The Marlins are “not even assured of selling out” their Opening Day game against the Pirates despite a pitching matchup of Sandy Alcantara vs. Paul Skenes, according to Greg Cote of the MIAMI HERALD. At the game, there “will be lots of bells and whistles,” including Pro Football Hofer Dan Marino throwing out the ceremonial opening pitch and a postgame concert by Luis Fonsi and Flo Rida. Fans’ opinion of Chair & principal owner Bruce Sherman and his “gutter-level spending is reflected in home attendance” that last year ranked 29th of 30, beating only the A’s “in the midst of jilting Oakland.” Cote: “This is what the absolute bottom looks like in pro sports: A franchise owner, Sherman, unwilling or unable to spend on player payroll at a level that even pretends to approach competitive MLB standards. A resulting team full of inexperienced kids trying to learn on the fly to be major-leaguers. And a coming baseball season of hopelessness in Miami for a club given no chance but to fail in the mighty National League East.” The Marlins’ “master plan to trade pricey veterans for cheap prospects” is building for a “dubious future that may or may not ever arrive” (MIAMI HERALD, 2/17).
MAKING PROGRESS: In Miami, Jordan McPherson noted President/Baseball Operations Peter Bendix “quickly went to work with overhauling” the department his first year at the helm. Miami has added more than 100 staff members to the front office and they have “revamped how they approach player development.” Sherman said that the organization has committed “a tremendous amount to improve the ability of the players to perform” (MIAMI HERALD, 2/17).
