1 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: How you do in fish Stripes fam. Welcome to a 2 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: new episode of fish Bites on the Fish Stripes Podcast, 3 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: extensive year round fun coverage of the Miami Marlins and 4 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: related topics. What do you think of the intro music 5 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: that we've been using on these episodes. It's been the 6 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: same for several months, dating back even before I was 7 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: hosting on a regular basis, just when I was producing 8 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: the pod, and I'm just wondering if it's grown stale 9 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: or something, And it's an opportunity for me to remind 10 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: you that if you have comments and feedback on the music, 11 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: the production, the topic choice, if you have suggestions for 12 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: what you want to hear on the pod that we're 13 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: not already covering anything at all, You're encouraged to give 14 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: me that feedback directly at fish Stripes on Twitter or Instagram. 15 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: You can shoot an email to me at Eli dot 16 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: Susman at gmail dot com, Eli spelled el y any 17 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: of those methods to get in touch with me, or 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: even comment on the article. When we post these new 19 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: episodes on the website and there on articles, you could 20 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: just comment directly there. We want to know how we're 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: doing with the podcast all the reps that we've had 22 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: here in twenty nineteen, I believe have made it better 23 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: and a lot more directly towards the matters that fans 24 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: are interested in. But I could be wrong, and that's 25 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: why I always want to hear from you guys to 26 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: guide the direction of the show, so that compliments what 27 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: we're doing on the rest of the Fishtripes platforms, but 28 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: we want to also be doing some exclusive things here 29 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: that are different from what we do on other mediums. 30 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: And already looking forward just we haven't even started this one, really, 31 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: but already looking ahead to the next episode. After you 32 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: listen to this one in its entirety, and after you 33 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: leave a review and all that, after you get through 34 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: this episode, we have another one already lined up featuring 35 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: a special guest. It's been a minute since we've actually 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 1: had a guest on the pod with me, and so 37 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: that one's about to change. It's already set up. It's 38 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: gonna go up after the completion of the world series 39 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: between the Astros and Nationals, and I'll keep the subject's 40 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: identity a secret for the time being, but a hint. 41 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: It is a Fox Sports Florida personality from the network 42 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: that brings you TV broadcasts of every single regular season 43 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,959 Speaker 1: Marlins game a different perspective from you guys. Look out 44 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: for it. Make sure you're subscribed to the pod if 45 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: not already, so that you get that interview as soon 46 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: as it goes up and the rest of the episode 47 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: surrounding that. In the meantime, we have a lot of 48 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: topics to cover. The first that I'm gonna touch on 49 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: being on the prospect side, congratulating the Marlins from their 50 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: great performance in the Arizona Fall League. So a quick 51 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: introduction on that for those that are not familiar. Well, 52 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: this year it was a little different than in the past, 53 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: but the following has around for now almost thirty years 54 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: in Arizona where they use spring training facilities that some 55 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: of the West Coast teams use at the major league 56 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: level at the beginning of the year. They are now 57 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: vacant and available for the top prospects in the minor 58 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: leagues to use. At this time of year, it puts 59 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: top prospects from all thirty MLB teams head to head 60 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:24,119 Speaker 1: to head, putting those players on rosters, and going through 61 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: about twenty eight to twenty nine game regular season, Saturday 62 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: was the championship game. The Marlins participated in that and 63 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: the organization racked up a lot of awards, the first 64 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: of which being won off the field. For the inaugural 65 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: Arizona Fall League Organization Leadership Award went to the Miami Marlins. 66 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: Out of all thirty organizations, there was the one that 67 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: on the player side and on the executive side, made 68 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: the biggest impression out there in the desert. 69 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: Many key members of the Marlins offered their in person 70 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 2: support for their players and for the league. 71 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 3: Darren Jader, you know Don Mattingly, you know Mike Hill, 72 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 3: Brian Chaddon, Real Stottlemeier, you know everybody, all the all 73 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: the major league staff, and everybody that calls the shots. 74 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 3: An organization was here to watch these guys, and they 75 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 3: all performed well in front of them. 76 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: I believe for the collective efforts, the Marlins earned the 77 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: inaugural Arizona Fall League Organization Leadership Award, given annually to 78 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: the team that meets or exceeds their obligations to their 79 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 2: four AFL team partners. Something incredibly solid to place in 80 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 2: the foundation of an organization. 81 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: The Salt River Rafters winning that game by the score 82 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: of five to one, over surprise and a rare postseason 83 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: win for anybody associated with the Marlins. Of course, at 84 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: the major league level, they haven't had any of those 85 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: dating back to two thousand and three, even which with 86 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: much lower stakes in this case, playing with some quote 87 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: unquote teammates that aren't even in your organization, this is 88 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: just nice practice and to see these guys step up 89 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: in that situation. If you combine the three hitters that played, 90 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: they went four for eleven overall in this game, and 91 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: it was Alex Vessia who through the final pitches of 92 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: the AFL season, closing the door and ceiling that victory. 93 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: The Fall League season ran from the middle of September 94 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: until here in late October, which means you're dealing with 95 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: a limited sample size. Nobody here was a true everyday player. 96 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: The rosters were somewhat overcrowded, and it was a juggling 97 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: act to make sure everybody got some reps in. That's 98 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: a big reason why they're in the Fall League in 99 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: the first place. Is usually to make up for time 100 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: miss due to injury during the regular season, or in 101 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: some cases, it's just to face a higher level of 102 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: competition that you don't see during the typical major league 103 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 1: season is a high concentration of top prospects. For the Marlins, 104 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: four of their seven players are ranked among their top 105 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: twenty prospects according to MLB Pipeline or Baseball America. Pretty 106 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: much everybody's on the same page about Kniert, Devers, and 107 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: Carnacion and may all of them our future major leaguers 108 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: for some degree, but it's now trying to identify exactly 109 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 1: what their strengths and weaknesses are compared to other elite talent, 110 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: and we'll kind of role they'll translate into during the future. 111 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: More so than anybody. Nick Knighter had the most impressive 112 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: results among those top prospects, a one point twenty five 113 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 1: earned R on average, and that's not even including a 114 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: couple scroll of settings pitched in the Fall Stars Game. 115 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: Struck out nineteen in twenty one in two third seningx 116 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: pitched that was split over five different starts. The big 117 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: encouraging aspect is that he only walked two batters in 118 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: twenty one and two thirds sennx pitch. That's typical of 119 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:35,839 Speaker 1: what he had done earlier in his career, but not 120 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: so much in twenty nineteen, as he was dealing with 121 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: a knee injury and a lot of off time in 122 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,799 Speaker 1: the middle of the year to recover from that knee injury. 123 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: Very very encouraging, more so than anybody here. He is 124 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: a lock to appear at some point for the Marlins 125 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: during the twenty twenty season, and frankly, he would have 126 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: been called up even earlier than that had it not 127 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: been for that knee injury and inconsistency. We already talked 128 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: about Nidered on a recent episode, So going into more 129 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: detail about those position players. Jose Devers, he suffered a 130 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: sore hand right in the middle of the Fall League 131 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: that cost him a few weeks. That was disappointing, but 132 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: he really salvaged something towards the end of it. Over 133 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: the final week plus he got back onto the field 134 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: and in the lineup. He stole four bases over just 135 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: that final week of the season, and he started hitting 136 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: even for extra bases, which is the big surprise. He 137 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: acquired in the gen Carlo Stanton trade, and he has 138 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: turned out to be even more so than George Guzman. 139 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: He has turned out to be what seems to be 140 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: the most valuable asset acquired four Stanton because he projects 141 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: to be a short stop at the highest level. During 142 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: the Fall League, he was planning second base. As I 143 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: mentioned before, it is an overcrowded roster with top prospects, 144 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: including ones that are also are projected as short stops, 145 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: so he was forced off of his usual position to 146 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: the right side of the infield, and by all accounts, 147 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: he really acclimated himself well defensively to that new spot. 148 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: But he was a youngest player representing the Marlins in 149 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: the Fall League, only nineteen years old. He turns twenty 150 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: in December, so a lot of time ahead for him 151 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: to continue bulking up and to keep adjusting his swing. 152 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: But very encouraging overall, knowing the caliber and experience of 153 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:21,119 Speaker 1: the competition that he was going up against Victor Victor 154 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: Mesa playing a lot of center field during the Fall League. 155 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: He had a minor knee scare. Like during the Fall 156 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: Stars game, It only ended up costing him a couple 157 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 1: of games, and he had more played appearances than anybody 158 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: for the Marlins during this Fall League. He early in 159 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: the Fall League he was among the league leaders in 160 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: their batting race, and since came back down to earth 161 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: quite a bit. Overall, it was fine for him there 162 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 1: were some mixed reviews on how athletic he looked, maybe 163 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: trying to play through that knee injury slowing him down 164 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: a little bit. Again, all this is really small sample 165 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: two seventy nine hitter, two ninety seven on basa three 166 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: twenty nine slugging. All that is a little bit better, 167 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: better than the regular season. His regular season was a disaster, 168 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: and there's really no way to sugarcoat that given the 169 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: pretty conservative assignment going to high A Jupiter, and he 170 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: just didn't hit at all. Everything pounded into the ground, 171 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: and from what I was able to see in the 172 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 1: Fall League, that continues to be somewhat of an issue 173 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: for him. It's just the trajectory. His launch angle is 174 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: a lot lower than you like. You can't do all 175 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: that much damage if you're keeping the ball in the infield. 176 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 1: That's going to be a big adjustment for him going 177 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: forward with Incarnacione. A lot of positive but some negative 178 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: two with his game. He hit for a lot of 179 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: power if you include that grand Slam on Saturday. Four 180 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: home runs twenty RBIs for him in seventy one total 181 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:49,679 Speaker 1: at bats including that game, so very strong run production, 182 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: key production in the clutch situations. That he came up 183 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: in two six to nine hitter overall slugged four to 184 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: thirty three. He was about a league average hitter, maybe 185 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: a had better than that coming off the season. That 186 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 1: was a big breakout for him at both low Way 187 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: Clinton and he continued somewhat at high A Jupiter. But 188 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,719 Speaker 1: for him, the big question moving forward is going to 189 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: be his defense. Played a lot of corner outfield here 190 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: in the Desert and he committed five errors. This is, 191 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: as we said, dearely over a month of games overall 192 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: in charge with five outfield errors. If you combine his 193 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: regular season with the Fall League twenty errors committed as 194 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: an outfielder. For all his strong arm strength that he 195 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: makes a big impact for the positive with his arm, 196 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: he's made a lot of mistakes in terms of covering 197 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 1: grounds and in terms of simply fielding the ball as well. 198 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: There are some big question marks with his defensive position. 199 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: He experimented a little bit with first base during the 200 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: regular season, and we're not going to mention him on 201 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: this episode as we go through our next ultimate Marlin's 202 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: Depth Charts installments talking about catchers in first baseman, not 203 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: putting him in that group yet, but I would not 204 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: be surprised that further down the road in this organization 205 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: that your bets find out is kind of short on 206 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: first base candidates. I would not be a surprised at 207 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: all if he's someone they seriously consider for a position 208 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 1: change moving forward, to make sure that his bat, to 209 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: help him focus on his hitting, because for right now, 210 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,559 Speaker 1: the mistikes that he's making in the field are taking 211 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: away somewhat of his overall value as a player. And finally, 212 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: touching on Fall League performance, I want to bring up 213 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: Alex Vesia. We did mention him just on this most 214 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: recent episode on the previous depth Charts breakdown going through 215 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: left handed pitching. He is the most excited left handed 216 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: reliever that the Marlins have in their organization. He was 217 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 1: just drafted in twenty eighteen, so barely a year ago, 218 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: and already made it up to Double A and now 219 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: here in the Fall League. If you combine his Fall 220 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: Stars game performance and his final performance in the championship game, 221 00:11:54,400 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 1: twelve total endings pitched, no runs allowed, near perfection. He 222 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: didn't allow very many base runners to begin with either. 223 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: Just dominance. Dominance from a guy that he only averaged 224 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: ninety three miles per hour on his fastball, which in 225 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: today's day and age, especially for a reliever, that is 226 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: below average. He does not have that special V low 227 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: that you usually look for in a shutdown closer, and 228 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: yet the results are there. It's a high spin rate 229 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: that he has, the way that he pairs that fastball 230 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: with a slider and a changeup. It's a great combination 231 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: of pitches that have enough separation in V low to 232 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,719 Speaker 1: keep the hitters off balance. And it's that spin rate 233 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,840 Speaker 1: that allows his stuff to play up better than you 234 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: can measure it traditionally. This was a really encouraging sign 235 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: for him twenty three years old. I think it would 236 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: be rushing him to put him on the opening day roster, 237 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: but with all the holes that the Marlins have in 238 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: their bullpen in the near term and then projecting forward, 239 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: he is really exciting. I'm really excited to see him 240 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: perhaps at some point in twenty twenty because every single 241 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,439 Speaker 1: test that he has faced from the rookie leagues to 242 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 1: low A, high A, and double A, he has succeeded. 243 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: And that just kept going here against the top prospects 244 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: from across all of baseball. Congratulations to Vesia to all 245 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: seven of these guys, To Keith Johnson, who managed the 246 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: Salt River Rafters, and to all the front office members 247 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: that came out in support of the Marlins. This was 248 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 1: a big success out in the Desert, and they made 249 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: a strong impression on the rest of the baseball showing 250 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: themselves to be a group of talent that needs to 251 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 1: be feared moving forward, and all of whom could be 252 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: impacting the Marlins in the majors in the near future. 253 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: If you've been listening to fish Bites dating back to 254 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 1: the regular season when Danny Martinez was hosting, you remember 255 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: there being this sense of inevitability that Don Mattingley was 256 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: not going to survive as Marlins manager for a variety 257 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: of reasons, that Mattingly may have just been a victim 258 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 1: of circumstance, and that he'd be going out the door 259 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: that Marlins would be one of It turns out many 260 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: teams that would be looking for replacement, and they surprised 261 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 1: a lot of us when they extended Manningly last month 262 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: at least for the next two years twenty twenty and 263 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. Earlier this week, the Marlins made a 264 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: very interesting hire in my eyes, James Rouson is now 265 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: their manager in waiting. He had served as hitting coach 266 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: for the Twins over the last three seasons with plenty 267 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: of success. Here he is explaining part of his philosophy 268 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: in getting the most out of his young players just. 269 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 4: Simply, each hitter is a little bit different, like we 270 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 4: talked about, So you know, you're going to have some 271 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 4: guys have different strengths than other and they're going to 272 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 4: be able to control different parts of the zone. What 273 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 4: I want to find out first before I tell you anything, 274 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 4: is to find out what you're naturally good at, and 275 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 4: then kind of build off of what you do well. 276 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 4: I think the minute you start deciding that every hitter 277 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 4: has to do something a certain way, you might reach 278 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 4: one or two hitters, but you're going to lose the 279 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 4: other eight out of ten because those eight are not 280 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 4: going to have the same strengths as those two. 281 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: Like the Marlins have not officially announced this high as 282 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: of yet, they're going to wait until they put their 283 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: full coaching staff together for twenty twenty before doing so. 284 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: The news, though, was broken by Jeff Passen of ESPN. 285 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: He is about as credible as they get on these matters, 286 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: and it has since been confirmed by the reports, Rosen 287 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: is gonna come to the Marlins not as their hitting coach, 288 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: though he'll be serving as the bench coach, so second 289 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: in command right under matting Lee, as well as the 290 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: offensive coordinator, is what they're calling it. If you're confused 291 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: by that seeing that term in baseball, you're not alone. 292 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: I don't actually know if there are very many other teams, 293 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: only a couple I believe that use that same term 294 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: for anybody on their staff. For the Marlins, as described 295 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: I believe by Craig Mish detailing that he'll actually be 296 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: working to some extent with all levels of the Marlins organization. 297 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: It's kind of being the lead hitting coach for the 298 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: organization as a whole, where other hitting coaches at the 299 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: lower minor league levels will be learning from him in 300 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: spring training about best practices. They're trying to unify the 301 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: Orleans under a single philosophy for how to maximize production 302 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: at the plate. A few more biographical details about James Rosen. 303 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: He grew up in New York, in fact, in Mount Vernon, 304 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: New York, which is a city that I know well, 305 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: just a fusities over from where I grew up in 306 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: New Rochelle New York. So that's not going to make 307 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: me biased, but it is definitely something that stuck out 308 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: to me because as not typically regarded as a professional 309 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: baseball hotbed, he did play at the professional level both 310 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: in the Mariners organization and then in the Yankees organization. 311 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: If you know how the Marlins are being run right 312 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: now with Jeter and with Gary Denbow, those guys have 313 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: strong ties, of course to the Yankees, and that very 314 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: likely had an influence on why they were interested in 315 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: Rosen in the first place. With the Yankees, he spent 316 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: two separate stints as their minor league hitting coordinator, So 317 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: again that ties in a little bit to his new 318 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: role as an offensive coordinator, where it's not necessarily all 319 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: that different for what he did back then, except instead 320 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: of being hands on at the different affiliates, he's going 321 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: to be, of course, sitting on the bench in the 322 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: major league, dugout for all one hundred and sixty two games, 323 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,640 Speaker 1: and a very creative hybrid role that the Marlins feel 324 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 1: is going to maximize his talents as both a leader 325 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 1: and an instructure on the hitting side. A key difference 326 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: between the Marlins offense and the Twins offenses past season. 327 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: Aside from the obvious that one was much better than 328 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: the other is in the ground ball rate. How now, 329 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: the last seven seasons in Major League Baseball, the Marlins 330 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: each year have led the majors in ground ball rate, 331 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: which is just impossible to even get your mind around 332 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: because of all the change on the player side that 333 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: they've had during those years and also on the hitting 334 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: coach side. This past year, they made a midseason change, 335 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 1: entering it with Mike Paglio Rulo as the hitting coach 336 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: and then replacing him with that tandem of Jeff Livsay 337 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 1: and Eric Duncan. Those two are remaining in the organization. 338 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: It seems likely that they'll still be all the major 339 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: league staff, although that has yet to be determined the 340 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: exact configuration involving and live Say and Duncan. Even after 341 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 1: the hitting coach changed, the offense struggled a lot this 342 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: past year, and yeah, the one particular thing is the 343 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 1: ground ball rate. This year, about fifty percent of their 344 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: batted balls hit on the grounds, where the best possible 345 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: thing you can really get when you hit on the 346 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 1: ground is maybe a double that hugs one of the 347 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,879 Speaker 1: foul lines, but more often than not it's a simple out, 348 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: and frequently for the Marlins this past year, it was 349 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: a double play that really put a stop on any 350 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: riley that they had going. Yet, you just don't want 351 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: to hit them any ground balls. It's as simple as that, 352 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,400 Speaker 1: and there's no better proof of that than the Twins. 353 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 1: The Twins led the league in not hitting ground balls, say, 354 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: the lowest ground ball rate by a pretty wide margin 355 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: in baseball, and it was one of the lower ground 356 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: ball rates on record below forty percent for any team 357 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: in recent history. Their launch angle overall as a team 358 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,919 Speaker 1: was the highest, nearly a fifteen degree average launch angle 359 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: on their batted balls, coming from a big variety of hitters. 360 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: And what's difficult is trying to distinguish between which of 361 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: this is simply the players improving and the combination of 362 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: players that they're seeking as a front office, and of course, 363 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: what is Rosen doing, what is he telling them that 364 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: is leading to these type of changes in their game. 365 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: In the overall results, as a part of this hiring, 366 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: they did not get any Twins players to come along 367 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: with them. Now we'll see as this offseason plays out 368 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: whether they try to acquire anybody that Rosen has worked 369 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: with personally during his three years with the Twins. That'll 370 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 1: be interesting to follow. I don't want to call this 371 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: a quote unquote great hire. I've seen that type of 372 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: sentiment going around were of course, you want to seek 373 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: a guy that has had the results to back up 374 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,120 Speaker 1: what people are saying about him. Personally. He is widely 375 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: regarded as a nice guy that works well with others 376 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: and very collaborative. That's a key word for baseball today 377 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: that might not have necessarily been true in the past, 378 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: is collaborating with different pe and not necessarily limiting a 379 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: person to a single responsibility and trying to be accountable 380 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: as a group for whatever happens on the field. So 381 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: the Marlins had the type of group surrounding Roson that 382 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: he had with the Twins that will put these players 383 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: in position to be successful. Certainly, there are important differences 384 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 1: between where he was at Target Field and where he's 385 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 1: going now at Marlins Park. The dimensions of the ballpark 386 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: are different, the environmental conditions in the ballparks are different, 387 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 1: and now the designated hitter rule is not at his disposal. 388 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: That will influence what he tells his team to do 389 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:39,479 Speaker 1: offensively and how it all works together to produce what 390 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 1: you want, ideally as a circular lineup that doesn't have 391 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 1: any holes in it and is very productive overall. But 392 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 1: what I wanted to get back to was the original 393 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: thought that I believe James Rosen is here to eventually 394 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: manage the Marlins, and they're not going to say that now, 395 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 1: and it certainly is premature to say that before he 396 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,719 Speaker 1: actually begins working with Marlins players and working under Don 397 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: Mattingly and seeing what that relationship is like. And some 398 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: of this is contingent on how the team does on 399 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: the field over these next couple of years under Don Mattingly. 400 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: But I don't think this is all about just being 401 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: a hitting guru, because that type of language gets thrown 402 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: around a lot, and we see that these specialists that 403 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: are highly regarded for teaching one particular thing that doesn't 404 00:21:24,440 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: necessarily translate to a new environment are just all you 405 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: can count on one hand. Really, the kind of veteran 406 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,880 Speaker 1: coaches that specialize in teaching something and have consistent results 407 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: even as the players themselves change. Not all this stuff 408 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: is very repeatable. There are a lot of people that 409 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: put great attention into being teachers and trying to find 410 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,239 Speaker 1: universal things at work, and it's not that easy. I mean, 411 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 1: the differences between one coach and another aren't as dramatic 412 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: as we like to imagine sometimes. But with Rosen, the 413 00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: fact that he had this long Yankees background, someone who 414 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 1: had been in the organization for years, overlapping with both 415 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: Derek Cheeter and Gary denbo in the Yankees organization, they 416 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:10,600 Speaker 1: got to know him well and because of that they 417 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: bring him over for a reason. He has all this 418 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: coaching experience now for most of this millennium, since the 419 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 1: two thousands, he's been in coaching. That experience is certainly applicable, 420 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: and for now he's going to be the second in 421 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: commands under Mattingly. At some point this year, you would 422 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: think that, whether it's an ejection or just a personal 423 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 1: absence from Mattingly, that Rosen will get a chance to 424 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: manage games in person and make some of those key decisions. 425 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: And the front office will be looking at that very closely. 426 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: But this guy's highly regarded on a number of different 427 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: levels in terms of both personally and in his baseball acumen. 428 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 1: He is, to me set up to be that front 429 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: runner to manage the Marlin someday, and for that reason. 430 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: I'm just excited to see this play out. Not gonna 431 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: necessarily congratulate them on making any move until we actually 432 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: start these games, and more importantly, until they start working 433 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 1: together directly hands on in Jupiter for reving up for 434 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty season. He's going to be earning this 435 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: job by what he does Undermattingly, he's going to be 436 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 1: earning his job before it's actually time to search for 437 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: a replacement. But I can see a lot of reasons 438 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: why this young guy is being seen as a guy 439 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: who could lead the Marlins moving forward. And it's a 440 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: big acquisition whenever you're able to steal away a highly 441 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: regarded coach from another successful team. So there's still a 442 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: few more positions left to fill on the twenty twenty 443 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: Marlins coaching staff, and we'll be following those developments as 444 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: they come along. For the final segment of this episode 445 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: of Fish Bites, we're going to continue our ultimate Marlins 446 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 1: depth chart series, our position by position breakdown of the 447 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: talent in the organization right now at all different levels. 448 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: Two episodes ago, we kick this off with the right 449 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: handed pitching episode, we went to the left handers. So 450 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,919 Speaker 1: between those two we've now covered all the pitching side 451 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: on all the different levels of the organization. We can 452 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: now move on to position players. That's the area where 453 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: over the last year plus the Marlins have made huge 454 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: strides in addressing understanding. They had a surplus on the 455 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: pitching side, and now they've balanced that out. The draft 456 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: has certainly been a big help with that, concentrating all 457 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: their assets at the top early rounds of the last 458 00:24:26,359 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: two drafts on bulking up the depth that they have 459 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: at different positions. Not going to cover all the positions 460 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: in one episode, we want to give all these players 461 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 1: their due attention. What we're doing this time is combining 462 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: the catchers and the first basement. Neither of those positions 463 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: are especially deep at this very moment. You could always 464 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: see position changes further down the road from other guys 465 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: that may move to these spots, but for the time being, 466 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 1: it seems natural to combine these two together. Catcher on 467 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: first base. It's breaken into four different categories, the first 468 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: being the major leaguers, the ones who finish the year 469 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 1: as Major leaguers and who are on the field for 470 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: the Marlins in twenty nineteen. The next category will be 471 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty ETA is the ones who will be 472 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: presumably called up next year, health permitting, and if the 473 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: production remains as projected, then there will be the next 474 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,479 Speaker 1: waves of talent, not locks at all to come up 475 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 1: during this coming season, but in the near future down 476 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: the road already in the organization and developing wants to 477 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: look forward to and talent that was highly regarded at 478 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: the time of being acquired by the Marlins. And then 479 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: there are the curiosities at the ends who don't fit 480 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: neatly into any of the previous categories, but are certainly 481 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: worth mentioning and describing in some detail in case you 482 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:51,840 Speaker 1: aren't already familiar with them. We begin with your Marlins 483 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: starting catcher Jorge Alfarow a two to sixty two batting 484 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: average in twenty nineteen, three to twelve on base percentage 485 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,639 Speaker 1: and a four to twenty five slugging eighteen home runs 486 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: in his four hundred and sixty five played appearances. Even 487 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,240 Speaker 1: before beginning the regular season with the Marlins after coming 488 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 1: over in the JT. Real Muto trade, it was obvious 489 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:17,119 Speaker 1: that this guy has immense raw tools as a runner, 490 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: especially for a catcher. Is unreal how quickly he gets 491 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,440 Speaker 1: down the first baseline how much he hustles on every 492 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,400 Speaker 1: single play and puts pressure on opposing fielders. His raw 493 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: power is amazing, some of the longest home runs that 494 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 1: anybody on the Marlins roster hit this past year, and 495 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 1: behind the plate, his throwing arm to second base is 496 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: about as strong as anybody's. On the negative side, he 497 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: has some trouble just putting the bat on the ball. 498 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: I mean a strikeout rate in the mid thirties, one 499 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: of the highest strikeout totals for a season for any 500 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: Marlin ever, despite the fact that he actually wasn't qualified 501 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: for the batting title or any other league leader boards. Yeah, 502 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,199 Speaker 1: for the most part, stayed healthy this year. Had some 503 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 1: nagging injuries, including a brief scale with a concussion after 504 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: taking a foul ball to the mask, But overall, you know, 505 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: four hundred and sixty five played appearances. If you do 506 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: that every year, that puts your team in a pretty 507 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: good shape. To have a kind of catcher like that. 508 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: Not everybody is going to be real Muto when it 509 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: comes to durability, So realistically, it was a fine first 510 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: season for him, but a lot of questions about putting 511 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: the bat on the ball. Relying on good fortune on 512 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: balls and play, but also you know, some legitimately very 513 00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: hard contact, So the tools were there. This discipline that 514 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: he has as a batter needs to improve a lot, 515 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: and more so than probably anybody on the team. It's 516 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,679 Speaker 1: gonna be so interesting to see how he interacts with 517 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: James Rosen and just tries to put his tools in 518 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: a position to shine to their fullest extent. And there's 519 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: still some distance that he has to go in that department, 520 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: and he's young enough and he seems to be willing 521 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 1: enough to make adjustments and reach his full potential potentially 522 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: as a Marlins All Star. As recent as soon as 523 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, Garrett Cooper played both first base and some 524 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 1: corner outfield spots for the Marlins. In twenty nineteen. He 525 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 1: put up a two to eighty one batting average three 526 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 1: forty four on base four forty six slugging, fifteen home runs, 527 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: and four hundred and twenty one played appearances. He had 528 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: some amazing highs right in the middle of the year 529 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: after coming back from I guess his calf injury was 530 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: around in late May, June, early July. He was fantastic 531 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: for that stretch. One of the better hitters in the league, 532 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: showing power to all fields and very very disciplined in 533 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: the process as well. I'm putting him at first base 534 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: for the time being because you need to remember that 535 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: Neil Walker is a pending free agent, Martine Prado is 536 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 1: a pending free agent, and of course neither of those 537 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: guys were as productive as Cooper was this past year, 538 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: so it gives you reason to believe that the Marlins 539 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 1: won't make a strong bid to resign them. They may 540 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 1: look for another comparable type of play that as a 541 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: backup to Cooper and someone that could pla tune with 542 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: him and offer some flexibility, But for the time being, 543 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 1: Cooper as a front runner to see the line's share 544 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 1: of playing time at first base next year. Of course, 545 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: the one thing that has held him back well this 546 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 1: year and even more so in previous years, is his 547 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: durability and lack thereof a variety of nagging injuries. More 548 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: so in twenty eighteen, it was that risk issue that 549 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: bid him a couple times, eventually requiring season ending surgery. 550 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: There's no surgery this year, but a couple injuries, some 551 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: just bad luck on getting hit by pitches, but others 552 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 1: in the field. You may remember that his season ended early. 553 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: He ended with an injury on trying to make a 554 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: sliding play in the outfield. So that's just another reason 555 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 1: why you may see more of a focus on being 556 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,240 Speaker 1: a first baseman where there's less there's less of a 557 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 1: risk of being involved in any contact plays if you're 558 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: at first base, as compared to the outfield, the running 559 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 1: of course is minimalized, and he has that strong arm 560 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: in right field. There'll be interesting to see how that 561 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: plays at first base. You're not taking full advantage of 562 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: that if you're putting him at this position. But all 563 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: things consider, do you want to put him in a 564 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: position to like fully perform as an offensive player, because 565 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: even last year he was well above league average as 566 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: an offensive player, and for a Marlins team that had 567 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: so many holes in the lineup. Now, there was a 568 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: slump pretty late in the year in August, especially where 569 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: Cooper was struggling big time, But outside of that, he 570 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: was a really great hitter, and he's right, you would think, 571 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: in the prime of his career. So just keep him 572 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: healthy and put him in a position where you can 573 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: see him as a big, fearsome bat right in the middle. 574 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: Of the lineup. The results for Austin Dean were a 575 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: little bit more complicated. He hit two twenty five at 576 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: the major league level of this past year, a two 577 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: sixty one on base percentage four to h four, slugging 578 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: homering six times in one hundred and eighty one played appearances. 579 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: The majority of those home runs came in September, after 580 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,760 Speaker 1: his most recent call up, and he did spend the 581 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: majority this year with TRIPAA New Orleans, where he was amazing. 582 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: Now he was a big breakout prospect in the organization 583 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen, and he went on to win Minor 584 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,600 Speaker 1: League Player of the Year. Remember how excited people were 585 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: when he got brought up for the first time in 586 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: August twenty eighteen, and the results this year a little 587 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: bit better than they were in twenty eighteen when they 588 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: had that initial letdown. The complicating factor with him is defensively, 589 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:29,040 Speaker 1: where he rates as one of the worst defensive outfielders 590 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: in the majors so far in his young major league career. 591 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,720 Speaker 1: He's been primarily used in left field, with a cup 592 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: of coffee in right field as well. But the instincts, 593 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: the arm strength, and just the mobility none of them 594 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: are ideal for that position, you know, that is where 595 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: he's played throughout the majority of his pro career. He's 596 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 1: now twenty six years old. He was formerly an early 597 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: round draft pick of the Marlins way back in was 598 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: it twenty twelve coming out of high school. He's been 599 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: in the organization a long time. You can hear him 600 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: as a contribut to the Swings and Misses podcast where 601 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:06,280 Speaker 1: he lets his personal personality out a little more just 602 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: from watching Marlins games and seeing him in the dugout 603 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: and how he interacts with teammates. And of course, he 604 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,400 Speaker 1: had that viral video where warming up between ennings he 605 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: threw a ball from left fields all the way over 606 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: the fence to knock down a big pyramid of beer cans. 607 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: That was on those sneaky highlights of the entire Marlins 608 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: year that didn't even happen technically during a live play, 609 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: showing great accuracy in that one instance with a throng ball. 610 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: All that being said, he did play first base towards 611 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: the end of the year, and very very limited sample size, 612 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: but I was impressed with some of the fundamentals that 613 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: he showed his footwork there and even his ability to 614 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: pick balls in the dirt. He is short for that position. 615 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 1: He's about my height, what five ten five to eleven, 616 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,600 Speaker 1: So that is not ideal for a first baseman, But 617 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: you want to put him in a position to get 618 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: the most out of his bat because now a couple 619 00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: of years in a row at Triple A, he's shown 620 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,880 Speaker 1: to be an amazing offensive force. It doesn't really add 621 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 1: up that he's struggled this much hitting at the major 622 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 1: league level and he's not going to be a full 623 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: time every day starter, I don't think, at any position. 624 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 1: But he's still important. He can still have an important 625 00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,440 Speaker 1: role on this Marlins team. They're going to face a 626 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 1: very interesting forty man roster jam coming up, and it'll 627 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 1: be interesting to see whether they find a spot for 628 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: Dean or if they consider trading him. I'd like to 629 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: see them give him a little bit of a longer 630 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,360 Speaker 1: look at first base because for the time being in 631 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, you have Cooper Ran his injury concerns, The 632 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,560 Speaker 1: free agent crop at this position is not very attractive. 633 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: He deserves one more shot, in my opinion. And then 634 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: there's Chad Wallach two fifty batting average, three thirty three 635 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: on base three seventy five slugging with the Marlins, one 636 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: home run into his fifty four played appearances. Miss the 637 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: entire second half of the season with concussion and the 638 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 1: concussion related symptoms. Very scary site situation we mentioned without Farrow. 639 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:03,719 Speaker 1: He had his own scare during the middle of the year, 640 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: came back after one week, didn't show any ill effects 641 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 1: after that, But it's a very inexact situation that's hard 642 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:13,160 Speaker 1: to quantify. With Walach, he had a couple of false 643 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 1: starts where they already sent him out for minor league 644 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 1: rehab assignments and he had to be recalled from those 645 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 1: because the symptoms flared up again and he couldn't compete. 646 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: So his health has a big question mark. At this moment, 647 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,760 Speaker 1: he's on the sixty day injured list, not the forty 648 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: man roster. In a few days, they'll have to be reinstated, 649 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:33,360 Speaker 1: and I'll be curious to what the Marlins do over there, 650 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: whether they feel that you was finished the year healthy 651 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: and able to overcome all that. It's just really inexact. 652 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,360 Speaker 1: We've seen this stuff to rail careers before, when it 653 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:45,359 Speaker 1: turns out to just catch you in the wrong part 654 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 1: of the head and it would be really disappointing because 655 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 1: he was a breakout story in spring training, and he 656 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,360 Speaker 1: showed it very early in the year before the concussions 657 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 1: that he looked like a very viable major league catcher 658 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: and showed a lot of improvement compared to twenty eighteen. 659 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: This would be a good opportunity for him. He's only 660 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 1: the second catcher that we're gonna mention at the major 661 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,759 Speaker 1: league level because Brian Holiday elected free agency recently when 662 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 1: the Marlins tried to outright him to the miners. Holiday 663 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: of course hit very well at the major league level 664 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: this year, and as a longer track record, we'll see 665 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 1: if the Marlins consider resigning him in free agency or 666 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,359 Speaker 1: if they go after another catcher of that ilk knowing 667 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: that Wallack's health may be a big question mark moving forward. 668 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: When he's healthy, he looks like a very solid choice 669 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: for that backup spot behind al Faro, but just dealing 670 00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:38,960 Speaker 1: with the reality of the situation, that's still a big 671 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,239 Speaker 1: question mark and it will dictate what the Marlins do 672 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 1: this offseason in terms of trying to improve at that 673 00:35:44,760 --> 00:35:52,880 Speaker 1: position and give themselves some real depth. Our next category 674 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: on the twenty twenty estimated time of arrivals. It only 675 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 1: has one player, and it's Leywan Diez, acquired from the 676 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: Twins in a mid season trade. We're going to combine 677 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,879 Speaker 1: all of his minor league stats from three different organizations, 678 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: from the Twins and then the Marlins with double A Jacksonville. 679 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:13,640 Speaker 1: He hit two seventy in the minor leagues with a 680 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,280 Speaker 1: three to twenty one on base percentage five point thirty, 681 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: slugging twenty seven home runs in five hundred and one 682 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:24,319 Speaker 1: played appearance. Is a much needed power bat for this organization. 683 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: His results down the stretch with Jacksonville weren't quite as 684 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 1: good as what he had with the Twins early in 685 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: the year, but if you've been following Fish Stripes, we're 686 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: staying on top of all the offseason leagues being held. 687 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: Leywin Diaz is with the Dominican Winter League, the Austraas Orientalis, 688 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 1: and he is off to a great start in winter 689 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: league where he's playing up against much older competition for 690 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,879 Speaker 1: the most part, and he continues to hit for great 691 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: power and coming through in clutch situations. I believe it's 692 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 1: his first year as like an everyday player in a 693 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 1: winter league like this, even though he was healthy for 694 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: most of the year with both organizations that Marlins want 695 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:03,440 Speaker 1: to get a longer look at what he can do 696 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:07,080 Speaker 1: in the Winter League, because that's why he's in this category, 697 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:10,120 Speaker 1: because he's on the shortlist of guys that would be 698 00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,239 Speaker 1: called up in the near future to be reinforcements for 699 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: this Marlins lineup. Diaz had this big breakout year. He 700 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 1: had long been regarded as a top prospect with the Twins. 701 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 1: They paid a lot of money to sign him originally 702 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,239 Speaker 1: out of the DR as an amateur, and he hadn't 703 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: quite lived up to that hype until here in twenty nineteen, 704 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:30,760 Speaker 1: the Twins sold high on him in order to get 705 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: Sergio Romo and Chris Delamont, and the Marlins traded for him, 706 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 1: believing in this breakout So so far pretty good considering 707 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,560 Speaker 1: what he's doing in the DR He has a very 708 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: smooth left handed swing, and really more importantly, defensively, as 709 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 1: a first baseman, he is great. He reportedly was heavier 710 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:52,759 Speaker 1: in his previous year, so losing some weight has given 711 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 1: him more athleticism at that position, and he does all 712 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,320 Speaker 1: the things that you want to do as a defensive 713 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:02,479 Speaker 1: first baseman, and the Marlins could use that because whether 714 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 1: it's Cooper or Austin Dean at the major league level 715 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,800 Speaker 1: at this moment. Both those guys aren't quite as smooth 716 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,360 Speaker 1: as what we've seen from Diaz. He really wants to 717 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,880 Speaker 1: be an everyday player. The one concern that I had 718 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 1: about him coming over in the trade is that he's gone. 719 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 1: I thought he went a little too extreme with the 720 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: launch angle revolution, that he has a bad habit of 721 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,400 Speaker 1: getting underneath the ball and hitting pop ups and short 722 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,319 Speaker 1: fly balls. When you move to the major leagues, and 723 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,760 Speaker 1: especially at Marlins Park with the way the ball doesn't 724 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: carry as well, I had some concerns about whether he 725 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: would see the Sainteba's success or whether he'd have a 726 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,040 Speaker 1: lot of would be minor league home runs that fall 727 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 1: short of going going out of the park and coming 728 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: up short. So that's going to be something to fall 729 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:49,360 Speaker 1: moving forward, is how exactly his stuff would play at 730 00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 1: the highest level of competition, whether he'll be able to 731 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:55,840 Speaker 1: hit lefties well going up to the major leagues. But 732 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:58,319 Speaker 1: he's just coming off a great year and he looks 733 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:01,320 Speaker 1: to be a reinvented player. He should be a motivated player, 734 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:04,520 Speaker 1: knowing the opportunities ahead of him with the Marlins should 735 00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: be seeing a lot of time with Triple A Wichita 736 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:11,680 Speaker 1: when the Marlins relocated minor league affiliate early next year 737 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: and by the All Star break. I think, depending on 738 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,400 Speaker 1: what's happening at the major league level, he's someone that 739 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:21,759 Speaker 1: will get some serious consideration to finally break breakthrough and 740 00:39:22,239 --> 00:39:25,160 Speaker 1: help this offense improve dramatically from where it's been the 741 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: past two years. Talking about these next waves of Marlins 742 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:36,359 Speaker 1: players will include both catchers and first basement a few 743 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:38,840 Speaker 1: of each that are of interest right now, the first 744 00:39:38,880 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 1: being Lazarro Alonso, the massive Cuban slugger. He had two 745 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: point eighty two this past year, most of that with 746 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,279 Speaker 1: High A Jupiter, a little bit with Jacksonville, three point 747 00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,600 Speaker 1: eighty one on base percentage overall, a four to eighteen 748 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:55,759 Speaker 1: slugging percentage, twelve home runs in his four hundred and 749 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:59,399 Speaker 1: ninety one played appearances. Keep in mind the Florida State 750 00:39:59,480 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 1: League where Jupidter plays is extremely picture friendly, very limited 751 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:07,360 Speaker 1: run production, so when you put that into perspective, with 752 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:09,880 Speaker 1: the numbers he had, is not a good season, but 753 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:14,880 Speaker 1: a great offensive season for Alonso overall, still not hitting 754 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,200 Speaker 1: over the fence power that the Marlins and visions when 755 00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:19,759 Speaker 1: they signed him several years ago, but this was a 756 00:40:19,800 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 1: step forward for him. He was kind of blocked from 757 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 1: going to Double A only because of the trade for 758 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 1: Laywan Diaz. That's really the most appropriate level for him 759 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 1: right now as being in Jacksonville. You need to keep 760 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: in mind that he is older than the typical player 761 00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,359 Speaker 1: at his level. He's now a twenty five year old, 762 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 1: and he looked a little bit like what Laywan Diaz 763 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: was a few years ago before slimming down. Alonso is 764 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:47,160 Speaker 1: heavy set and that does hurt him certainly running and 765 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:51,879 Speaker 1: defensively where I think we're including him as a first 766 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 1: baseman in this conversation, but frankly, he is the spitting 767 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:59,440 Speaker 1: image of a designated hitter. I don't see any situation 768 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:05,399 Speaker 1: where he's an above average defensive first baseman and really 769 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:07,400 Speaker 1: getting him to an acceptable level that's going to be 770 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,719 Speaker 1: very big key in his development. And there's obviously no 771 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:12,920 Speaker 1: other position where you can hide him for the moment 772 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 1: other than being coming off the bench or being a 773 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:20,480 Speaker 1: DH when that rule finally comes to the National League. Realistically, 774 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:23,640 Speaker 1: that's the projection for him is being probably a quality 775 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:27,279 Speaker 1: pinch hitter at the Major league level, assuming he's able 776 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:30,080 Speaker 1: to tap into more of this over defensive power for 777 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,200 Speaker 1: the time being, seen that played discipline is a big 778 00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:35,719 Speaker 1: plus three point eighty one. That on base percentage one 779 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:37,520 Speaker 1: of the very highest marks out of all the full 780 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:41,319 Speaker 1: season players. He can identify strikes, and he does have 781 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:44,920 Speaker 1: good exit velocity, but he's not getting that optimal launch 782 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:47,160 Speaker 1: angle on his swings right now to fully take advantage 783 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,520 Speaker 1: of it. And it's encouraging to see that he's close 784 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:53,359 Speaker 1: to reaching the highest level. Maybe not in twenty twenty, 785 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:55,960 Speaker 1: that depends on how things shake up down the stretch 786 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:59,160 Speaker 1: late in the season, but perhaps just one year beyond 787 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 1: that twenty two one, that's the most likely target date 788 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:04,239 Speaker 1: for him to try to crack a spot on the 789 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:09,359 Speaker 1: roster as a valuable bat off the bench. Drafted by 790 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:12,880 Speaker 1: the Marlins in twenty eighteen, Nick four Tes spent this 791 00:42:13,000 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: year with Jupiter as their main catcher behind the plate 792 00:42:16,680 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: a two seventeen batting average, two ninety three on base 793 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:22,800 Speaker 1: three TOHO eight, slugging three home runs in two hundred 794 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:26,440 Speaker 1: and ninety seven plate appearances. I just describe the conditions 795 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,080 Speaker 1: in the Florida State League, and so for four Tes, 796 00:42:29,120 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 1: those are even when you make that adjustment, it's a 797 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:34,759 Speaker 1: below average offensive output. Yet it was a really big 798 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: challenge for him because of the situation that they're in 799 00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:41,600 Speaker 1: with this organization. We're about to go into Will Banfield 800 00:42:41,680 --> 00:42:43,680 Speaker 1: in a few moments, and the fact that you have 801 00:42:43,719 --> 00:42:47,719 Speaker 1: Banfield as a legitimate catching prospect who needs to play 802 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 1: every day, and you have four tes as a legitimate 803 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,879 Speaker 1: catching prospect, and you can't have them on the same 804 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:54,440 Speaker 1: team if they're going to get their kind of reps 805 00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:56,800 Speaker 1: that you want to see and try to prove themselves 806 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: as true future major league catchers. They had to split 807 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 1: them up at different levels and that has meant aggressive 808 00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,360 Speaker 1: assignments for both of them. Where Fortes is at the 809 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,160 Speaker 1: High A level and that's a little unusual to see 810 00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:12,560 Speaker 1: this guy open up at High A having been drafted 811 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:17,960 Speaker 1: just the previous year. Some questions about what he does defensively. Overall. 812 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 1: As a team Jupiter, with Alonso and Fortes and a 813 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:24,000 Speaker 1: handful of other suspects, they were not a strong defensive 814 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:27,520 Speaker 1: team this past year, and that put their pitchers in 815 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:30,200 Speaker 1: some stressful positions that you wouldn't want to see. So 816 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: there's gonna be some improvement need for him. On containing 817 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,439 Speaker 1: pitches in the dirt as well as pitches that are 818 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:40,080 Speaker 1: missing in all different directions. Being a flexible catcher who 819 00:43:40,040 --> 00:43:43,040 Speaker 1: could block the ball, he doesn't have that compact build 820 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:46,440 Speaker 1: that typical of a catcher, so that's gonna be an 821 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:49,560 Speaker 1: interesting adjustment for him defensively to try to prove himself. 822 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:52,440 Speaker 1: He was hitting a lot more in his very limited 823 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 1: stint in the miners in twenty eighteen, so this was 824 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,000 Speaker 1: somewhat of a step back in that department, even when 825 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:00,680 Speaker 1: you adjust for the level of competition. Curious to see 826 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:04,400 Speaker 1: what exactly his next move is in the organization because 827 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:08,160 Speaker 1: of that production, he's the highest most advanced catcher that 828 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:10,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna be talking about here in terms of the 829 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:13,319 Speaker 1: level that he was at in twenty nineteen. They don't 830 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:16,600 Speaker 1: have any intriguing guys right now at double A and 831 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:19,359 Speaker 1: Triple A that are close to breaking through or even 832 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:23,600 Speaker 1: in this next wave. So because of that void, you 833 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:25,799 Speaker 1: wonder what the Marlins are gonna do, whether it comes 834 00:44:25,880 --> 00:44:30,400 Speaker 1: via trade or some sort of longtime journeyman signing that 835 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:33,640 Speaker 1: they make in minor league free agency. That's something I'll 836 00:44:33,640 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 1: watch out on because they have that void right now 837 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:37,839 Speaker 1: in double A and Triple A. It's unclear who's gonna 838 00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:41,080 Speaker 1: get the catching reps at those spots, and somebody has 839 00:44:41,120 --> 00:44:43,400 Speaker 1: to the question is whether the Marlins will look for 840 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:46,640 Speaker 1: an organizational filler or if they see a need to 841 00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:50,440 Speaker 1: add more depth at that level. That will dictate exactly 842 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 1: where Fortes opens up his twenty twenty season. Is how 843 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,200 Speaker 1: the Marlins address that position. I'm just gonna drop that 844 00:44:57,280 --> 00:44:59,440 Speaker 1: hint right now where I think you see some interesting 845 00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:03,480 Speaker 1: move for the Marlins to acquire an additional catcher somewhere 846 00:45:03,600 --> 00:45:07,759 Speaker 1: to fill in their minor league organization. First baseman Evan 847 00:45:07,880 --> 00:45:11,560 Speaker 1: Edwards had a strong first impression in the Marlins organization 848 00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:14,320 Speaker 1: coming out of the draft. Two eighty one batting average, 849 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:17,959 Speaker 1: three fifty seven on base four forty two slugging. He 850 00:45:18,080 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 1: matched nine home runs in his three hundred and eight 851 00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:24,160 Speaker 1: played appearances. Almost all that was with the Clinton Lumberkings, 852 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:27,920 Speaker 1: and for a few days he passed through Batavia as well. 853 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:32,680 Speaker 1: He is well regarded defensively. He had a long streak 854 00:45:32,719 --> 00:45:36,040 Speaker 1: of errorless games when he was at North Carolina State. 855 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,759 Speaker 1: Drafted as a senior, so he's already very experienced and 856 00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:43,440 Speaker 1: seemed to perform this well even at a full season level. 857 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:46,680 Speaker 1: You need to put that disclaimer out there that he 858 00:45:46,719 --> 00:45:49,600 Speaker 1: was very experienced at college beforehands and that gave him 859 00:45:49,640 --> 00:45:51,040 Speaker 1: a leg up, you would think on some of the 860 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:54,160 Speaker 1: composition that he was facing in terms of his experience level. 861 00:45:54,800 --> 00:45:56,919 Speaker 1: All in all, though, he was a really good run 862 00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:00,319 Speaker 1: producer in clutch situations as well, and the fact that 863 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:03,880 Speaker 1: he has those defensive skills. You can see on our 864 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:05,719 Speaker 1: social media accounts at fish Strip. So we have a 865 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:07,680 Speaker 1: few of his highlights of defensive plays that he made 866 00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:09,879 Speaker 1: this past year, but I'll be sure to include those 867 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,880 Speaker 1: only put this podcast out as well in the article 868 00:46:12,920 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 1: form so you can see it in terms of picking 869 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:17,920 Speaker 1: balls in the dirt, the range that he has in 870 00:46:17,960 --> 00:46:21,440 Speaker 1: both directions as a fielder, the accuracy of his throwing arm. 871 00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:25,920 Speaker 1: He checks all the boxes as a true defensive first baseman. 872 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:28,279 Speaker 1: But he is still a while to go before he's 873 00:46:28,280 --> 00:46:31,120 Speaker 1: a reinforcement at the major league level, having just played 874 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:34,399 Speaker 1: at low eight his past year. As things currently shake out, 875 00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:37,440 Speaker 1: it's very likely that he starts next year in Jupiter 876 00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:42,080 Speaker 1: and then we'll see where he moves from there. Overall, 877 00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:44,440 Speaker 1: I think that sums it up pretty well. He was 878 00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:47,040 Speaker 1: just a really solid player for Clinton, a team that 879 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:49,040 Speaker 1: won a ton of games during their second half of 880 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:52,359 Speaker 1: the season, and Evan Edwards had a huge role in 881 00:46:52,520 --> 00:46:56,600 Speaker 1: that successful brand of baseball that they played. A teammate 882 00:46:56,680 --> 00:47:00,200 Speaker 1: of Edwards at Clinton this past season, Will Banfield one 883 00:47:00,280 --> 00:47:03,440 Speaker 1: ninety nine batting average, two point fifty two on base 884 00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:07,520 Speaker 1: three ten slugging nine home runs in four hundred and 885 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:11,560 Speaker 1: thirty three plate appearances. This was a big test for Banfield, 886 00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:14,160 Speaker 1: being that it was his first full season in pro 887 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:16,719 Speaker 1: ball coming out of high school. He'd never been through 888 00:47:16,760 --> 00:47:19,799 Speaker 1: this kind of experience before in that many reps, so 889 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:21,680 Speaker 1: they were a little bit careful with him where he 890 00:47:21,719 --> 00:47:24,880 Speaker 1: didn't start every single game this past year, but certainly 891 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:28,200 Speaker 1: had the line's share of work behind the plate. And 892 00:47:28,440 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 1: you already see the offense. But even when the Marlins 893 00:47:31,239 --> 00:47:33,200 Speaker 1: drafted him, there was a lot of excitement about that 894 00:47:33,239 --> 00:47:36,400 Speaker 1: he had had that commitment to go to Vanderbilt. It 895 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:38,680 Speaker 1: wasn't expected that he was going to be all that 896 00:47:38,800 --> 00:47:41,600 Speaker 1: signable for the Marlins, and yet they found that signing 897 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,920 Speaker 1: bonus number that he was agreeable to. It was a 898 00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:47,160 Speaker 1: big celebration to add him to the organization. We've had 899 00:47:47,239 --> 00:47:49,719 Speaker 1: him on the podcast, and he's a really down to 900 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:52,279 Speaker 1: earth personality. He's actually been on the podcast a couple 901 00:47:52,360 --> 00:47:55,200 Speaker 1: different times, once here on Fish Bites and then again 902 00:47:55,360 --> 00:47:58,200 Speaker 1: on a Ball with eric Os more recently. So you've 903 00:47:58,239 --> 00:48:01,360 Speaker 1: heard a lot of him explaining his mindset at the 904 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:05,000 Speaker 1: plate and the reasons why he decided to turn pro 905 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:08,239 Speaker 1: as a teenager instead of going to college. And I mean, 906 00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:10,360 Speaker 1: I still think he made the right decision. It's just 907 00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:12,520 Speaker 1: the big question of him moving forward is that bat 908 00:48:12,760 --> 00:48:15,399 Speaker 1: and whether he has enough in it to really make 909 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:19,160 Speaker 1: himself a full time starter at the highest level moving forward, 910 00:48:19,440 --> 00:48:22,480 Speaker 1: Because there are no doubts about him defensively. For everything 911 00:48:22,520 --> 00:48:24,560 Speaker 1: we said about Edwards and how polished he is as 912 00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:26,880 Speaker 1: the first baseman, you can take that to an even 913 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,160 Speaker 1: higher level of praise when it comes to banfield. He 914 00:48:30,320 --> 00:48:34,120 Speaker 1: is already one of the better defensive catchers in all 915 00:48:34,239 --> 00:48:39,000 Speaker 1: of professional baseball right now. He has that compact build 916 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:42,279 Speaker 1: that really helps him block balls in the dirt and 917 00:48:42,440 --> 00:48:45,400 Speaker 1: get rid of the ball quickly. His pop time in 918 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:47,000 Speaker 1: terms of how quickly he gets rid of the ball 919 00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:50,440 Speaker 1: on stolen base attempts is elite. Through a big chunk 920 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:53,680 Speaker 1: of this past season in Clinton, he was catching more 921 00:48:53,719 --> 00:48:57,520 Speaker 1: than fifty percent of attempted base dealers. That is unthinkable 922 00:48:57,600 --> 00:49:01,400 Speaker 1: at the major league level and unheard of at almost 923 00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:04,759 Speaker 1: any level of competition to have that type of efficiency 924 00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:07,440 Speaker 1: in throwing out runners. He had single games I remember, 925 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:10,000 Speaker 1: with three or four cost seelings a piece. It took 926 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:13,080 Speaker 1: pretty deep into the year for opponents to realize that 927 00:49:13,120 --> 00:49:15,680 Speaker 1: they needed to be more selective running against him, and 928 00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:18,400 Speaker 1: so by the end of the year the cost stealing 929 00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:21,600 Speaker 1: rate came back down to earth a little bit. But 930 00:49:21,960 --> 00:49:24,319 Speaker 1: the skill set is there, and going up to higher 931 00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:26,960 Speaker 1: levels of competition, he's going to continue to take some 932 00:49:27,000 --> 00:49:30,799 Speaker 1: opponents by surprise with that amazing throwing arm that he has. 933 00:49:30,840 --> 00:49:33,480 Speaker 1: In his ability to release the ball, it's a lot 934 00:49:33,520 --> 00:49:35,919 Speaker 1: of fun to watch him play defense, and you can't 935 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:38,840 Speaker 1: say that all that much about many catchers to actually 936 00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:43,400 Speaker 1: be entertained by the quality that he puts at that position. 937 00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:46,600 Speaker 1: The question is going to be how far the bat 938 00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:49,600 Speaker 1: takes him, and coming off this season it is a 939 00:49:49,680 --> 00:49:52,200 Speaker 1: question mark about whether he'll be promoted or not. There 940 00:49:52,239 --> 00:49:54,759 Speaker 1: are a few catchers in the system behind him. We're 941 00:49:54,760 --> 00:49:56,960 Speaker 1: not going to go into great detail about them quite yet, 942 00:49:57,200 --> 00:50:01,160 Speaker 1: but Dustin Skelton Keegan Fish drafted over the last couple 943 00:50:01,239 --> 00:50:06,319 Speaker 1: of years, limited sample sizes at the professional level so far, 944 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,080 Speaker 1: so we don't have a great read about on their 945 00:50:09,160 --> 00:50:13,239 Speaker 1: hitting ability quite yet. So you don't want Banfield blocking them. 946 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:15,040 Speaker 1: At the same time, you don't want to push him 947 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:18,239 Speaker 1: up to a level of competition that is unfair to 948 00:50:18,320 --> 00:50:19,920 Speaker 1: him at this point. That's going to be a big 949 00:50:19,960 --> 00:50:23,160 Speaker 1: decision for the Marlins heading into twenty twenty is where 950 00:50:23,200 --> 00:50:27,000 Speaker 1: they think Banfield is ready to play and how exactly 951 00:50:27,080 --> 00:50:34,480 Speaker 1: he can find himself as an offensive player. In sports media, 952 00:50:34,560 --> 00:50:37,400 Speaker 1: there is not accountability for most of the predictions that 953 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:40,120 Speaker 1: we make unless you have some obsessive fans that are 954 00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:42,880 Speaker 1: following you every step of the way. The wrong predictions 955 00:50:42,960 --> 00:50:46,279 Speaker 1: usually get lost to history. The ones you get right, 956 00:50:46,480 --> 00:50:48,960 Speaker 1: maybe you emphasize a little bit more. I want to 957 00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:51,359 Speaker 1: be as thorough as possible in these previews. And one 958 00:50:51,400 --> 00:50:55,000 Speaker 1: player who faded out of the discussion this past year 959 00:50:55,239 --> 00:50:58,200 Speaker 1: was first baseman Sean Reynolds, who I was very high 960 00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:01,800 Speaker 1: on entering twenty nineteen. He had been in a position 961 00:51:01,920 --> 00:51:05,320 Speaker 1: to be the everyday first baseman for Clinton after leading 962 00:51:05,360 --> 00:51:08,360 Speaker 1: the New York Penn League in home runs at age twenty. 963 00:51:08,560 --> 00:51:12,560 Speaker 1: In twenty eighteen, he had that immense power that was 964 00:51:12,600 --> 00:51:16,239 Speaker 1: finally translating to games six foot seven inch frame, and 965 00:51:16,280 --> 00:51:19,360 Speaker 1: he started to fill out that frame power to all fields. 966 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:22,439 Speaker 1: Very excited about him and the fit that he had 967 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:25,680 Speaker 1: within an organization that was otherwise lacking in these obvious 968 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:30,560 Speaker 1: power hitters. But he flopped in twenty nineteen, a season 969 00:51:30,600 --> 00:51:33,560 Speaker 1: that was split between Clinton and Batavia once he was 970 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:36,759 Speaker 1: demoted midway through the year. A one to seventy two 971 00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:40,279 Speaker 1: batting average one seven to two two ninety one on 972 00:51:40,320 --> 00:51:44,680 Speaker 1: base percentage was more acceptable three forty eight, slugging thirteen 973 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:47,839 Speaker 1: home runs in three hundred and seventy five played appearances, 974 00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:51,600 Speaker 1: so still showing some over the fence power, but didn't 975 00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:54,040 Speaker 1: take that step forward that he was supposed to. And 976 00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:58,759 Speaker 1: statistically he's one of the more unusual players that you'll 977 00:51:58,760 --> 00:52:02,920 Speaker 1: find anywhere in baseball. He struck out nearly fifty percent 978 00:52:02,960 --> 00:52:06,759 Speaker 1: of his plate appearances this year, fifty percent. Every other 979 00:52:06,840 --> 00:52:09,719 Speaker 1: time he came to bat he whipped. A lot of 980 00:52:09,719 --> 00:52:12,400 Speaker 1: those are looking the fact that he has such a 981 00:52:12,480 --> 00:52:14,880 Speaker 1: large strike zone to cover. This is the same problem 982 00:52:14,880 --> 00:52:19,040 Speaker 1: that affects any similar size player from Stanton Giancarlo Stanton 983 00:52:19,400 --> 00:52:23,040 Speaker 1: to Aaron Judge is even a better example. At that height, 984 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,400 Speaker 1: it's just impossible to cover every stretch of the strike 985 00:52:26,480 --> 00:52:29,680 Speaker 1: zone when you're so tall. But he's taken it to 986 00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:32,520 Speaker 1: such an extreme degree with how often he takes strike 987 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:35,759 Speaker 1: three or isn't able to line up the bat, and 988 00:52:35,760 --> 00:52:38,040 Speaker 1: that's a big limiting factor because if you're striking out 989 00:52:38,080 --> 00:52:42,920 Speaker 1: so often at low A in short season, a history 990 00:52:42,960 --> 00:52:45,000 Speaker 1: shows that those guys just do not make it all 991 00:52:45,040 --> 00:52:48,719 Speaker 1: the way through the miners. I still love his athleticism 992 00:52:48,719 --> 00:52:52,000 Speaker 1: that he has that shows itself in both his over 993 00:52:52,040 --> 00:52:55,560 Speaker 1: defence power and in his defense. He's surprisingly good as 994 00:52:55,560 --> 00:52:58,880 Speaker 1: the defender at first base. He's still only twenty one 995 00:52:58,920 --> 00:53:01,799 Speaker 1: years old, he'll be twenty two entering next year, likely 996 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:04,839 Speaker 1: to repeat at Clinton, and he's someone if he makes 997 00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:08,160 Speaker 1: a few right adjustments in his swing, he could see 998 00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:14,040 Speaker 1: his stock rise immediately and very dramatically. The more likely 999 00:53:14,080 --> 00:53:17,239 Speaker 1: scenario is that, yeah, he's just he's stuck until he 1000 00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:20,520 Speaker 1: can figure it out, because that strikeout rate is just 1001 00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:22,759 Speaker 1: not going to play as he moves up in the 1002 00:53:22,760 --> 00:53:26,200 Speaker 1: food chain. I still believe very much in his intangibles 1003 00:53:26,560 --> 00:53:28,920 Speaker 1: and in the gifts that he has, so someone to 1004 00:53:29,000 --> 00:53:32,239 Speaker 1: monitor at least early next season as he's repeating the 1005 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:36,000 Speaker 1: low A level. And another curiosity who he got to 1006 00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:38,239 Speaker 1: see on the Marlins as a September call up at 1007 00:53:38,239 --> 00:53:42,280 Speaker 1: the very end of the year, Tyler Heineman, who before 1008 00:53:42,360 --> 00:53:44,360 Speaker 1: that was with Triple A New Orleans for the final 1009 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:47,239 Speaker 1: few months of the year and with NOLA he put 1010 00:53:47,280 --> 00:53:50,000 Speaker 1: up an amazing batting line even when you adjust for 1011 00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:53,880 Speaker 1: the Triple A conditions, a three forty one batting average, 1012 00:53:54,040 --> 00:53:58,080 Speaker 1: three ninety seven on base six twenty two slugging with 1013 00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:01,719 Speaker 1: ten homers, and is one hundred and eight to played appearances. 1014 00:54:02,400 --> 00:54:04,719 Speaker 1: Not regarded as a top prospect by any means, he 1015 00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:08,520 Speaker 1: was acquired via trade from the Diamondbacks organization, who didn't 1016 00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:11,719 Speaker 1: value him much and he just continued to mash. He 1017 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:14,399 Speaker 1: forced his way up as a September call up, being 1018 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:16,480 Speaker 1: on the roster as a third catcher. He barely played 1019 00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:18,960 Speaker 1: down the stretch, only started a couple games, but in 1020 00:54:19,000 --> 00:54:21,279 Speaker 1: those couple of games he did some nice things offensively, 1021 00:54:21,600 --> 00:54:23,919 Speaker 1: had a clutch home run against the Mets to help 1022 00:54:24,040 --> 00:54:27,520 Speaker 1: eliminate the Mets from playoff contention. That was very satisfying. 1023 00:54:28,120 --> 00:54:32,200 Speaker 1: Heineman remains in the organization after being outrighted back to 1024 00:54:32,239 --> 00:54:34,520 Speaker 1: the minors, not on the forty man roster at this time, 1025 00:54:35,200 --> 00:54:38,000 Speaker 1: As we mentioned, there was this big void in catcher 1026 00:54:38,040 --> 00:54:43,040 Speaker 1: depth for the Marlins, everybody between Jorge Alfaro and Nick Fortes. 1027 00:54:43,920 --> 00:54:47,680 Speaker 1: It's a big void of questionable abilities by the catchers 1028 00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:51,080 Speaker 1: at the middle levels, and with Wallack Chad Wallach, the 1029 00:54:51,160 --> 00:54:53,000 Speaker 1: question about his health and what that will be like 1030 00:54:53,320 --> 00:54:56,760 Speaker 1: coming into the new year, there's that chance that Heineman 1031 00:54:56,800 --> 00:54:58,680 Speaker 1: will be able to earn his way back onto the 1032 00:54:58,680 --> 00:55:01,799 Speaker 1: forty man roster and even the day roster, depending on 1033 00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:04,640 Speaker 1: what the Marlins do this offseason. There will be opportunities 1034 00:55:04,680 --> 00:55:08,120 Speaker 1: to improve via trade and free agency, and they shouldn't 1035 00:55:08,160 --> 00:55:10,439 Speaker 1: hesitate to make those improvements. If there's someone they feel 1036 00:55:10,520 --> 00:55:13,560 Speaker 1: is undervalued on the market, they certainly have the payroll 1037 00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:17,120 Speaker 1: flexibility to handle that. It was still satisfying to see 1038 00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:20,440 Speaker 1: Hyeman finally achieve his major league dream at the end 1039 00:55:20,480 --> 00:55:23,000 Speaker 1: of the year, and she's a nice guy to have 1040 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:27,480 Speaker 1: in the organization who you don't necessarily want to see 1041 00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:30,080 Speaker 1: him get extended looks as a catcher. You'd hope that 1042 00:55:30,320 --> 00:55:34,560 Speaker 1: there's someone a bit more toolsy that like Alfarow, who's 1043 00:55:34,600 --> 00:55:37,960 Speaker 1: always in that primary catcher position. But you could do 1044 00:55:38,040 --> 00:55:42,040 Speaker 1: worse than having someone like Hyman in the organization, and 1045 00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:44,920 Speaker 1: that's where he is for the time being. So I'll 1046 00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:47,640 Speaker 1: be curious to see what he does in spring training, 1047 00:55:47,719 --> 00:55:50,680 Speaker 1: whether he can validate the great performance he put up 1048 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:58,680 Speaker 1: in twenty nineteen. As a reminder, we have another podcast 1049 00:55:58,719 --> 00:56:02,239 Speaker 1: episode coming up very soon, an exclusive interview with a 1050 00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:05,920 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Florida personality. Do not miss it. Make sure 1051 00:56:05,920 --> 00:56:12,160 Speaker 1: you're subscribed to the Fish Stripes podcast on Apple POD's, Google, Spotify, Podbean, 1052 00:56:12,239 --> 00:56:15,440 Speaker 1: whatever you use. Just search fit Stripes and subscribe to 1053 00:56:15,520 --> 00:56:19,400 Speaker 1: us to get it. All new episodes and other stories 1054 00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:22,960 Speaker 1: about the Marlins are covered on our website, fishstripes dot com. 1055 00:56:23,400 --> 00:56:27,719 Speaker 1: Get more mini updates and entertainment teases from our podcasts 1056 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:31,560 Speaker 1: on our social media feeds at fish Stripes on Twitter 1057 00:56:31,880 --> 00:56:35,600 Speaker 1: and Instagram, Facebook, wherever, and you can always contact me 1058 00:56:35,760 --> 00:56:40,840 Speaker 1: personally as well. Eli Susman on Twitter or email the 1059 00:56:40,920 --> 00:56:44,000 Speaker 1: comments section on our website. I make myself as accessible 1060 00:56:44,040 --> 00:56:47,759 Speaker 1: as possible to keep you informed and entertained throughout this 1061 00:56:48,040 --> 00:56:50,400 Speaker 1: Marlin's off season. We're going to keep it current and 1062 00:56:50,480 --> 00:56:55,080 Speaker 1: keep it fun. This ultimate Marlin's Depth Chart series will 1063 00:56:55,080 --> 00:56:58,000 Speaker 1: continue in November. We're about halfway through, but still a 1064 00:56:58,040 --> 00:57:00,719 Speaker 1: few key positions to get to. So far, I hope 1065 00:57:00,719 --> 00:57:03,319 Speaker 1: we've shined the light on some interesting young players that 1066 00:57:03,680 --> 00:57:06,480 Speaker 1: can impact the Marlins for the better in the present 1067 00:57:06,560 --> 00:57:10,239 Speaker 1: and the future. Thank you so much for being a 1068 00:57:10,280 --> 00:57:13,160 Speaker 1: part of this community that we've built around the Marlins 1069 00:57:13,480 --> 00:57:28,880 Speaker 1: and associated topics. I'm Eli Sussman. Go Fish.