No ALDS/NLDS sweeps; fall league season begins

On Monday, Fish On First recorded an extended interview with Bradley Woodrum, whose seven-year tenure with the Marlins analytics department ended last month. We covered a ton of ground, such as how he got his foot in the door in the first place, the challenges that his department faced, his optimism for the franchise's future and why "there are no greater fans on earth than Marlins fans." Subscribe to Fish On First wherever you get your podcasts!

Here's more Marlins news and content:

🔷 Kevin Barral projected what the 2025 Marlins Opening Day roster could look like if the team stood pat this offseason. Defense would still be a major weakness, in my opinion.

🔷 Our staff collaborated on an updated FOF Top 30 list. Kevin and I co-hosted a Twitter Space to explain the most significant changes and show some love for the honorable mentions who just missed the cut.

🔷 Josh Norris of Baseball America ranked RHP José Paulino among the top Dominican Summer League prospects of 2024. "Paulino’s stuff is as loud as any in the DSL, even if the results might not necessarily bear it out," Norris writes. "The 17-year-old’s fastball has peaked at 99 mph and sat around 95-97 mph. He backs the heater with a slurvy breaking ball in the high 70s featuring high spin rates and a seldom-thrown changeup that averaged around 87 mph."

🔷 As mentioned last week, the Marlins and Bally Sports Florida are renegotiating the terms of their local television deal. Assuming that their partnership continues, the network will be rebranded from Bally to FanDuel next season, according to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal. This is contingent on Diamond Sports Group emerging from bankruptcy, which will be determined during a November 14 court hearing.

🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, each of the ALDS/NLDS matchups are tied at 1-1. Kerry Carpenter's ninth-inning home run off of Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase accounted for all of the scoring in the Tigers/Guardians game, while the Royals rallied for four runs in the top of the fourth to even their series with the Yankees. Although it wasn't enough to erase the deficit, Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his first career postseason homer in the bottom of the ninth.

🔷 Speaking of Chisholm, happy 20th birthday to INF Abrahan Ramírez, who the Marlins acquired from the Yankees as part of that trade package. Ramírez has posted an elite 153 wRC+ in three seasons of rookie ball. He should be an everyday player with Low-A Jupiter in 2025.

🔷 The Arizona Fall League season has begun. The Peoria Javelinas, whose roster includes Marlins prospects, play their opening game today at 4:30 p.m. ET.

🔷 Today's MLB postseason schedule: 

• Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets, 5:08 p.m. ET (NLDS Game 3)
• Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres, 9:08 p.m. ET (NLDS Game 3)

Marlins podcast episodes