1 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,119 Speaker 1: The show goes on. This is the official show on 2 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: the fish on First podcast channel with me Eli Sussman, 3 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: the founder of fish on First, bring you guys complete 4 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: Miami Marlin's coverage all year round, Happy New Year. That 5 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: I haven't spoken to you already. First recording of twenty 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: twenty four, putting it out there. Not on the usual schedule. 7 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: I've been busy for the past week, week and a half, 8 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: moving to a new place, new background that is soon 9 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: going to fill up with some customized artwork behind me. 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: I still need to get a lighting figured out in 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: front of me. Still a lot to learn. I want 12 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: to see how the acoustics sound in this new setup. 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,959 Speaker 1: It's different from my previous studio and all of that, 14 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: and I felt it was a good time to just 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,320 Speaker 1: throw out an episode one on a spontaneous topic, kind 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: of an unplanned discussion here, but that was relatively important 17 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: to bring to Marlins fans, ones that I think even 18 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: my own staff kind of under rates and sleep on 19 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: international free agency, specifically amateur players will be signing with 20 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: the Marlins later this month. If you don't already, subscribe 21 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: to fish on First wherever you get your podcasts, Apple, Spotify, 22 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: Google podcasts and on YouTube right around the two thousand 23 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: subscriber milestone on YouTube. So liking, commenting, rating, and reviewing 24 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: wherever applicable on those platforms, all that really helps us 25 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: a whole lot. Hey, keep up with our stuff on 26 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: fish on first dot com. Become a super subscriber as 27 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: well for a small monthly payment. All those super subscribers 28 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: get access to our super subscriber only discord channel, but 29 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: the discord channel as well on Marlin's Discord that is 30 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: open to everybody. So the link to that is in 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: the description of the episode as well for anybody that 32 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: wants to talk to Marlins around the clock, not just 33 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: with me, but with hundreds of other Marlins fans that 34 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: are in Marlin's Discord server. International free agency. If you're 35 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: watching on YouTube, you see this group photo of Marlins 36 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: players that's from January fifteenth, twenty twenty three, and there's 37 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: going to be a recreation of that on January fifteenth, 38 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, when the new international signing period opens. 39 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: I feel like this gets overlooked the importance of international 40 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: free agency. You've probably noticed, just as being a casual 41 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: baseball fan, that international players are more represented than ever 42 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: before among the Major League Baseball player population, and all 43 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: those guys get to that point somehow eventually, or I 44 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: should say originally. They come into pro ball by being 45 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: free agent signings at the very start of their careers, 46 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: before anybody really knows what they're going to be, and 47 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: the process is perhaps a little different than you thought 48 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: it was coming into this. So I hope to educate 49 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 1: you guys a little bit on how all this works 50 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: and how it impacts the Marlins. It's not on the 51 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: same scale of importance and impact as the amateur draft 52 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: and for US born players as well as those in 53 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: Canada and Puerto Rico, but all players outside of that 54 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: that don't go through one of those countries, for the 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: most part, they enter pro ball as international amateurs. Just 56 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: to put some numbers behind it, I have picks of 57 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 1: the Marlins current forty man roster right here and the 58 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: ones on here who have a for those watching. Those 59 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: that have just the year on its own next to 60 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: their name under original signing information, those are draft picks, 61 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: and for the most part, those that have a month 62 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: and a year next to their original signing information, those 63 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: are amateur signings. Internationally. Forty man roster. Out of all 64 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: those players, you have Luisa Rise, Jazz Chisholm Junior, Brian 65 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: de la Cruz, Heesus Sanchez, Aveasel Garcia, Christian Benfon Court, 66 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: fid aal Bruhan, Yuri Perez, Edward Cabrera. Just to get 67 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: to the rest of the roster here George Soriano, we 68 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: have the artist formerly known as six Dos Sanchez. We 69 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: have the former Cy Young Award winner, san Diel Contra, 70 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: Victor Mason Junior, Roderie Munoz, Huascar Brazabon, and actually Caleb 71 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: Ord's on the very bottom. He was an undrafted American 72 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: free agent, so he is actually not an international guy. 73 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: But went through the forty names, there, fifteen of the 74 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: players on the current Marlin's forty men roster got their 75 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: start as international amateur free agents. That is thirty eight 76 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: percent of this roster. It includes one healthy, the very 77 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,559 Speaker 1: best pitcher on this team. It includes the best hitter 78 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,919 Speaker 1: on this team. It includes perhaps the most quote dynamic 79 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 1: player on this team, and Jezz Chisholm Junior. All these 80 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: guys from different countries. The biggest contributor to this international 81 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: free agent population is the Dominican Republic you also get 82 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: quite a few from Venezuela and Cuba, and then outside 83 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,799 Speaker 1: of that pretty wide range of possible countries that also 84 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: contribute to that, including Panama including kurosaw more in South 85 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: America in the Caribbean. You also have occasionally some Asian 86 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: players that come over through as amateurs, although that is 87 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: not quite as common, but these guys end up making 88 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: a pretty sizable chunk of an eventual major league roster. 89 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: The Marlins are not all that unusual in this aspect. 90 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: There are teams that are even more internationally grown than 91 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: the Marlins are themselves. But if you also going through 92 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: those names, you may see a pattern that almost all 93 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: those were traded from other teams that originally signed those 94 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: guys internationally. The one standout who was drafted and developed 95 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: entirely by the Marlins internationally Yuri Perez, so he has 96 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: been in recent years, he's been far and away the 97 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: most clear example of a success story of the Marlins, 98 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: turning two hundred thousand dollars if I remember correctly, of 99 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: his signing bonus into somebody that we think now has 100 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: the build need to be a perennial All Star starting pitcher, 101 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: and that kind of value that you get for that 102 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,119 Speaker 1: minimal investment is absolutely extraordinary. The Marlins, the first step 103 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: that they took to really ramp up their international investment 104 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: is when they made their new Dominican Academy as a 105 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: project that has been the work since almost as soon 106 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: as new ownership took over. It finally had its grand 107 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,239 Speaker 1: opening in twenty twenty two. The international free agent process 108 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: has changed quite a bit through the years. Most recent 109 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: one came less than a decade ago, where they have 110 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: now pretty strict bonus pools, which means that most of 111 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: these teams are on very level playing field here in 112 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: terms of who they can bring in. That's a part 113 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:47,679 Speaker 1: of the amateur draft process as well that we probably 114 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: don't talk about enough how there are bonus pools assigned 115 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: to each teams, but there's more of a variance there 116 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: where the team's picking at the top might have two 117 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: and a half or three times as much money available 118 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: to them to make those sign up. So it's not 119 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: only about the best player available's about those that you 120 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: can actually afford with your bonus pool money. And in 121 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: international free agency, the gap even these signing bonus amounts 122 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: are even narrower, so the ones that actually the most 123 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: mind to spends are the ones that are from the 124 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 1: smallest markets and have the lowest revenue. It's a combination 125 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: of those two things. Largest bonus pools in this particular 126 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: signing period going to the Diamondbacks, Guardians, Orioles, Pirates, Rockies, 127 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: and Royals, each of them getting a little over seven 128 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: million dollars. And on the low ends are teams that 129 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: had the biggest spending in this past year, the Padres, 130 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: the Phillies, the Rangers, the Yankees. Their bonus pool is 131 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: four point sixty five million dollars, and the Marlins are 132 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: a part of that group that has the second largest 133 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: bonus pool. By virtue of being a low spending team 134 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 1: in one of the smaller baseball markets, the Marlins are 135 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: always either going to have the largest signing pool or 136 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: the second largest signing pool. It's Marlins in this signing 137 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: period will have six point five to two million dollars 138 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: in their pool to use. So that is more than 139 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: the majority of teams. But overall it's a pretty narrow gap. 140 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: So and that is a difference from what it used 141 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: to be. You don't have to go back that far. 142 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: For the cases of Joan Mancata, Luis Roberts Yasiel Pligue 143 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: was one of those guys as well who came over 144 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: and got tens of millions of dollars guaranteed to them 145 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: in a bidding war one that there is still somewhat 146 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: of a bidding, but it's scaled down so much. A 147 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 1: team's entire bonus pool is just between four and a 148 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: half and seven million dollars. That's for the entire pool too. 149 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: You can creep beyond that for additional signings that are 150 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,599 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars or less, but the vast majority of 151 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: your talent has to fit under that amount of money 152 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: and to bring them in. In recent years, what the 153 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 1: Marlins have done is they've gone for quantity over quality. 154 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: It's not a sexy sounding idea, but they're thinking was 155 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: because these players are so young. To be clear, players 156 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: become eligible to sign when they turn sixteen years old, 157 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: and the vast majority of the ones are those that 158 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: just turn sixteen and have already shown quite a bit 159 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: of promise and projectability. Those guys are a couple of 160 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: years younger than even the youngest MLB draft picks that 161 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,199 Speaker 1: are available. There's so much growing and changing that these 162 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: players have that there's just a lot of variance with 163 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: these players, and that's one of the understandable reasons why 164 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: the international signing period gets a fraction of the amount 165 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: of attention as amateur players in the US, because they 166 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: just can't trust the information that we have as solidly 167 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: at the time. These players are so young, they have 168 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,599 Speaker 1: so far to go. They also are coming from backgrounds 169 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: where they've had such limited tape that they can show 170 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: us and limited stats that we can refer to as well. 171 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 1: They're not really playing organized official games when they're growing up, 172 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: and outside of formal schooling and scholastic activity. There are 173 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: some that participate in international events and showcases along the ways, 174 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 1: but the vast majority of their work is happening kind 175 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: of behind the scenes, happening in the case of the 176 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: Dominican Republican in particular, happening in these closed academies where 177 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: these guys we just don't see. Very little information gets 178 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: at at all other than what the teams need to 179 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: know in or for the teams to make competitive offers 180 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: to sign them. So the reason why I wanted to 181 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: discuss this today is because we had breaking news earlier 182 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: on Wednesday about the identity of the top prospect that 183 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: the Marlins are going to be signing in this upcoming 184 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: international free agency period. This is Luis Cova. He's an 185 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: outfielder from Venezuela and he's going to be the biggest 186 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: signing of this Marlins international signing period. The signing period 187 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: that to reiterate has not opened yet. It does open 188 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 1: until January fifteenth. This is another key difference between international 189 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: business and domestic business. What makes the MLB draft kind 190 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,559 Speaker 1: of marketable and exciting is the unpredictability and the suspense 191 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: because you don't know and the players don't know exactly 192 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: where they're going until their phone rings and their name 193 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: is called, and from there you find out. In this case, 194 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: what happens is January fifteenth, that is the start of 195 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: the signing period, and these players will already be signing 196 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: on the fifteenth. Now, they're not going to get a 197 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: phone call on the morning of that same day and 198 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden drive over sign the contract, 199 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: boom boom, all at once. That's not how it works, 200 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: or not naive enough to think it's quite that simple. 201 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: And said, this stuff is negotiated well ahead of time, 202 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: months ahead of time, usually years ahead of time. These 203 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: deals are reached as long as these players are COVID 204 00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: sixteen years old turning seventeen shortly after the signing period opens. Yeah, 205 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: the Marlins had a deal with him at least a 206 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: year and a half prior to the signing period opening, 207 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: so they knew what year he was going to be 208 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: eligible to sign, and they struck a deal with him 209 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: far in advance. There are photos of him wearing a 210 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: Marlins hat as far back as twenty twenty two. Remember 211 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: this is new year. We're in twenty twenty four now, 212 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: and this deal has been in place for quite a 213 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: while with an agreement about what they're going to pay 214 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: him to sign him. So, as of this moment, we 215 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: don't know exactly what Covi's bonus is going to be. 216 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:36,479 Speaker 1: We do know that he was the twenty seventh ranked 217 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: bonus player on the Baseball America Big Board that is 218 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: run by Ben Badler. He does an excellent job with that. 219 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: Every year. He's going to receive the twenty seventh highest 220 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: signing bonus among players that have commitments with teams during 221 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty four signing period, and he is the 222 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: highest ranked Marlins player on there, he's the only Marlins 223 00:12:55,720 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: player that shows up among the top fifty bonuses. I 224 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: will we have an article on fish On first about 225 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,599 Speaker 1: this that I put up in the aftermath of the 226 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: news that, well, you kind of reiterate some of the 227 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: stuff that I'm going to be talking about right here 228 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: for those who haven't seen it. But with Cova alrighty 229 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 1: hitting outfielder who also throws right handed and among the 230 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: best pure athletes in this class according to MLB Pipeline, 231 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: and one of the most exciting prospects in Venezuela. That's, 232 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:32,359 Speaker 1: according to Baseball America, somebody renowned for his good instincts, 233 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: his maturity, and his makeup, his hard hit percentage, or 234 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: at least his ability to hit the ball hard occasionally. 235 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: There are some questions, at least from Pipeline's perspective, about 236 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: whether his mechanics at the plate are going to come 237 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: back to bite him later on in his developments, that 238 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: he has an unorthodox handload over there that he'll have 239 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: to work out over time. Overall, Pipeline gives him scouting 240 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: grades of fifty or higher across the board, so average tools, 241 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: if not above average across the board. They tend to 242 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: be a little bit generous with their valuations. In my opinion, 243 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: they've umgraded as a fifty five overall prospect, which put 244 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 1: in perspective, that would make him about as good as 245 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: any prospect in the organization right now. Nobel Meyer, in 246 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: my opinion, is like a fifty five, and I think 247 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: it might be a little bit premature to put Covi 248 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: in that category considering how far away he is from 249 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: the big leagues. But to get back to the dollars 250 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: and cents part of it, twenty seventh ranked in terms 251 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 1: of his signing bonus amount, and Ben Battler did the 252 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: same signing board for the twenty twenty three class. The 253 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: twenty seventh ranked player in that class ended up receiving 254 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 1: one point four million dollars. Safe to assume that COVID 255 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: will lend right in near that range. In fact, the 256 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: signing signing pools are a little bit larger this time 257 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: around than they were last year, so I would say 258 00:14:57,640 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: I would assume that's going to be slightly higher than 259 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: one point four million. And that's notable just because, as 260 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned, the last couple of classes, the Marlins have 261 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: gone for quantity over quality with their prospects. They did 262 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: not want to invest too much in any one player, 263 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: kind of showing some skepticism about kind of acknowledging the 264 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 1: crapshoot elements of this with these players, some of them 265 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: not yet completed puberty. If you're reaching agreements with these 266 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: players when they're fifteen years old or fourteen years old 267 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: or thirteen years old, which is the reality here for 268 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: all teams, not just the Marlins, then they can change 269 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: so much over time, and you don't want to get 270 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: burned by that, even if it means, you know, not 271 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: getting great pr on the opening of the signing period. Ultimately, 272 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: if you're producing good players and producing enough of them 273 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: to make up for your investment, you know that's what's 274 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: going to matter here. The last couple of signing period 275 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: of the Marlins have signed more players than any other 276 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: major league team over the last couple of signing periods 277 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two. In twenty twenty three, we'll find 278 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: out on the fifteenth exactly how large this class is. 279 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: But this is somewhat of a departure from those previous 280 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: couple classes where they're willing in this one player's case, 281 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: Luis Covi's case, willing to make this bigger investment in him, 282 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: and that's going to come at the expense of having 283 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: as large a class as they've recently had. Their team 284 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: that has two affiliates in the Dominican Summer League. With 285 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: a few exceptions, these players that are signed in January, 286 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: they start their professional careers in June in the Dominican 287 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: Summer League, usually spending that entire season in the DSL, 288 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: and if things go well, then they come on over 289 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 1: to the States the following year. So that's the expection, 290 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: the expectation with Cova. I think conservatively he's going to 291 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 1: be a top ten prospect in this organization right away. 292 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: So that's what we're talking about here. Just to put 293 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: that in perspective all these trade rumblings that we have 294 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: with the Marlins, what could they get if they moved 295 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: one of their starting pitchers, Like you're looking for a 296 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: combination of major league ready players but also top prospects, 297 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: and this is a player that is certainly this offseason, 298 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: he'd be the best prospect that they've acquired, and he'd 299 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 1: make a pretty both him and the rest of the 300 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: players that they sign on the fifteenth that is going 301 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: to marketly add to the depth that you have in 302 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 1: this organization. Even if these players are so far away, 303 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: if they just make a little progress one point four 304 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: one point five million, whatever it ends up being, that's 305 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 1: that's chump change. If he proves to make it to 306 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: the majors and stick in any sort of substantial role 307 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: during his team controlled years in there So the value 308 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: can be so immense when you get this stuff right. 309 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: But to put it into perspective, the top signings in 310 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,959 Speaker 1: the other classes, let's go back to since the Marlins 311 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: ownership change. They had Fernando saginawl. He was leading international 312 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: operations starting in late twenty eighteen, right when the Marlins 313 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: signs the Victor Mesa brothers Victor Victor Mesa and Victor 314 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: Masa Junior. Victor Mesa was the biggest signing of that 315 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,919 Speaker 1: group for five point twenty five million dollars. If you 316 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: go to twenty nineteen, the top signing there was Jose Salas, 317 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: a little bit under three million dollars for him out 318 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 1: of Venezuela. Due to COVID there was no formal signing 319 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: period in twenty twenty. It pushed over to twenty twenty one, 320 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: where they signed Yiddi Cape for three point five million. 321 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: Then in twenty twenty two, it was off the top 322 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: of my head, Yoffrey Solano, an infielder who has been 323 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: in the DSL the last couple of years, but when 324 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 1: he's been healthy, he's been pretty productive. And then the 325 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: most recent signing period in twenty twenty three, it was 326 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: two way player Gennaro Miller out of the Bahamas. Both 327 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: Solano and Miller they got less than a million dollars each. 328 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: So even though somebody had to be the highest, the 329 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 1: top signing of that group, neither of those were conventional, 330 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: you know, top signings, first round caliber talent, because that 331 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: whole group was kind of leveled off. It was a 332 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: lot of guys in a similar tier of a capability 333 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:00,880 Speaker 1: to go in here with Covia, there is the seemingly 334 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 1: there's going to be that bigger separation between him and 335 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: everybody else. We know he is the twenty seventh highest 336 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: paid guy in this signing class and the Marlins, not 337 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: anybody else in the top fifty, so there's going to 338 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: be a substantial gap there. They're putting a lot of 339 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: eggs in his basket, his signing bonus based on these estimates, 340 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: is going to account for more than twenty percent of 341 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: the team's entire pool in this one guy. So even 342 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: if he's one player, we only know a couple of 343 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: paragraphs worth of information about him, but he's a pretty 344 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: substantial addition right here. That during an offseason where the 345 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: Marlins have not given the team much of anything in 346 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: terms of substantial major league editions, this is one of 347 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: the more important developments that we've seen so far. Now, 348 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: the question is who's going to be the marlins next 349 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: international operations leader. I mentioned Fernando Seganal, he only lasted 350 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: a few years three years in change in that position. 351 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: Then it was Adriana Lorenzo who had been in the organize. 352 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: They promoted him to senior director of International Operations just 353 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: two years ago, and Lorenzo is now gone, having exited 354 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: the baseball world entirely to focus on being a full 355 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: time artist, believe it or not. So I was really 356 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: intrigued by what Lorenzo was going to do. Ultimately, he 357 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 1: had a higher calling that he is pursuing now and 358 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: that position has been vacant for a couple months now. 359 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: So it's funny that the signing period is coming up 360 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: in a week and a half and the Marlins don't 361 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: actually have a clear international operations leader. Maybe it's somebody 362 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: from within that is handling that role in the meantime, 363 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,239 Speaker 1: such as Ozo Campo, the assistant general manager, who's had 364 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: some experience on the international side. Maybe it is Roman 365 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: Akumarz who has been the top Scouts international scout for 366 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,879 Speaker 1: the Marlins the last couple of years. It's possible that 367 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: he is handling some more administrative duties during this period 368 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:02,719 Speaker 1: of time. But ultimately, as they laid out, doesn't matter, 369 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: like you don't need them for this particular moment, just 370 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: because this stuff is. This stuff is negotiated well ahead 371 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: of time. So all the players that are going to 372 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: be signing in January with the Marlins have had agreements 373 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: in place for months, if not years, ahead of time, 374 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: and those agreements were reached when Lorenzo was in charge. 375 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: So this is weirdly, that's kind of time of year 376 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: where you can sort of eat what's the word I'm 377 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 1: looking for, where you could get away with not doing 378 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: much like this is a down period, a slow period 379 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: in this international cycle, because all the hard work has 380 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: already been done. Now it's just setting up the actual 381 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,719 Speaker 1: signing party, for lack of a better word, where they 382 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 1: get a lot of these players. They hosted at the 383 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: Dominican Academy. Most of the players from the dr from 384 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: the ones that can make it from other countries come 385 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: in as well, and they all try on their Marlins 386 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: uniforms together and they celebrate all that. Occasionally bring some 387 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: family and friend to the event with them, and it's 388 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 1: an important day now to get back to the Marlins results. 389 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: Aside from URI, they just don't have a whole lots 390 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: of show from their signings over this last five six years, 391 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: they've Victor Mason Junior has gradually improved his stock. He 392 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: earned his way onto the forty man roster. Maybe we 393 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: see him in the big leagues at some point in 394 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four. The expectations aren't quite as high. He 395 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to be a franchise changing player here. You 396 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: just look around baseball and there are other teams that 397 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 1: are able to find franchise chasing players through international free agency. 398 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: I could go on and on and on. Ronald Acunya 399 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,159 Speaker 1: Junior of course, being probably the most prominent example. You 400 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: can just think of any other Dominican player out there 401 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: any Venezuelan player out there. Miguel Cabrera, of course, once 402 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 1: upon a time he was an international signing, went onto 403 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:56,840 Speaker 1: a Hall of Fame career that he had. But yeah, 404 00:22:56,880 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 1: all across baseball. Let me just pull up. So I'm 405 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: speaking technically. Shohey Otani was an international amateur free agent. 406 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: His circumstances is very unusual where he could have waited 407 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 1: a little bit longer and got more money. Ben said 408 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: he came over at the age of twenty three, when 409 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: he was still handled by these same rules and restrictions. 410 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: Other than that, Juglio Rodriguez is probably the next biggest 411 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: name to point out there international amateur free agency, Juan 412 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 1: Soto international signing, Jose Ramirez of the Guardians. I already 413 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,479 Speaker 1: mentioned Luis Robert. You can get Hall of Fame caliber 414 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,920 Speaker 1: players through this international process. And for a Marlins team 415 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: that is just not going to be competitive, as they've 416 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: shown this offseason, and I would imagine for the foreseeable future, 417 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 1: they're just not going to be competitive with top of 418 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:49,439 Speaker 1: the market major league veteran free agents, the ones that 419 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: have all this major league experience in command, hundreds of 420 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: millions of dollars in guarantees. It does not seem like 421 00:23:55,520 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: there is comfort from Bruce Sherman's perspective to invest in that. 422 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: So how you're going to create your s thought pro players. 423 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: You know, some of that comes with better amateur drafting. 424 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: Earlier this offseason, they hired a new leade amateur scouting 425 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 1: director in Frankie Pilliery. One of my recent podcast episodes 426 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: was on that that could be a step in the 427 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: right direction. We know that they are in the works 428 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:22,359 Speaker 1: of just re tuning a lot of their player development philosophies, 429 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 1: so wait to see exactly how that comes together and 430 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: how they can get more out of these players once 431 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 1: they already in their system and in Pro BAWL. Another 432 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: very important element of that is going to be international 433 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: free agency, trying to find these young players, the youngest 434 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: possible players that you can evaluate, and getting those correct. 435 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: This is the one aspect where me personally, this is 436 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: I've such a hard time imagining how it is that 437 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 1: these scouts pull it off. How they pick a player 438 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: might not even be all the way through puberty yet 439 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: in try to project exactly where he's going to be 440 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: ten years from now, when he's in his theoretical Major 441 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: league prime extremely impressive, But there are teams that do 442 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: it effectively, and those are the ones that in a 443 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 1: lot of cases that they have the edge over other 444 00:25:07,560 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: teams that are missing out on that aspect of it 445 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 1: or have to go outside the organization to trade for 446 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: those players. Once those players stocks and values have climbed 447 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: substantially through major league performance or even upper miners performance, 448 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: Marlins have to get better an international free agency. They 449 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: can't go one All Star every half decade. From that process, 450 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: they need to be even more successful. But it's really 451 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: more so than aiming for stars. It's about having just 452 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: quality major league depth that you can bring up through 453 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: your system like that, I just have a higher success 454 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: rate to bring those guys all the way up and 455 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,639 Speaker 1: having them fill some sort of substantial role on your 456 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: major league roster for a few years. The value of 457 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: that is pretty substantial as well. Where they're kind of 458 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: in limbo for the moment in terms of who is 459 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 1: going to reshape the next step of what they do 460 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 1: internationally as well. But we have this pretty big occasion 461 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: coming up on the fifteenth. Excited to learn who else 462 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 1: aside from COVID as part of that international free agent class. Well, 463 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: of course, have it covered on fish on First dot com, 464 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: and I'm sure we'll update our prospect rankings accordingly as 465 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: the season gets closer, squeezing these guys in knowing at 466 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: least one of them is going to fit pretty comfortably 467 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: inside our top thirty list. So a relatively quick podcast 468 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: episode by my standards here on the official show. I'm 469 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: sure my presentation will look even flashier the next time arounds, 470 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: and we're going to be a backup to full speed 471 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: in terms of our Marlins coverage now that I'm all 472 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: settled in for the new place, I appreciate everybody's supportor 473 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: mind you to subscribe and like, rate and review wherever 474 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: applicable for our marrow and stuff, and just look forward 475 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: to what else we have coming up down the pike, 476 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 1: as I think the slowest part of the off season 477 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 1: is gratefully be high and yeah, there's still a lot 478 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: to do, a couple of different directions the Marlins themselves 479 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 1: could go, and whether we agree with it or not, 480 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: we're going to provide you with as comprehensive and insightful, 481 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 1: entertaining coverage of the team as we always do moving forward. 482 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: So I've been eli Sussman, thanks as always for your 483 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 1: support and go fish.