Beinfest: "Every game now is magnified"

CHICAGO -- With the clock ticking to the July 31 trade deadline, the Marlins could go into seller’s mode at any moment if they don’t turn things around immediately.

“I think every game now is magnified,” said Larry Beinfest, the Marlins’ president of baseball operations, after the Marlins dropped two out of three to the Cubs. “We need to win games or else we’re going to lose complete contact. Then we’ll have to make decisions from there.”

The Marlins (44-48) head to Pittsburgh where, even if they sweep the three-game series, would return home with a losing record. “To come here and lose two out of three is disappointing,” Beinfest said. “In terms of decision-making, I don’t know how that’s going to go. I really don’t. We need to win games just to make sure we’re on the periphery of even thinking about getting into things.”

Beinfest described the season so far as “very disappointing, frustrating.”

“With the talent we have here, we should have won more games than we have, and it hasn’t happened,” he said. Beinfest said it’s not surprising that the Marlins are being mentioned often in trade rumors. “I think we’ve underperformed -- underachieved -- and the position we’re in, I think it’s normal to hear a lot of things about us, especially (given) how public we were this winter about being all-in.”

Comments

[flagstafffishfan]

From my previous post:-)

Hammering Hanley Ramirez 0-4, 3 LOB......John Buckshot Buck 0-3, 3 LOB. Hanley's BA .246 starting 3b.....John Buck hitting a whopping .176 as a starting C. Jose "little jose" Reyes 1-4 2 LOB hitting a scorching .264 trying to catch up to his Dominican brother Hanley. I know Lomo didn't start but his BA sits at a red hot .242. If Eduardo Perez can keep his job with numbers this bad I say we all apply for positions with Miami Marlins Inc. Heck I can be the water boy and fill coolers with air and nobody would say a thing! Alex can be equipment manager and instead of baseball uniforms set out swim suits, Stan can be head trainer and instead of working guys out just feed the team emapanadas to keep them in shape, laurel can be the pitching coach and teach the pitchers how to bowl, Leo Orestes can take over as hitting coach and teach the entire team to swing with one arm and everyone else can work in the FO and trade Giancarlo Stanton for Mario Mendoza, Bob Uecker, Curt Blefary and Steve Balboni!!

[flagstafffishfan]

Larry has spoken.

[The Real Alex]

Well, Beinfest, anyone with any baseball sense at all (I guess that excludes YOU) could foresee that this team would FAIL. Need a rundown of why?

1) Number one has to be SIGNING OZZIE. I heard all these Chicago guys saying he's a lousy manager when we signed him, but I didn't believe them. I believe them now! Ozzie is NOT a good manager.

2) A big mistake was not going all out to sign a true SLUGGER, a guy who could drive in runs, rather than a slap hitter like Reyes. Once Pujols signed with the Angels, the Marlins GAVE UP on adding a BIG BAT and decided to go with Plan B.

3) Plan B was a really stupid Plan. Basically Plan B was "if we can't get Pujols we will go after Reyes and pray that we don't NEED A BIG BAT because Hanley Ramirez will be our BIG BAT". Anyone who has watched Hanley the past few years could have told Beinfest NOT TO COUNT ON HANLEY because he has showed no sign of being what he once was.

4) So now that we added ANOTHER slap hitter to an offense that clearly needed some PUNCH, they turned their attention to the pitching staff. They traded for Zambrano and signed Buerhle, both nice moves, but they did NOTHING to address the issue of not having a REAL ACE PITCHER. They didn't get Gio or CJ Wilson, so they went with Plan C. Plan C was "let's pray that Josh Johnson returns to form!" Just like Plan B, Plan C was very STUPID. I am convinced that JJ will one day regain his ACE credentials, but I saw NOTHING in the last two years that told me he would do that THIS YEAR!

5) Now that this Front Office "fixed" the offense and starting pitching, they turned to the bullpen. Here they decided to be CHEAP; after all, they just OVERPAID for Reyes, so no way were they going to sign a younger, but better pitcher like Papelbon. So they went for Plan D and signed Heath Bell, a 34 year old guy who was DECLINING so much that his old team, the Padres told him "see ya".

5) Finally the Front Office did NOTHING to get some REAL OUTFIELDERS, so we are still using washed up guys like Dobbs & Kearns and 1st basemen and infielders like Lomo and Coghlan, resulting in one of the worst outfield defenses in all of MLB.

There ya go, Beinfest. Now you know why we SUCKED this year!

[JUAN YANES]

MARLINS need removal,the manager,and the pitching and hitting coach, because they failed in get a wining team. The team seem good but lack of emotional drivers and interest. There are available some guys fill these positions succesfully for sure.

[JUAN YANES]

Present lineup lack of baseball fundaments, example: Morrison can't be never fourth in the batting order because he has a low ave with runners in scoring position, instead Lee has .309 Ave in this spot. Handley his best performance had been always as leadoff, Ruggiano should play every day while hitting over .300 and be pencil as # 5, while Reyes should be # 2 in the top of the line-up; these changes can improve the runs production for sure, but I never see the fundaments & stadistics be applied by the Manager.

[bob]

They're not going to turn it around as long as Randy St. Claire and Eduardo Perez keep their jobs. Their more willing to deal players than get rid of deadweights. Say goodbye to Hanley, Anibal, Nolasco, Choate, and Infante. The firesale is coming.

[laurelbowie]

Everybody is on a roll today. Good stuff, Flags! Even whoever is pretending to be JY is fun.
The Fish are so bad that suddenly I don't care if they gut the team and start from scratch — and my guess is, that's what the players are secretly hoping for. Watching a bunch of new young faces playing for jobs would be a lot more interesting than what we're seeing now. And who knows? — their record might actually improve.
But it will be a shame to see that fancy new ballpark as empty as Sun Life used to be. It's a lot more fun attending a game when there is somebody else sitting in your section.

[flagstafffishfan]

Juan brings up a good point about Hanley, he had most of his success batting leadoff. Problem is we have three leadoff guys on one team. Beinfest must go too!

[ed]

Hanley has the baseball IQ of a carton of doorknobs. Trade him.

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

Dear "Real Alex", The point I really cared about that I addressed on WQAM--and that was totally missed by the host---was the FACT that outside of Johnson and Stanton there are NO good baseball players that the Marlins signed in the draft POST 2002 that are playing in the Major Leagues. I believe the host did not understand the enormity of what I said as he started talking about Cabrera and Beckett. I then said "POST 2002" and he still didn't get it.

Do you guys see it? The Miami Marlins have NOBODY playing on another team in Major League Baseball that they signed in the Entry Draft POST!!!!! 2002. The only good players signed by this scouting team are Josh Johnson and Mike Stanton. IF I'm wrong, name who I'm missing.

See You Tomorrow!!!

[rbleigh]

So when exactly is Beinfest's job on the line?

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

Sorry!!!!! Meant to say GOOD!!!!!!!! player playing in the Majors.

[Flav C]

LOB, interestingly enough the draft picks issue was brought by the host of 790 AM, during the 7pm show tonight. The host went thru the list of #1 draft picks from 2002 thru 2008 (just like some of us did in the past) to shed the light on how poor our scouting for draft has been under Beinfest.

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

Flav, Sorry!! One more post. I'm really weening myself off this stuff.

It's not just 1st Round Picks!!!

ALL!!!! of the Marlin selections,some 40 or so, in each draft from 2002,3,4,5,6,7,8,9(Won't count last 3 years} have resuled in 2!!!!!! quality baseball players. There is really nothing to discuss. Beinfest, Hill,cross checkers and ANYONE associated with Marlins scouting should be GONE!!!!!

This should really be getting national play. It is sickening!!

[Flav C]

You're right. And when we look at the Nationals and their active roster, we see:
Pitching staff - Craig Stammen, Drew Storen, Ross Detwiller, Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman - All Drafted.
Infielders: Ryan Zimmerman, Espinosa, Lombardozzi, Ian Desmond - All Drafted.
Outfielders: Harper, Tyler Moore, and Michael Morse - All Drafted.

Not including Gio, who was traded with the A's via 4 good prospects, all drafted.

[flagstafffishfan]

Excellent points guys and scary if I were the owner regarding the inability of scouts, GM, etc to not have any of your draft picks, save 2 in baseball. I agree with laurel as well that I enjoyed watching young guys battling day in and day out back in the Girardi era. Much more fun than this group of clowns.

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

It's hard, but I'll be quiet.

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

PLEASE!!!!!! Two words:

Skipworth

Dominguez

[Flav C]

Just to bring some good vibes to this kind-of-tense board: Skipworth went 3-4 tonight, with a BB, 1B, 2B, and 1 HR, going with 2 Runs scored and 3 RBIs. His bat avg has skyrocketed to .213.
The young Daniel Pertusati (OF) had his debut with the JAX Suns (AA) tonight, after playing very well with the Hammerheads on A+. He had his first hit, and first 2 RBIs, going 1-4 with a BB. His promotion opened up a spot on CF with the Jupiter A+ team, which would result in a promotion for Danny Black (Stan's boy). However, Black is coming off of DL (injured groin) therefore it wasn't this time yet that we would be able to see young Danny playing at Roger Dean.

Last note: Our triple A affiliate beat the Iowa Cubs with 15 hits and 9 runs scored. With such abundance of hits, surprise, surprise. Coghlan/Gaby went 1-8. Bad habits are hard to break.

[ALEX C]

THIS ONE IS FOR YOU BEINFEST

TWO NAMES

CHAPMAN

CESPEDES

[ALEX C]

THIS IS THE WORST EXAMPLE OF THE MARLINS
IDIOTIC SCOUTS AND DRAFT EXPERTS?????

IN 2005 THEY HAD FIVE, FIVE #1 PICKS
THEY DRAFTED FIVE PITCHERS ONLY ONE MADE IT TO
THE BIG LEAGUES, VOLSTAD, WHO HAS BEEN SINCE BEEN TRADED TO THE CUBS, DEMOTED BY THE CUBS, AND IS STRUGGLING IN TRIPLE A

SO MUCH FOR THE EXPERTS

[SunnyDee]

Marlins should have kept Uggla and Cody Ross. Even when they struggle they are still good clubhouse guys and motivate the other players. The biggest problem has to be the hitting coach though. The entire team is hitting poorly, not just Hanley. Look at Lomo, Reyes, Gaby, Buck. All of these guys are performing below their averages. Perhaps a good hitting coach could make proper adjustments to Hanley's swing and approach. I guarantee if Hanley is traded he will start hitting better.

[Glags]

Speaking of Cody I saw him hit a walk off in Boston and afterwards everyone was chanting his name. What an amazing run he's had since leaving the Fish. NLCS MVP and WS Champ and is now playing in one of the biggest markets in MLB yet he wasn't good enough to play here.

Effing incredible!!!!

[Daweed]

Once Hanley got paid, he couldn't care less. He is great at swinging at balls and looking at strike three right down the middle. Pitiful!!!!!!

[Stan M]

For the past few years I have looked forward to the baseball season with anticipation. Young guys on the rise...stuff like that. Now we have a team where a great many players are in their prime years and they stink on hot ice. Days that used to revolve around watching the Marlin game are now filled with a kind of depression. It seems like we fans can see the problems and they are manifest, yet the FO does nothing. Many of you point out the frustrations of poor coaching. Others site poor drafting. And although not mentioned today, we all see a certain apathy in their play and a general lack any sort of leadeship. In summary, we can only root for this team with our hearts now for our minds see nothing but incompetence, parsimony, and nonchalance. Yet we survive as fans! Why? Because despite whatever this group of scalawags do to ruin our fun, baseball is still a great game and it will survive despite this travesty that is being fostered upon us..

How many besides myself smiled and had a "feel good" moment when they read about Cody Ross and his recent exploits. Good for him!!!!!

Here is an article about Marlin trading posibilities, etc. I don't agree with much of it, but it does present a fairly rational view of our team's dilemma.

http://www.thegoodphight.com/2012/7/19/3169534/marlins-at-the-trade-deadline-sell-sell-sell-right-not-exactly

[Stan M]

Jim Bowden wrote a moving tribute to Barry Larkin on the ESPN site. The following paragraph struck me as very relevant, and a certain Marlin third baseman came to mind. See how it bounces off you folks.

.I was a young GM, and he taught me a lot about intangibles and the importance of watching how players handle pressure situations. Meaning, who cares if a player is an above-average defender if he can’t make the play in a 1-1 game in the ninth inning? Who cares if a player is a .300 hitter with 20 home runs if he can’t produce when you need him most? Barry taught me how to see that.

[flagstafffishfan]

Hanley's career has fizzled before our eyes. A change of scenery would be good for us as fans but he will never produce like he once did. He has made his millions and that's that. I have to wonder if Jose Reyes is going to fall into the same category as well. As laurel said it was more fun watching guys scrap it out night after night, rookie no namers and journeymen alike. When you don't take your craft seriously and work on improving this is what happens. Baseball no doubt is watching and the Marlins have quickly become the laughing stock of MLB. Larry Beinfest could write a book called "Dysfunction".

[laurelbowie]

Stan M,
You're right — this is supposed to be fun and it isn't. It's all a matter of unfulfilled expectations. There have been a lot of Marlins seasons where their record has been a lot worse and the games have been a lot more enjoyable. When you have a bunch of young AAA+ guys on their way up and you know from the outset that the team isn't headed for the playoffs, you just relax, watch the games, and when one is close, you call it a victory and have a drink to celebrate. But with all the buildup and all the high hopes for this year, every game is nothing but dread and frustration. I keep promising myself I'm not going to watch anymore, and then I do it anyway.
So look at it this way. None of us was in a theater in Aurora, Colo., last night watching the new Batman movie — so we'll survive losing three in a row to the Pirates and watching our team self-destruct before our eyes.

[laurelbowie]

A little different take here on the rumored trade with the Red Sox. However they pull it off, it sounds great to me.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1265771-mlb-trade-rumors-could-sox-jose-iglesias-unite-with-ozzie-guillen-in-miami.

[MOE THE FAN]

Hey,I've got a couple of great trade suggestions -- How about Dan Ugla for Infante and Dunn? Or, how about Miguel Cabrera for Mayben and Milner? One of the problems is that management always trades one $10 mil balplayer, not for two or three $2 mil balplayers, but for two or three 10 cent ballplayers. As far as their poor drafts. It's the same thing. It's not who is the best ball player available, but who is signable for the cheap money they are going to offer.

[flagstafffishfan]

Hanley not in the lineup today? I guess he needs a mental health day? Or maybe he's been traded!!!

[laurelbowie]

Fishsticks,
That's not good news at all. The good news, as Flagstaff said, would have been if he'd been traded.

[flagstafffishfan]

Oh god really? Is that confirmed that his hand is infected? I can't remember which one of us commented that this guy has a knack of getting hurt or something right around the trade deadline? Why not play Solano if that's the case? I'm jonesing for rookie guys that play hard with tiny contracts. Not sure if anyone watched the Derek Jeter 3K on HBO but what I would give to have a professional like him on this team.

Speaking of Derek Jeter and since I'm running out of things to talk about with this horrible Marlins team. Where would you put Derek on the Yankees all time greats list?

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

A quick diversion--Does anyone have any idea why often times these horrific incidents originate in Colorado> I remember after Collenbine(Sp??) that thought was first broached along with a couple of previous incidents(I've forgotten which) that seemed to advance the idea. Now we have another. I'm assuming it's just coincidence but it is bizarre.

I know I don't really feel like talking baseball. The shocking thing is IF just 1/10 of 1% of all 360,000,000 Americans are severely deranged that would mean 360,000 Americans walking around capable of such violence. Take away the 10 most sparsely populated states and that would leave 9,000 nut cases per each of the remaining 40 states.

I don't have an answer but I do know this sort of violence in other countries is usually perpetrated by the government on the people. Here we have violence committed by "normal" citizens on other citizens. Why??

[Leo Orestes Barberie]

On the Detroit News Tiger Blog I just proposed Infante and Nolasco or Sanchez for the Tigers BEST(and he is very good and READY) catching prospect and either one of their 2 best lefty prospects AND either 2 more GOOD prospects or 1 VERY GOOD prospect of whom they have many.

[Stan M]

Flags...,
Absolutely. Ruth, then Gehrig, then Mantle, then Berra, then DiMaggio, and then Jeter? Am I missing someone? Ford? Dickey? Howard? Allie Reynolds? Lefty Gomez? I'll take Jeter. Jeter is to the Yankees as Chipper is to the Braves.