 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: Steven Okert. That's a big part of it. And he 334 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: is still so young Andrewnardi. He's only twenty twenty four 335 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: years old for most of this season, so excluding him 336 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: George Soriano even a little bit younger. But in terms 337 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: of the mainstays of this Marlins bullpen and already by 338 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: far the least experienced, the one who could be part 339 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,159 Speaker 1: of this bullpen for a long time to come, just 340 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: because of the years of club control remaining in how 341 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,439 Speaker 1: much he could potentially get better with even more experience. 342 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 1: Former late round draft pick who has made himself pretty good. 343 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: So I think he's solidly in this middle tier of 344 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:38,239 Speaker 1: Marlins relievers to this point where I think he's a 345 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: pretty genuinely slightly above average big league reliever right now, 346 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: with the potential to get even a little bit better 347 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: as this season goes on. In the same tier, but 348 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: at the very top of this middle tier for the Marlins. 349 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: I have right hander Huascar brazobonn My eyes lit up 350 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 1: when the Marlins signed him original to a minor league 351 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: deal laid in twenty twenty one. When he's pitching in 352 00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:07,399 Speaker 1: the Dominican Winter League, he showed nasty stuff over there, 353 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: and for whatever reason, for a large chunk of at 354 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two in spring training and then in the 355 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: miners in TRIPLEA, his command was totally non existent and 356 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: he was getting hit surprisingly hard for somebody with his stuff, 357 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: and he was also just putting on too many free 358 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: base runners. Something clicked for him in the middle of 359 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two in the minors. He went on this 360 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: really toward stretch of dominance where he's striking out everybody 361 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 1: there to force himself up in late July. He put 362 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: up good numbers late last season with an ERA in 363 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: the low threes. He was kind of opposite of Nartie. 364 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: Instead of being babbaged to bad results, he was on 365 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: the fortunate end of that. He was allowing. He was 366 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 1: allowing a lot of soft contact and getting good results 367 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: out of that. He was constantly flirting with danger. His 368 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: walk rate was very high last year. He had seven 369 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: wild pitches and only thirty two innings pitched. But he 370 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 1: was also pitching in some a lot of inherited runner situations, 371 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: and he was coming through as well. He showed his 372 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: versatility last year, and now he's continuing to be in 373 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: that very versatile role this year, except I think he's 374 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: better this year. I was a little skeptical about bras 375 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 1: Abond heading into the year because I don't like to 376 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: be ageist, but thirty three years old and he just 377 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: hadn't been. He was totally off the grade when the 378 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: Marlins had signed him. He was pitching winter ball and 379 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: before that pitching in independent leagues, and then before that 380 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: he was really off the grade. He just nowhere to 381 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: be found. It's such an unusual career arc that if 382 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: somebody hasn't already figured out how to repeat their delivery 383 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: at age thirty two, you usually don't see it get 384 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:48,959 Speaker 1: much better at age thirty three. And to his credit, 385 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: he has improved. He's improved a lot. The bottom line 386 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: numbers look almost exactly the same, the era is almost 387 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 1: exactly the same. Even the strikeout rate compared to last year, 388 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 1: I think that is a tiny bit lower. But he 389 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: has cut down the walks from a fifteen percent walk 390 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: rate to a five percent rock rate. That's a huge 391 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: difference from going to Tanner Scott level to being much 392 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: better than league average at limiting free passes. He's getting 393 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: ahead incounts only I need to correct myself on that. 394 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: He's getting a head incounts very rarely. Only a fifty 395 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: five percent first pitch strike rate, which is the same 396 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,679 Speaker 1: as last year. But he's doing enough after that to 397 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 1: kind of make up ground, and generally he's throwing pitches 398 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: in the zone more. That's kind of what I wanted 399 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 1: to get to. I think according to the stack Cast 400 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:39,439 Speaker 1: measurement of it, he only had a zone percentage about 401 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: forty percent in twenty twenty two, and that's going up 402 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: to forty six percent in twenty twenty three. He's challenging 403 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: guys in the zone with this absolutely gorgeous repertoire of pitches. 404 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: He's got a plus change up, he's got a plus cutter, 405 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: and maybe his third best pitch is his fastball, which 406 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 1: sits in the mid nineties. He's got a great, good 407 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: fastball on top of that. Just the pure pitch mix, 408 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,360 Speaker 1: including all those elements, I think he has the nastiest 409 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: stuff in this Marlins bullpen, and he's using it more confident, 410 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: me confidently, more assertively this year. I think his ability 411 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: to go multiple endings to inherit runners, to sometimes inherit runners, 412 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: and then go an additional ending on top of that. 413 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: So far this year, he has had nine appearances and 414 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: five of them have been more than one full ending. 415 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 1: For Huascarett Brazavon, he's unlike anybody else in this bullpen. 416 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: Is Yeah, he'd be very difficult to replace all of 417 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: a sudden with him. I'm very pleasantly surprised by Brazabon 418 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: so far this year, and I think Skip is again 419 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: pushing the right buttons with him understanding that he's able 420 00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: to adapt all these situations. He has pitched as early 421 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: as the third ending, in as late as the eighth inning, 422 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 1: even into the ninth one time against the Giants. That's 423 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: right in the Giants game, when some of the other 424 00:23:07,320 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: guys that were about to talk about were down. He 425 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: pitched the most important endings to force extra endings. But Brazabon, 426 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: he's been extremely impressive to this point in the season. 427 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 1: I think he's on the top of this tier. I 428 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: think that's the highest compliment I can pay him. You 429 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: don't want to go overboard with it unless he does 430 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 1: really maintain this aggressiveness in the zone as the season 431 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 1: goes on, then you might reconsider exactly how much trust 432 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: you could put in Brasabon. It's extremely encouraging for somebody 433 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: that had visa issues early in the spring, so he 434 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: missed the chunk of spring training. There was a question 435 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: as to whether he'd even be physically ready for opening 436 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: day just because of that very frustrating situation trying to 437 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: get here from the Dominican Republic. A lot of credit 438 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: to him he has, Yeah, he is really You could 439 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 1: tell how much focus he's put into this. For somebody 440 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: that was toiling in the low minors and the independent 441 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: leagues for so many years, this is his opportunity to 442 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: establish himself when most guys already on the decline. I 443 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 1: don't know what his stuff looked like five years ago, 444 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: ten years ago. Can you imagine if it was somehow 445 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: even nastier than it is now. But the Marlins are 446 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 1: very grateful for Wassford Brosabon. He's number three on my 447 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: list of Marlin's rankings. So I'm gonna take a breath, 448 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: and then on the other side of this, we're gonna 449 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: go to the top two. You know who they are, 450 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:32,600 Speaker 1: but do you know what order? I have them in? 451 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 1: Eli Susman here on the official show stick with me. 452 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,159 Speaker 1: We've covered Brasabon. Who's pitched the most endings out of 453 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: all these guys in the most situations. Andrew Nardy a 454 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: huge step forward from last year, and some of it 455 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: just kind of what you would expect from him after 456 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,359 Speaker 1: a larger sample size, because his rookieyear was kind of misleading. 457 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: Steven Okert one successful appearance in the book, we look 458 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: to see exactly how close he could be to his 459 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,000 Speaker 1: former elf after missing the first few weeks with an 460 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: abductor injury. Then Tanner Scott was number six on my list, 461 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: still walking guys. Very small sample is kind of giving 462 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: you a taste of everything of the Tanner Scott experience. 463 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: There's just some inconsistency there. Number seven I had Matt 464 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: Barnes former was he? I think he was an All 465 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 1: Star with the Red Sox at one point to this 466 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 1: point though, unfortunately the fastball has declined enough that I 467 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: think you worry about him pitching in high leverage situations, 468 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 1: but he's perfectly fine as a middle reliever. And then 469 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: on the bottom of the pole you have what I 470 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 1: call the fresh arm, George Soriano, Devin Smeltzer. There will 471 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:39,400 Speaker 1: be other names that cycle in and out of there. 472 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: Of course, we have not too far from here. We 473 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,399 Speaker 1: have J. T. Chaugua is lurking. I'm excluding him just 474 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: because he's still several weeks away from coming back. That'll 475 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: be fascinating to see this bullpen at full strength if 476 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: they're able to get all these guys healthy at the 477 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,479 Speaker 1: same time. So those are the pitchers that we've covered 478 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: to this point. We get to our top two, the 479 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: two that have been arguably the top two relievers in 480 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: all baseball to this point of the season. They've both 481 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: been fantastic. My number two is aj Puck, the Marlins closer. 482 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,719 Speaker 1: He allowed a home run to Pete Alonzo in his debut, 483 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: and after that he has locked it in and been immaculate. 484 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 1: He's been exactly what the Marlins hope for when they 485 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: traded for him. He's been even better than his twenty 486 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: twenty two self with the Oakland A's I wrote a 487 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: big article about his sweeper about his slider that he 488 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: modified over the offseason to get much more horizontal break 489 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: on it, even less drop on it, which causes some 490 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: really awkward swings and a lot of soft contact. But 491 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: that Alonzo home run being an exception. In general, he's 492 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: getting a lot of soft contact. In fact, I think 493 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:50,360 Speaker 1: the only hit off of that sweeper to this point 494 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 1: the season was an infield single against aj Puck. So 495 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: you saw the numbers for Puck to this point, they're 496 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 1: pretty fantastic. He has a team is not shown here 497 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: is he leads a team in saves. He's all but 498 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: one of their saves at this point in the season. 499 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: Walk rate is better than a league average strikeout rate 500 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: right around league average for him the field or independent pinching. 501 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: It shows that because that strikeout rate actually not being 502 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,440 Speaker 1: quite as good as it was last year, it leads 503 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 1: you to question exactly how quote dominant he's going to be. 504 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: Where the fastball is good and the sweeper is good, 505 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: but are either those true plus pitches right now in 506 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: order to get more strikeouts keep more balls out of play. 507 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 1: With the Marlins team that's at this point of the season, 508 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: I think he'd have to say that the defense has 509 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: been better than we feared. It really has, with all 510 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: these guys playing unfamiliar positions or atypical positions. As a whole, 511 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: it hasn't been it hasn't been terrible. But moving forward, 512 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 1: I think there is understandable concern about how exactly they're 513 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: going to prevent runs if this is a unit that 514 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: is allowing so many balls in play. Yeah, to this point, 515 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: they are allowing more balls in play than I'm comfortable 516 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 1: with in the gangway with it, but that includes Puck 517 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 1: as well, where it's been extremely successful to this point. 518 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,679 Speaker 1: I just don't know how sustainable it is unless that 519 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: strikeout rate goes back up and keeps more balls out 520 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 1: of play. He was toying around with some other tertiary 521 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: pitches in his mix this season and during the off season. Predominantly, though, 522 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,199 Speaker 1: it's just fastball sweeper with AJ Puck. You can check 523 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: out my article on Fist Stripes for more about the sweeper. 524 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 1: Because he's the only active Marlins pitcher right now who's 525 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 1: throwing it, and it is a really good foundation for him. 526 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 1: We do see little windows of times where he loses 527 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: his control, including during that most recent save against the Guardians. 528 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: He made that one a little bit dicey. I think 529 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: he had a walk and then he had a hit 530 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: batter with him that he was able to dance around 531 00:28:57,840 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: it just because the next guy tried to lead down 532 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: a bump. And so Puck, you're given credit for fielding 533 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,719 Speaker 1: his position. That is a tiny aspect of relief pitching 534 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: that matters is being able to field your position control 535 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: the running game. There is an end of the spectrum 536 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: with some relievers that are so out of their elements 537 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: when it comes to fielding their position that it really 538 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,720 Speaker 1: does come back to bite them. They're so they're automatic 539 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: to steal against because they're slow to the plate and 540 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 1: if they can't handle balls hid to them just because 541 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: they don't get very many reps in pfps like this 542 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: stuff does add up, and as a group, the Marlins 543 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: have a pretty athletic group in terms of fielding their position. 544 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: And so it's good to see Puck is part of this. 545 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: But I do have him as my number two just because, yeah, 546 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: not until we see it. The track record is relatively 547 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: short at the big league level, even though he has 548 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:55,240 Speaker 1: the look of a menacing closer. He has great extension 549 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 1: where his mid nineties fastball plays even higher. He has 550 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: that release point that works really well with this sweeper 551 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 1: that I think for the first able future hitters are 552 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: still going to be behind on that trend and figuring 553 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: out how to hit it. All that being said, I 554 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: think we're leaning a little too much into the early 555 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: success and into the concept of AJ Puck. The concept 556 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: of AJ Puck, I feel is still a little bit 557 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: better than the reality of him to this point. I 558 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 1: would expect if everything continues going the same like, if 559 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: he continues to proat things the same way, I would 560 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,959 Speaker 1: expect a little bit of regression from Puck as the 561 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: season goes on. That leaves by process of elimination my 562 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: number one Marlins reliever. He's been a big point of 563 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: my I want to say an obsession, but I've been 564 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: fascinated by Dylan Floro ever since Marlins acquired him. This 565 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 1: is now his third season with the team, and he 566 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: just threw a hidden no hitter, a stretch of nine 567 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 1: consecutive endings where he allowed zero hits. He is not 568 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: a likely subject for that because Flora will challenge you. 569 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:09,280 Speaker 1: Floro throughout his entire career, he has been a strike thrower. 570 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: He prides himself he succeeds by limiting homers and by 571 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:16,880 Speaker 1: limiting walks, by getting just a lot of ground balls. 572 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 1: That's a very high floor player, not really seen as 573 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 1: a high ceiling player yet to this point in the season, 574 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 1: he is the one guy who has yet to allow 575 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: a run. He allowed a bloop double to Daniel Vogelbach 576 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,479 Speaker 1: and he allows a line drive singles Jose Ramirez. He 577 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: was able to get out of the latter situation with 578 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 1: a double play. He induced two double plays in his 579 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: most recent appearance with him. He is such a trustee 580 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,320 Speaker 1: player we saw last year. Really the only time in 581 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:50,200 Speaker 1: his Marlins tenure where there was struggles with Dylan Flora 582 00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: was sustained slump is when he was coming back from 583 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: a rotator cuff issue. He never looked right on that 584 00:31:54,960 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: rehab assignment, and the Marlins took a while to for 585 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: him to be himself again, like for whatever reason, his 586 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: fastball did not totally come back and everything fell apart 587 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: outside of that for a good chunk of the middle 588 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty two season. There was a turning 589 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: point I remember, I think in late June of that 590 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: year where he was fully healthy again and since that 591 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: period Dylan Floro is simply an elite reliever. He has 592 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: been an elite reliever for that period of time. I 593 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 1: talked about the staff this bullpen and their low strikeout rate, 594 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: and Floro improbably has the highest strikeout rate of this 595 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: entire group. It's over thirty percent. And he gets by 596 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: not with overpowering stuff, but with just impeccable commands, especially 597 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: of that sinker. At this point in his career, you know, 598 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 1: he's not throwing exceptionally hard. He's one of the softer 599 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: throwers in this entire bullpen, but he gets in good 600 00:32:55,400 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: counts because that great late break that he gets on 601 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: his sinker, and then everything he does off of that. 602 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: He's one of the few relievers who has a true 603 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,680 Speaker 1: four pitch mix that in addition to the sinker, he's 604 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: got the four seamer, the slider, and the changeup, and 605 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: he's able to throw all those pitches to both lefties 606 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 1: and righties. So he has an unpredictable element to him 607 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: that is kind of rare for a reliever. That's important 608 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 1: for a starter, but Floro is, yeah, in many ways, 609 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: like a starter, being cast creatively as a reliever, and 610 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 1: he has been for a while. He's pitching as well 611 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: as ever at this point in his career, So even 612 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 1: though he's not closing games for the Marlins, I think 613 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: Dylan Floro is the best option that they have. He 614 00:33:39,640 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: has that really substantial track record at this point. Finally, 615 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: he's going to reach free agency after this upcoming season. 616 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: I think he's going to get paid well because he's 617 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: got an ERA of like two seven since coming over 618 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: to the Marlins, when when he's been healthy, he's been 619 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 1: even better than that would suggest. The ground ball rate 620 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: is great, the home run prevention is pretty sustainable to me, 621 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 1: as long as he's still getting that late movement on 622 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: his sinker. He's so difficult to square up. I don't 623 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 1: think he has been barreled at any point so far 624 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: this season, and to me, that is kind of simply put. 625 00:34:15,040 --> 00:34:17,760 Speaker 1: The most important part of being a reliever is containing 626 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,879 Speaker 1: those extra base hits by avoiding barrels. Ideally, you want 627 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: to be missing bats, and Flora is never gonna miss bats. 628 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 1: But he also gets himself into these great counts. He 629 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: gets a surprising amount of strikeouts looking just because of 630 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:34,360 Speaker 1: his able to paint the corners on both sides, his 631 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: willingness to challenge, especially lefties on that inside corner and 632 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: have that sinker run back and just catch the corner 633 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,880 Speaker 1: just in time. He has a lot of ways to 634 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:48,759 Speaker 1: get you out, even though it's not it doesn't fit 635 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: you know, the profile that you think of a shutdown reliever. 636 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:54,839 Speaker 1: And to be clear, I wouldn't say that he is 637 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 1: necessarily an all star caliber reliever. I don't think you 638 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 1: I don't know if you about him being your number 639 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: one guy. With this Marlins bullpen as a whole, I 640 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: do think that they're missing that really relief ace. I 641 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:14,400 Speaker 1: think ideally you want somebody better at the top of 642 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 1: this hierarchy than Dylan Floro. As much as I do 643 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,479 Speaker 1: appreciate what he does, and I hope you could see 644 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 1: that come through in a way to describe him, it's 645 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 1: not perfect. It's not perfect. The very best bullpens in 646 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: baseball have somebody that's a little bit more dominant than 647 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: Dylan Floro is. In this group as a whole, I 648 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,399 Speaker 1: don't think they're going to continue to be the number one, 649 00:35:36,719 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 1: whether it's in win probability added or just the group 650 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: that continues to win every single one run game. This 651 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 1: group isn't quite on that same level. Ultimately, getting strikeouts 652 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 1: is a very important part of this puzzle, and the 653 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 1: Marlins bullpen are right near the bottom of the majors 654 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 1: in terms of getting those strikeouts, so it puts a 655 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:01,879 Speaker 1: lot of pressure on this defense to this point, has 656 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 1: held up to this point, has exceeded my expectations. That 657 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:08,560 Speaker 1: being said, you know, you just look at the actual 658 00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 1: skill set in the experience levels of these infielders, especially 659 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: and including even Jazz in center field, where there's been 660 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 1: a lot of good recently, but there's you know, there's 661 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:23,440 Speaker 1: still some moments where his inexperience shows up as well. 662 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:26,799 Speaker 1: And I don't think it's a great match to have 663 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 1: a very contact driven relief corps with this Marlins defense. 664 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: So as this moves forward, I talk. I gave those 665 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 1: stats at the top of the pot. Let me see 666 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: if I can find them again where the Marlins were 667 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 1: number one in the majors and win probability added. As 668 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,200 Speaker 1: I said, they have been perfect in one run games, 669 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 1: largely because of this bullpen. Several of these guys have 670 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:50,360 Speaker 1: been lights out inheriting runners from their starters. That's been huge, 671 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: But the field or independent numbers are poor. They're just 672 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,240 Speaker 1: straight up poor relative to the rest of the league 673 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 1: because the lack of strikeouts, the occasional home runs, and 674 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: there are a couple suspects that we already covered there 675 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,799 Speaker 1: that have some control issues and add extra walks and 676 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 1: hit by pitches on there. As a group, I still 677 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 1: think that if this Marlins team is in it as 678 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: the season goes on deep into the season, after the 679 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 1: All Star break, as the trade deadline is approaching, this 680 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:24,760 Speaker 1: is a team that could really benefit from having getting 681 00:37:24,719 --> 00:37:30,000 Speaker 1: another outside relief acquisition. So maybe that they get a 682 00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: lot of help from Chagua getting healthy. And Chagua was 683 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 1: pretty much perfect until he got hurt in the first place, 684 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 1: so that'll be a fascinating piece of the puzzle to 685 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:43,719 Speaker 1: see Schagual come back, probably in the second half of May, 686 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,000 Speaker 1: and what he looks like. So that will certainly elevate 687 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:51,280 Speaker 1: this team as well, assuming the other guys stay healthy. 688 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:54,239 Speaker 1: But he can't really assume other guys staying healthy, And 689 00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:56,240 Speaker 1: that's why I chose this particular moment with the exact 690 00:37:56,239 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 1: group they have right now to go through this rankings. 691 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,279 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll do a reranking once they get Shagua back 692 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 1: and once we get a larger sample of all these 693 00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:07,759 Speaker 1: relievers and how they're pitching before. But you do have 694 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 1: to give credit at the end to the front office 695 00:38:10,440 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: and to Kim Ang for making these acquisitions. I really 696 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: liked Puck when they got him, and Chagua, who else 697 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,960 Speaker 1: is new and Matt Barnes. As I covered here, Just 698 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,480 Speaker 1: as important has been those other incumbent pitchers pitching as 699 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 1: well or better than they did this past year, with 700 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:28,960 Speaker 1: Floro getting even better and preparing it for this year 701 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,120 Speaker 1: in a way where he was fully healthy coming into 702 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,279 Speaker 1: the year, which a total difference from last season. To 703 00:38:34,360 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: have Nardi take his step forward and pitching kind of 704 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 1: to the level that he's capable of pitching if you're 705 00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 1: not doing so last year. Whether it's the continuity of 706 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:47,360 Speaker 1: having mel stottlem raland Junior back as the pitching coach 707 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 1: that has helped these guys in some way, I don't know. 708 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: For whatever reason, you know they're all off to this 709 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:56,400 Speaker 1: really good start. The Marlins had banked wins that count 710 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 1: just as much as any other wins. Even if this 711 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,879 Speaker 1: to me doesn't look like a twelve and ten team 712 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: moving forward, it doesn't look like a team that let 713 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:07,080 Speaker 1: me calculate that win percentage real quick. To this point, 714 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:10,920 Speaker 1: they have a forty five winning percentage that would kind 715 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: of flirt with them in wild card contention. I don't 716 00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:18,879 Speaker 1: think they're quite that good as currently comprised, but those 717 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: wins count just the same for them to get it 718 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,279 Speaker 1: to this point, mainly because the bullpen has been a 719 00:39:24,320 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: lot of fun. You know, it's good to win games. 720 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:28,360 Speaker 1: I think it's especially throwing when they're all these close 721 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,720 Speaker 1: games that they're doing it, so a lot of credit 722 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 1: to go around with this. I just hope that they're 723 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:36,440 Speaker 1: not complacent as the season goes on, because they could 724 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 1: use another reliever too. That Missus bats consistently against both 725 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: lefties and righties that could have some internal reinforcements coming 726 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:48,919 Speaker 1: back from entry. Maybe one of these young pitchers will 727 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,319 Speaker 1: really pop in a relief role on their current pitching prospects, 728 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:55,520 Speaker 1: such as a Jake Eater or maybe even a Uri Parez. 729 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: As this season goes on, to be used in those 730 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 1: particular roles, it'll be fascinating. In Every element of this 731 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 1: team needs to be scrutinized closely because they need a 732 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,000 Speaker 1: lot to go right if they are going to be 733 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,919 Speaker 1: a playoff contender In twenty twenty three, but the path 734 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:13,360 Speaker 1: is there and they are off to an encouraging start 735 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:15,399 Speaker 1: through the first what is it three and a half 736 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,480 Speaker 1: weeks of the season. Be sure to subscribe to fish 737 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:20,759 Speaker 1: on First wherever you get your podcast. That is our 738 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 1: fish strips pod channel fish on First. It's part of 739 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:28,480 Speaker 1: the Fans First Sports network. Regardless of whether you get 740 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:30,399 Speaker 1: your pods, you'll find it there. You can get even 741 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,880 Speaker 1: more updates on our special pod Twitter account fish on 742 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 1: First on Twitter. You can follow over there for additional updates. 743 00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,880 Speaker 1: So usually I'll be dropping the official show on Mondays 744 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: and Thursdays throughout the rest of this marrow and season. 745 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:46,880 Speaker 1: Hope you enjoy, appreciate your feedback, and be on the 746 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:49,799 Speaker 1: lookout for a bunch of special guest appearances. Usually the 747 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 1: solo pod for me will be once a week, but 748 00:40:52,520 --> 00:40:54,839 Speaker 1: the other pod typically will have a guest either from 749 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:58,279 Speaker 1: my staff or elsewhere in the baseball universe that I 750 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 1: hope you enjoy their perspective as well. I'd be Eli Susman, 751 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 1: Go Fish