1 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning in to a brand new episode 2 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: of Earning Their Stripes on the Fifth Stripes Podcast. With 3 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: the twenty nineteen Minor League baseball season now complete, we 4 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: are absorbing everything we've learned about Marlin's prospects this season 5 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: and getting ready to dive right back into it with 6 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: the start of Arizona Fall League. Co hosting along with 7 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: Ethan Badski, I am Eli Susman, and we're joined by 8 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: a very very special guest. Eric Os is the voice 9 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: of the Marlins Class A affiliate Clinton lumber Kings, providing 10 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: radio play by play for the team in the past 11 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: three seasons. Formerly Mariner's affiliate and now is a Marlins affiliate. 12 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: If you are a Fish Stripe subscriber, you are familiar 13 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: with the many one on one interviews that he's conducted 14 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: throughout the year, really making us feel like we know 15 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: these talented players better than before. So after listening to 16 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,199 Speaker 1: Eric talk all summer long, it's an honor to finally 17 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: chat with him directly here on the pod. Congrats on 18 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: surviving in extra along season, Eric, and thank you for 19 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: coming on the podcast. 20 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: Well, thank you for having me on. It's been a 21 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: lot of fun, even with the extra work. It was 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: my first playoff run, so it was a labor of love. 23 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 2: But thank you for having me on, of. 24 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: Course, and we wanted to start with the very basics 25 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 1: because a lot of our audience is probably in South Florida. 26 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: We even have some that are internationally and they know 27 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,919 Speaker 1: that the team plays in Clinton, and they don't necessarily 28 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: know what that means where in America. Clinton is exactly 29 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: what the history of that team is and how the 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: city arounds the lumber Kings interacts with the team. So 31 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: could you just fill listen because you've been there now 32 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: a few years, and for people that haven't been there before, 33 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: just paint a picture of what it's like living there, 34 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: the climate that people are battling with, and just the 35 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: whole experience of playing minor league ball in Clinton, Iowa. 36 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. So this is my to finish third season with 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,399 Speaker 2: the Clinton lumber Kings, and I guess the best way 38 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 2: to describe it is it's, you know, like Iowa the Midwest, 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: very cold during the winter and into the beginning of 40 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: the season, and then it starts to heat up in 41 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: you know, July and August. Get a lot of bugs 42 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: that come out too, which I know was an issue 43 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: for our players, especially in May, because in the beginning 44 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 2: it's nats and then it you know, upgrades to shad flies, 45 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,160 Speaker 2: which are these larger flies that will hatch and then 46 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: are so large it they'll show up on radar weather patterns. 47 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 2: So one of the elements to contend with. I suppose 48 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 2: in the Midwest, but it's along the Mississippi River, so 49 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 2: it's eastern Iowa. It's about a half an hour maybe 50 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: forty five minute drive depending on how heavy that lead 51 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 2: foot of yours is from Quad Cities area, which is 52 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: also in our league, the River Bandits. They're the Houston 53 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 2: Astros and affiliate, and it's you know, as San Diego native, 54 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 2: the winner is what I mainly focused on, and I 55 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: think a lot of the guys who come from the 56 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 2: warmer climates when they first come out here to Clinton 57 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 2: is also something that they focus on because you know, 58 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 2: they haven't seen snow a lot of the times, and 59 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: we'll have snow outs through the first couple of months 60 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: this season, and that definitely takes them getting used to, 61 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: especially if you're coming from a tropical environment like the 62 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 2: Dominican Republic. The town itself, Clinton is a smaller town. 63 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: It used to be a manufacturing hub for lumber, which 64 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: is why we're the lumber Kings. They used to make 65 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: furniture here. In fact, at one point, I'm told in 66 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 2: the nineteen hundreds it had the most millionaires per capita 67 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: in its county, and after that had kind of gone 68 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: away it's heyday. Being in the fifties, the population has 69 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 2: kind of been shrinking, and so it's kind of a 70 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 2: Midwest town that you know, has had its struggles over 71 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: recent years. But through all of that it's had a 72 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 2: minor league baseball team. The clint lumber Kings are the 73 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 2: only remaining charter member from the Midwest League going back 74 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: to nineteen fifty four. Before that, they even had professional 75 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: baseball here in the nineteen hundreds, with terrible team names 76 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 2: like the Orphans and the Incens and the Children, which 77 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 2: I'm glad to say those days are done. And so 78 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: when the Midwest League came into being in fifty four, 79 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 2: originally as the Mississippi Ohio Valley League and then changing 80 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: its name to its current name in fifty six, it 81 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: brought that stability. And you know, of all the teams 82 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 2: that have come through, Clinton is the only remaining member left. 83 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 2: And it's community owned, which is why it stayed in 84 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 2: that area for so long, because there's no you know, 85 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: CEO that wants to move to a larger market and 86 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 2: make bigger profits. It's owned by the city and its shareholders, 87 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: and so you know, if you live in Clinton and 88 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: you're part of the community, you're not going to move 89 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 2: it for more money. So here we are. You know, 90 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: I guess sixty four seasons into this now that's unbelievable. 91 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 3: So as a community, as a community owned team, I'm 92 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 3: sure there's a strong fan base around the team. And 93 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 3: I think it's always interesting when you know, affiliates get 94 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 3: switched around in everything. And obviously the Morlands had to 95 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 3: switch with going from the Greensborough Grasshoppers the Clinton lumber Kings. 96 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 3: So I'm just interested how does the fan base react 97 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 3: to brand new players, a brand new team, a brand 98 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 3: new system coming through the town, and do fans kind 99 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 3: of shift, like you know, where there are a lot 100 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: of say, Seattle Mariners fans and then all of a 101 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 3: sudden they turn to being Marlins fans or are they 102 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 3: always just kind of fans of the lumber Kings and 103 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 3: they stay true to the town and everything. It's kind 104 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 3: of always interesting to me when affiliates switched like that. 105 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I mean, I've been in a couple of other 106 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 2: minor league outposts throughout my career, and I can honestly 107 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 2: tell you that winning matters the most of all the 108 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: places I've been is in Clinton. And you can see 109 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 2: that on the road when we were in the playoffs. 110 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: You know, we're in kan County, a suburb of Chicago, 111 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: you know, a city of millions of people, and they 112 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: drew I think like just over six hundred people, and 113 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 2: we had two hundred more fans in that and I 114 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 2: could tell you half the crowd was probably lumber Kings 115 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 2: fans that had come out that way because it was 116 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 2: only a two and a half hour drive from Clinton. 117 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: And that's sort of the fan base that you get 118 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 2: here in Clinton. And so while I imagine and further 119 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: down the road, these people will start, you know, their 120 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 2: affiliations as far as fans will start to lean more 121 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: Marlins than it did Mariners in the past. A lot 122 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 2: of these fans are mainly focused on, you know, former 123 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: lumber Kings that they've had in attachment with that have 124 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: gone off to the Major League. So you know, a 125 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 2: lot of fans are still Tyler O'Neill fans, and they 126 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: may have been, you know, hoping for him to become 127 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 2: a Mariner, we'll end up making the big leagues as 128 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: a Cardinal. They still go down to Saint Louis and 129 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: he still talks to the host family that's here in Clinton, 130 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: and they're very close. And that's type of the relationships 131 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: that we have in a smaller ballpark. Two, it's very intimate, 132 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: very close. So a lot of these players and coaches, 133 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 2: you know, over the course of a one hundred and 134 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 2: forty game schedule, plus the playoffs that we just got through, 135 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 2: it's easy to form those types of attachments. And like 136 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 2: I said, winning matters just more in Clinton than it 137 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 2: does in other places, which is kind of unfortunate that 138 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,280 Speaker 2: there's a playoff or a championship drought going back to 139 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety one that they haven't had a chance to celebrate. 140 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 2: But we could see that in our following In the 141 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: first half, we were a team that struggled, i would say, 142 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: for the for the most part, just to get above 143 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 2: the five hundred mark. And then in the second half 144 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: we were a playoff contending team from the beginning, and 145 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 2: the stadium was louder, the crowds were better, people would 146 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 2: ask you more questions, you know, just about you know, 147 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,360 Speaker 2: what certain wins and losses meant in the grand playoff picture, 148 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: and that type of involvement and type of just curiousness 149 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: like it doesn't exist in a whole lot of other 150 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: minor league places. That I hope some of the players, 151 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: which I'm sure they'll realize as they go on to 152 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 2: you know, other minor league teams on their way up 153 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: to the big leagues, they'll start to realize maybe a 154 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: little bit more that in some market, the promotions and 155 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: the just going to the game is the big draw, 156 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: and you know, the score and of itself is kind 157 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 2: of a secondary concern. Not the case in Clinton. It's 158 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: a ballpark built in nineteen thirty seven, so if you're 159 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: coming to a lumber Kings game, you're there for the baseball. Now, 160 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: we have a couple of modern identities like a ribbon 161 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 2: board and right field that's really just score and you know, 162 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: stats and things like that. There's not a whole lot 163 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 2: as far as video production going on there, and it's 164 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: a really it's a really interesting and que unique part 165 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 2: because it has that nineteen thirty seven speel and it's 166 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: only had a major renovation one time in that period. 167 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 2: So kind of the history of baseball and Clinton is 168 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: something that is one of the first things a fan 169 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 2: will tell you about, you know, as far as the 170 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 2: players and the things that they've seen come through here 171 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 2: over the years. 172 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: So I got a couple of I got a couple 173 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 3: of follow ups based off that. I just want to 174 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 3: ask one thing first right away. You mentioned the first 175 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: half struggles juxtaposed against the second half success. What do 176 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 3: you contribute that more to. Do you contribute it to 177 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 3: the weather heating up, because we saw a lot of 178 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 3: guys get much better, like Connor Scott was one example. 179 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 3: He got a lot better when the weather started heating up. 180 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 3: Or do you kind of contribute it to the influx 181 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 3: of talent that came in after the Morlands had a 182 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 3: really nice draft for themselves. 183 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's, you know, a mixture of the two. 184 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 2: I know Mike was telling us. That was our manager, 185 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 2: Mike Jacobs this year. You know, a lot of the 186 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 2: troubles early on in the season had to do with 187 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: these errors that you would you kind of shake your 188 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 2: head at you know, even at the single a level 189 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 2: of just like, oh, what's going on here? And you know, 190 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,719 Speaker 2: Mike explains to you that, you know, it's the Midwest 191 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: and it's April, and you know it's twenty degrees out 192 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: right now. It's pretty cold. And so you just see 193 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 2: guys in the beginning parts of the month, you know, 194 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 2: kind of spas out a little bit in the outfield 195 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 2: or in the infield, just start all of a sudden 196 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 2: start running in place furiously, and they're just trying to 197 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 2: get some kind of feeling in their body right there. 198 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: And so it can be tough to you know, stay 199 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 2: on your toes in the infield, and we definitely that 200 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 2: affected us. Our defense was bad. I mean, you can 201 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 2: almost make call it atrocious at times in the first 202 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: half because we were leading all professional baseball and errors 203 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: at one point in the first half, which is never 204 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 2: a category you envision yourself being in, or at least 205 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 2: wanting to be in. And you know, I think also 206 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 2: it speaks to the development of those prospects. So we 207 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: had Connor Sky, you know, day one, opening day, you 208 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 2: first round pick, so obviously a lot of attention and 209 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 2: a lot of expectations go into that, but at the 210 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:09,560 Speaker 2: end of the day, you have to consider, you know, 211 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 2: he's nineteen years old when he comes to you. You know, 212 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,839 Speaker 2: the Marlins. I think we talked to Dick Scott about 213 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 2: this on our pregame show. We're pretty honest. You know, hey, 214 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: we're pushing this kid. You don't see too many nineteen 215 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 2: year olds in the Midwest League. It's a pretty all 216 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 2: ordered fill. And I think, you know, Connor's talent kind 217 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 2: of speaks to him figuring things out a little bit. 218 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 2: I think the weather, He'll be the first to tell 219 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 2: you a Florida kid helped when it warmed up. As 220 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: I always would remind him, like, I promise, man, it's 221 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 2: not always this cold. He's like, yeah, I'll prove it. 222 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 2: So you just kind of started to see him figure 223 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: things out. And I think the hitting streak is probably 224 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: the first thing that if you watch this team from 225 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 2: from the very beginning, you started to realize, oh, you know, 226 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 2: Connor's becoming, you know, a tour of force. You know, 227 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 2: a sixteen game hitting streak at the beginning of July 228 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 2: that ended on the twenty sixth, and a lot of 229 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: that had to do with Doubles started to see Scott 230 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 2: use all fields, and that's what Mike was so excited 231 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 2: about in that instance that you could see a younger 232 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 2: left handed batter that was, you know, now going out 233 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 2: to left field and he was getting doubles down the 234 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 2: line where he was putting balls into the gap and 235 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: left center field. That ball, that part of his game 236 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 2: just wasn't there at the beginning of the season, and 237 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 2: so I think there was development. I mean that you 238 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: you know, it's kind of funny because you think about it, 239 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 2: you know, when you follow it every day, Mike, it's 240 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 2: major league baseball, the winning does this and that, but 241 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 2: in minor league baseball you're there to develop. And Connor 242 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 2: Scott and Thomas Jones and Christopher Torres are the big 243 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 2: names that I would consider as far as seeing them 244 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 2: from opening day to the end of the season and 245 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 2: just seeing like, wow, it's an impressive movement as far 246 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 2: as what we saw in the field between those those 247 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 2: types of talent, which is good to hear from Marlins 248 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 2: fans because those are some of the top thirty prospects. 249 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: Right and before we're getting into more specific players, you 250 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 1: did mention Mike Jacobs, the manager at Clinton. He was 251 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:58,839 Speaker 1: a promotion of sorts for him being in Batavia. The 252 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: previous year, he was a guest on one of our 253 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: favorite Marlins podcasts called Swings and Mishes, and he was 254 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: pretty blunt about the fact that he aspires to be 255 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: a major league manager someday and he is held in 256 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: a very high regard within the organization. Just to give 257 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,120 Speaker 1: an overview to people that may not have been following 258 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: the team, Clinton went seventy eight and sixty one during 259 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: the regular season. Your run differential plus one twelve was 260 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: legitimizing that record. This was a really dominant team and 261 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:29,079 Speaker 1: although they had especially during that second half as you mentioned, 262 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:31,199 Speaker 1: coming up in the end of the year, and they 263 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: did it with some of the top prospects in the 264 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: Marlins organization, but not necessarily those slam dunk future major 265 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: League All Stars that are ranked in the top one 266 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: hundred across Major League Baseball. It was a good group. 267 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 1: But you could say that Mike Jacobs maybe got the 268 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 1: most out of these players just from being around him 269 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 1: speaking to him a lot. I know you had him 270 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: on a podcast episode earlier. Is there any how would 271 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: you describe him as as a leader or as a tactician? 272 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: Is there anything in particular that sticks out to you, 273 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: because I know he is impressing other people within the 274 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: Marlins organization for what he does a leading these young players. 275 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, Mike, I mean there's there's you can't really you 276 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 2: can say. You can't say too much about the impression 277 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 2: that Mike made on a lot of people and also 278 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 2: fans too in this market. And he's very close to 279 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 2: his guys. This was probably made obvious when we did 280 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 2: have him on a ball. He was our first episode 281 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 2: and he was talking about, you know, the guys that 282 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,959 Speaker 2: he came from the Tavia and in particular highlighting guys 283 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: that you know, you got attached to because you're with 284 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: them during the regular season, And really I think what 285 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: it spoke to is just the faith that he had 286 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 2: in these players. Mike's a big believer in the team 287 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 2: that he has. He's a big believer in the in 288 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 2: the guys in his clubhouse. I thought what really highlighted 289 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 2: that for me as far as that belief, which is 290 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 2: kind of odd to say because it came so late 291 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: in the season and it was in the playoff run, 292 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 2: but you know, when you're in best of three game series, 293 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 2: it so interesting to be part of a roller coaster. 294 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 2: You win game one and you're like, wow, we're one 295 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 2: went away from going to the championship series. And then 296 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:07,719 Speaker 2: you lose Game two and it's like, oh my god, 297 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: we're one game away from the season ending. So you know, 298 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,079 Speaker 2: in forty eight hours it can kind of spread all 299 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 2: over it. And you know, Mike, I remember being interviewed 300 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 2: after a Game two loss in Cedar Rapids, which you 301 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 2: know puts you on the brink of your season ending. 302 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 2: There was no panic at all. It was just saying that, 303 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 2: you know, the big faith that he had, and the 304 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 2: pitchers that were carrying essentially an offense that may have 305 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: been lacks of daisical at times, or even the hot 306 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 2: bats like a Peyton Verdick that had you know, one 307 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: of you know, a monthly end of the year honor 308 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 2: in August. You know, that was the faith that Mike 309 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 2: had and these guys that you know, if we were 310 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 2: going to potentially lose in that series, then it was 311 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 2: going to be with a group of guys that he 312 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 2: had saying faith. And sure enough, the next day, the 313 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 2: lineup doesn't change. You know, everything was just sort of 314 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 2: business as usual. And I think in baseball that, especially 315 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 2: in the minor leagues, when you're, you know, teaching these 316 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 2: guys how to become hopefully major league players. It's so 317 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: important just to in them the idea of not getting 318 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 2: too high or getting too low. Because I've talked to 319 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 2: players before at the beginning of the season and they'll say, 320 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 2: and you'll ask them, Hey, what is it going to 321 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: be like to play one hundred and forty games, because 322 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 2: that's a lot of baseball and you've never played anything 323 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 2: like that even in your you know, advanced amateur career. 324 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: And most of them will tell you, like, I'm not 325 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 2: afraid of it. I've prepared myself, but at the end 326 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: of the year they'll tell you it was it was 327 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 2: a grind. And to have someone like Mike Jacobs, who 328 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 2: had major league experience, who had been with a lot 329 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 2: of these guys in Batavia, I think makes one of 330 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 2: the biggest challenges of a full season minor league affiliate 331 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 2: like the lumber Kings. Are you know possible that you 332 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 2: could get over that? And I think Mike that was, 333 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 2: you know, also just to his coaching staff of Mark 334 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 2: de Felice and Frank Moore as well, and getting those 335 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 2: guys I never heard a negative word from any of 336 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 2: our players that had come through about the coaching staff, 337 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 2: and usually a lot of credit was given to them 338 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 2: after runs is usset we had had. 339 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 3: I want to get to some guys, and you talked 340 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 3: about the development that these young guys had under Mike Jacobs, 341 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 3: and one guy I really want to talk about is 342 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 3: Chris Torres. How in the world did this guy put 343 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 3: together a respectable season after the start he had. I mean, 344 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 3: it felt like he was It felt like he was 345 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 3: hitting under the Mendoza line for almost the entire season, 346 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 3: striking out above thirty percent, and he was always getting 347 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 3: his walks. I mean, he walked at a nearly a 348 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 3: fifteen percent clip, and that's something he's done his entire career. 349 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 3: But he got the average up over two thirty. I mean, 350 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 3: he didn't slug a ton for a guy who's shown 351 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 3: some prowess to do that in his career. But I mean, 352 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 3: how did he put together even a respectable stat line? 353 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 2: He did? He that hot at the end of the 354 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 2: year he got he did get that hot, but it 355 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 2: was it was so impressive to watch because, like you said, 356 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 2: when you looked at his first chaff numbers, you would 357 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 2: have just ridden off, written it off and just been like, 358 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 2: oh my god, was a top thirty guy and he 359 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 2: had don't expect too much from Chris. But yeah, I 360 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 2: think that again, this speaks a little bit to Mike Jacobs. 361 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 2: So I'm looking at our game notes that we had here. 362 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: You know, Chris played for the lumber Kings, is pretty 363 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: much their everyday shortstop, but Mike Jacobs was always putting 364 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 2: him atop the lineup. So by the end of the season, 365 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 2: he had been the leadoff hitter for the lumber Kings 366 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 2: and sixty eight of their games. And you know, Chris 367 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 2: did miss a decent amount of time early in the 368 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 2: season with what was a leg injury, and then came 369 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 2: back and it was still struggling. And then I think, 370 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 2: you know, speaking to the hotness and just mathematically to 371 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 2: ask you how he turned it around, it's quite simply 372 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 2: at a nineteen game hitting streak from July and August first, 373 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 2: and you know he was double all over the plays. Yeah, 374 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 2: you know, you have a he hit in nineteenth straight 375 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: games and the average during that clip I think was 376 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: around three point fifty or a little bit higher than that. 377 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 2: That'll help turn around from the interstates that they call 378 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 2: it the one hundred average, And I think also too, 379 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 2: for Chris early in the season, I do feel the 380 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: defensive slump, if there is such a thing, had effected 381 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: him at the plate, because this was a guy who 382 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 2: really struggled in the early months with the errors. It 383 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: was a big reason why the lumber Kings were leading 384 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: the league in errors for the majority of the first 385 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 2: half in that cold weather, and he kind of see that, 386 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 2: you know, affect his confidence when he'd come to the plate, 387 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 2: and you know those errors had kind of come with him. 388 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:21,920 Speaker 2: But you know, the weather heated up, the defense had 389 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 2: got better, the bat got better, even the power started 390 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 2: to show up a little bit. As far as not 391 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 2: home runs, I don't think anyone would tell you that 392 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 2: Chris is gonna, you know, hit twenty home runs in 393 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,239 Speaker 2: a season, but he has surprising power that'll show up 394 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 2: every once in a while for a switch hitter. And also, 395 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 2: you know, his speed is probably the first thing that 396 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 2: people think about offensively, along with that patience, which kind 397 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 2: of play hand in hand because he led the team 398 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 2: in stolen bases. And that's another thing too, you know, 399 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,159 Speaker 2: the confidence that carried over. I felt like from his 400 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 2: defense picking up in the second half. Ultimately, he was 401 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 2: incredibly confident on the base path. He stole twenty five 402 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,199 Speaker 2: bases for us, and he was only caught six times, 403 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 2: and he had swagger to him in the second half, 404 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 2: where it was just, you know, he was walking a 405 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 2: little bit different, and I think it was the belief 406 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 2: that you know, yeah, you know, I had turned around 407 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 2: what was a miserable season. It was looking that way. 408 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 2: It was a big reason why they made the playoffs 409 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 2: in the second half. 410 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 3: And then one one other guy that I really wanted 411 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 3: to ask you about when you know, I heard we 412 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 3: were having you on, and it's a guy that kind 413 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,680 Speaker 3: of flies under the radar in terms of this suddenly 414 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 3: loaded Marlin draft class. I mean, there's a lot of 415 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 3: guys that kind of jump out the page. Burdick is 416 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 3: a guy. I'm sure we'll talk about him while we 417 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 3: have you. But one guy that kind of flew under 418 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 3: the radar that had a really really nice season is 419 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 3: Evan Edwards and he kind of feels a position to 420 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 3: need for the Marlins, as he played some first base 421 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 3: this year. So I want to ask you about him 422 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 3: and what you saw from him that shows that I mean, 423 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 3: I've said he can be a top thirty guy in 424 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 3: this Marland system. And his stat line was very impressive. 425 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 3: Two eighty five through sixty one four to forty one 426 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 3: slash and a one thirty four weight runs creative plus. 427 00:19:57,400 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 3: So what did you see from Evan in this second 428 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 3: half half of the year that showed that this is 429 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 3: a guy that Morns fans should be really excited about 430 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 3: and he can really contribute to this organization. 431 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, Evan was a huge upgrade for us. So before 432 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 2: that we had Sean Reynolds, who was had one hundred. 433 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: I think so much of Sean, like increably and the 434 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: skills he has, but I know he was going through 435 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: a tough time offensively he was. 436 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, and listen, Sean is a great guy too, and 437 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 2: I don't think he would tell you that he was 438 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 2: setting the world on fire out Here's a very honest guy. So, 439 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 2: but you know, he was struggling here and so that 440 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 2: was a hole for us at first base. You know, 441 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 2: one hundred and forty five strikeouts and just the first 442 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 2: half of play first base was an issue for us. 443 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:44,359 Speaker 2: And when we got Evan Edwards, two things immediately improved. Was, 444 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 2: you know, a lack of strikeouts, which tended to keep 445 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 2: rallies alive, which played off you know, the emerging bats 446 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 2: of you know, Connor was still with us and Christopher Torres. 447 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 2: But on top of that, what everyone will talk about 448 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 2: is just the defense of Evan Edwards, the guy I 449 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: think potentially could win Gold Gloves. He's really special. To 450 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 2: watch it first, which is not a position that I 451 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 2: think to untrained eyes is easy to notice when a 452 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: player is really decent, because you don't just throw off 453 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 2: your you don't get a show off your arm or 454 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 2: anything like that, but just quick reactions. Not too much 455 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 2: got past Evan at first. And also just you know, 456 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: a lot. A big part of fielding the position at 457 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 2: first is the footwork of knowing also where to go, 458 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: how far off the bag you can go when you 459 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 2: need to cover first, when you need help on a 460 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 2: pitcher or even a second baseman, and that just I 461 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 2: think shirt up our entire right side of the infield, 462 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 2: and so Evan Edwards defense, you can't really say enough. 463 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: And then on top of that you factor in the 464 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 2: impressive numbers that he had offensively, which is a left 465 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 2: handed bad as I guess you'd imagine for a first baseman. 466 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 2: He's a more mature player as well, so I imagine 467 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 2: his development clock is a little bit step forward since 468 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,679 Speaker 2: he went to college and came out of his senior 469 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 2: year and so yeah, the offense that you see with 470 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 2: Edwards too, I feel like the power will be coming 471 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,199 Speaker 2: as well, because he saw the flashes of it. I 472 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 2: think he had eight home runs in the regular season 473 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 2: with us and then hit a very big home run 474 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 2: for US in the postseason run in Game one in 475 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 2: fact of our Western Division Championship series, and was one 476 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 2: of our most successful hitters too in the midwestleg Championship series, 477 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,479 Speaker 2: and we didn't have a whole lot of those, So 478 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 2: that was that was impressive to see from Evan, and 479 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 2: it felt like right when he jumped in, because I'll 480 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 2: tell you the story when Evan first came in to 481 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:27,640 Speaker 2: the lumber Kings. We were on the road in Wisconsin 482 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 2: and I saw a new name in the lineup, which 483 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 2: to a broadcast here at the single a level means, oh, man, 484 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 2: I've got some work to do because I got a 485 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 2: roster move to send out, and I ask, you know, 486 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 2: our manager Mike, like, hey, so a new guy goes yeah, Evan, 487 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 2: He won't be through one VP. No on field work, 488 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 2: He's gonna get here, put his jersey on, He'll be 489 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 2: in the lineup. Well, he had a four RBIs in 490 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 2: that game and had gone through four with a couple 491 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,000 Speaker 2: of doubles, and so you know that's the plan every day. Well, no, 492 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 2: it's very impressive and he I think he had another 493 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 2: multi game the second day he was with us as well, 494 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,120 Speaker 2: and so it kind of speaks I guess, the natural 495 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: talent that Evan Edwards has. He was a huge part 496 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 2: of what we put together in the second half, and 497 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 2: I think speaks to the embarrassment of riches that we 498 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,479 Speaker 2: had that at the end of our season we were 499 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 2: batting Edwards seven or eighth. I mean that think speaks 500 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 2: to the amount of talent that was here in Clinton 501 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 2: at the end of the season. 502 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 1: As we're speaking, the twenty nineteen Minor league season is 503 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: officially ending with the TRIAA Championship game, but not even 504 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,880 Speaker 1: a full day later, there's more minor league baseball taking 505 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,719 Speaker 1: place all the way in Arizona in the Arizona Fall League, 506 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: and just like all the other major league teams, the 507 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,640 Speaker 1: Marlins are sending a handful of players and The reason 508 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: why this is so convenient, not just the timing of 509 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 1: the Fall League starting up, but that we have Eric 510 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: on is that you saw four different players that are 511 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 1: going to be representing the Marlins in the Arizona Fall 512 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: League this year, and it's one of the premier opportunities 513 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: for top prospects to play against one another. It's a 514 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: very big test for these guys, and as someone that 515 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: saw them in person, I wanted to get just very 516 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: quick scouting reports, if you will, on these particular guys 517 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: we haven't already mentioned. The first is one that you 518 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 1: got the smallest taste of just at the very end 519 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: of the year, shortstop Jose Devers, who's actually gonna be 520 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,719 Speaker 1: playing second base in the Fall League. I was watching 521 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: a lot of those playoff games and listening to you 522 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 1: calling it. He only played a handful of games and 523 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: struggled a little bit at the plate, but he's one 524 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 1: of the most highly ranked prospects that passed through Clinton 525 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: at any point this year. So I'm wondering first with 526 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: Devers and then we'll get to a few of the 527 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: other guys, just any observations you have from watching him 528 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: play in that really small sample. 529 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I'm not sure exactly what devers situation 530 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 2: was when he came here, because he only appeared in 531 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 2: three games during the regular season and actually did very well, 532 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 2: and you know, obviously limited temple size, only three games, 533 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,360 Speaker 2: but you know, a five hundred average with a couple 534 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 2: of doubles and a couple of RBIs and that span 535 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 2: isn't too bad for a nineteen year old, And he 536 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 2: was just a perfect fit for this roster because we 537 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 2: I would think everyone who followed this team, even casually 538 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 2: would have noticed that we were missing a second basement 539 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,160 Speaker 2: the you know, the better part of the second half, 540 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 2: but really after Demetrius Simms promotion. But Devers in that time, 541 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:12,800 Speaker 2: left handed batter, incredibly speedy in the postseason, you know, 542 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 2: only nineteen years of age, it did seem like at 543 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 2: times he was a bit outmatched, in particular against Riley Thompson, 544 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 2: who's a top prospect in the Cubs organization. In particular 545 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 2: in Game three, where he had faced him twice and 546 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 2: struck out both times. I think he only saw like 547 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,400 Speaker 2: seven pitches or something from the guy in those two 548 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 2: at bats. But I mean, Devers plays a really good 549 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 2: second base. I know he's coming up at the shortstop, 550 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: and I think because of the Hurricanes actually out in 551 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,879 Speaker 2: Florida is why he was able to come through US 552 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 2: as late as he did and still be on the 553 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 2: postseason roster. But in that brief time you can you 554 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 2: can see that he goes the opposite way, which is, 555 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 2: I know, tough to do for kids that are that young. 556 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 2: He's got the jeans because his cousin is Rafael Devers 557 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 2: with the Boston Red Sox, so it's a very limited 558 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 2: sample size for me, but he could see that he 559 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 2: was doing stuff that you don't expect too many nineteen 560 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 2: year olds to be doing. I just wish I could 561 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 2: have seen it in a larger body and have you know, 562 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 2: maybe seen a couple more of bats and you know 563 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 2: his work in the field, because I'm not sure if 564 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 2: that exactly that's where they plan on sending him this second, 565 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 2: because I know the Marlins have so many middle infielders, 566 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 2: in particular at short seems like they'll have to be 567 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 2: moving some furniture around to make guys fit. 568 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, someone you saw in a larger body, both 569 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: figuratively and then literally is gerar In, who started the 570 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: year playing every single day and Clinton really lit it 571 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 1: up as their top run producer for much of the 572 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 1: first half. Had a well deserved promotion. He's another one 573 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: that's heading to the Fall League, and honestly, as someone 574 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: that oversees the entire Marlins farm system, he might be 575 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 1: the one hitter that made the biggest leap based on 576 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: the preseason perception of him based and where he is now. 577 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: So yeah, any direction you want to go with that 578 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: about what makes Yeah, you know. 579 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 2: I am incredibly high on Jurar and Cornacion. In fact, 580 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 2: every year the broadcasters in the leaguer asked by fangraft 581 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 2: to fill in the top ten, and I think he 582 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 2: was the only one that I put in all caps. 583 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 2: He needs to be in a top thirty prospect list. 584 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 2: I'm so sick of being the guy explaining, you know 585 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 2: who Gerar and Carnacione is. I just wish that a 586 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: lot of my work would be done beforehand, because that's 587 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 2: the type of guy. He is. Lots and lots of power. 588 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 2: He's a big frame cannon for an arm and right field. 589 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 2: The only the onness one game for the lumber Kings, 590 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 2: and that was in Bowling Green. I remember he scored 591 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 2: a run and he had tweaked his I think it 592 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 2: was his left ankle on the slide to the plate, 593 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 2: and then tried to play the next day, did and 594 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 2: then came out in like the seventh or eighth inning, 595 00:27:39,280 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 2: and they sat him out for a game as precaution 596 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 2: and also as a lesson, like, hey, tell us next 597 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 2: time you know something hurting you, so we can put 598 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 2: the kebasha on this stuff quickly. It was the only 599 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 2: game he missed with us, so he was he was, 600 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 2: you know, every day with us in the middle of 601 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 2: the lineup. The most fun thing I liked watching about 602 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 2: Gerard was just his arm. His story is incredibly fun. 603 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 2: You know, this guy was discuss on the streets and 604 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 2: the Dominican Republic by scouts. He just happened to be 605 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 2: walking by and saw him playing essentially a street ball 606 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 2: game in his native Dominican. Incredibly confident guy too. When 607 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: we had him on the podcast through Nester Bautista, who 608 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 2: was our translator, you know he was. I asked him 609 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 2: what his goal was for the season, and he goes 610 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 2: to play in the major leagues. I'm like, that's great. 611 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 2: He goes no this year playing major weeks. Okay, well 612 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 2: good luck. But I you know, I admire the confidence, 613 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 2: but that I think that also speaks to the type 614 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: of season that he was having, and you know, obviously 615 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 2: the promotion that he had gotten because he was easily 616 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 2: put our biggest bat and to see him now in 617 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 2: the top thirty last dight scene from MLB dot com. 618 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 2: They ranked to our seventeenth, which is pretty good considering 619 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 2: he wasn't even on the list at the beginning of 620 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 2: the season, And I think just goes to show you 621 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 2: the type of season he had. Talking with Dick Scott, 622 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 2: the director of player development with the Marlins when he 623 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 2: had come through, he was saying that this was a 624 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 2: guy that, you know, we the Marlins had thought very 625 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 2: highly of, and I think now the rest of baseball 626 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 2: is now beginning to see why he has such a 627 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 2: high reputation in the organization. So I'm really interested to 628 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 2: be following Jerrars as his career unfolds, because he's got 629 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 2: too much talent. I feel like to not be in 630 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 2: a major league uniform at some point. Maybe obviously not 631 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 2: this year, but I thought somewhere down the road. 632 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: Right and two more guys heading to the Fall League, 633 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: very different type of players from Jerar are relievers Alex 634 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: Vessia and C. J. Carter, both of them with the 635 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: lumber Kings initially, and they had so much success once 636 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,880 Speaker 1: they moved to Jupiter that they even finished the year 637 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: actually in Jacksonville at Double A. Very different styles, both 638 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: guys that just joined the organization last year in the draft, 639 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: and frankly, I think you may have gotten the short 640 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: end of the stick in watching them, because they did. 641 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: They pitched even better once they moved up to a 642 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: higher level of competition than they did when they were 643 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: in Clinton. In fact, with Vessia in particular, statistically he's 644 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: one of the most dominant pitchers with no qualification in 645 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: all of minor league baseball ever since turning pro and 646 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:08,239 Speaker 1: joining the draft. I did get a little bit of 647 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: a look at them once they moved up to Jupiter, 648 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: but they have very different styles, I know, and the 649 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: fact that they're already in the Fall League, and as 650 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: anybody that follows the Marlins at the major league level knows, 651 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: they have so many holes in the bullpen and guys 652 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: that have any potential, even in special situations to get 653 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 1: batters out can be fast tracked through the system fairly quickly. 654 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: So with those two guys that are heading to the 655 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: Fall League, Vesia and Carter. Could you describe exactly what 656 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 1: exactly makes them successful? And yeah, what you got to 657 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: know about them during their time in Clinton. 658 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, well Carter is pretty easy to spot if 659 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 2: you've seen him pitch a very low arming, almost submarine. 660 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 2: So he was someone that early on in this season 661 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 2: as you're trying to get accustomed to who's warming up 662 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 2: in the bullpen, he didn't need to bring out the 663 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 2: binoculars for you could just see that arm angle and 664 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 2: that's where a lot of the deception comes from. C J. Carter. 665 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 2: The ball can sometimes it looks like rise on guys, 666 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 2: and so he worked a little higher in the zone. 667 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,760 Speaker 2: Then I was talking with Marti Felice about this. Him 668 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 2: and Zach Wolf would work a little higher in the 669 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: zone because they also had those higher spin rates, and 670 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: so they were actually encouraged to, you know, throw those 671 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 2: fastballs hid in the zone because they could get the 672 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 2: swings and misses that other pitchers couldn't get. And so 673 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 2: Carter at times would be a little wild. I felt like, 674 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 2: but you know, it's it's so impressive because he was 675 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 2: obviously well deserving of his promotion by the time it 676 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 2: had come around for him. And to see him in 677 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 2: this season in Double A like Alex Festi, is pretty 678 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 2: remarkable because you don't really see that a whole lot 679 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 2: at all in the single A level. To jump that, 680 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 2: to jump a couple levels in one season. Both great 681 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 2: guys too. We had him out for community outings SI 682 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 2: I know, was a starter back in his college days 683 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 2: and was moved into the bullpen. When we had him 684 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 2: on the podcast, he was saying, you know, he's in Burlington, 685 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:01,600 Speaker 2: which doesn't draw too well, and he was coming off 686 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 2: the mound after one of his appearances and he said 687 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 2: he was looking around. He said, now, this is just 688 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 2: so great, you know, being you know, with a regular 689 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 2: team and just playing every day, you know, and I'm thinking, 690 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 2: you know, there was only four hundred and fifty people 691 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,200 Speaker 2: here last night, which is the announced crowd. So it's 692 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 2: going to get a little it's gonna get even better 693 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 2: for you, Alex. And so he was. He was so 694 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 2: integral to our first half the success that we had 695 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 2: at times, although unfortunately was never strung together because he 696 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 2: was a left handed option, which we didn't have a 697 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 2: whole lot and at that time Manuel Rodriguez was in 698 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:38,240 Speaker 2: our starting rotation, so to have someone coming out of 699 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:42,360 Speaker 2: the bullpen as a left handed option, I thought really helpful. 700 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 2: Was an issue for us in the first half, which 701 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 2: was blown saves and just leads that weren't being able 702 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:49,960 Speaker 2: to be held and Vessia and I felt c J. 703 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 2: Carter was a lot of the times you would see 704 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 2: them come in as sort of a one two punch 705 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 2: in those later innings. Carter Wood memory serves correct because 706 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 2: it's back in the first half wouldn't typically work as 707 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 2: long as Vessia. But I think that just speaks to his, 708 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 2: you know, pedigree as a starter coming in and him 709 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 2: being told once he got signed by the Marlins that 710 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 2: we envisioned you more in the bullpen. And you know, Vessie, 711 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 2: if you ever get a chance to talk to him, 712 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 2: he's the easiest guy to get along with. So he'd 713 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 2: be like, all right, sounds good. I'm excited for that. So, 714 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 2: you know, he jumped in with both feet, and I 715 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 2: think it just shows also the talent that he has, 716 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 2: because like Carter, you know, he's ending his season in 717 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 2: Jacksonville in the Southern League. It's just maybe we could 718 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 2: have used those arms in the postseason round. But I 719 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 2: think we've managed all right. But they were both guys 720 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 2: that I felt like maybe developmentally, Carter maybe advanced, you 721 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 2: could see more of that development because he did have 722 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 2: some refinement. I felt like in the first half with 723 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 2: the lumber Kings before his promotion, and Alex Vesia just 724 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 2: seemed like, you know, he was kind of a locked 725 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 2: down from the moment that it had started going. I 726 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 2: remember when we had a Carter out for our community 727 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,240 Speaker 2: outing at one place. He was talking to some of 728 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 2: the kids and they were asking him like, when did 729 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:06,280 Speaker 2: he start, you know, playing cadgy. He said that he 730 00:34:06,320 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 2: had trouble putting a baseball met down and a glove 731 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 2: down or in the ball down when he was a kid, 732 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 2: and that Hump would always have to drag him by 733 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,320 Speaker 2: the ear into the house to stop them playing baseball 734 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:17,399 Speaker 2: because he just couldn't stop doing it, which I think 735 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 2: speaks to the love of the game for these guys too, 736 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 2: but also a reason why Carter's pitching professionally and you know, 737 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 2: ending his season in the Double A ranks. 738 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. The one thing that I've talked to Vessi about 739 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 1: is that getting all the way up to double A 740 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 1: at the end of the year. That's the league where 741 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: occasionally the pitcher spot has to come up. And although 742 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: he was still looking exclusively in relief, there was one 743 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: crazy extra running game where they ran out of players 744 00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:45,720 Speaker 1: and he had to bat for himself with the bases 745 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: loaded in a tie game. I think there were even 746 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: two outs, and in his first career played appearance professionally, 747 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:53,760 Speaker 1: he draws a walk and it's a walk off walk 748 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:58,880 Speaker 1: to the bases loaded. And I don't know whether he 749 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 1: made the highlight package himself from whether it was one 750 00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: of his representatives, but they put together a highlight reel 751 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: of his season, and the longest highlight in the ends 752 00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: of the highlight reel is him drawing that walk and 753 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: giving that postgame interview that he wants to show the 754 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 1: kind of personality that he has. And although he was 755 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 1: just an extraordinary picture himself, the fact that he took 756 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: so much joy in stepping up in that situation knowing 757 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: he probably didn't belong there, but being able to execute 758 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 1: in that situation, that's a that's a moment he'll take 759 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 1: with them forever. 760 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:33,359 Speaker 2: Probably that Yeah, that is Alex Vessia. He is infectious too. 761 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,600 Speaker 2: He's always looking to have a good time, so it 762 00:35:35,640 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 2: doesn't surprise me at all, though it's very funny to hear. 763 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 3: So. 764 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:40,600 Speaker 2: Eric. 765 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,760 Speaker 3: One thing that I absolutely love about the minor leagues, 766 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:47,760 Speaker 3: and besides the obvious, which is the nicknames for teams, 767 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 3: is just the minor league lifestyle and living in towns 768 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 3: like Clinton and and you know some of the other 769 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 3: places like the Marlins are going to Witchita with Triple 770 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 3: A next year. So one thing that I really wanted 771 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 3: to ask you about, and I'm sure you have a 772 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:06,239 Speaker 3: great one because you're in such a location that just 773 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 3: screams minor league baseball, is a great story about minor 774 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 3: league life on the road or just an experience you've 775 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 3: had that just represents that minor league lifestyle the most. 776 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 2: Oh Man, you know, I don't know. I don't have 777 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 2: too many PG ones, but no, yeah, I don't know 778 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 2: if I can pick out at one in particular, I 779 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:32,280 Speaker 2: guess I'll tell you one when we were in South Bend, 780 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:35,399 Speaker 2: which I guess you know encapsulates minor league baseball because 781 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 2: everything is done, you know, travel wise via the bus. 782 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:40,840 Speaker 2: And so my first year in the with the team 783 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:43,000 Speaker 2: with the lumber Kings were on a road trip in 784 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 2: South Bend, and it's beautiful stadium for Winsfield. And this 785 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 2: was before they had the minor league extra nying rule 786 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 2: where they put the guy at second base, and so 787 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:56,239 Speaker 2: the games tended to last longer. And I think one 788 00:36:56,280 --> 00:36:57,840 Speaker 2: of the reasons why they put the rule in is 789 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,000 Speaker 2: they actually highlighted this game in particular, so we were 790 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 2: part of history in that regard. So when eighteen innings 791 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 2: they have a Midwest League rule of a curfew, I 792 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 2: think it's like two thirty in the morning. But the 793 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 2: way the game had gone is we were down one 794 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 2: to nothing, I want to say, and then foul ball 795 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 2: was hit off the forearm of the umpire and I 796 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:21,440 Speaker 2: think it broke the forearm or some bone in his 797 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 2: arm and he couldn't continue, and so there was about 798 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 2: a thirty five forty minute delay because there's only a 799 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 2: two man crew in single A baseball, and so they 800 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 2: needed to switch the gears, so they had to take 801 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 2: a break. Everyone went and got their concession items. He 802 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,160 Speaker 2: came out dump to her down to one umpire and 803 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 2: the Cubs were beating the lumber Kings one to nothing. Well, 804 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 2: then we had a two run homer and we're up 805 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,839 Speaker 2: to to one going into the ninth thinking all right, great, 806 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: we're gonna win this one. And we give up a 807 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:51,719 Speaker 2: run in the ninth. So it goes into extra in 808 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 2: the tenth, the eleventh, of twelfth, the thirteenth, of fourteenth, 809 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:56,560 Speaker 2: and fifteenth to sixteenth, the seventeenth, it goes to the 810 00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:02,280 Speaker 2: eighteenth inning with one umpire this the whole time, and 811 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 2: so they wave it off. You know, it's still tied. 812 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:06,279 Speaker 2: It too, and they wave it off. They got it's 813 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,399 Speaker 2: two thirty in the morning. We can't continue. We'll come 814 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 2: back and finish it tomorrow as part of the you know, 815 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:14,760 Speaker 2: the before the regularly scheduled game. So the umpire walks 816 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 2: off and there's maybe four or five people left in 817 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 2: the crowd, as you can imagine, one of which is 818 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 2: our bus driver. And he got a standing ovation this 819 00:38:22,719 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 2: umpire from the crowd that was there for the work 820 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,840 Speaker 2: that he had done solo in this game. And so 821 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,120 Speaker 2: we get on the bus. I'll never forget this, and 822 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:34,839 Speaker 2: I just want to go back to the hotel. It's 823 00:38:34,840 --> 00:38:36,359 Speaker 2: been a long night, you know, because I'm a one 824 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 2: man band for these games, and so I've been talking 825 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:41,880 Speaker 2: for close to five hours to myself like a crazy 826 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:45,719 Speaker 2: person and get on the bus. Guy turns the engine over. 827 00:38:45,719 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 2: At one turnover turns it the bus broke down. So 828 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 2: it's two thirty in the morning. I just probably closer 829 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:52,000 Speaker 2: to three. 830 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 1: Now. 831 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 2: Bus is broken down in the parking lot. Now the 832 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 2: hotel is only like a five minute walk away, so 833 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 2: I'm just contemplating, like should I just walk I'm so 834 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 2: over over today and not thinking that this was a 835 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,080 Speaker 2: fun minor League story at the time, mind you too well, 836 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 2: the bus ends up working again thirty forty minutes later. 837 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:13,080 Speaker 2: I wanted to get something to drink, I remember, and 838 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:15,240 Speaker 2: I went to the a vending machine and I wanted 839 00:39:15,239 --> 00:39:17,600 Speaker 2: a bottle of water and it was all sold out 840 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 2: and all they had was like soda, and I thought 841 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:22,040 Speaker 2: it was too late in the night or early in 842 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:23,759 Speaker 2: the morning for that, so I want to get my 843 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 2: change back. And the night ended with me getting like 844 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:30,279 Speaker 2: three dollars and nickels and dimes like I hit a 845 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:33,440 Speaker 2: slot in Vegas, and I just remember looking up to 846 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 2: the heavens, cursing the gods for life decisions that I 847 00:39:36,719 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 2: had made bringing me to this point. 848 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 3: That's what I'm gonna tell you, will Stewart had a 849 00:39:42,239 --> 00:39:44,879 Speaker 3: really good one about bed bugs somewhere in the middle 850 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:48,360 Speaker 3: of Ohio, but that might have that might have topped it. Honestly, 851 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:50,239 Speaker 3: that's one of the best because we've been asking that 852 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 3: question all season long, and that's definitely one of the 853 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 3: better ones we had. So I really appreciate you share that. 854 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,879 Speaker 2: I'm glad my misery, Eric. 855 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: This was really terrific, and once again we thank you 856 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 1: for being part of Fish Stripes in some way during 857 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:08,960 Speaker 1: this regular season and covering the team the way you did, 858 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:13,399 Speaker 1: because you really brought us inside these players' experiences and 859 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:16,040 Speaker 1: it was such a funny year to have. And yeah, 860 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,800 Speaker 1: I mean, if we trust in the organization to continue 861 00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:20,720 Speaker 1: building up this pharm system, you'll have a great crop 862 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:23,400 Speaker 1: of players to cover next season. Forward to seeing some 863 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:25,480 Speaker 1: of these guys in the Fall League and then hearing 864 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 1: more of you in twenty twenty. 865 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:29,840 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for having me. I appreciate it. 866 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:30,279 Speaker 2: Take care,