Our friend of the show and host of the Marlins Uncorked Podcast Peter Pratt joins the show to discuss the constant fall of the Miami Marlins! He is asked if Brad Penny is worthy of a Marlins Hall of Fame Bid? Peter then discusses Bruce Sherman's weird press conference and flexing over the 2nd biggest weight room in MLB. Plus how long until the team deals Sandy Alcantara?
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00:00Talk to our guy from the Marlins uncorked podcast our guy Peter Pratt from across the pond
00:07Joining us. They're our favorite Marlins inside to talk to you. What's going on Pete? How are you, buddy?
00:13What's happening guys? Happy new year?
00:16Happy new years. Happy new year. Happy baseball season. It's good to see you, buddy
00:21Yeah, same same. Hope everyone's doing well guys. It's almost Marlins baseball season. I don't have to look forward to
00:31The end of the season next
00:35We yeah, I don't know it's a tough that's a tough opening question that one
00:38I mean Peter think about this we got into a
00:4220-minute argument
00:44over whether a
00:46Player who played for the Marlins before and a half years should be in the Marlins Hall of Fame
00:51That in itself is crazy. That was a little bit my fault
00:55I was I was very fond of Brad Penny back in the day Peter and you know
00:59I feel like if you're if you were a staple of that rotation, you know three that should get you in eventually eventually
01:05You know, that's a moment. That's not a career moment. It was the
01:10It was the moment
01:13I guess whatever adjective you want in front of it still only a moment
01:17I guess we'll start here Pete with with with the team, right? So Peter so Peter Bendix Bruce Sherman
01:24they address the media before spring training goes on and
01:28Much like Bruce did when I asked about this at the the Clayton McCullough press conference
01:33very dancing around Sandy's future with the team and
01:37You know from my standpoint and feels like the writings on the wall as soon as he looks like you can get through nine innings
01:43They're taking bids. So what do you what do you make of their comments about Sandy's future?
01:49You've nailed it. I mean that that is the comment right like Sandy he's here for opening. Hey
01:55So, you know listen, it's a big matchup and he's gonna be there for opening day
01:59But beyond that like I'm with you people are talking about the deadline
02:02I think with Sandy as soon as he's like showing any
02:06Resemblance of Sandy from a couple of years back. They're gonna pull the trigger on something
02:10There's no there's no need to risk him. Like he's gonna be traded
02:12I think before the end of June to be honest with you. I don't think it's gonna get to the deadline and
02:17That is rock bottom. I shared on my pod earlier this week
02:20Like that is the rock bottom of the rebuilds once Sandy's gone. He's the final
02:25Piece remaining and unfortunately, he has to go because this is the plan
02:30Lot of fans won't agree with it and it will hurt a lot of fans
02:32So it's gonna be sad to see Sandy go but Matt and what what a part of the Marlins organization he has been
02:38I think this is fifth
02:40Opening day start. I mean thinking about like Hall of Fame candidates for the Marlins like
02:44Sandy's right up there for me
02:46He has just been an absolute stud for the past five six seven seasons with the Marlins
02:50so be sad to see him go but
02:52This is this is the spot the Marlins are in which is a painful spot
02:55But all you can do is embrace it somehow. My problem is not that
03:01they trade guys
03:02when
03:03They get to a certain point like we all knew Stanton was gonna get traded. We all we all knew this
03:10okay, my problem is at some point in all your efforts to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild you got
03:19A stick with a core group of guys and ride it out. We've been waiting for this for ever
03:26Hence case in point. We're asking about guys
03:30We're having a hard time thinking who's the longest tenured
03:34Marlin and
03:36Has anybody reached ten years with the Marlins?
03:39Like that is crazy to me
03:42Yeah, it really is that the cycle just repeats right like as soon as you have one season of success
03:48And I mean success recently was just making the posties
03:51And as soon as you have one season and granted like the Marlins rotation last year was banged up
03:57they pulled the plug on that season and that roster like
04:00The nearest possible opportunity right and to your point like I get it
04:05The guys were hurt, but everyone was still under control for this season
04:08Could you not have just rolled with the dude Sandy's back now and it'll look different
04:12You've got Sandy Lozada when the guys all back and you know
04:15Aria's jazz and burger and whatever you name it like if they're back they showed they can they can hang around but nope
04:22As soon as there was that
04:24Just you know, the start last year was disgraceful
04:27Whatever was oh and ten or something crazy as soon as that happened like Peter Bennex was like great
04:32I now have the green light to blow this into smithereens and that's what he's
04:36Doing and that's what he wanted to do
04:38He I think he wanted to do in the offseason but needed for the miles to start slowly as soon as they did then
04:43He was ready to go. But man, it's painful. It's painful
04:47We just want some sustained success and that's kind of Bendix's
04:50Message to everyone is we have to do this again for sustained success, but man, but why I'm sorry, but
04:57Just from me being around the Marlins and watching the Marlins
05:03There's nothing about this franchise that has ever been sustained
05:08For a period of time. I mean even when they were at the highest of highs soon as the season was over
05:15Nope, we can't do this another year. Yeah agreed. They're like
05:20anti-sustainable like it's it's the opposite whatever sustainable is like the Marlins are the opposite of that situation and they seemingly seek that if there's
05:27Any glimmer of hope let's blow it up. Maybe that seems to be the approach. So yeah, it's it's it's definitely gonna be a developmental year
05:34those comments though like you're talking about it Tobin about the
05:38Comments from Bruce and Peter Bendix boy. Oh boy. There was some really fun the sound bites out of that. I mean eight minutes
05:45It was was on fire. That's the thing man is like Peter
05:49I don't know how you feel with this but it's like with this
05:52regime and Peter Pat Peter Pratt joining us here from the Marlins on court podcast on the total of Hollywood guest launch shop over
05:582,000 totals on sale at one location total followed on 441 between Hollywood and Sharon total of Hollywood comm
06:04Um
06:05Bruce is such a weird thing because it's like I hear Lauria in him, but he's kind of like Lauria
06:11Almost without the bombastic personality and I think the thing that's interesting with this
06:17Build with him, you know being at the helm like it was Jeter
06:22So obviously Jeter's got baseball gravitas, even though I thought he was a bit of a buffoon
06:26It's Derek Jeter. So it's like you're gonna you're gonna can command the room in some regard
06:31Then it's like okay
06:33then we go to Kim and now we have this guy in Peter who it's like Peter Bendix who would like
06:37It came from the Rays. Obviously, that's a storied program on how they build things. It's almost like
06:43It almost feels like we're floating in space man
06:45Like what at least when Lauria and Samson and buying fest and Hill were here
06:49It's like I knew who did what I knew who to be mad at I knew
06:53You know what what the thought process is and it's like here. I'm just like I don't know Peter
06:58but maybe Peter Bendix is good, but I don't know because it's like I thought Kim Ang was good and they're like now where
07:04She's out of here, you know, I think that's the thing. It just feels rudderless at this point
07:10Yeah, it does. It definitely doesn't I mean I get it
07:13I get their approach like Bendix and the Rays like they've shown what's possible in in this small market situation
07:18Or no, I mean small markets unfair cuz like listen Miami is not a small market in any sense
07:22So, you know, it's a big market, but you have our owner that's trying to run it as a small market team
07:28That's the kind of difference here. But you know, that's that's what's being presented there. But Kim Ang's way
07:34Kim Ang's way brought a postseason run. They caught light in a bottle and Kim Ang man. She
07:40Swung some incredible trades. She you know upgraded that big league lineup and that that's what I as a fan
07:46I'm all in on the right product
07:47I don't want I don't care about the you know, the low a team or anything like that
07:51That is just I'm just not interested in that
07:52I want the I want the big league product to be good and if it's good
07:55I'm all in and I think unfortunately from the fans
07:58It is rudderless for the fans at this point because there's no big league product. It's a big problem
08:04Is there but okay, so getting back to Leroy's original point like is there something on this team that you're like?
08:11Alright, I'm gonna grab into the other than Sandy's comeback and Yuri's come backer. Is it Norby?
08:17Is it is it somebody coming up who's gonna be right up in a couple months?
08:20Is there somebody you're like, alright, this is what I'm gonna sink my my horns into here
08:25This is what I'm gonna be excited about as a fan
08:27No, I've been I've been searching for this guy
08:30You know, I think you know my who I'm drawn to, you know, I look back like who are the my favorite guys?
08:35I've been you know, most recently Josh isn't you I'm looking for the next jazz because those are the dudes that excite you and
08:42I'm looking around. I'm just struggling to get super excited by any of the guys. So I'm hoping that someone's gonna emerge some
08:50Personality that I've yet to see to be honest with you the guy I'm most hyped about overall off the offensive group
08:56Anyway is Dane Myers. I don't know why in the small sample size. We've seen Dane's been fine
09:02I think I just want him to be good. It's a bit like my Brinson thing back in the day
09:06I just wanted Lewis Brinson to be good and
09:09You know, he hasn't got the prospect status and the trade history of Brinson and whatever
09:14But I just want Dane to be really good for no real reason
09:17And so I hope it's Dane. A lot of people are talking about Norby and I get it
09:23There's a few guys someone's gonna ascend someone is gonna come from this like
09:28Triple a quad a group and become
09:31Okay, a big fish in a very small pond to be honest with you. So someone is gonna emerge
09:36I don't know who that is. I'd love it to be Dane Myers to be honest with you
09:40I'm with anybody at this point. Like I remember the years look
09:44Like it was like who how do you say his name like it became the joke with Tommy and Rich
09:48it's like his name is Dan ugly like it can happen where it's like you think a team is going to absolutely suck and
09:56You get to be in love with certain guys
09:59Like it's not impossible Cody Ross like it was a cast-off and became somebody that the fans
10:03Okay, you know really were attracted to Mike Jacobs Corey can't do so I'm not saying it's impossible
10:09It just feels like man you want to talk about just what we've been
10:13bereft of with it where it sucks that we lose jazz Chisholm at least jazz Chisholm could hit tater tots and
10:18Was had a flair for the dramatic and so did Berger
10:22Nah, yeah, we're gonna we're gonna strip it down even even more. So I'm just hopeful that somebody can make this a
10:31Watchable product. Let's like when I hear Bruce Sherman talk about, you know
10:35The buzzwords of we're gonna be defense and we're gonna be hustle and speed. I'm like that just is translate
10:40It sounds like no talent. Yeah, we got no boxers
10:43I mean if they're gonna do it if they're gonna do it like Tampa did
10:48Then isn't that more reason to keep Sandy I
10:52mean you if you say we're gonna be defense and we're gonna be that means you better have a
10:59Unbelievable pitching staff because you're not gonna score
11:04So, yeah
11:05Doesn't that lead to we're keeping Sandy? Nah, I mean based on what they're saying
11:11Right, that's what it sounds like because when you think of those Tampa Bay teams, that's what they did. They pitched well, dude
11:17He's already scouting prospects. I guarantee it. He's already got like he's already got like a dozen
11:23Triple-a double-a guys. He's already got his his heart set on he's like gotta call up
11:29Whoever and just like what do you think of this? He's already got the names in mind. That's how gone Sandy is Leroy
11:34I think I would feel better if
11:37What I'm hearing
11:39Was consistent with what they were doing
11:42So like when you talk about defense means you're not going get anybody. You're not going higher bats
11:48You're not going by any bats if you're gonna be good defense it starts with pitching
11:53But we all know Sandy's out of there
11:55Yeah, so how can you say those words while getting rid of
12:00Your best pitcher, which is the only way you can play baseball the way you're trying to play
12:06But there's a problem here the Marlins are about to be
12:10Way down and starting pitching they've either traded them or they're hurt at the moment
12:14They have no defense whatever Bruce Sherman saying he's wrong by the way, like the Marlins the defense aspect
12:20They're gonna be bottom bottom third of Major League Baseball in defense. They have no talent in defense either
12:25They've got no sticks with any power like it's really not looking good for this year
12:30But the one thing there's a couple of things that Bruce Sherman has really called out that it's unquestionable
12:36The Marlins now have the second biggest weight room of any Major League Baseball. I was the thing
12:47We're getting those guys stronger ain't going get him to hit more home runs
12:51They may not be able to hit home runs now
12:53But after this second biggest weight room in all of Major League Baseball
12:56There is gonna be a power surge Adam Adam on and you need to give it at least
13:00I don't know what six to twelve months for the weight room to kick in. I don't know
13:04I'm baffled by this
13:08My favorite thing though with with all that was like wait
13:11So he had probably in his mind wanted to say we're gonna have the biggest weight room
13:15But then somebody in the league was just like wait, wait, wait, how big is their weight room too much?
13:21Too much. We'll go second biggest weight room. Yeah
13:24She would be in the second biggest weight room. They realize it was an extra like
13:29$57,000 to get the biggest and Bruce like no, no, no. No, I'm not signing off on that. No, no, no
13:35No, we're gonna go the second just fine Peter. How about this? Have you ever heard of owner?
13:40Brag about all the money he spent outside of the baseball team
13:47He goes you guys don't realize how much money we're spending. I'm like we don't
13:52We don't it's not showing up on the field
13:54But I mean the Bragg's from Bruce Sherman on in those eight minutes were I mean, it was a lengthy list
13:59No doubt the weight room
14:01he was talking about this in one of the biggest front offices all of these things like
14:05These are the things the fans don't care about they they care
14:09None of this. These are just this it's an operating expense
14:12That's the cost of doing business in baseball now at this point, right?
14:14This isn't a an add-on a kind of shiny add-on
14:18What I do is what's required
14:20Look, whatever. I know whatever they have spent like I don't know what it costs to run a team
14:26Something tells me when they don't have to pay Sandy his 16 million by the end of the year
14:30It's gonna make good for whatever the weight room cost
14:34You know just something tells me I don't know what the difference there's gonna be but I'd be like
14:39We had to buy that second biggest weight room. How much did that cost? Oh a million dollars. Don't worry. Sandy's gone
14:44We got him for four peanuts. You got it, right? Listen boys
14:47I need to see you guys doing a show live from the Marlins weight room at some point if someone can make that happen
14:52Then you know, that would be that would be sensational
14:55That's gonna be my request if they have us out there like you got to show me this weight room
14:58I got it and I and I gotta see what you guys got. I mean what's going on here? Oh, it's like you got the
15:05Look, how many look at look they have kettlebells, but there's actually goldfish swimming in them. This is amazing must be
15:13It's
15:14It's absolutely nuts to me. You got any excite like are you excited to see URI back when he gets back?
15:20You know, that was one of the unfortunate things is you know last year we talked about guys getting deterred
15:26Sounds like it's gonna be all-star break for him, but he did look like the truth
15:29And do you feel like this is a guy who could pick up where he left off?
15:33Yeah
15:35Absolutely with URI and I think unless he's so young and he's you know early in his
15:40Service time period that he can be around. He isn't on the trade block
15:43I think at this point and actually from a Marlins standpoint the thing I'd look out for in the next couple of months is
15:49Could the Marlins actually get an extension done with Yuri Perez? That's the thing that I'm thinking about at this point
15:55My gut feel is they may want to like just control service time a little bit when he comes back
16:00Maybe we don't see him in the big leagues after the all-star break, even though he's ready
16:04You know, you can see that happening but they may pay him, you know, they could pay him some money and get an extension done
16:11so maybe that's the commitment of this front office and Bruce Sherman a Peter Bennix is
16:15We really see Yuri Perez as the future. Let's get him extended and let's get him healthy
16:20I mean, that's that's the main thing like let's get him back and healthy and they get rid of Sandy then
16:25They have to hang on to him
16:28Because they're probably gonna be the next Sandy
16:31Anything's possible, but I hope so
16:37Here nobody knows
16:40No, no, exactly exactly, but he did look like a stud no doubt
16:44But like super small sample size to like Sandy Alcantara like is the certified stud
16:48We know like it's it's rock-solid with Sandy with Yuri Perez. We've seen
16:53What 10 15 starts the big league level to be honest, and so I don't really know
16:59That's one of the things though that I am like I know Sandy's as good as gone
17:02But that is one of the things like Leroy talks about arguments keep around
17:06You know that they have a very special relationship and there's something about like hey
17:10All right
17:11I know you guys want to get rid of Sandy as soon as possible because you guys can't afford them
17:15But there's got to be something said for like, all right
17:18You're gonna so you're gonna basically throw this 21 year old into the deep end by himself off Tommy John
17:23I'd like I'd much rather have him have his mentor there to at least kind of guide him through
17:29Some of this as long as it is possible, but if it is, you know up to the trade deadline
17:35They're gonna probably be rats off a ship on it anyway, but that to me is like the only
17:39The only part of it that gives me a great pause is I get that you guys got to get rid of Sandy because you can't
17:45afford him, but
17:46Man, you know
17:47I feel like it would be such a resource for
17:50Yuri to have once he is on the mend back to have Sandy in that clubhouse with him and it sounds like he's not
17:54Gonna be
17:56Yeah, but I'm completely with you and I think that's the role that Sandy played last year to obviously Yuri was hurt as well
18:01But you're completely right like Sandy
18:04You know, it's not just on the field off the field
18:06He's just an absolute stud and everyone just gravitates to Sandy
18:09He just does everything the right way everything the right way and he's gonna be a huge
18:14If he is moved
18:15Let's assume that he is gonna be a huge loss for the fans for the players that are there and remain and everyone
18:19Like it's gonna be huge
18:21Yuri Perez
18:23Having Sandy around for another year two years would have been huge for him, too
18:26and I think it's gonna hamper his development because
18:28There is no greater
18:31Person to lean on for Yuri Perez than Sandy and we've already seen that the two of them like they've been in separate
18:35For a year or two and so it's gonna it's gonna be and definitely have a negative impact for Yuri
18:40But I guess that's baseball, right? I mean, I wanted to keep Sandy
18:44I just don't think they will and I think you know the comments the other day it was it was like very obvious
18:49No, they all he had to do Brooks wanted to brag about everything on that day the weight room the number of minor league free agents
18:57He could he was happy to brag about anything book and he also bragged about his sandy extension
19:02You want to go that far to say? Yeah, I did that. Remember that extension
19:06Remember that extension? I'm not gonna I'm not gonna fulfill but I can't
19:10But he couldn't commit to Sandy's gonna be here for 25. He could have just said it straight off the bat
19:14Listen guys just want to call out. We're not gonna be that good this year developmental year Sandy's gonna be here
19:19Don't worry about it. Let's go. He really is Luria without the time, right?
19:23He's really he's Luria without the fancy art. Like that's that's that's really what he's become. It's crazy
19:28yeah, I mean, do you think it's it's a it's a
19:32Marlins thing like everybody who owns the team comes in with this level of enthusiasm about what they're gonna do and then they actually
19:41See the situation with the cost and what you're gonna have to spend and it's like Oh
19:48Got in over my head
19:50yeah, it feels a bit like that doesn't it like you know that just the level investment just
19:55That hasn't been there in the past at least 10 years or so
19:58so that the sense is that
20:00either these guys are looking at it as this is an investment and I'm here to make money from the Marlins because you know
20:06the leagues paying basically my payroll because of revenue sharing etc, etc
20:10I'm just gonna cream off the top or actually we thought we were coming in. We thought we could fix attendance
20:15We can't fix attendance. So actually
20:18You know, we're just gonna it's not quite as viable as I maybe thought it was it's a good point
20:23I mean, they're not gonna fix the attendance until the products good, you know, that's just the reality, right?
20:29Especially when year after year after year you get me all excited for baseball
20:32And then you have moved due to some of the things you do
20:36Like we when we go to camp and we talk to all the stars
20:40We talk to jazz and we you know
20:43A lot of the new guys and then if we go back to following your half of those guys aren't even there
20:48You can't build relationships. No, it's great
20:50It was it was a great kick in the junk to see the the ex Marlins World Series last year
20:55Like it was it was just it was awesome
20:57I mean it didn't want to run your head through a wall at all Peter Pratt
21:01Host of Orleans uncork podcast go check him on out on all your podcast platforms. We always appreciate when he gives us time
21:07Thank you, buddy