For those you you who didn't read Dave George's column in the Post today:

 

 

Commentary: Marlins should join Florida State League

By Dave George

 

Palm Beach Post Columnist

 

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

 

Here is a pitch to go out and buy Florida State League season tickets.

 

I'm not making it. The Florida Marlins are.

 

Paul Lo Duca was traded to the New York Mets on Monday for Gaby Hernandez, a teenager who pitched at Port St. Lucie last season. Count on the player to be determined in this deal to land somewhere in Class A ball this summer, too, most likely at an FSL ballpark near you.

 

Remember Scott Tyler of the Fort Myers Miracle from last season? Probably not. Not enough people get to FSL games, a great family value and close to home, but, hey, I said I wouldn't be making the pitch.

 

Again, the Marlins are.

 

Tyler and another minor-leaguer came to the roster of new Florida manager Joe Girardi the other day from Minnesota in exchange for Luis Castillo, the guy who has played more game for the Marlins than anyone in history. Racked up the most hits, too, and stole the most bases, and, oh, what difference does it make?

 

Accomplishments don't matter anymore. Contracts do.

 

Other major-league teams say winter meetings. The Marlins say nuclear winter.

 

Other teams say contention. The Marlins say correction.

 

Other teams say Merry Christmas. The Marlins stroll back and forth among their fans barking "Humbug! Get your steaming hot humbug right here!"

 

Funny how Marlins President David Samson keeps chiding the media for calling this a fire sale on the order of Wayne Huizenga's dismantling of the 1997 world championship Florida team.

 

Huizenga was absolutely merciless in his money-slashing strategy, it's true, but he scorched South Florida fans over a longer period of time. An entire calendar year of player purging, in fact, all the while dangling the team for sale.

 

What Jeffrey Loria has authorized since the end of the 2005 season is actually more spectacular. Breathtaking, even. Let's compare.

 

By New Year's Day 1998, Huizenga had dumped Moises Alou, Kevin Brown, Robb Nen, Devon White and Jeff Conine, plus a few lesser players. That's a serious blow, expunging three opening-day regulars, a 16-game winner and a 35-save closer from the roster, but the next tidal wave of transactions ? Gary Sheffield and the rest of the gang ? didn't hit until May.

 

The current conflagration, by comparison, has sent Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Carlos Delgado, Castillo and Lo Duca packing by the first week of December. Juan Pierre is expected to be next. Throw in the probability of closer Todd Jones, Juan Encarnacion and maybe even Conine floating away as free agents and an entire team is gone in a flash.

 

Watch minor-leaguers in Miami at major-league prices, in other words, or drive over to Jupiter or Port St. Lucie or Vero Beach next summer for a closer, more casual look at baseball's kiddie corps. The Marlins have made it too easy a choice.

 

Girardi says he's OK with Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis and a bunch of novices, but wouldn't it have been optimal to have Lo Duca working with all the young pitchers who will people Florida's rotation? There is more to catching that knowing how to squat, and more to pitching than trying to burn a hole in the mitt.

 

Worse, Delgado and Lo Duca get shipped to the Mets, Florida's NL East rival. Talk about waving the white flag. Might as well pawn off that 2003 World Series trophy, or see if the Braves want to buy it for a few million bucks. Atlanta's got money, and only one world title to show for all that 1990s dominance. This may be the one area where the Marlins could negotiate from a position of strength.

 

It's the stadium, the stadium, the stadium that's driving this disaster. OK, we get that.

 

All the patience in the world on that issue, however, won't make customers happy about getting hosed.

 

And fire hosed at that.

 

At least fans know what they're getting at an FSL game, and the ballparks never disappoint. They're the facilities built for major-league spring training. Fresh-mown grass, emerald in nature. Great sight lines. Freshly popped corn, the better to charm the senses.

 

Take a whiff of what's happening with the Marlins instead. Whatever the rationale, whatever the reality, whatever the future holds, Loria can't expect season-ticket holders to embrace a swap of stars for rookies.

 

The fresher the Fish, the greater the stink.

 

Source -- http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/conte...eorge_1206.html

what a great article... someone make the writer the new President

sad yet true

Way to pour salt all over our collective wounds.

 

I know this isn't easy on anyone, but some positive spin from the media could go a long way. For instance pointing out that Oakland traded 2/3 of their Big Three, and that to an extent trading established talent for unproven talent is something that small market teams have to do to remain competetive.

 

I'm not saying that's the whole story, but it would be nice if the media didn't feed the fanbase's panic. Maybe they could point out that we got good talent in return for our players, better talent than we received following the '97 season. If somehow a stadium deal is reached in South Florida, there is a nucleus of young talent here that has the potential to be something special. Maybe if more media members would speak to the positive sides of things, and look towards the potentially bright future, the buzz from the south florida sports fans wouldn't be to turn their back on the team, but to want a new ballpark all the more.

 

/rambling

Very true. They're going to be overcharging us this season for the equivalent of a good AAA team. Meanwhile most of our players have been exchanged for minor leaguers that you can see for a lot cheaper somewhere else.