HYDE: Beinfest is usually right on the money

Published March 13, 2005

 

JUPITER ? No one in baseball has done more with less than Marlins General Manager Admin Beinfest of late, and so surely there's a best-selling, behind-the-scenes book -- working title: No-Money Ball -- in listing his secret steps to management success.

 

And my typewriter is ready.

 

"No 1," he says, "do what you think is right."

 

Not a revolutionary first step, but ...

 

"No. 2," he says, "take the best player available."

 

Not a page-turning second step, but ...

 

"No. 3, pitching wins," he says. "And you want to grow your own starting pitching because it's difficult to get in a trade and expensive in free agency."

 

OK, so maybe it's not a best-selling book. Beinfest understands. He looks over from watching Guillermo Mota pitch in an intra-squad scrimmage and says, "Not real exciting stuff, is it?"

 

But maybe that's just it. Maybe in an age where we're seduced by bells and whistles and -- boo-yah! -- sound-byte style more than elbow-grease substance that's why so few appreciate what Beinfest has done again in helping make the Marlins a contender.

 

After all, Beinfest didn't polish an image by having a best-selling book about him (Moneyball), like Oakland's Billy Bean. He isn't a whiz kid who hires statistics guru Bill James, like Boston's Theo Epstein.

 

In fact, Beinfest and his front office brain-trust have gone so unnoticed they must have felt again this winter like the Indians upon hearing Christopher Columbus discovered America. Now it's the Yankees who discovered Carl Pavano was worth $41 million (never mind Beinfest got ripped a couple of summers ago for trading Cliff Floyd for Pavano).

 

It's the Giants who discovered closer Armando Benitez was worth $21.5 million (never mind Beinfest was being questioned a year ago for signing him).

 

In fact, from trading for 15-game loser Mark Redman (who became a 14-game winner) to signing Pudge Rodriguez (who re-invented himself) to paying the Braves to take Mike Hampton (which was part of the process to bring Juan Pierre), the immediate response to Beinfest's moves has typically been, "What is he thinking?"

 

"In this job, no matter what else, you've got to act on what you believe," he said.

 

See Rule No. 1.

 

Sure, it's easier being a Rotisserie general manager, such as the payroll-heavy teams can, and the Marlins did for the first time this winter in signing Carlos Delgado. That left-handed bat? In this lineup? The question wasn't why the Marlins signed him. It was how they had the money to do so.

 

But the real labor went into building a bullpen.

 

"That's what's been a trouble spot the past few years," Beinfest said. "Even when we won the World Series, it wasn't solidified until late in the year when we got [ugueth] Urbina and Chad Fox."

 

Enter veterans Todd Jones, Antonio Alfonseca, Jim Mecir and John Riedling. Each has pitched between the seventh and ninth innings and are is capable of facing left-handed and right-handed batters.

 

"They're interchangeable parts, not just situation guys," he said. "That gives you more options in how to use them."

 

All of this with a $65 million payroll, which ranks first in creativity and fourth in the five-team National League East (only the Washington Nationals are lower). No matter the Yankees and Red Sox spill more on the bar than the Marlins' full payroll.

 

Oakland, Minnesota and the Marlins have shown small-budget teams can win if they're smarter. And a little lucky. And Beinfest knows it as he watches Mota pitch.

 

"Throws hard, throws strikes, and left-handers hit .174 against him last year," he says.

 

Can Mota close? Will he? That's one of the spring's questions, but it's a muffled question. After all, two springs after getting Pierre and Pudge, a year ago after getting Benitez, it's time Beinfest got some benefit of the doubt.

 

Dave Hyde can be reached at [email protected].

 

 

 

Link

Good Sunday morning read. Thanks.

I don't understand why anyone who writes like this is allowed to work at the Sun Sentinel. :blink:

JUPITER ? No one in baseball has dizzle mizzle wit less than Marlins General Managa Admin Beinfest of late, n so surely there's a best-sell'n, behind-the-scizzles bizzle -- hatin' title in tha hood: No-Money Bizzle -- in list'n his secret steps ta managizzles success.

 

And mah typewrita is ready.

 

"No 1," he says, "do wizzle you think is right."

 

Not a revolutionary fiznirst stizzep, but ...

 

"No. 2," he says, "take tha bizzle brotha available."

 

Not a page-turn'n second step, but ...

 

"No. 3, pitch'n wins," he says. "And. you wizzle ta grizzow yo own mobbin' pitch'n coz it's difficult ta git in a trade n expensive in free agency."

 

OK, so maybe it's not a blingin' bizzle to increase tha peace. Beinfest understands so show some love niggaz. He looks over fizzle watch'n Guillermo Mizzle P-to-tha-izzitch in an intra-squad scrimmage n says, "Not real excit'n shiznit, is it?"

 

But maybe that's just it. Maybe in an age where we're seduced by bells n whistles n -- Boo-yah! -- sound-byte style more than elbow-greaze substance that's why so few appreciate what Beinfest has done again in cruisin' makes tha Marlins a poser.

 

Drug Deala all, Beinfest Didn't polish an image by hav'n a best-sell'n book `bout him (Moneyball), like Oakland's B-I-Double-Lizzy Bean where the sun be shinin and I be rhymin'. He Isn't a whizzay kid who hires statistics guru Bill James, like Boston's Tizzy Epstein . Snoop heffner mixed with a little bit of doggy flint.

 

In fact, Beinfest n his front office brain-trust hizzle gone so unnoticed they M-to-tha-izzust hizzy fizzelt again this n***a like tha Indians upon hear'n Cracka Columbus discovered America. Now It's tha Yankees who discovered Cizzay Pavano was worth $41 million Crazy Ass n***a mind Beinfest gots ripped a couple of brotha ago fo` steppin' Cliff Floyd fo` Pavano) . Boom bam as I step in the jam, God damn.

 

It's tha Giants who discovered pusha Armando Benitez was worth $21.5 million (neva mind Beinfest was being questioned a year ago fo` clockin' hizzim).

 

In fact, F-R-to-tha-izzom trad'n fo` 15-game losa M-to-tha-izzark Redman (izzy became a 14-game crazy ass n***a ta sign'n Pudge Rodriguez (izzy re-invented himself) ta pay'n tha Braves ta takes Mike Hampton (which was pizzy of tha process ta bring Juan Pierre), tha immediate response ta Beinfest's moves has typically been, "What is he thinking?"

 

"In this J-to-tha-izzob, no matta whizzay else, you've gots ta act on wizzle you believe," he said . They call me tha black folks president.

 

See Rule No. 1.

 

Sure, It's shot calla being a Rotisserie general gangsta S-to-tha-izzuch as tha payroll-heavy teams can, n tha Marlins did fo` tha first tizzle this rappa in frontin' Carlos Delgado cuz Im tha Double O G. Tizzy left-handed bat? In this lineup? The question wasn't why tha Marlins signed him . Subscribe n***a, get yo issue.. It was how they had tha money ta do so aww nah.

 

But tha real labor went into build'n a bullpen.

 

"That's what's been a trouble spizzay tha past few years," Beinfest said. "Even. wizzle we won tha World Series, it wasn't solidified until late in tha year when we gots [ugueth] Urbina n Chad Fox."

 

Enta veterans Todd Jones, Antonio Alfonseca, Jim Mecir n J-to-tha-izzohn Riedl'n. Each has pitched between tha seventh n ninth cruisin' n is is capable of steppin' left-handed n right-handed bitch.

 

"They're interchangeable parts, not just situation guys," he said . Fo'-fo' desert eagle to your motherf***in' dome. "That . Fo'-fo' desert eagle to your motherf***in' dome. gives you more options in how ta use them."

 

All of this wit a $65 million payroll, whizzay ranks fizzay in creativity n fourth in tha five-team National League East (only tha Washington Nationals is lowa). No matta tha Yankees n Red Sox spizzay mizzle on tha bar thiznan tha Marlins' full payroll bitch ass n***a.

 

Oakland, Minnesota n tha Marlins have shown small-budget teams can win if they're gangsta n s***. And a shawty lucky . Wussup to all my niggaz in the house. And Beinfest knows it as he watches Mota piznitch n s***.

 

"Throws hizzard, throws strikes, n left-handa hit .174 against him last year," he says . Tru niggaz do niggaz.

 

Can Mota close? Wizzle he? That's? one of tha spring's questions, but it's a muffled question ridin' in mah double R. Afta all, two messin' shot calla clockin' Pierre n Pudge, a year ago afta saggin' Benitez, It's tizzy Beinfest gots some benefit of tha doubt.

Great article. Just proves more that Admin Beinfest is the best GM in the business.

 

Would have been nice to get some insight on Beinfest' philosophy, not the writers'.

Its not like the previous GM drafted a number of key cogs in this team or anything like that. Its aaaaaaaaaall Beinfest.

 

We'll see the real Beinfest team after the AJ, Miggy, Josh either start costing a lot of money a year or they are gone.

 

I think Double-D should still get credit for this team, because he left a lot of young talent behind, either on the team, or helped get players on the team, like Dontrizzle.

Speaking of GM's and owners.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I think Double-D should still get credit for this team, because he left a lot of young talent behind, either on the team, or helped get players on the team, like Dontrizzle.

709109[/snapback]

he wasnt here for Willis

I think Double-D should still get credit for this team, because he left a lot of young talent behind, either on the team, or helped get players on the team, like Dontrizzle.

709109[/snapback]

he wasnt here for Willis

709297[/snapback]

 

I said he left talent behind that got people like dontrizzle.

 

Clement was very much an aquisition under Double-D.

I think Double-D should still get credit for this team, because he left a lot of young talent behind, either on the team, or helped get players on the team, like Dontrizzle.

709109[/snapback]

he wasnt here for Willis

709297[/snapback]

 

I said he left talent behind that got people like dontrizzle.

 

Clement was very much an aquisition under Double-D.

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Except Clement wasn't originally going to be used as trade bait. Players on the team due to Dombrowski directly: Lowell, Burnett, Beckett, Alex Gonzalez, Luis Castillo, Cabrera, and I guess you could say Alfonseca, Leiter, and Conine, even though Dombrowski traded them away. Players indirectly on the team because of him: Willis and that is about it.

 

 

People a result of Beinfest bringing in: Delgado, Pierre, Encarnacion, Lo Duca, Mota, Mecir, Reidling, Spooneybarger, Valdez, Alfonseca, Leiter, Conine, Perisho.

 

 

Thats what happens when you take over a farm system that was blossoming from the previous GM. Admin has not been a slouch drafting either, even with Allison because that was Allison, and only Allison's fault. People like Hermida, Tankersely, Vargas are all going to become good major leaguers.

Before this last draft, Beinfest and the scouts had done arguably the worst job in the majors. Atleast the Yankees were taken their stiffs in the mid to late 20s.

Before this last draft, Beinfest and the scouts had done arguably the worst job in the majors. Atleast the Yankees were taken their stiffs in the mid to late 20s.

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"The worst job in the majors"?

 

Wow :thumbdown

People seem to like put Dave Dombrowski on a pedestal and say he really built this (2003-2004-2005) team and was responsible for developing a great farm system but at the same time they are willing to ignore why he was able to acquire the likes of Burnett, Lowell, etc.

 

It's because he prostituted himself and did his master's bidding as the architect of the destruction of a world series team and his actions nearly destroyed major league baseball in South Florida in the process. If Admin Beinfest or any other competent GM had the major league talent Dombrowski had to dispose of one can assume they would have done equally (or if not better) than Dumbo Dave.

 

Those same people also ignore the significant number of DD trades that didn't work out, the draft picks that went nowhere, the signing failures. All they want to point to are a handful of successes and ignore the other side of the equation. The scales of justice have two sides for a reason, to weigh the pro and con, the good and the bad, and from my perspective those scales aren't weighted in Dombrowski's favor.