February 25, 2009

Beinfest Blasts Defense

 

JUPITER -- Following a four-error performance by the Marlins in their first spring training game, Admin Beinfest ripped the defense, calling it "unacceptable," even for the first day.

 

"I don't care if it's the first day or the last day," Beinfest said. "We need to play better defense from the start, set the tone."

 

Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations, has been preaching better defense for a club that has committed more fielding errors over the past three seasons than any team in the majors.

 

On Wednesday, the Marlins escaped with a sloppy, 5-5 tie, against the St. Louis Cardinals in which three members of their starting infield -- first baseman Gaby Sanchez, second baseman Dan Uggla and shortstop Hanley Ramirez -- were each charged with errors.

 

And third baseman Jorge Cantu just missed making one.

 

Beinfest broke into a post-game discussion between reporters and manager Fredi Gonzalez, saying he was unhappy with the effort.

 

"More runs than errors, we'll take it as a positive," Beinfest said facetiously. "Not the way you want to start. This team is going to take pride in its defense. Yes, it is the first day. But we're capable of playing better defense. We have guys who are capable of doing it. We need to do it." http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/

I guess he has to come out and point out things such as this as part of his job, but really, it's ONLY the first game of ST.

Calm down Beinfest, it's the first game...if this is still happening on the last day of ST, then there's a problem.

bah - a lot of young guys on this team - you set the tone early - how you prepare is how you play - a lot of guys fighting for jobs as well, a great opportunity to ride the "safe" guys for the ears of the ones fighting

Calm down Beinfest, it's the first game...if this is still happening on the last day of ST, then there's a problem.

 

By then, its really too late to fix it. I like what he is doing. People who get lackadaisical doing their jobs when "it doesn't really matter" seem to find themselves that way all the time.

Admin beinfest is a god among men and we should all love his ass

I saw the the errors in the box score and was like WTF. I like what beinfest is doing calling the team out letting them know this crap won't fly.

if i not wrong we lead in error last season that some thing that beinfest do want to see player fix

It's good that he said something. He shouldn't get too mad, but it's nice to see there's some fire there. But yes, it IS the first day of Spring Training.

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

if i not wrong we lead in error last season that some thing that beinfest do want to see player fix

 

can we charge you with an error for your grammar?

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

I disagree, it shouldn't have come out of anyone's mouth. First time in 5 months that they are fielding in a real game and it showed. It wasn't just us. The Yankees made 4 errors and the Royals made 3. There were a total of 29 errors made by 17 different teams today.

 

Fish Dynasty said it perfectly. This was only the first game. If it was the last game, then there would be a serious problem.

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

I disagree, it shouldn't have come out of anyone's mouth. First time in 5 months that they are fielding in a real game and it showed. It wasn't just us. The Yankees made 4 errors and the Royals made 3. There were a total of 29 errors made by 17 different teams today.

 

Fish Dynasty said it perfectly. This was only the first game. If it was the last game, then there would be a serious problem.

 

I argue that those teams don't really have a firm mandate like we do to really work on improving our defense. Not that any team should be Ok with making errors, but ever since 2006 our defense has been plagued by errors and its got to stop. Thats the tone of this ST for our team whereas other teams who haven't had the same problem might be a little less concerned and focused on improving other areas more.

 

Focusing on improving certain aspects of your team from day one is important in achieving your team goals in ST. It's more important for some teams that others, but I think spring training last year with the Rays showed how important improving the focus from day one can be. There was buzz going about that organization right from the beginning and players, coaches, and fans all believed that they were going to take a step that year. Nobody would have predicted how big of a step but that just goes to reinforce my point. They needed to believe that they could be winners while our team needs to believe it can be stout defensively.

Get in their heads early. No problem with it. If he was releasing somebody, than sure, that's a problem. But telling them to stop f***ing up, there shouldn't be a time limit on that. Play hard or go home.

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

I disagree, it shouldn't have come out of anyone's mouth. First time in 5 months that they are fielding in a real game and it showed. It wasn't just us. The Yankees made 4 errors and the Royals made 3. There were a total of 29 errors made by 17 different teams today.

 

Fish Dynasty said it perfectly. This was only the first game. If it was the last game, then there would be a serious problem.

 

Disagree with you, Rab. It needs to be addressed every day. From the time the season ended last year til the next game. All Spring and regular season. Every day. Speed, defense, pitching. Work on everything, every day. And complain when things aren't right. Don't ignore the deficiencies, address them. When you start making excuses of why the errors are happening you end up leading MLB in errors.

 

BTW I'm sure it did come out of Fredi's mouth. Just because he dosen't chastize(sp) the team in the media dosen't mean it isn't being done. Every time he talked this off season he was very vocal about improving the defense. I am quite sure he brought it to their attention.

Why not criticize the players after 4 errors in 1 game?

I know its only the 1st game of ST but I see what he is saying about setting the tone.

Cutting down on errors is one of the focus points for the entire season and the improvement must begin now.

well if the players had play defence, this wouldnt of happened correct?

the past 3 years they have not played defence, its about time, someone got upset at the team for it.

Fredy hasnt shown it, its time beinfest did.

One of the problems here is that alot of folks dwell on home runs, i remember last season if you mention Hanley errors, the first thing you read, he is hitting 300, with many home runs, i think errors are ugly.

My guess is that this is a shot across the bow before trades this season of Uggla, who ironically is our best proven glove in the infield, and/or Cantu. I hope I am wrong, but the tone Beinfest took decrying the defense on day one of Spring Training makes me think it is a possibility.

 

One other thought I have is that if he has such a hardon for stellar defense, maybe he should have thought of that before he put together a team filled with starters and bench players who are below average with the glove.

At some point, and I'm not sure it isn't happening right now, fingers have to get pointed at Andy Fox.

 

It may be that Beinfest is sending a message in his direction with the tacit approval of the manager. Often times in business a manager is called upon to provide cover for a supervisor (Beinfest being the manager in this scenario, Gonzalez the supervisor) when there is a problem down the line.

 

Don't know that's what's happening here but does anyone think (it's rhetorical) Fox has done anything approaching an outstanding job over the last two+ seasons bringing the infield along? I don't. Uggla is better in my estimation because he made himself better, Hanley and Jacobs really haven't shown much progress at all since Perry Hill departed, and I don't know that you can gauge Cantu based on his schizoid season last year. All in all, and yes it's two games into spring training so it may be unfair to draw any conclusions about anything, it just seems more of the same. They just gave Fredi an extension so I wouldn't be surprised to see Fox relieved of his responsibilities.

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

I disagree, it shouldn't have come out of anyone's mouth. First time in 5 months that they are fielding in a real game and it showed. It wasn't just us. The Yankees made 4 errors and the Royals made 3. There were a total of 29 errors made by 17 different teams today.

 

Fish Dynasty said it perfectly. This was only the first game. If it was the last game, then there would be a serious problem.

 

Disagree with you, Rab. It needs to be addressed every day. From the time the season ended last year til the next game. All Spring and regular season. Every day. Speed, defense, pitching. Work on everything, every day. And complain when things aren't right. Don't ignore the deficiencies, address them. When you start making excuses of why the errors are happening you end up leading MLB in errors.

 

BTW I'm sure it did come out of Fredi's mouth. Just because he dosen't chastize(sp) the team in the media dosen't mean it isn't being done. Every time he talked this off season he was very vocal about improving the defense. I am quite sure he brought it to their attention.

 

I dunno Bob. I think if Fredi were telling this to the players, Beinfest wouldn't need to come out and say it himself.

bring back joe girardi. infield practices n sh*t. that guy ruled.

Calm down Beinfest, it's the first game...if this is still happening on the last day of ST, then there's a problem.

 

By then, its really too late to fix it. I like what he is doing. People who get lackadaisical doing their jobs when "it doesn't really matter" seem to find themselves that way all the time.

Agree 100%.

 

And not only that but after he worked all season to improve the defense almost exclusively. I think a bit of frustration is coming out here too.

Calm down Beinfest, it's the first game...if this is still happening on the last day of ST, then there's a problem.

 

By then, its really too late to fix it. I like what he is doing. People who get lackadaisical doing their jobs when "it doesn't really matter" seem to find themselves that way all the time.

Agree 100%.

 

And not only that but after he worked all season to improve the defense almost exclusively. I think a bit of frustration is coming out here too.

Really? What did he do? I mean, we all know he said that he was going to do that, but what did he actually do on that front? Pick up a bench/AAA player from Washington and that's it.

I wish this came out of Fredi's mouth.

I disagree, it shouldn't have come out of anyone's mouth. First time in 5 months that they are fielding in a real game and it showed. It wasn't just us. The Yankees made 4 errors and the Royals made 3. There were a total of 29 errors made by 17 different teams today.

 

Fish Dynasty said it perfectly. This was only the first game. If it was the last game, then there would be a serious problem.

 

Disagree with you, Rab. It needs to be addressed every day. From the time the season ended last year til the next game. All Spring and regular season. Every day. Speed, defense, pitching. Work on everything, every day. And complain when things aren't right. Don't ignore the deficiencies, address them. When you start making excuses of why the errors are happening you end up leading MLB in errors.

 

BTW I'm sure it did come out of Fredi's mouth. Just because he dosen't chastize(sp) the team in the media dosen't mean it isn't being done. Every time he talked this off season he was very vocal about improving the defense. I am quite sure he brought it to their attention.

 

I dunno Bob. I think if Fredi were telling this to the players, Beinfest wouldn't need to come out and say it himself.

 

I understand your reasoning. But Fredi is a "private" type leader. And Admin said it publicly, and meant for it to be quoted. He dosen't work directly with the guys and should be the one to be vocal publicly about his displeasure, while Fredi should be the one to tatake the guys aside and admonish them for their performance while letting them know there won't be a rack set up with a public flogging imminent. I like this two pronged approach.

 

Actually it's more the players' quotes that mean something to me. They were lackadaisical about the 4 errors...........and then went out and committed two more Thursday.

 

On the marlins.com this morning there was another little article on this. Fredi is more disappointed on the mental errors than he is of the physical ones, although making it fairly obvious he wasn't happy about either. For instance (and this is paraphrased from that article) no one covering 2nd on one play when Hanley should have and Cameron could have. Something I agree with. Brain farts don't show up in the stats, but can in the final score. It continues with base running. To me it's another example of that two pronged approach.