1 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: The show goes on. It's the official show on the 2 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: fish Strips podcast channel with Eli Sussman, the managing editor 3 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: of fish Stripes. This will be my second to last 4 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: solo pod of the year twenty twenty one. Thank you 5 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: everybody who listens subscribes to the pod. It's been a 6 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: record seating year for us on this front. Please leave 7 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: a rating and review wherever applicable so that more Marlins 8 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: fans can find out about what we're doing here to 9 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: cover the team all year rounds in our own way 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: on fish Stripes on the sing feed. This past Saturday, 11 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: we dropped a new edition of the Marlins Decade Draft. 12 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: It was part of fish Stripes Unfiltered Kevin Bral, Isaaca 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: Zoot and a special guest, fish Stripes alum Arum Leyden. 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: The three of them went head to head to building 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: their best possible rosters for the next ten years, using 16 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: only players that are in the Miami Marlins organization. Take 17 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: a listen to that pod to hear the full process. 18 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: Check out the article version of it on fishstripes dot com. 19 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: That way you can more easily compare them and tell 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: us how you would have done it differently if you 21 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: were in this position, let's go to fish Stripes dot com. 22 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: On this show, I am taking a look back at 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, focusing on huge what ifs for the Marlins. 24 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 1: As a guy that's been in content for a while, 25 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: I know that probably the most effective way to engage 26 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: people on this pod would be to call it the 27 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: ranking the top five moments make it more authoritative that way, 28 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: and I just think it would be disingenuous to do that. 29 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: The way that we perceive what ifs, it varies from 30 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: person to person. It's always it's a very tantalizing topic 31 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: to try to unwind the web of events that spring 32 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: from what happened this year, the key inflection points. But 33 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: I wanted to like set some parameters for what I 34 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: didn't consider here. I think a lot of us agree 35 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: in watching sports is that the biggest what ifs we 36 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,119 Speaker 1: tend to have are injury related. For example, in twenty 37 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: twenty one, if six Oh Sanchez doesn't blow out his 38 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: shoulder at the very end of spring training, days before 39 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: the start of the regular season, I mean, how different 40 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: would that be for both the twenty twenty one Marlins 41 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: as well as for six those entire career trajectory, it'd 42 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: be huge. What if Jake Eaeder doesn't blow out his 43 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: elbow in the middle of the season, maybe he'd be 44 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: established as the very best prospect in the organization by now, 45 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: and you could you could go down the list of 46 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: all the injuries that every team in baseball had this year. 47 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: The Marlins were no exception as the year went on. 48 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: It's just that I feel that's ultimately a pointless exercise. 49 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: Injuries are part of baseball, they're part of all sports, 50 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: and especially in twenty twenty one, almost across the board, 51 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: every single team had substantial injuries. It's not really an 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: excuse worth looking back on. And hopefully none of the 53 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: individual injuries that we had with the Marlins this year 54 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: turned out to be like career altering entirely or career ending. 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,519 Speaker 1: I should say that while it's important to remember, you know, 56 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: the injuries that set the tone for the season in 57 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 1: a variety of ways, I think ultimately it's not something 58 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: worth diving into on this pot. I don't think it's 59 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: a very constructive exercise. And even to a greater extent, 60 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: the same goes with all the ramifications of COVID. Everybody 61 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: wasn't affected by COVID even more so than injuries. COVID 62 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: is entirely out of the control of the players and 63 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: the other employees and the Marlins. This year, this was 64 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: an all encompassing pandemic. So for players that caught COVID 65 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: for particular COVID related rule changes that may have advantaged 66 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: or disadvantaged Marlins in some way, again, I don't think 67 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: that's worth dwelling on too much. You know, fingers crossed 68 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: that the twenty twenty two season is a little bit 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: closer to what we were accustomed to in terms of 70 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: fan interaction, in terms of player interaction and all that stuff. 71 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: For the purposes of this show, I didn't want to 72 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: focus on any COVID related what ifs. Either way, I 73 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: also wanted to dismiss what I would call sketchy rumors. Rumors. 74 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: We love the rumors, all the potential moves that could 75 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: have been made, right, So I have one of those 76 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: in here that is an entirely reportedly thing that didn't happen, 77 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: that maybe it could have happened. I'll get into that 78 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of the show. But for most of 79 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: these conversations, these are they happen in every single front office. 80 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: It's only doing your due diligence to have as many 81 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: conversations and exploring as many possibilities as you can and 82 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: try to get those things done on advantageous terms. Right. 83 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: Another A particular one to mention, i'd say is before 84 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: the start of the season Andrew BENINTENDI remember the Marlins 85 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: were very interested in Andrew Benintendee before breaking off those 86 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: talks and going with Adam Duvall instead. So I mean, 87 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: that's one that I maybe could have considered, except that, 88 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: you know, Adam Duvall was, if not as good, if 89 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: not better, at least as good as an overall player 90 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 1: this year than Benintendy was, and he was in the 91 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: same contractual situation in terms of having one more year 92 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: of control beyond the season and all that. You know, 93 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: you break it all down, and I don't think that 94 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: would have moved the needle one way or another. So 95 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: that's you could call that an honorable mention. The what 96 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: if if the Marlins had filled out their outfield with 97 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: ben and Tendee instead Duvault. Without further ado, I will 98 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: get to my five huge what ifs about the twenty 99 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: twenty one Marlins going in what is essentially chronological order 100 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: from the start of twenty twenty one to one that 101 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: happened right near the end of this calendar year. We 102 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: start with, what if the twenty twenty one season was 103 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: played with a unif verse while designated hitter. 104 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: That's an interesting cluestion talked about a lot, that's an 105 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: interesting question. 106 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 1: He turned back the clock to January first, twenty twenty one, 107 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: and it was a widely held belief that there would 108 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: be a DH in baseball this year, because there was 109 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 1: one last year as a result of the deal that 110 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: was haste. It was implemented kind of unilaterally, if I 111 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: remember correctly, by Commissioner Rob Manfred during the short season. 112 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: It was popular too. It was the first year that 113 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: the DH had been in the NL. Ever, for the Marlins, 114 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 1: I'd say they were one team that definitely benefited from that, 115 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: considering how portally their pitchers have hit even relative to 116 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: league norms in recent years, and the team had just 117 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: enough offense in twenty twenty to break their playoff drought. 118 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: They assembled their roster for this year no doubt, with 119 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: the likelihood, with the expectation that there would be a DH. 120 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: There's no bones about it. The decision to retain Hayeshu's 121 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: Aguilar and Garrett Cooper, guys that I'll get into in 122 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: a moment, along with some of the other veterans that 123 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: they added. They built a relatively old position player corps. 124 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: They thought there would be a DH A lot of 125 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: teams did. It wasn't really until the middle of spring 126 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: training that it became evident that, for whatever reason, that 127 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: the two sides were not going to be able to 128 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: agree to something that both of them wanted. The two 129 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: sides being Major League Baseball and the owners and the 130 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: players Union. With the collective bargaining agreement expiration looming, they 131 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: kind of kicked the can down the road an extra year. 132 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: It speaks to just the poor relationship between the two 133 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: sides that something they wanted to renew from the twenty 134 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: twenty season didn't get renewed and they left with us 135 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: with quite a few consequences of it. I'm one that 136 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: comes to mind is Garrett Cooper Cooper. As we moved 137 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: forward with the Marlins with even more expectation of a 138 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: DH in twenty twenty two and beyond, Grett Cooper profiles 139 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,679 Speaker 1: as a very strong candidate to be the main DH 140 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: for the Marlins. He's somebody that when he's been fully 141 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: healthy for most of his career, during those brief times 142 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: where he has been he's been a great hitter, not 143 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: just in terms of the results, but even some of 144 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: the underlying data about him indicates that there's even more 145 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: coming from him. At this stage of his career. In 146 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: the absence of the DH and coming off an amazing 147 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: spring training, Cooper did he was in this limbo. Hayesius 148 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: Aguilar was more or less the starting first baseman, and 149 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: the corner outfield spots had more athletic options out there, 150 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: from Duval to even Lewis Brinson on his last legs 151 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: that Cooper was in a very uncomfortable role for the 152 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: most of the year when he was available because of 153 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: the lack of the DH specifically because of that, and 154 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: as a result, he struggled very badly. I'm not sure 155 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: if people remember how bad he was. I had to 156 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: write an entire article about Cooper, how he was one 157 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: of the worst players in baseball through the first quarter 158 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: of the season when you account for both the very 159 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: uncharacteristic struggles at the plate and also how much of 160 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: a negative he was defensively, mainly in right field with 161 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: occasional work at first base when Aguilar was resting. Yeah, 162 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: through I guess if you go through the team's first 163 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 1: forty games of the season, he was barely he had 164 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: just climbed back over the two hundred batting average mark. 165 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: He was slugging below three hundred a full quarter of 166 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: the way into the season. As we know, after that, 167 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: he caught fire. He turned out to be one of 168 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: their hottest hitters from there through the rest of the 169 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: first half of the season until ununfortunate injury. You know 170 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: that's an injury related What if that we're going to 171 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: leave alone. Imagine how much better Cooper may have been 172 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 1: if he was able to get consistent playing time as 173 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: DH early in the season, If he wasn't giving back 174 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: some value D offensively. There was more meat on the 175 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 1: bone for the Marlins that they could have nibbled on 176 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 1: if they had a DH. They assembled their roster with 177 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: that in mind, and the lack of it definitely hurt them. 178 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 1: One other player specifically impacted by this, Leywin Diez. When 179 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: they decided to keep Aguilar and Cooper, knowing that both 180 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: of those guys were primarily first baseman by trade, that 181 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 1: in that Laywan Diaz was going to be close to 182 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: major league ready. That was all in mind with the DH. 183 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: Leywen instead because of that unavailable role to him. You know, 184 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: the idea would be he would take over as first 185 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,439 Speaker 1: base and those other guys would be bumped more towards DH, 186 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 1: and the Marlins just did not have a logical window 187 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 1: to do that for most of the year lay When 188 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 1: he got called up, he got sent down, got called up, 189 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: got sent down. Very frustrating for him as someone that 190 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: showed pretty early on in the Triple A season that 191 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: he had nothing left to prove in the minors, but 192 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,959 Speaker 1: there was just not any role available to him because 193 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: of this anticipated rule change did not go through the 194 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: way they intended. It took all the way until September 195 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: for Leywen to finally get those everyday reps at first base, 196 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: and he showed some interesting things, but it was not 197 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: enough of a sample size at all to make you 198 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: feel confident moving forward into next year and beyond in 199 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: terms of what role he has. As the Marlins now 200 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: focus more of their resources and more their energy and 201 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: being a contending team moving forward, they don't know exactly 202 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: what they have in laywhen they know they have defensively, 203 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: but he did not get the reps and we did 204 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: not get enough of the data to know exactly what 205 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: to expect from him offensively moving forward. Despite all the 206 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: promise that he has a second what if about the 207 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one Marlins. What if Anthony Bender had made 208 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: the opening day roster. 209 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 2: That's an interesting Question's been talked about a lot. That's 210 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: an interesting question. 211 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: I was smitten with this guy from the very start 212 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: of Grapefruit League exhibition games. Anyway you slice it, he 213 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: was the most dominant Marlins reliever during spring training games. 214 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 1: It's a small sample and all that, but his performance 215 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:19,240 Speaker 1: was really caught everybody off guard, and it was truly outstanding. 216 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: In that small sample size, he showed immediately just a 217 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: fantastic combination of his sinker and his slider, the movement 218 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: on those pitches, the velocity on those pitches, the way 219 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: they complemented each other, the surprising commands that he had 220 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: of those weapons as well. It made it clear that 221 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,599 Speaker 1: despite coming from out of nowhere, really coming out of 222 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: an independent league, having a very mixed track record there 223 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: and in the upper miners, that something had clicked for him, 224 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: that he had figured something out. Bender Mania was in 225 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: full force, and it seemed to be a close decision 226 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: at the very end of spring training as to whether 227 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: or not they would have room for him on the 228 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: opening day roster. As it turns out, you know, it 229 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: was a combination of factors that it kept him off. 230 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: He did everything in his control to make his case. 231 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: The way that the Marlins looked at it, though, is that, 232 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: for one, they were fortunate early in spring I don't 233 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: know if people remember this, how fortunate they were on 234 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: the injury front entering the regular season. There was nobody 235 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,440 Speaker 1: in of their bullpen candidates that suffered any sort of 236 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 1: actual injury during spring training whatsoever. They acquired, Just to 237 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: give you the names, it was Anthony Bass, it was 238 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: Richard Blier, It was Adam Simber, John Curtis, Ross Datweiler, 239 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: Dylan Floro, Yimmi Garcia. All those guys were ready to 240 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: go for the start of the regular season. That is 241 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: not common. Usually this stuff works itself out. In this case, 242 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: they had, you know, more qualified arms, and they knew 243 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: what to do with now. Most of these guys had 244 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: minor league options remaining, including candidates on that list John 245 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: Curtis and Adam Simber. Both of them had options remaining, 246 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 1: and with Curtis it was a fairly short track record 247 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: in the big leagues. With Simber, he had been up 248 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: and down. He was coming off a shaky year in 249 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: twenty twenty. Ultimately, the hold up here was the Rule 250 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,319 Speaker 1: five draft picks. It was Paul Campbell, who they selected 251 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: from the Rays, and Zach Pop who they acquired as 252 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: a Rule five player via trade from the Diamondbacks. And 253 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: Pop he was impressive in spring training enough to, you know, 254 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: deserve a look going into the regular season. With Campbell, 255 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: we'd barely seen any of him in spring training at all. 256 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: When he did pitched, he looked, you know fine. Overall, 257 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: they were in that interesting spot where they say, as 258 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: a team it was important to put together the best 259 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: possible roster, But it's hard to justify that based on 260 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: how little we knew about Campbell at the time, how 261 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: many other pitchers were next man up, even on the 262 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: forty men roster, And then you had somebody like Bender, 263 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 1: who at the very least showed swing and mis potential 264 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: that really nobody else on that entire bullpen, even some 265 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: of those veterans with real track records had that you 266 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: could see why he would bring a certain amount of 267 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 1: value as a complimentary player to this bullpen. And yet, 268 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: you know, the Marlins, even though Bender did everything that 269 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: you'd want him to do to show that he was 270 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: a new version of himself, he was on the outside 271 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: looking in. He wouldn't get called up until a full 272 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: month into the regular season. And in the meantime that 273 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: Marlin's bullpen, they ranked dead last during the month of 274 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: April in win probability added, worse than any other bullpen. 275 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: It started from the very beginning of the season. You 276 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: can focus on the blown saves, but it was not 277 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: just that it was blown saves. It was tied games 278 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: that were screwed up. I mean, opening Day, Jimmy Garcia 279 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: loses out on a scoreless tie when he allows a 280 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: home run that breaks it up in the top of 281 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: the I think it was either the eighth inning or 282 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: the ninth inning of that game that puts Marlins, you know, 283 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: behind pace in their race to be a relevant team. 284 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: That there was so much of that during the early 285 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: portion of the season. There was that famous hit by 286 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: pitch controversy in New York with Anthony Bass. But you know, 287 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: people need to recognize how much Bass was struggling in 288 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: that game. Even prior to that, it was his famous 289 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: blown save also on against the Rays during that opening series. 290 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: You slice it all together, and the Marlins bullpen was 291 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: terrible at the start of the year. It was one 292 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: reason why it became a meme of sorts about how 293 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: they were underperforming their run differential. That their run differential 294 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: said this is a competitive team, much improved in twenty twenty. 295 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: The record did not say the same because of the bullpen. 296 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: Because how much the bullpen struggled in close games during 297 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: that early portion of the year. When Bender calls comes up, 298 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: you know what happened next. He started his career with 299 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: an outstanding streak of scoreless endings. What if Bender was 300 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: there from the beginning, how many of those close games 301 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 1: could have potentially turned the other way? I should say 302 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: the close losses could have turned into wins for the 303 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: Marlins early in the year. I wouldn't be surprised if 304 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: it made at least one win of difference, maybe two 305 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: wins of difference early on. For a team that was 306 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: never above the five hundred mark, would they have potentially 307 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: been able to creep over that mark early in the season. 308 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: How much does that affect everything else? I think that 309 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 1: was worthy of inclusion in this episode as we focus 310 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: on five huge what ifs about the twenty twenty one 311 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: Marlins season. A third one to get to fast forward 312 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: to the trade deadline on deadline day, which was July 313 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: thirtieth this year, what if the Marlins had traded Max 314 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: Meyer for Brandon Barsh. 315 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 2: That's an interesting question. Been talked about a lot, so 316 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 2: that's an interesting question. 317 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: This is the one rumor that I'm indulging because we 318 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: have a pretty detailed report from Craigmish and the Miami 319 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: Herald about how it was quote close to happening. It 320 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 1: was close between the Marlins and the Angels, the Marlins 321 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: potentially trading their twenty twenty first round draft pick, who 322 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: at that point had been performing very well at Double 323 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 1: A Pensacola for Brandon Marsh, who had just debuted recently 324 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 1: at the major league level after doing great at Triple A. 325 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: Marsh at the time being I believe, just approximately the 326 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: same age. What made this so enticing is that it 327 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,120 Speaker 1: really is a rare challenge trade that you don't see 328 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: often in baseball. With shades of Jazz Chisholm for Zach 329 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: Gallen a couple of years prior. Within the Marlins community, 330 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 1: I would say that the slight majority of people were 331 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,400 Speaker 1: actually turned off by that idea, as if that would 332 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: be an overpay. But I can tell you the industry 333 00:18:55,680 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: consensus is that marsh was the more valuable player, one 334 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 1: just being a position player over a pitcher and having 335 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: less of those injury concerns, and just the other about 336 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: his really diverse and sexy skill set somebody that we 337 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: saw in the big leagues. So his overall numbers as 338 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: a big leaguer, as it would turn out by the 339 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: end of the year in seventy games, a slash line 340 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: of two fifty four three seventeen three fifty six, a 341 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 1: below average hitter for sure, and with only two home 342 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: runs in all those games. You dive deeper, and he 343 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: was right at the top of the scale in how 344 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: hard he hit the ball fifty two point one percent 345 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: hard hit percentage according to stad Cast. There was a 346 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: huge batting average on balls and play that actually inflated 347 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: the numbers over what you would expect a four to 348 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: oh three babbit, which again was about as high as 349 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: you could get and usually indicative of some good luck 350 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: going in your favor. But the way that he impacts 351 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: the ball, the maxim the max exit velocity that he has, 352 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: which is far above average for major league players, it 353 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: points to the fact that there are some real power here, 354 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:09,919 Speaker 1: that even against major league pitching, he was hitting for 355 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: real power and sometimes getting the results in the form 356 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,439 Speaker 1: of singles and likely getting the results in terms of 357 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: extra base hits as the years go by. A turn 358 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: off with him is a strikeout rate. Thirty five percent 359 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,440 Speaker 1: strikeout rate. You look across baseball, there was not There 360 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: hasn't been a single qualified big league hitter over the 361 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: course of a full season that makes a thirty five 362 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: percent strikeout rate work. The reason why the Marlins would 363 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: even float Meyer in these trade conversations is interesting, after 364 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: they selected him higher up than most people expected him 365 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: to go during that twenty twenty two during that twenty 366 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: to twenty draft, at the number three overall pick. I 367 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 1: mean one reason why is I guess, presumably feeling that 368 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: he's not quite one hundred percent big league ready yet, 369 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: which kind of matches with my own interpretation. He's got 370 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: a good fastball command, he's got an incredible slider, and 371 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: the changeup is still a work in progress even that 372 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: deep into the year. Even at the end of the 373 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: year as well as he finished off strong at Pensacola 374 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: and then moved up to the Triple A level, Meyer 375 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: had an outstanding year performance overall and some flashes of 376 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: actual developments twenty two starts, one hundred and eleven innings, 377 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: a two point twenty seven ERA with one hundred and 378 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: thirty strikeouts, and those one hundred and eleven innings and 379 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: doing a good job keeping the ball on the ballpark and. 380 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 2: Then pitch to Zoike swinging a miss breaking ball on 381 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 2: the outside corner, strike three. That's ten strike aps a 382 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 2: career high for Max Meyer. 383 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 1: As encouraging a year as that was, there's still some 384 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: limitations with him, some questions about whether or not he's 385 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,959 Speaker 1: definitively going to stick as a starter at the major 386 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 1: league level or shift into a relief role. And above 387 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: all else, we know that the Marlins have, even now 388 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: as I'm recording this and coming off a couple of 389 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: trades that they have made to user starting pitching depth, 390 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: that overall their organization depth at the major league level 391 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: and in the high minors combined is outstanding. Few organizations 392 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: can feel as good about the future of their strong rotation. 393 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: No individual guy, except for maybe Sandy al Contra at 394 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: the top of the chain, nobody else is really gonna 395 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,400 Speaker 1: hurt all that much if you trade them away from 396 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 1: an impactful player at another position of need. So that 397 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: trade did not get done, I would as far as 398 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: we know, it does seem that the Angels were the 399 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: ones who backed out, who may have been looking for 400 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,719 Speaker 1: something more than Mayra alone in that exchange that wouldn't 401 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: have been as simple as a one for one trade. 402 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: But putting my trust in Craignish that he believes this 403 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: was extremely serious, that there was a willingness on the 404 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: behalf of both teams to make a trade that was 405 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:02,680 Speaker 1: centered around these players and it didn't go through. There's 406 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: still a chance, of course, that Meyer gets traded later 407 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: this offseason for another major league ready outfielder, and if 408 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: not this offseason, but potentially in the future, it's still 409 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: a whole lot of consequences coming out of that. If 410 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: the Marlins had acquired marsh and presumably they would have 411 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: placed them directly in the big leagues during the second 412 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: half of the season, does that mean they don't make 413 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: the separate trade for Brian de la Cruz. Dela Cruz 414 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: outperformed Marsh during that same amount of time in the 415 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: big leagues in August and September. Would they've picked Marsh 416 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: over DLC. How different would Marsha's performance be down the 417 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: stretch if you were playing in a very pitcher friendly 418 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: Lone Depot Park as compared to the Angels Stadium, which 419 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,360 Speaker 1: is closer to neutral. And how would that impact their 420 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: search for outfielders this offseason? If Marsh had done well 421 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: down the stretch? How does that impact how much they 422 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,359 Speaker 1: invest in veteran outfielders? All that stuff. There was a 423 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: whole lot of ripple effects just in these past couple 424 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 1: of months. But more so, this is a huge what 425 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: if for twenty twenty two and beyond two more what 426 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: ifs I want to cover here. What if the Marlins 427 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: had extended Starling Marte. 428 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 2: That's an interesting question. Talked about alive, that's an interesting question. 429 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: They reportedly had some back and forth for a couple 430 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: of weeks in July and then coming out of the 431 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 1: All Star break still no deal. That's when it became 432 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: unfortunately clear that he was not going to stay with 433 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: the team through the rest of the season that they 434 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: were going to trade him and that it was going 435 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: to make it extremely difficult for them to resign him 436 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: in free agency. As we know later, the Marlins were 437 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: very interested in even signing him back in free agency 438 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: once he landed on the open market, by then making 439 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: an offer of four years over sixty million dollars guaranteed, 440 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 1: and yet they chickened out of making that same into 441 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 1: him during the regular season negotiations. If they had simply 442 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: been willing to give him a four year deal when 443 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: these teams were talking, when they were talking with him 444 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: while he was still under the team's control, that should 445 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: have gotten the deal done instead. The way that Marte 446 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 1: performed down the stretch with with Oaklands nearly finishing with 447 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: the highest batting average in baseball, finishing with by far 448 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: the most stolen bases in baseball, that these things reinforced 449 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,400 Speaker 1: the belief that he could be a starting caliber center 450 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,120 Speaker 1: fielder for a team moving forward despite his age, and 451 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 1: the Mets were the team that was convinced by that 452 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,640 Speaker 1: and ended up giving him a four year, seventy eight 453 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: million dollar deal At that amount, you can sort of 454 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 1: understand why the Marlins didn't want to go that far, 455 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: that they understood that there was a considerable amount of 456 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: risk at that price, And to be clear, there still 457 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 1: is a whole lot of risk involved here. You could 458 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: point to examples every single offseason where we see a 459 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 1: player get at what the industry considers a fair amount, 460 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: or a player gets underpaid, and there's a strong opinion 461 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 1: that the team made a smart move, and yet the 462 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: success rate on those moves for these big free agents 463 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,239 Speaker 1: is really not much better than a coin flip. So 464 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: it is possible that twenty twenty one proves to be 465 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,719 Speaker 1: Marte's last year as an elite player, that he begins 466 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: declining immediately, or that he simply is unable to stay 467 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: on the field due to durability concerns, or that his 468 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: defense slips very suddenly, and by the time we get 469 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: to the second year of the contract, he is no 470 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 1: longer an option in center field and he has to 471 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 1: exclusively contribute as a corner spot, which makes him less valuable. 472 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: This has fascinating consequences for the next four years, because 473 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: he stays in the division, the Mets in the Marlins, 474 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 1: assuming the schedule format stays the same as it has 475 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: been recently nineteen heads had meetings between them, a decent 476 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: chance if both teams had made the play in future 477 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 1: years that they could end up meeting in the postseason. 478 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: Marte is going to have a very big impact on 479 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: directly in headshead competition on how the Marlins contends during 480 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: this window that they believe is opening up even without him, 481 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 1: but now going head to head with him, there's it's fascinating. 482 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: Of course, if they had extended him and they didn't 483 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: trade him at the deadline, then they don't get Haesus 484 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: Lozardo from Oakland. That turned out to be the return 485 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: they got at the deadline, and Lozardo moving into twenty 486 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: twenty two projected to be at the back end of 487 00:27:36,080 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: their rotation and certainly has the potential to be more 488 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: than a back end starter. If they don't if they 489 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: extend Marte, then they don't have a Lozardo. So far, 490 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:49,439 Speaker 1: the overall results for Lozardo were disappointing down the stretch 491 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty one season. It turns out it 492 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,720 Speaker 1: may turn out that he's nothing more than a replacement 493 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: level arm or it could turn out that he is 494 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: a star and we could be looking at this five 495 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: years from now, saying all right, you know they ultimately 496 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: they dodged a bullet in not extending Marte. If Luzardo 497 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: turns out to be the more valuable player over these 498 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: next handful of years, it's yeah, all that is a 499 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:16,920 Speaker 1: whole lot of ripple effects. Going back to Brian de 500 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: la Cruz. As I mentioned on the previous point, maybe 501 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 1: they still trade for Brian Delacruz, but there's no room 502 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: for him to play down the stretch if Marte is 503 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: still a Marlin and they keep DLC at Triple A 504 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,359 Speaker 1: for most of the rest of the season, and we 505 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: were feeling very differently about DLC at this point than 506 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: we are in reality, seeing what he had done over 507 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: the final third of the regular season at the major 508 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: league level, and ultimately looking at the record that the 509 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: Marlins finished with. If Marte had been the similar player 510 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: in Miami down the stretch as he was with Oakland's, 511 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 1: they probably win more games than they actually did, and 512 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 1: potentially that could have changed the draft order. They could 513 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: have moved down in the draft order, or they could 514 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: have finished with the record at a certain number. I 515 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 1: know a lot of people were fixated on hopefully this 516 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: being a seventy win team and how much that may 517 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: have done for the psyche of the fan base if 518 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: they'd reached that number, would Marte have been able to 519 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: make that three wins of difference down the stretch. It's unlikely, 520 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: but not totally inconceivable, depending on how he did in 521 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: high leverage situations. Another ripple effect. I think the number 522 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: was a tiny bit higher that the Marlins had reached 523 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: seventy one wins. That was kind of the break even 524 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: point on the over unders for their win totals that 525 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: were set by sportsbooks entering the year. That a lot 526 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 1: of money could have changed hands. Otherwise, if this team 527 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: had finished a few wins higher up than the standings 528 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: and it hit that magic number. I know, for one, 529 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: Peter Pratt or lockedown Marlins fish across the pond. Host 530 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: he was a guy that put his money where his 531 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: mouth was about the Marlins going over that win total, 532 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:57,719 Speaker 1: so he would have a little bit more for his 533 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: Christmas shopping at this moment. Perhaps, if Marte had been 534 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: a Marlin down the stretch and performed the way that 535 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: we were accustomed to him performing as a Marlin, A 536 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: whole lot going on there, and one that as much 537 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 1: as it may have changed about the end of the 538 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one season, even much heavier ramifications for the 539 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: next few years because he is staying in the Marlins 540 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: Division finally after the regular season ended, so this is 541 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: fast forwarding all the way to October. What if jj 542 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: Bladay didn't go to the Arizona Fall League, That's. 543 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 2: An interesting question. Talked about a lot. That's an interesting question. 544 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: He was one of the eight players it turned out 545 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: to be nine prospects that the Marlins sent to the 546 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: Arizona Fall League this year to get extra reps, to 547 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: work on particular parts of their game, and ultimately to 548 00:30:54,560 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: catch the attention of other scouts and organizations. The arison 549 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: A Fall League is a very fascinating place, and the 550 00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: decision to choose who to send to the Fall League 551 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 1: is especially so. Kim Ang even admitted as much about 552 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: going through a long process over a number of weeks 553 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: within the front office deciding which of the limited number 554 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: of spots on the Mesa Solar Socks the Marlins wanted 555 00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: to allocate to particular players that they had to decide 556 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: which of these players would benefit most, or really how 557 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: the organization would benefit most. By sending particular players to 558 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: the Fall League. And some of the key signs that 559 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: usually look for when making these calls is one, if 560 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: players had missed time with injury during the regular season, 561 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 1: this is an opportunity for them to make up for 562 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,000 Speaker 1: lost reps that they had. And then the other is 563 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: if the player is coming up on Rule five draft eligibility, 564 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: if it's a player that needs to be protected on 565 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: the forty man roster immediately after the Fall League ends, 566 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: and whether or not that player is a potential trade 567 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: candidate as well entering that critical juncture of their career. 568 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: So with Blaedet, he did not check either of those boxes. 569 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: He was healthy as far as we know. During the 570 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: regular season. He played in nearly every game that the 571 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoo's played this year, had over 572 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,560 Speaker 1: four hundred and sixty something played appearances during the regular season. 573 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: He got a lot of reps. It was the longest 574 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: baseball season of his life to this point, and he 575 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: is still another year away from that Rule five decision. 576 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,120 Speaker 1: Having been drafted out of college in twenty nineteen, he 577 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: is not Rule five eligible until December of twenty twenty two, 578 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: and yet he was somebody that if you were paying 579 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: close attention, he did improve a little as the regular 580 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: season was winding down, as much as disappointment meant it was. Overall, 581 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: he did finish relatively close to being a league average 582 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: hitter in the Double A South a ninety seven weighted 583 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 1: runs created plus, where one hundred represents league average. This 584 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: was an opportunity for him to build upon that, to 585 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 1: work with Phil play Antier, who was a highly regarded 586 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 1: Marlin's coach in the organization who likes to as a 587 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: good track record of getting the most out of hitters. 588 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: They sent him there, and as you know, Bladay lit 589 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 1: the world on fire. He was named the co hitter 590 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 1: of the Year of the Arizona Fall League. He contributes 591 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: to a team that ultimately won the Arizona Fall League championship, 592 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,800 Speaker 1: and so bleday his numbers from the Fall League in 593 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:30,320 Speaker 1: twenty four games a one thousand and thirty five ops 594 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 1: quadruple digits, twenty four runs batted in in those twenty 595 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:38,600 Speaker 1: four games, nearly as many walks as strikeouts in one 596 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: hundred and fifteen played appearances. So it was a thoroughly 597 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: impressive showing. More than a few people that I respect 598 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: had their opinions changed by the way that Blade performed. 599 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: That they believe that this really, this really solidified his 600 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: standing as being one of the better outfield prospects in baseball, 601 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: one of the better prospects in the Marlins organization. This 602 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: is a very talented young man who just kind of 603 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:06,040 Speaker 1: lost his way this year, and he was. 604 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 2: Able to come out here and I think feels much 605 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 2: more like herself. 606 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: He smacks that bitch to deep center, riding back and gone. 607 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: JJ Blay muscles up for two and ties the game. 608 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: He was impacting the ball better, His discipline was outstanding. 609 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:26,399 Speaker 1: I think he even played a little center field when 610 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,280 Speaker 1: he was out there. He has six games in center 611 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: fields in addition to usually playing left field for Mesa. 612 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,320 Speaker 1: During that showing, his stock went up. And what if 613 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 1: he did not go to the Fall League. What if 614 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: the Marlins used those limited spots on other players. What 615 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: if they use to spot on someone like Connor Scott, 616 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 1: who they ended up trading to the Pirates. Connor Scott 617 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,120 Speaker 1: missed time during the regular season, and he had an 618 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: extra year of pro experience under his belt at this point. 619 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: How would things be different if they went with any 620 00:34:56,040 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: number of different directions putting somebody instead of Bladey. They 621 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: finishes his first full year in minor league baseball with 622 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:09,560 Speaker 1: just his double A results. How do they view him 623 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:11,839 Speaker 1: differently going to the offseason? How do other teams view 624 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 1: him differently? An example is the trade that they made 625 00:35:16,320 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 1: with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire Joey Wendall, a 626 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: one for one trade giving up Cameron Meisner. Now, depending 627 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 1: who you ask, I know for sure in somebody like 628 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: Alex Carver, our friend had fish on the farm. He 629 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: was more bullish about Meisner's potential than Bladet, and I 630 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: don't think he was entirely alone in that aspect anyone 631 00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: who slice it, their stocks were fairly close to one 632 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,040 Speaker 1: another as early round picks from the same draft class, 633 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 1: with some interesting tools and a different amount of risk, 634 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: but similar proximity to the big leagues as well, where 635 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: both of them potentially could be debuting by the end 636 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,520 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty two season. Marlins, in making that trade, 637 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: prioritize somebody in Joey Wendall who could help them win 638 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: games right now. If Bladay doesn't go to the Fall League, 639 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: he doesn't impress as much as he did. If the 640 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 1: Marlins feel a little bit differently about him because of 641 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: that absence of data. Do they trade him instead of 642 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: Meisner for Joey Wendell? Do they reformat that trade a 643 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: little bit to get an extra piece along with Wendell 644 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:25,480 Speaker 1: in exchange for Bludet. So this is another one where yeah, 645 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:27,840 Speaker 1: we don't know any of their ramifications right now, and 646 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:29,840 Speaker 1: we might not really know them next year either. It 647 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:32,439 Speaker 1: might really need to be to twenty twenty three, when 648 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:37,759 Speaker 1: Bleedet is presumably solidified as an everyday player, whether or 649 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: not it's a good player or not, seeing you know, 650 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,600 Speaker 1: how he goes from here, and whether that fall league 651 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: performance was a real jumping off point in him being 652 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: the great all round hitter that he was forecasted to 653 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: be coming out of Vanderbilt, or whether it was just 654 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: a blip and he doesn't actually carry it over as 655 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,720 Speaker 1: he face is he faces more advanced pitching at Triple 656 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: A and then in the main leagues. To recap, what 657 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:08,400 Speaker 1: if the twenty twenty one season was played with the 658 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: universal DH What if Anthony Bender had made the opening 659 00:37:12,239 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 1: day roster. What if the Marlins had traded Max Meyer 660 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:20,360 Speaker 1: for Brandon Marsh, What if the Marlins had extended Starling Marte, 661 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:25,400 Speaker 1: and what if JJ Blade didn't go to the Arizona 662 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,840 Speaker 1: Fall League. Those are the ones I'll be thinking about. 663 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: As mentioned up top, I excluded anything related to injuries 664 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:38,120 Speaker 1: or COVID or any rumors that were very shallow. Any 665 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: of the rumors that didn't have a whole lot of 666 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: legs to them, I felt weren't worth focusing on. But 667 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 1: I all five of these felt had huge ramifications either 668 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 1: on the current season or they will on upcoming seasons. 669 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 1: If I missed any, if there are any that really 670 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: jump out to you under these conditions, I want to 671 00:37:57,160 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 1: hear about it too, because this was an important year 672 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,600 Speaker 1: in the organization. As much as it was a disappointing year, 673 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: it was important. Every single full length season is extremely 674 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 1: important to where the organization goes from here, both on 675 00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:14,000 Speaker 1: an individual level and a team level. A lot of 676 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,120 Speaker 1: fun content plan for you on Fish Stripes as we 677 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:20,640 Speaker 1: close down the year. Our next episode of Marlin's Jeopardy 678 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: coming up at seven pm on Wednesday. We hope you 679 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,960 Speaker 1: tune in and participate in that. Moving into the new year, 680 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,799 Speaker 1: as we interact with fans in a brand new way, 681 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 1: bringing them on as contestants for that Jeopardy show as 682 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,880 Speaker 1: part of our fish Stripes Live series daily articles almost 683 00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: every single day on fishtripes dot com analyzing the current 684 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:45,279 Speaker 1: state of the organization as well as looking back at 685 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:50,160 Speaker 1: some historical decisions and projecting forward. We got it covered 686 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 1: at all angles, and it's been an interesting challenge to 687 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 1: remain stimulated during the lockout, but it only gets easier. 688 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 1: I think we're getting over the hump of boredom, so 689 00:39:01,239 --> 00:39:04,480 Speaker 1: we appreciate everybody that enjoys our content and that advises 690 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 1: us where to go next. We have plenty more quality 691 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:12,080 Speaker 1: stuff planned out and we're excited to listen to what 692 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: you have to say and what you think the Marlin 693 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 1: should do next as we slowly slowly build up to 694 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:23,040 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty two Marlin season. One more episode of 695 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 1: the official show coming up next week before we turn 696 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,759 Speaker 1: the calendar, so we hope you turn tune into that too. 697 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:32,279 Speaker 1: I appreciate the support this has been Eli Susman for 698 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: Fish Stripes. As always, go Fish