Questioning Bruce Sherman and meeting Clayton McCullough

[Kevin Barral]

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #64

The Miami Marlins are entering the first year of Clayton McCullough's managerial tenure and the eighth year of Bruce Sherman's ownership tenure. Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman summarize what both men said on Monday, then analyze the club's decision to select prospects Deyvison De Los Santos, Jared Serna and Dax Fulton to the 40-man roster.

Find Fish Unfiltered on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more.

Neither signing is official yet, but Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports that the Marlins have inked former Tampa Bay Rays farmhands UTIL Ronny Simon and OF Heriberto Hernández to minor league deals that include invites to spring training.

Follow Kevin ( @kevin_barral), Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com.

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[1993 fan from start]

Do we need to talk about Skip S. ? No I  say when he decided to move on . Before start of 2024 season.   The timing of his choice got me. Like he could no wait to leave Marlins or Miami.  

 

 Bruce Sherman's we spend Money at the Right time. lol . Seen how good that work . With three bad contracts they pick up.  and one was last year.      Still hearing bad contracts names come up like Walker Buehler 14 m  ( maybe 4.5  opt) .  When we know he not going to give Inning they need.   I weather go after Brandon Pfaadt type pitcher . yes era not their.   reason may cost low to get . An Sandy Alcantara and Eury will be innings limited.   

Bruce Sherman's IM still not high ON. I give him a passing grade for 2024 only . even if I did not agree with Anderson singing.  AND still not fan of his logo or stadium colors . still like seeing marlins playing in orange and till green.   

 Griffin Conine was fun in 2024 to watch .  

[THOMAS JOSEPH]

Apologies to all the doomsayers, but I am not much on handwringing and tsk-tsking all the time. We are in a new situation, so be skeptical all you wish, but also be reasonable. There's no magic dust and we do not have the revenue of the top ten teams. Sorry, that's the lay of the land. So, let's get started with the new comprehensive plan. What the heck else are we going to do? Sherman cannot sell because the team has not appreciated in value. He borrowed $400 million to buy the team and there was a little problem in 2020 that you might recall, that cost tens of millions in lost revenue. Let's at least try to pull together. 

[rurrusuno]

6 hours ago, THOMAS JOSEPH said:

Apologies to all the doomsayers, but I am not much on handwringing and tsk-tsking all the time. We are in a new situation, so be skeptical all you wish, but also be reasonable. There's no magic dust and we do not have the revenue of the top ten teams. Sorry, that's the lay of the land. So, let's get started with the new comprehensive plan. What the heck else are we going to do? Sherman cannot sell because the team has not appreciated in value. He borrowed $400 million to buy the team and there was a little problem in 2020 that you might recall, that cost tens of millions in lost revenue. Let's at least try to pull together. 

Yup. Maybe the Marlins net worth is currently in the $1 B range? More or less. It doesn't seem worth it to even think about selling now. Give it a few years of the team reaching the postseason and their value will go up.

[THOMAS JOSEPH]

On 11/20/2024 at 7:40 PM, rurrusuno said:

Yup. Maybe the Marlins net worth is currently in the $1 B range? More or less. It doesn't seem worth it to even think about selling now. Give it a few years of the team reaching the postseason and their value will go up.

I think you're right, even though that valuation is plenty strong. The team has a stadium commitment, so they cannot threaten relocation even if there was another approvable target city (there certainly isn't now with the A's and Rays uncertainties). Moreover, with a very tough attendance ceiling. the Marlins can improve their financial situation and team valuation, but it will be in a longer, incremental way via sustained on-field improvements, or (and this is a big caveat), MLB realizes the systemic inequalities and votes for a significantly higher CBT with reasonable thresholds after the 2026 season. Since there will likely be a work stoppage, I wouldn't hold my breath for anything but an incremental CBT increase - nothing near what the Marlins and other low-revenue teams need.