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Ely Sussman

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  1. 🔹 Leading off, I just want to thank everybody who became a SuperSub on Monday. Even with some users dealing with technical difficulties, we set a new single-day record for sign-ups! You can join them here. 🔹 Monday's winter ball notes: In the Dominican Republic, RF Vidal Bruján went 2-for-4 with a walk and a caught stealing. 🔹 The Marlins Fan Confidence Poll is going to be a new monthly tradition around here. On a 1-10 scale, tell us how you feel about the direction of the franchise. I'll be tracking the ebbs and flows of the mean and median poll results. 🔹 Elsewhere around baseball, Aroldis Chapman (1/$10.5M) signed with the Pirates and James Paxton (1/~$12M) is close to finalizing a deal with the Dodgers. 🔹 In the second part of an interview with MLB.com's Christina De Nicola, Peter Bendix emphasized the importance of "getting a buy-in from the player" when trying to change something about their game. "You might have the best idea in the world, [but] if you can't both communicate that to the player and get his buy-in, that idea doesn't matter," Bendix says. He also describes baseball operations success as "entering as many seasons as we can with legitimate playoff aspirations, playing meaningful, exciting games in September." 🔹 Laura Georgia explores Ryan Weathers' baseball background and comes away optimistic that he has the intangibles to cope with his past MLB struggles and perform better than ever in 2024. 🔹 The results of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame election will be revealed tonight at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network. There are five candidates (Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, Billy Wagner and Gary Sheffield) who've received at least 75.0% of the vote on the 200 publicly known BBWAA ballots. I'll lean pessimistic and predict that only Beltré and Helton get elected this year. 🔹 Fish On First's Noah Berger created a new "media" Twitter account (@NoahBergerMedia) to separate his Marlins reporting from his personal life. Please follow him there. Marlins Podcast Episodes
  2. I brought her aboard earlier in the offseason! The idea for this article was all hers.
  3. How do you feel about the direction of the Miami Marlins franchise? Every month, I'll be polling our audience to find out how you’re reacting to transactions, news, rumors and game results. This month's poll is going up in the midst of a slooooow offseason under new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. The Marlins are coming off a 84-78 regular season and rare postseason berth, and the vast majority of their 2023 roster remains intact. However, the front office doesn't seem motivated to make short-term upgrades nor extend core players. Principal owner Bruce Sherman has not committed to raising payroll and Miami's farm system objectively stinks. Taking these factors into consideration (and whatever else is important to you), let us know your current confidence level...
  4. Here’s what you should know with 66 days to go until Marlins Opening Day… To lead off, I deeply appreciate everybody who has supported Fish On First up to this point and ask for patience as we fully grasp the capabilities (and iron out the bugs) of this redesigned site. Super Subscribers are still essential to what we do! We’re now calling them SuperSubs. Sign up this week for as little as $4 and you’ll be entered to win an officially licensed Eury Pérez replica jersey ($149.99 value). Second prize is a Sandy Alcantara City Connect t-shirt. 🔹 Sunday’s winter ball notes: In the Dominican Republic, 3B Vidal Bruján went 1-for-5 as Estrellas Orientales won again. They have a 2-0 lead in LIDOM’s best-of-seven championship series. 🔹 Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is just as flummoxed as the rest of us about why the Marlins still haven't signed any major league free agents (each of the other 29 MLB teams have). "Marlins officials briefed on the team’s strategy say (Peter) Bendix is devoting most of his time and resources to improving the team’s infrastructure," Rosenthal reports, echoing what Craig Mish of SportsGrid has previously said this offseason. Rosenthal wraps up his column with this gloomy forecast: 🔹 Elsewhere around baseball, big dominoes fell on the relief market with Josh Hader (5/$95M) signing with the Astros and Robert Stephenson (3/$33M) going to the Angels. 🔹 Jesús Luzardo and Colton Welker hosted their fourth annual baseball clinic, instructing kids ages 5-12 at their alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Anthony Bender, Xavier Edwards and old friend Lewis Brinson were also there to assist. 🔹 RHP Noble Meyer has bulked up to 205 pounds this offseason, per Walter Villa of Baseball America (20 pounds above his listed weight when the Marlins drafted him six months ago). He’s determined to get more vertical movement on his fastball, command it on the inside corner and top of the strike zone, and differentiate his slider from his curveball. 🔹 Contingent on the Marlins trading one of their controllable starting pitchers, Brian Dunleavy of Marlin Maniac makes the case for signing free agent Hyun Jin Ryu to a short-term deal. 🔹 Happy 34th birthday to Jon Berti. The utilityman extraordinaire hit a career-best .294 in 2023 while playing far more shortstop than he had in any of his previous seasons. Did you realize he’s the longest-tenured position player on the Marlins 40-man roster? 🔹 Congratulations to Braxton Garrett and Cloie Crocker on their engagement! They’ve been dating for more than three years. 🔹 And lastly, congrats to @claudsluna on being voted the 2024 winner of Marlins Twitter Madness. She's now in the esteemed company of @DanielDeVivo (2021), @jeremytache (2022) and @AlfreAlvarez3 (2023). Marlins Podcast Episodes View full article
  5. To lead off, I deeply appreciate everybody who has supported Fish On First up to this point and ask for patience as we fully grasp the capabilities (and iron out the bugs) of this redesigned site. Super Subscribers are still essential to what we do! We’re now calling them SuperSubs. Sign up this week for as little as $4 and you’ll be entered to win an officially licensed Eury Pérez replica jersey ($149.99 value). Second prize is a Sandy Alcantara City Connect t-shirt. 🔹 Sunday’s winter ball notes: In the Dominican Republic, 3B Vidal Bruján went 1-for-5 as Estrellas Orientales won again. They have a 2-0 lead in LIDOM’s best-of-seven championship series. 🔹 Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is just as flummoxed as the rest of us about why the Marlins still haven't signed any major league free agents (each of the other 29 MLB teams have). "Marlins officials briefed on the team’s strategy say (Peter) Bendix is devoting most of his time and resources to improving the team’s infrastructure," Rosenthal reports, echoing what Craig Mish of SportsGrid has previously said this offseason. Rosenthal wraps up his column with this gloomy forecast: 🔹 Elsewhere around baseball, big dominoes fell on the relief market with Josh Hader (5/$95M) signing with the Astros and Robert Stephenson (3/$33M) going to the Angels. 🔹 Jesús Luzardo and Colton Welker hosted their fourth annual baseball clinic, instructing kids ages 5-12 at their alma mater, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Anthony Bender, Xavier Edwards and old friend Lewis Brinson were also there to assist. 🔹 RHP Noble Meyer has bulked up to 205 pounds this offseason, per Walter Villa of Baseball America (20 pounds above his listed weight when the Marlins drafted him six months ago). He’s determined to get more vertical movement on his fastball, command it on the inside corner and top of the strike zone, and differentiate his slider from his curveball. 🔹 Contingent on the Marlins trading one of their controllable starting pitchers, Brian Dunleavy of Marlin Maniac makes the case for signing free agent Hyun Jin Ryu to a short-term deal. 🔹 Happy 34th birthday to Jon Berti. The utilityman extraordinaire hit a career-best .294 in 2023 while playing far more shortstop than he had in any of his previous seasons. Did you realize he’s the longest-tenured position player on the Marlins 40-man roster? 🔹 Congratulations to Braxton Garrett and Cloie Crocker on their engagement! They’ve been dating for more than three years. 🔹 And lastly, congrats to @claudsluna on being voted the 2024 winner of Marlins Twitter Madness. She's now in the esteemed company of @DanielDeVivo (2021), @jeremytache (2022) and @AlfreAlvarez3 (2023). Marlins Podcast Episodes
  6. I'd do any reasonable deal to bring over Brooks Lee, but this is a long way away from "reasonable" 😅
  7. The FOF staff brings you detailed analysis of Marlins games, transactions and rumors. We’ve got on-site reporting from the ballpark and special events. We dive deep on the franchise’s past, present and future. We also listen closely to what you have to say, whether it’s commenting on articles, authoring your own blog posts or making guest appearances on our shows. We hope you visit FishOnFirst.com often and spread the word to fellow Marlins fans. If you enjoy what we do, please consider becoming a SuperSub. Paid subscribers get the full extent of our coverage and special perks, while rewarding our staffers for their hard work and dedication. Go Fish!
  8. Here's what you should know with 70 days to go until Marlins Opening Day... First off, we're in the midst of exciting changes to this website! If you watched the latest Fish On First LIVE episode (embedded below), you got a glimpse of the new FOF logo. Also, whether reading this on desktop and mobile, you should be seeing an email newsletter sign-up prompt—we are revamping that aspect of our coverage. That's just the tip of the iceberg. In the coming days, we'll be overhauling the site's navigation, commenting system and more.Past and present FOF Super Subscribers will be emailed today with additional details. I also insist that you join the Marlins Discord server where I'll be around to answer all questions related to this transition.Wednesday's winter ball notes: In the Dominican Republic, 3B Vidal Bruján went 1-for-4. On Miami-Dade College's North Campus, the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation's FEPCUBE team played an exhibition game against the MDC Sharks. They won, 3-2, with a lineup that included Marlins prospect Victor Mesa Jr. and ex-Marlins Jorge Soler and Yuli Gurriel (who wore a Marlins-branded batting helmet). Following an agreement between Diamond Sports Group and Amazon, Marlins television broadcasts will be streamed locally on Prime Video beginning this season, as explained by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. This setup only applies to five MLB teams for now, the five whose digital broadcast rights are owned by Diamond. Amazon's investment also goes a long way toward ensuring that Bally Sports Florida and the other regional sports networks under Diamond's umbrella will remain on cable for the foreseeable future.Elsewhere around baseball, Yariel Rodríguez (4/$32M) has an agreement in place with the Blue Jays. covered international free agent signings, front office hires and more. The show is now presented by Berger & Hicks! If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050. With 168 BBWAA ballots entered into Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, former Marlin Gary Sheffield has received 74.4% of the vote (needs 75.0% for election). I’ll continue updating his status in Offishial News as more ballots come in.Double-A Pensacola is holding their annual Fish Fest tonight at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Marlins IF Jacob Berry, RHP Ike Buxton and IF Jordan McCants will be in attendance and speaking to the media (including FOF staffers). Marlins director of minor league operations Hector Crespo says Berry and Buxton are likely to be on Pensacola's Opening Day roster. Both prospects finished the 2023 regular season there, then participated in the Arizona Fall League.High-A Beloit's Sky Carp Fest is set for Saturday, featuring 1B Torin Montgomery and RHP Jared Poland.Prospect-ranking season has begun. RHP Noble Meyer is No. 48 overall and No. 73 overall on newly updated top MLB prospect lists released by Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus, respectively. RHP Max Meyer is No. 89 and No. 86 on those same lists. MLB Pipeline has Noble as their 10th-ranked right-handed pitcher and Thomas White as their eighth-ranked lefty.Congratulations to Dane Myers and his wife, Mallory, on the birth of their son, Daegan.https://www.instagram.com/p/C2OO_lQr0y3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Marlins Podcast Episodes
  9. Here's what you should know with 71 days to go until Marlins Opening Day... Tuesday's winter ball notes: In Panamá, Christian Bethancourt played his third game for Federales de Chiriquí. He started at first base, though it's difficult to find an official box score. Bethancourt confirmed to Televisora Nacional that he received permission from the Marlins to participate in the upcoming Caribbean Series.The Marlins officially announced the hirings of Gabe Kapler (assistant general manager), Rachel Balkovec (director, player development), Vinesh Kanthan (director, baseball operations) and Frankie Piliere (director, amateur scouting).On the Marlins Hot Stove Show, Kapler explains that he planned to take a break from baseball and spend the year traveling before Peter Bendix reached out to him. He describes his new job responsibilities vaguely as "being where I'm most needed." That included attending Monday's signing ceremony at the club's Dominican Academy.In the first part of an interview with Christina De Nicola of MLB.com, Bendix says quite definitively, "We're not trying to take a step back, we're not trying to rebuild." For all of the handwringing about the Marlins' offseason, it's worth emphasizing that Bendix hasn't made any blatant "rebuilding" moves—there are rumors percolating that the Marlins are willing to trade away veterans, but that's it.De Nicola writes separately about 12 internal options to fill out the 2024 Marlins starting rotation.Join us tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET for a new edition of Fish On First LIVE streaming on YouTube/Twitter/Instagram. FOF LIVE is presented by Berger & Hicks! If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050.With 166 BBWAA ballots entered into Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, former Marlin Gary Sheffield has received 74.7% of the vote (needs 75.0% for election). I’ll continue updating his status in Offishial News as more ballots come in.Daniel Rodriguez's series of Small Pod interviews continues with Ryan Schlesinger (embedded below).With the Caribbean Series only two weeks away, Kevin Barral shares his interview with Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, who's serving as the ambassador of the event.Marlins Podcast Episodes Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First
  10. I like the concept on bundling together amateur acquisition classes (international and MLB Draft combined) and periodically tracking progress. Gives us a better understanding of how much/how little "homegrown hope" there is, plus who has already been traded/released. Beginning in 2021, international signing day was realigned in a way that makes those players enter pro ball at a slightly older age, more comparable to draft picks. I'll brainstorm this further.
  11. The Marlins have added teenage talent from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Mexico. An 11-month window has officially opened for the Miami Marlins to sign new international amateurs via free agency. The majority of those signings took place on Monday. Players outside of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico who were born before September 1, 2007 and have registered with Major League Baseball are eligible to sign. The Marlins have a bonus pool of $6.52M to use and signings of $10k or less do not count against that total. Following the departure of Adrian Lorenzo as senior director of international operations, Marlins assistant general manager Oz Ocampo is temporarily overseeing the signing process. However, most/all of these signings were agreed to in principle far in advance (when Lorenzo was still with the organization). The Marlins announced 21 total signings on Monday. More updates to come with further details about bonuses and biographical information. Name Country Bonus Position Age B/T Luis Cova Venezuela $1.4M OF 16 Right/Right José Castro Dominican Republic $450k OF 17 Right/Right Alejandro De La Cruz Dominican Republic $105k RHP 16 Right/Right Gerinton Mendez Dominican Republic $200k RHP 17 Right/Right Angel García Dominican Republic $225k RHP 16 Right/Right Kifraidy Encarnación Dominican Republic $165k LHP 18 Left/Left Yordani Martínez Dominican Republic $150k 2B 17 Right/Right Alex Cruz Dominican Republic $170k 1B/OF 17 Left/Right Robert Puente Dominican Republic $115k LHP 16 Left/Left Almen Tolentino Dominican Republic $145k C 17 Left/Right Gregori Arias Dominican Republic $180k SS 17 Both/Right Estarlin Francisco Dominican Republic $170k RHP 17 Right/Right José Paulino Dominican Republic $350k RHP 17 Right/Right Jonathan Rosario Dominican Republic $85k LHP 17 Left/Left Eric Gutierrez Dominican Republic $160k LHP 18 Left/Left Abraham Hernández Venezuela $250k LHP 16 Left/Left Kevin Robledo Mexico $75k C 17 Right/Right Eiver Mosquera Venezuela $150k RHP 17 Right/Right Carlos Ochoa Venezuela $150k RHP ? Right/Right Jonfreider Torrealba Venezuela $50k RHP 16 Right/Right Maikel Rodriguez Venezuela $20k RHP 17 Right/Right OF Luis Cova (Venezuela) https://fishonfirst.com/farm/luis-cova-marlins-signing-details/ Listed at 6'2", 175 pounds From FanGraphs: "Cova is a tall, long-levered, projectable outfield prospect who seemed to last deeper into the international scouting process than most premium prospects...Scouts are split as to whether his frame will eventually cause him to outgrow center field, but there is general agreement that he is both currently fast enough to give it a try and that he has a promising enough hit/power combination to profile in a corner if he has to move." From Baseball America: "The center fielder on Venezuela’s U-15 World Cup team in 2022, Cova is a bouncy athlete with a lean, well-proportioned build on a high-waist frame. He has good bat speed, strong bat-to-ball skills and a line-drive approach, with his gap power growing to now clearing the fence with more frequency and indicators of significantly more power on the way given his bat speed and strength projection." From MLB Pipeline: "The muscular infielder-turned-outfielder was initially showcased as a shortstop but didn’t separate from the pack. He made the move to the outfield and emerged as a prospect. Despite being relatively new to the position, Cova takes good routes to fly balls and has shown solid range while patrolling center field. Overall, he sees the ball well, has good instincts and features emerging arm strength. Scouts love his makeup, tabbed him as a quick study and rave about his awareness. At the plate, he is quick to the ball and, although there is an unorthodox hand load, it works well and produces hard-hit balls. He’s a mature and serious-minded prospect." OF José Castro (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/y9ZFEZkN?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @josemanuelcastr62/TikTok RHP Alejandro De La Cruz (Dominican Republic) via alejandro__0527/Instagram RHP Gerinton Mendez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/KgH3gGrK?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yadielgmendez0/TikTok Fastball/changeup/curveball pitch mix RHP Angel García (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/KxDJhje5?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yandheell__/TikTok Fastball/changeup/curveball pitch mix IF Yordani Martínez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/m6kEhpvF?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yordanimartinez101/TikTok Taking defensive reps at shortstop C Almen Tolentino (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/l8LmsYSC?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @almenluistolentin/TikTok IF Gregori Arias (Dominican Republic) via gregori__arias_19/Instagram https://videopress.com/v/8owrIpqW?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @gregorimanuelarias1/TikTok Taking defensive reps at shortstop RHP Estarlin Francisco (Dominican Republic) https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqjV_URjL0A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Fastball velocity up to 95 mph as of 2023 RHP José Paulino (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/wq8AzXY4?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @gabrielpaulino2448/TikTok From Baseball America: "Paulino generated a lot of swing-and-miss when he was pitching with a fastball up to 92 mph. His velocity has spiked higher since then, with the 6-foot-3 righthander now reaching 96 mph with the potential for more on the way. He has a strong, durable frame with good pitchability for his age and a three-pitch mix that give him a starter look, showing feel for both his curveball and changeup. " LHP Eric Gutierrez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/3UTpyXfc?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @erickemmanuelguti6/TikTok Venezuelan Signees Photo courtesy of Ben Badler/Baseball America View full article
  12. An 11-month window has officially opened for the Miami Marlins to sign new international amateurs via free agency. The majority of those signings took place on Monday. Players outside of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico who were born before September 1, 2007 and have registered with Major League Baseball are eligible to sign. The Marlins have a bonus pool of $6.52M to use and signings of $10k or less do not count against that total. Following the departure of Adrian Lorenzo as senior director of international operations, Marlins assistant general manager Oz Ocampo is temporarily overseeing the signing process. However, most/all of these signings were agreed to in principle far in advance (when Lorenzo was still with the organization). The Marlins announced 21 total signings on Monday. More updates to come with further details about bonuses and biographical information. Name Country Bonus Position Age B/T Luis Cova Venezuela $1.4M OF 16 Right/Right José Castro Dominican Republic $450k OF 17 Right/Right Alejandro De La Cruz Dominican Republic $105k RHP 16 Right/Right Gerinton Mendez Dominican Republic $200k RHP 17 Right/Right Angel García Dominican Republic $225k RHP 16 Right/Right Kifraidy Encarnación Dominican Republic $165k LHP 18 Left/Left Yordani Martínez Dominican Republic $150k 2B 17 Right/Right Alex Cruz Dominican Republic $170k 1B/OF 17 Left/Right Robert Puente Dominican Republic $115k LHP 16 Left/Left Almen Tolentino Dominican Republic $145k C 17 Left/Right Gregori Arias Dominican Republic $180k SS 17 Both/Right Estarlin Francisco Dominican Republic $170k RHP 17 Right/Right José Paulino Dominican Republic $350k RHP 17 Right/Right Jonathan Rosario Dominican Republic $85k LHP 17 Left/Left Eric Gutierrez Dominican Republic $160k LHP 18 Left/Left Abraham Hernández Venezuela $250k LHP 16 Left/Left Kevin Robledo Mexico $75k C 17 Right/Right Eiver Mosquera Venezuela $150k RHP 17 Right/Right Carlos Ochoa Venezuela $150k RHP ? Right/Right Jonfreider Torrealba Venezuela $50k RHP 16 Right/Right Maikel Rodriguez Venezuela $20k RHP 17 Right/Right OF Luis Cova (Venezuela) https://fishonfirst.com/farm/luis-cova-marlins-signing-details/ Listed at 6'2", 175 pounds From FanGraphs: "Cova is a tall, long-levered, projectable outfield prospect who seemed to last deeper into the international scouting process than most premium prospects...Scouts are split as to whether his frame will eventually cause him to outgrow center field, but there is general agreement that he is both currently fast enough to give it a try and that he has a promising enough hit/power combination to profile in a corner if he has to move." From Baseball America: "The center fielder on Venezuela’s U-15 World Cup team in 2022, Cova is a bouncy athlete with a lean, well-proportioned build on a high-waist frame. He has good bat speed, strong bat-to-ball skills and a line-drive approach, with his gap power growing to now clearing the fence with more frequency and indicators of significantly more power on the way given his bat speed and strength projection." From MLB Pipeline: "The muscular infielder-turned-outfielder was initially showcased as a shortstop but didn’t separate from the pack. He made the move to the outfield and emerged as a prospect. Despite being relatively new to the position, Cova takes good routes to fly balls and has shown solid range while patrolling center field. Overall, he sees the ball well, has good instincts and features emerging arm strength. Scouts love his makeup, tabbed him as a quick study and rave about his awareness. At the plate, he is quick to the ball and, although there is an unorthodox hand load, it works well and produces hard-hit balls. He’s a mature and serious-minded prospect." OF José Castro (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/y9ZFEZkN?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @josemanuelcastr62/TikTok RHP Alejandro De La Cruz (Dominican Republic) via alejandro__0527/Instagram RHP Gerinton Mendez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/KgH3gGrK?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yadielgmendez0/TikTok Fastball/changeup/curveball pitch mix RHP Angel García (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/KxDJhje5?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yandheell__/TikTok Fastball/changeup/curveball pitch mix IF Yordani Martínez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/m6kEhpvF?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @yordanimartinez101/TikTok Taking defensive reps at shortstop C Almen Tolentino (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/l8LmsYSC?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @almenluistolentin/TikTok IF Gregori Arias (Dominican Republic) via gregori__arias_19/Instagram https://videopress.com/v/8owrIpqW?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @gregorimanuelarias1/TikTok Taking defensive reps at shortstop RHP Estarlin Francisco (Dominican Republic) https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqjV_URjL0A/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Fastball velocity up to 95 mph as of 2023 RHP José Paulino (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/wq8AzXY4?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @gabrielpaulino2448/TikTok From Baseball America: "Paulino generated a lot of swing-and-miss when he was pitching with a fastball up to 92 mph. His velocity has spiked higher since then, with the 6-foot-3 righthander now reaching 96 mph with the potential for more on the way. He has a strong, durable frame with good pitchability for his age and a three-pitch mix that give him a starter look, showing feel for both his curveball and changeup. " LHP Eric Gutierrez (Dominican Republic) https://videopress.com/v/3UTpyXfc?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true via @erickemmanuelguti6/TikTok Venezuelan Signees Photo courtesy of Ben Badler/Baseball America
  13. Here's what you should know with 73 days to go until Marlins Opening Day... Follow Fish On First's coverage of 2024 international signing day here. I have gathered biographical information and video for many players who'll be officially joining the Marlins organization today. Assistant general manager Oz Ocampo is doing a media availability about the signings this afternoon.https://videopress.com/v/RIMTDC4v?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=trueCongrats to @claudsluna, @DanielAlvarezEE, @LoudMiamiFan and @MiamiMarlins_UK on advancing to the Final Four of Marlins Twitter Madness. Making it to the Elite Eight was a personal best for me! Follow @marlinsminors to participate in all upcoming polls.Elsewhere around baseball, it was a very quiet weekend on the transactions front. Less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training and it's stunning how much talent is still available (via both free agency and plausible trades).A new FanPost by Sean Millerick calls out the Marlins for being the only MLB team that is still completely idle on the free agent front.https://fishonfirst.com/fanposts/marlins-doing-nothing/With 158 BBWAA ballots entered into Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, former Marlin Gary Sheffield has received 74.7% of the vote (needs 75.0% for election). I’ll continue updating his status in Offishial News as more ballots come in.The Marlins confirmed that Peter Bendix and Skip Schumaker will take fan questions at FanFest during the "State of the Marlins" panel. Reminder that you can claim complimentary FanFest tickets here.Peter Flaherty of Baseball America highlights OF Andrés Valor, RHP Anthony Maldonado and OF Mark Coley as possible breakout prospects for the Marlins in 2024.Perhaps a combination of recency bias and fans' heightened expectations for Miami Dolphins, the vast majority of Twitter poll respondents felt that their postseason exit was "sadder" than the Marlins' NL Wild Card Series sweep.. Photo courtesy of @josemanuelcastr62/TikTok
  14. Perhaps if the losses pile up to 2018/2019 levels over the next couple years and the demise of local TV comes with extreme challenges, Sherman will consider. In the meantime, he seems genuinely happily with his arrangement. Nothing that MLB can do to prompt him to sell.
  15. Frequently updated throughout the year with the latest on injuries affecting Miami Marlins players in both the majors and minors. No ability is more important than availability. With that in mind, Fish On First has created this landing page to be frequently updated throughout the year with the latest on injuries affecting Miami Marlins players in both the majors and minors. The injury/rehab tracker is sponsored by Berger & Hicks. If you’ve been injured as a result of somebody else’s negligence, give them a call at (305) 670-7050. Major league injuries RHP Sandy Alcantara (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Last official game appearance: September 21, 2023 (rehab assignment, Jacksonville) Underwent Tommy John surgery on October 6, 2023 Rehabbing in Miami as of May 10 INF Tim Anderson (10-day IL, lower back tightness) Last official game appearance: May 10 Rehabbing in Miami as of May 17 Scheduled to begin rehab assignment with Jacksonville on May 18 Eligible to be reinstated on May 21 RHP Edward Cabrera (15-day IL, right shoulder impingement) Last official game appearance: May 7 Began season on the injured list with same injury Threw a bullpen session in Jupiter on May 17 RHP JT Chargois (60-day IL, neck spasms) Last official game appearance: April 26 (rehab assignment, Jacksonville) Transferred from 15-day IL to 60-day IL on May 12 Pitched in FCL Marlins intrasquad game INF Xavier Edwards (60-day IL, left foot infection) Last official game appearance: March 5 Transferred from 10-day IL to 60-day IL on May 7 Scheduled to play five inning with Jacksonville on May 18 OF Avisaíl García (10-day IL, left hamstring strain) Last official game appearance: April 27 Completing baseball activities as of May 17 RHP Bryan Hoeing (15-day IL, left hamstring strain) Last official game appearance: May 1 Working out, will be evaluated to throw bullpen session on May 17 or May 18 RHP Eury Pérez (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Last official game appearance: March 13 Transferred to from 15-day IL to 60-day IL on April 4 Underwent Tommy John surgery on April 8 Doing range of motion exercises as of April 22 LHP Josh Simpson (60-day IL, left elbow ulnar neuritis) Last official game appearance: April 6 (rehab assignment, Jupiter) Transferred to 60-day IL on April 20 Underwent surgery to repair ulnar nerve neuritis on April 23 with estimated recovery time of three months Rehabbing in Jupiter as of May 10 Minor league injuries LHP Andelzon Abad Assigned to DSL Miami Last official game appearance: June 10, 2023 OF Kemp Alderman (7-day IL, hamate) Assigned to Low-A Jupiter Last official game appearance: March 18 RHP Derek Arellan Assigned to DSL Miami Last official game appearance: June 15, 2023 Throwing bullpen sessions as of April 13 LHP Sandro Bargallo (60-day IL) Assigned to Low-A Jupiter Last official game appearance: September 9, 2022 RHP Jesse Bergin (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Assigned to Low-A Jupiter Last official game appearance: September 17, 2021 RHP Gabe Bierman (7-day IL) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: November 2, 2023 OF Davis Bradshaw (60-day IL, torn left ACL) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: August 18, 2023 RHP Cristian Charle (60-day IL) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: September 8, 2023 INF José Devers (7-day IL, head) Assigned to Triple-A Jacksonville Last official game appearance: May 11 (rehab assignment, FCL) RHP Rodolfo De La Cruz (7-day IL) Assigned to FCL Marlins Last official game appearance: August 17, 2023 RHP Breidy Encarnación (60-day IL) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: September 24, 2023 RHP Justin Evans (7-day IL, right elbow surgery) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: May 1 (rehab assignment, Jupiter) bG42Z1JfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VBTlZVZ1VBVlZBQUN3QURVd0FBQUFOVUFGZ0RVMVVBVVZVR0IxRUhDQUZWQUFkWA==.mp4 LHP Dax Fulton (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: May 11, 2023 Throwing from 45 feet as of February 24 RHP Manuel Genao (right arm surgery) Assigned to DSL Marlins No MiLB game experience Throwing bullpen sessions as of May 8 RHP Angel Hernández Assigned to DSL Miami Last official game appearance: July 15, 2023 RHP Leandro Hernández (60-day IL) Assigned to FCL Marlins Last official game appearance: August 18, 2022 OF Diego Infante (7-day IL) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: April 14 V3lQWm9fV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1V3RllCZ0VGQkZNQUFRQlRWZ0FBQndCV0FBTlhVQUFBVVZkUUF3TUFBUXBTVmdSWA==.mp4 OF José Made Assigned to DSL Miami No MiLB game experience RHP Nick Maldonado (7-day IL) Assigned to FCL Marlins Last official game appearance: August 17, 2023 RHP Robinson Martinez (60-day IL) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: September 17, 2022 RHP Jorge Mercedes (60-day IL, right elbow) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: May 17, 2023 RHP Jared Poland (7-day IL, right arm) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: May 4 LHP Luis Porfirio Assigned to DSL Marlins Last official game appearance: June 29, 2023 RHP Jean Reyes (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Assigned to FCL Marlins Last official game appearance: September 8, 2022 Underwent surgery on April 7, 2023 Throwing bullpen sessions as of March 29 OF Brett Roberts (7-day IL, right knee) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: April 25 INF Sean Roby (7-day IL, leg) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: May 9 YUtlT0JfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VGUUVCZ0lBVndRQVhWVlJYd0FBQVZKUkFBTURVMVlBQkFNTkJnY0ZCQVJSVXdOWA==.mp4 RHP Franklin Sánchez (60-day IL, right elbow) Assigned to High-A Beloit Last official game appearance: August 24, 2023 OF Shane Sasaki (7-day IL, left hand) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: April 28 8o4oox (1).mp4 RHP Jake Schrand (60-day IL) Assigned to Low-A Jupiter Last official game appearance: August 3, 2023 LHP Alfonso Suriel Assigned to DSL Marlins Last official game appearance: August 20, 2022 RHP Roosevelt Trinidad Assigned to DSL Marlins Last official game appearance: August 10, 2022 LHP Kevin Vaupel (60-day IL, Tommy John surgery) Assigned to FCL Marlins Last official game appearance: July 20, 2023 Underwent Tommy John surgery on August 18, 2023 Playing catch as of January 29 RHP Brandon White (7-day IL) Assigned to Low-A Jupiter Last official game appearance: May 9 LHP Caleb Wurster (7-day IL) Assigned to Double-A Pensacola Last official game appearance: September 26, 2023 View full article
  16. Luis Arraez is already a Marlins legend, having shattered several single-season records for the franchise in 2023 while also becoming the first Marlin to ever hit for the cycle. They wouldn't have reached the playoffs without him. Even if it proves to be his only season in Miami, "La Regadera" will be remembered fondly. For what it's worth, I don't think Arraez is going anywhere this offseason, but with vague trade rumors percolating courtesy of the New York Post's Jon Heyman, I went down a rabbit hole to rank the Marlins' top one-and-done flings. These are players who had only one season of major league action with the Fish and made the most of it. Honorable Mentions Starling Marte (2020-21)—Marte's Marlins tenure lasted 11 months, having been acquired at the midseason trade deadline in 2020 and shipped away prior to the 2021 deadline. Injuries further restricted his playing time, yet he still accrued 3.6 fWAR in just 92 games. He would've been a no-doubt, top-five guy on this list had his contributions been confined to a single calendar year.Armando Benítez (2004 and 2007)—I entered this exercise assuming Benítez would be included on the strength of his dominant '04 campaign as Marlins closer, only to be reminded that he returned to Florida via trade three years later. Worth mentioning so we can simply ogle at the 1.29 ERA and 0.82 WHIP from his All-Star-caliber debut.10. Adam Duvall (2021) https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-07/04/4a515d73-30190343-348bdbaa-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_16000K.mp4Duvall made the cut despite not completing his one-and-done season in a Marlins uniform. Although streaky and strikeout-prone, he was a valuable run producer for an otherwise lousy lineup and added remarkable outfield defense. For most fans, unfortunately, his name evokes the memory of the lopsided trade that sent him to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Austin Jackson. Duvall played even better following the change of scenery and won a World Series title with the Marlins' NL East rival. 9. Walt Weiss (1993) One home run in 158 games?! Thankfully, Weiss found other ways to contribute, leading the inaugural Marlins in walks (79) and solidifying the shortstop spot. By sheer coincidence, he would later be teammates with Duvall on the championship-winning Braves. 8. Todd Jones (2005) Jones placed fifth in the 2000 AL Cy Young balloting, but you could argue that his finest work actually came with the Marlins. The journeyman right-hander was proficient at stranding inherited baserunners that season and converted 88.9% of his save opportunities. His 2.38 FIP in 2005 ranks sixth-best among all qualified relief seasons in Marlins history. 7. Javier Vázquez (2011) No hyperbole, Vázquez was one of the best pitchers in the majors from late June onward. Too bad he merely performed at replacement level prior to that. The Fish had faded from relevance by the time he found his groove. Vázquez was especially sharp at the very end of 2011, limiting opponents to six total runs over his final seven starts, with the Marlins winning each of those games. 6. Mark Buehrle (2012) Buehrle was exactly as advertised after having spent the previous decade-plus as a good innings-eater in the American League. Following this season, he still had another three years and $51 million to go on his contract, but that wasn't the Marlins' problem: they notoriously packaged him with several other expensive veterans in a 12-player trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. 5. Mark Redman (2003) Redman was the graybeard of a baby-faced starting rotation. His 3.59 ERA and 1.22 WHIP for the World Series champs would prove to be his personal bests as a big leaguer. 4. José Reyes (2012) Nobody on that disastrous 2012 team came close to posting every day except for Reyes (160 games played). He was a nice table-setter initially, then slid down to the No. 3 spot in the lineup once all hope was lost and put up even better numbers. Among all-time Marlins shortstops, Reyes' 3.8 fWAR for a single season trails only Hanley Ramírez's best years. 3. Moises Alou (1997) Photo by RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty ImagesAlou drove in 115 runs during the regular season and 15 more in October. He deserved serious World Series MVP consideration with a .321/.387/.714 slash line (186 wRC+) vs. Cleveland. Within a few weeks of the parade, the Marlins traded Alou to the Houston Astros, with whom he upped his production to an even higher level in 1998. 2. Carlos Delgado (2005) In tandem with Miguel Cabrera, Delgado carried the Marlins offense in '05. His consistency was awesome en route to a sixth-place NL MVP finish. Successful signing! However, Jeffrey Loria ditched the backloaded contract instead of seeing it through, so Delgado enjoyed the twilight of his career playing against the Marlins rather than for them. Iván Rodríguez (2003)https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/2011/11/10/mlbtv_sfnflo_19988899_1200K.mp4Regardless of what Arraez's future holds, "Pudge" is unassailable atop these rankings. With MLB teams apprehensive about making a long-term commitment to him, the 31-year-old restored his reputation as an elite, durable catcher. Rodríguez caught every pitch of every 2003 postseason win, not to mention an iconic throw home. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
  17. I'll reserve final judgement for another few months because the majority of extensions get done in the lead-up to Opening Day. Maybe there's a shocker coming. But yes, what the franchise has done (and not done) to this point is demoralizing.
  18. Here's what you should know with 76 days to go until Marlins Opening Day... The Marlins reached one-year deals with eight of their arbitration-eligible players. The exceptions were Luis Arraez, Tanner Scott and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Those three are expected to go to arbitration hearings (to be held before the start of spring training).https://fishonfirst.com/news/2024-mlb-arbitration-marlins-salary-details/Miami's latest minor league signing is RHP Angel Macuare. He has spent his whole professional career in the Astros organization, posting an uninspiring 5.25 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 286 K in 270.2 IP, primarily as a starter. Macuare pitched at Double-A for the majority of last year. He's entering his age-24 season.The second round of Marlins Twitter Madness is underway. Click here and scroll down to participate in the polls before they close! Fish On First staffers Isaac Azout, Nicole Cahill, Daniel Rodriguez, Hector Rodriguez and yours truly would appreciate the support.The Marlins will play nationally televised games on May 25 vs. the Diamondbacks (10:10 p.m. ET on FS1), June 8 vs. the Guardians (7:35 p.m. ET on FOX) and August 28 vs. the Rockies (8:40 p.m. ET on FS1/FOX Deportes).Elsewhere around baseball, the Yankees signed Marcus Stroman (2/$37M) and Luke Weaver (1/$2M). They also settled with Juan Soto at $31M for this season, establishing a new MLB record for an arbitration-eligible player.With 151 BBWAA ballots entered into Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, former Marlin Gary Sheffield has received 75.5% of the vote (needs 75.0% for election). I’ll continue updating his status in Offishial News as more ballots come in.Kevin Barral writes about Jorge Soler's concerning comments downplaying the chances of him re-signing with the Marlins. Kevin and Noah Berger covered Thursday's press conference detailing the Caribbean Series partnership between the Miami Marlins Foundation and Pedro Martinez Foundation.The Marlins social media team followed around Luis Arraez for a day, capturing his hitting drills.https://www.instagram.com/tv/C1-HbWxAww2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Matthew Trueblood of Brewer Fanatic explains why an Arraez trade would be worth it for the Brewers (if he were ever truly attainable).Show your Miami Dolphins pride during their NFL playoff run by shopping for new gear from our partners at FOCO.Marlins Podcast Episodes Photo by Danis Sosa/Fish On First
  19. We got a much clearer understanding of the 2024 Miami Marlins payroll on Thursday. It was the deadline to exchange salary figures with arbitration-eligible players. Entering deadline day, there were 11 unsigned members of the Marlins in that service time bracket, eight of whom settled on their salaries before the deadline. The other three will exchange figures with the club and likely head to arbitration hearings. The projected salaries shown below come via MLB Trade Rumors. Luis Arraez—earned $6.1M in 2023 | Arraez filed at $12.0M; Marlins filed at $10.6M (projected for $10.8M)Anthony Bender—earned $739k in 2023 | settled at unspecified amount in 2024 (projected for $900k)Christian Bethancourt—earned $1.35M in 2023 | settled at $2.05M in 2024 (projected for $2.3M)JT Chargois—earned $850k in 2023 | settled at $1.285M in 2024 (projected for $1.2M)Jazz Chisholm Jr.—earned $750k in 2023 | Chisholm filed at $2.9M; Marlins filed at $2.625M (projected for $2.8M)Jesús Luzardo—earned $2.45M in 2023 | settled at $5.5M in 2024 (projected for $5.9M)Steven Okert—earned $739k in 2023 | settled at $1.0625M in 2024 (projected for $1.2M)A.J. Puk—earned $736k in 2023 | settled at $1.8M in 2024 (projected for $1.8M)Trevor Rogers—earned $752k in 2023 | settled at unspecified amount in 2024 (projected for $1.5M)Jesús Sánchez—earned $739k in 2023 | settled at $2.1M in 2024 (projected for $2.0M)Tanner Scott—earned $2.825M in 2023 | Scott filed at $5.7M; Marlins filed at $5.15M (projected for $5.8M)Photo by Jesus Sanchez/Fish On First
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