Ely Sussman

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the second game of Miami's road series against the San Francisco Giants. View full article

Today's news roundup also includes MLB postseason updates and a debate about how Giancarlo Stanton would be depicted in Cooperstown. Two more Marlins players made their Dominican Winter League season debuts on Thursday. For Gigantes del Cibao, 1B Deyvison De Los Santos went 0-for-3 and RHP Austin Roberts pitched a scoreless inning of relief while also earning the win. Out in the desert, OF Kemp Alderman went 1-for-3 with a walk. It's fair to feel a bit worried about RHP Jun-Seok Shim, who looked awful in his second Arizona Fall League appearance (0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 27 pitches/12 strikes). Five of the six batters Shim faced reached safely and he generated only one whiff, and even that was a foul tip rather than a pure swing-and-miss. Peoria lost their fifth consecutive game, 11-6. You can watch the full game broadcast here. Here's more Marlins news and content: 🔷 Tigers bench coach George Lombard and Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken have emerged as candidates in the Marlins managerial search, according to Fish On First's own Isaac Azout. Lombard previously interviewed for the job two years ago, while Nakken would become the first female manager in MLB history if hired. As FOF previously covered, the Marlins are also very interested in Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz. They have now asked Cleveland for permission to formally interview him, per ESPN's Buster Olney. 🔷 On the Baseball Tonight podcast, former Marlins manager Skip Schumaker told Buster Olney that he's "talking with a couple clubs" about potential jobs (though he understandably didn't elaborate on what the clubs or positions were). In reflecting on the disappointing 2024 season, he said, "I never wanted to have a culture where there was finger-pointing or the blame game and we didn't have that, and that was a test for sure...Our process never changed, which it could have, and I'm grateful that we stayed the course." Schumaker reiterated his love for managing, comparing the role to "holding your own baby." 🔷 The second part of the Swimming Upstream season-in-review super-pod is embedded below. Alex Carver and Kevin Barral discussed standout prospects who played for Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville during the 2024 season. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, the final few innings of the Yankees vs. Guardians game were as scintillating as anything we've seen this postseason. Emmanuel Clase has now allowed more earned runs in October than he did throughout the entire regular season. However, David Fry bailed him out and delivered a walk-off two-run home run in the 10th inning. In the National League, the Dodgers scored early and often against the Mets to move within one win of clinching a World Series berth. Max Muncy is the NLCS MVP frontrunner, upping his slash line to .500/.722/1.100. 🔷 Giancarlo Stanton continues to bolster his Hall of Fame candidacy with excellent, clutch production in the playoffs, so Nate Karzmer asks whether his HOF plaque would depict him in a Marlins or a Yankees hat. Voting so far has been split pretty evenly. 🔷 Today's MLB postseason schedule: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets, 5:08 p.m. ET (NLCS Game 5) New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians, 8:08 p.m. ET (ALCS Game 4) Marlins podcast episodes View full article

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the first game of Miami's road series against the San Francisco Giants. View full article

Offishial News for 8/30/24 On Thursday, the Marlins set a new season high with 18 hits (a collective .400 BA). Thank you very much, Coors Field. Derek Hill hit two home runs—both against right-handed pitchers—and Kyle Stowers boosted his 2024 stat line closer to respectability by going 8-for-17 during the series. Connor Norby now has the third-longest hitting streak to begin a Marlins career, trailing only the 12-game streaks of Gary Sheffield (1993) and Juan Pierre (2003). Predictably, Valente Bellozo's heavy reliance on fly balls did not mix well with the high altitude (4.0 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 74 pitches/46 strikes). The Marlins won, 12-8. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 12-7. 1B Deyvison De Los Santos doubled and homered, his 36th long ball of the season. RHP Emmanuel Ramirez allowed seven runs (six earned) in his relief appearance to let the game get out of hand. LHP Josh Simpson pitched on back-to-back days in what should mark the end of his rehab assignment. Simpson isn't yet back to his pre-injury form, so I think the most likely outcome is him getting optioned to the minors (wouldn't be completely shocked if he was designated for assignment). Double-A Pensacola won, 8-7. INF Jared Serna (2-3, HR, BB) continues to thrive. C Joe Mack and 1B Nathan Martorella also homered off of David Fletcher's knuckleball. High-A Beloit won, 6-2. 1B Brock Vradenburg (4-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI) had the best game of his professional career and LHP Thomas White (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 84 pitches/50 strikes) continues to be incredibly consistent. Low-A Jupiter won, 3-2. The Florida Complex League announced its 2024 season awards. Luis Dorante Sr. was named FCL Manager of the Year while RHP Juan De La Cruz and LHP Manuel Medina were All-Star selections. After allowing an earned run in his season debut, Medina didn't allow another over his last 19 ⅓ innings pitched. Here's more Marlins news and content: 🔷 The Marlins are sending LHP Justin King to the Arizona Fall League, Fish On First has learned. Alex Carver named six more players who could benefit from getting extra reps in the desert. 🔷 Jake Burger is a borderline candidate for Super Two status this offseason. I explained what that means and projected how his 2025 salary could be impacted. 🔷 Former Marlins president David Samson was our special guest on The Offishial Show. Samson tells us that he'll be in attendance at loanDepot park next week to support newly recalled Griffin Conine. 🔷 Through 43 Marlins series, here's an updated look at the Prediction Time leaderboard. Make series predictions with us all season long when you become a Fish On First SuperSub. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Tommy Pham, Thairo Estrada and Taylor Rogers are among the veteran players who have been placed on waivers. They would be postseason eligible if claimed by other teams on Saturday. The Reds won a wild game despite the best efforts of Athletics outfielders JJ Bleday and Lawrence Butler, who combined for four homers and a spectacular double play. Blue Jays RHP Bowden Francis has been practically unhittable over his last four starts (6 H in 29.0 IP). 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (probable starter RHP Adam Oller) take on the Giants (LHP Blake Snell). Snell is coming off a messy six-walk outing, but in eight starts prior to that, he was MLB's hottest pitcher (1.03 ERA and 70 K in 52.1 IP). The Marlins have a 30.8% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 10:15 p.m. ET. 🔷 Join us for a new episode of Fish On First LIVE today from 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET on YouTube/Twitter/Facebook. 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. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Norfolk, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola vs. Mississippi, 7:05 p.m. ET High-A Beloit vs. Peoria, 7:35 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter at St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

The Offishial Show—Episode #217 It's been nearly seven years since David Samson last stepped foot inside loanDepot park (or attended any MLB game, for that matter). In this exclusive interview, the former Miami Marlins president breaks down the direction that the franchise has taken without him and explains why he's finally returning to Miami for a visit. 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 Fish Unfiltered, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. Follow David (@DavidPSamson), Ely (@RealEly), Isaac (@IsaacAzout) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the fourth and final game of Miami's road series against the Colorado Rockies. View full article

Burger will enter the offseason with two years and 127 days of MLB service time. Is that enough to qualify for arbitration? The answer to that question could have major ramifications on his future with the Marlins. It's been 13 months since the Miami Marlins acquired Jake Burger. Overall, he has been exactly as advertised. In 154 games as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Burger smashed 34 home runs with a 113 wRC+. In 163 games with the Fish entering Thursday, he's gone deep 34 more times with a 117 wRC+. There are some obvious deficiencies. Burger chases too many pitches outside the strike zone. He has shown himself to be a defensive liability at third base and not much better at first base. Despite being a faster sprinter than you'd suspect, he provides no value as a baserunner. All aspects of the game considered, he's more or less an average MLB regular. Meanwhile, the young pitcher they gave up in return, left-hander Jake Eder, has an ERA north of 7.00 with White Sox minor league affiliates. The trade has unquestionably been a big win for the Marlins. It's almost time for Burger to begin cashing in on his production. Injuries slowed down his ascent to the majors, so as a 28-year-old this season, he is earning only a smidge above the MLB minimum salary. Will Burger's first substantial raise come in 2025 or 2026? That depends on what the "Super Two" service time cut-off is this offseason. Based on recent precedent, he is a true borderline candidate to gain arbitration eligibility. A couple days of service could determine whether or not he collects a couple million dollars. As explained by MLB Trade Rumors, most players who aren’t on a guaranteed contract and have between three and six years of MLB service qualify for arbitration. Additionally, the top 22% of players in service time with between two and three years qualify early (so long as they spent at least 86 days of the preceding season on the active roster or MLB injured list). Last offseason, the cut-off was two years and 118 days (often formatted as 2.118). The year before, it was 2.128. Throughout the last decade, it has ranged from 2.115 to 2.134. Burger will finish 2024 at 2.127. If Burger falls short, his salary will barely budge, remaining in the high six figures (the league minimum in 2025 will be $760k). However, if eligible for arbitration, he can negotiate for much more based on what comparable players earned through the arb process. I estimate that an arb-eligible Burger would make between $3M and $3.5M next season. The offensive production from his platform year of 2024 has been similar to what Hunter Renfroe did in 2019 and what Josh Naylor did in 2022. The following year, they were awarded salaries of $3.3M and $3.35M, respectively. When viewing the following tables, keep in mind that Burger still has a full month left to play this season to improve his numbers. I've taken that into account. Platform year comparison Career comparison from debut through platform year Neither is a perfect comp—Naylor had already gone through arbitration once before and Renfroe is a corner outfielder whereas Burger is a corner infielder. Feel free to share other potential comps in the comments. If Burger becomes a Super Two player, he will have four years of arbitration eligibility (2025-2028). Otherwise, he gets three bites at the apple before free agency (2026-2028). Age and money are always going to be key considerations when it comes to Marlins roster construction. Therefore, Burger entering Arb 1 this offseason could mean his Miami tenure is winding down. I'm not advocating for that to happen, but simply reading the tea leaves. Between red-hot rookie Connor Norby, second-half revelation Jonah Bride and power-hitting prospects Deyvison De Los Santos and Agustín Ramírez, the organization is brimming with cheap right-handed hitters who can play the same positions as Burger. Regardless of how Burger's situation plays out, the Marlins are poised to have ample payroll flexibility in 2025. Before factoring in their arbitration class, the only guaranteed contracts on the books belong to Sandy Alcantara ($17.3M), Avisaíl García ($12M) and Woo-Suk Go ($2.25M). There is no urgency to dump any of their players out of financial distress. Peter Bendix ought to be a lot more active and creative than he was during his first offseason in the POBO chair. View full article

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the third game of Miami's road series against the Colorado Rockies. View full article

Compete for 2025 Marlins game tickets, FOF merch and a free extension of your SuperSub subscription. It's back! I have reactivated the Fish On First SuperSubs fantasy football league. The 12-team league—hosted on Yahoo with head-to-head scoring and reserved for our loyal SuperSubs—will hold its online draft this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET. The following managers from the 2023 season have returned: @Sean Millerick (league champion) @loudmarlinsfan @PHeyser08 @Romeo Rodriguez @Ryan Schlesinger @TheYearOfTheFish Including them and myself, that leaves five vacancies in the league. If you enjoy fantasy football, are available for the live draft and have an active SuperSub subscription, click the link below to participate. FIRST-PLACE PRIZES: two tickets to any 2025 Miami Marlins regular season game (home or road, up to $75 value); guest appearance on FOF LIVE 2025 Opening Day livestream; FOF flexfit hat; six free months of SuperSub subscription SECOND-PLACE PRIZES: FOF flexfit hat; six free months of SuperSub subscription THIRD-PLACE PRIZE: FOF flexfit hat View full article

Offishial News for 8/28/24 On Tuesday, Roddery Muñoz (1.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 45 pitches/25 strikes) reached a new low, surrendering a leadoff home run to Charlie Blackmon and two others to Ezequiel Tovar. His ERA ballooned to 6.53. It frankly was not all that compelling to watch most of this game because a Marlins loss seemed inevitable. However, they miraculously overcame an early 6-0 deficit, thanks in large part to Griffin Conine. Making his first-ever MLB start, Conine cut down a Rockies run with his arm and recorded two extra-base hits, including a double that initiated Miami's five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning. Jesús Sánchez stroked the game-winning three-run blast off of Angel Chivilli. The Marlins won, 9-8. Down on the farm, Triple-A Jacksonville lost, 4-3. Jacob Berry made his Triple-A debut, starting in right field (which had gradually become his primary position before the promotion). At the plate, he went 1-for-3 with a walk. C Agustin Ramirez hit his third homer for the Jumbo Shrimp and 23rd of the season overall. Double-A Pensacola won, 1-0. LHP Patrick Monteverde (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K, 85 pitches/63 strikes) faced one batter over the minimum during his dominant outing. INF Jared Serna drove in the lone Pensacola run—he's still hitting .330 with his new organization. High-A Beloit won, 7-5. OF Kemp Alderman mashed his first High-A long ball, which was a game-winning, two-run shot. Low-A Jupiter lost, 4-2. OF Jacob Jenkins-Cowart homered for the first time as a pro and OF Eric Rataczak stole three bases. Here's more Marlins news and content: 🔷 Connor Norby continues to excel atop the Marlins lineup. I was on the verge of penning an analysis about how he's too aggressive at the plate, and while that may still be the case, it has been tabled for the time being after he drew two walks on Tuesday. So far as a Marlin, Norby is slugging at an elite level while striking out just 20% of the time. Aside from helping out opponents by chasing a lot of inside pitches, there isn't much to nitpick about his first week-plus with the team. 🔷 The Athletics claimed Tristan Gray off waivers. His Marlins tenure ends with a .000 OPS in seven plate appearances. His departure from Jacksonville should lead to an increase in shortstop reps for Javier Sanoja. 🔷 Sandy Alcantara threw his 10th bullpen session coming off Tommy John surgery. As MLB.com's Christina De Nicola details, his rehab has gone according to plan, if not even better than planned. Alcantara's most recent session was 35 pitches and included the re-introduction of his slider to go along with his four-seam fastball, sinker and changeup. "Alcantara is likely to throw a few more side sessions before live batting practice," according to De Nicola. "He would then shut down until next year when he can return at 100 percent." 🔷 On this day 20 years ago, Juan Encarnación's late home run lifted the Marlins past the Rockies. 🔷 Peter Pratt announced that he will be stepping down as host of the Locked On Marlins podcast. Aside from the channel run by the Marlins themselves, I don't think any other Marlins-related podcast has produced more episodes over the last three years than Pratt's show did. I have enjoyed making several guest appearances during his hosting tenure and will be coming on once more in September during his farewell tour. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Jarren Duran became the first player in MLB history to reach 10 triples, 20 home runs, 30 stolen bases and 40 doubles in a single season. Old friend Bryan De La Cruz homered for the first time as a Pirate. The Royals beat the Guardians again to tie them atop the AL Central standings. 🔷 Today's MLB game: Marlins (probable starter RHP Max Meyer) against the Rockies (LHP Kyle Freeland). The Marlins have a 51.4% chance to win, per FanGraphs. First pitch at 8:40 p.m. ET. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Norfolk, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola vs. Mississippi, 7:05 p.m. ET High-A Beloit vs. Peoria, 7:35 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter at St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the second game of Miami's road series against the Colorado Rockies. View full article

Offishial News for 8/27/24 On Monday, Edward Cabrera (5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 102 pitches/65 strikes) was okay, all things considered. I was intrigued to see him use his fastball 48.0% of the time, the third-highest fastball usage of his entire major league career. But as has been the case throughout this season, his effectiveness waned after facing an opposing lineup multiple times. Griffin Conine debuted as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and struck out swinging. He was the 62nd different player to appear in a game for the Marlins in 2024, setting a new franchise single-season record. John McMillon retired four of the five batters he faced in relief to keep the game within reach. The waiver claim has quietly impressed with a microscopic 16.7 HardHit% allowed. Barring a disastrous September, I think he'll stick on the 40-man roster throughout the offseason. The Marlins lost, 3-2. Down on the farm, RHP Adam Mazur was named International League Pitcher of the Week and LHP Emmett Olson was named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week. Here's more Marlins news and content: 🔷 The official IL designation for Xavier Edwards is mild back extensor soreness. He's expected to be reinstated sometime next week. Tristan Gray and Forrest Wall were both designated for assignment to clear 40-man roster spots. Gray has played all four infield positions for Triple-A Jacksonville this season while showing off his plus power, but his overall offensive package still isn't quite good enough (97 wRC+ with no baserunning value). Wall was mainly playing center field for the Jumbo Shrimp after being claimed by the Marlins last month. With Dane Myers progressing toward a return from his fractured ankle, the Marlins are willing to risk losing depth at that position. 🔷 Kevin Barral and I compiled a lot of details about the Marlins' upcoming international free agent class. Only SuperSubs can access the full article, so please consider signing up here to support what we do! 🔷 On Nothing Personal with David Samson, the ex-Marlins president—who's a close friend of Jeff Conine—promised to attend a game at loanDepot park before the end of the season to see Griffin play. Samson hasn't been to the ballpark since Derek Jeter fired him nearly seven years ago. 🔷 Sophia Monteleone spoke with Marlins fourth-round draft pick Fenwick Trimble about the work ethic that his late father instilled in him. Marlins IX had 16th-rounder Eric Rataczak as a podcast guest to share his chaotic odyssey, attending four different schools over the course of five years and learning he had Type 1 diabetes. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Danny Jansen become the first player in MLB history to play for two teams in the same game. Jansen was with the Blue Jays when the game began in June, but it was suspended due to rain and he was traded to the Red Sox by the time it resumed. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2023 MLB Draft, Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, went 0-for-3 with a walk in his major league debut. The Royals swept a doubleheader from the Guardians to move within a game of first place in the AL Central. 🔷 Today's MLB game: the Marlins (RHP Roddery Muñoz) and the Rockies (RHP Cal Quantrill) continue their series at Coors Field. The Marlins have a 44.1% chance to win, per FanGraphs. Muñoz has earned the W just once in his last 15 appearances (14 starts). First pitch at 8:40 p.m. ET. 🔷 Today's MiLB schedule: Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Norfolk, 7:05 p.m. ET Double-A Pensacola vs. Mississippi, 7:05 p.m. ET High-A Beloit vs. Peoria, 7:35 p.m. ET Low-A Jupiter at St. Lucie, 6:10 p.m. ET Marlins podcast episodes View full article

Player status updates, insightful stats and more information to fully equip you for today's Marlins game. Here are the latest Miami Marlins game notes, produced by the Marlins communications department and relayed to our loyal SuperSubs. These notes apply to the first game of Miami's road series against the Colorado Rockies. View full article