So I went ahead and typed up a letter to have out there for Marlins ownership to see.  Idk how they’ll see it but, if anything it’s a venting here…..

I keep thinking of things to add, but here’s what I have for now:

 

 

Dear Bruce Sherman, Kim Ng, the Marlins Organization, and MLB,

Thank you for destroying a passion for a team and sport that has lasted for decades.

As a native south Floridian, and someone who is only 3 years older than the Marlins organization itself, I have naturally been a fan since the team’s inception, but my real passion for the team started around 15 years ago.  Since then, I’ve found myself increasingly more involved in following the team’s transactions, purchasing various hats, jerseys, memorabilia, and even went as far as creating and entire Marlins-themed room in my house.  My family and I have gone to countless games over the years and have been season ticket holders.  I’ve stuck with this team through the endless fire-sales and rebuilds that were always touted as the “last time”….until the next one.  Fans didn’t even get to finish celebrating 1997’s Championship before its dismantling; 2006 was because we needed to reset payroll because of no stadium.  2012 things were supposed to be different with the stadium, only for another fire-sale to occur mid-season after just a few months.  Then with the incoming Sherman/Jeter group, yet another selloff began – goodbye went the best outfield in baseball, goodbye went the best catcher in baseball, all in the name of “sustainability” and yet again resetting what was already a bottom/lower third payroll.  I realize current ownership cannot be held responsible for the actions of previous ownerships group, but the move to begin yet another dismantling of the team – while perhaps the right long term move if additional spending was included long term – was utterly tone-deaf to a fan base that has continually been teased and abused over decades.

Even so, I stuck with the team, clinging to that promise that money would be spent when the time is right.  To be fair, ownership has done well rebuilding the farm, and that left hope that things have been on the right track.   The offseason also started well, but post-lockout the team seems to be frozen, unable or unwilling to do anything, continuing to waste years of control of the pitching core that has been built.  They have failed to take that next step the team needs to win in a competitive division.  Instead of “2 pitchers away”, we’re now multiple bars away.  And we’ve seen countless free agent targets that could help this team sign for reasonable $100M deals.  I am deeply concerned if this team will ever be able to retain or sign any noteworthy free agents if we cannot entertain any $100M deals.

One may wonder after all the ups and downs, why now?  Why is now the breaking point?  It’s because there seems to be no follow through on the promise of spending to support the core after years of promises.  If ownership and the front office doesn’t care, why should I?  If they’re waiting for fans to show up to spend, it unfortunately won’t happen because the fan base has been burned too many times.  Look at the Panthers – fans will come out for a winning team.  Fans will come out for a winning Marlins team, but are afraid to support the team because they’re worried about ownership yet again abandoning the team.  On top of that, aside from the shortened 2020 season, the team has done nothing but continually lose, and ownership didn’t add to the team after a year of success in 2020.

The line of not wanting to mortgage the future is understandable, but fans don’t care about having the best farm system for years on end.  We want the team to win, and the team is not doing that, we just have “sustainable” losing.  Significant free agent signings could have been made without affecting the farm.  Significant trades could be made while retaining most of the farm.  Moves need/needed to be made for this team to be successful.  Instead we have seen every other team in the division make significant signings, including some players we were targeting.  All while we stand pat, “monitoring” and doing nothing.  It is incredibly frustrating as a fan to have all this hope to then have nothing happen.  The endless “wait for the prospects” line is tiring.
I say all this knowing I am not the only die hard fan fed up with the team’s actions, and I know the die hard fans are now ready to jump ship and stop supporting.  I was hoping that the powers that be would realize that, but they seem to continue to be tone deaf to the fan base.

At the end of the day, as a true fan, I find it extremely difficult to adopt another team, and there will always be a part of me that still supports the Marlins as my hometown team, but the actions – or rather lack of actions – this offseason after years of preaching “we’ll spend when the time is right”, has caused me to become apathetic and just move on from the Marlins and baseball in general.

I’d like to thank the Marlins for providing entertainment over the years, and the fun time watching the various stars, from Miguel Cabrera, to that fun scrappy ’06 team, up through Stanton, Yelich, Ozuna, but until this ownership group realizes they’re going to have to actually invest in the team, to both be successful, and rebuild the fanbase that has been continually teased and heartbroken, I cannot continue to put my passion into this team as I have the last 15+ years.

Thank you from a fan,
Remmy
 

 

 

Feel free to add my name on there. 

Tbh, you're being too nice. Too many positive things there giving them hope that you'll be right back after a nice homestand. Rip into them, just tell them you're done. 

27 minutes ago, SilverBullet said:

Tbh, you're being too nice. Too many positive things there giving them hope that you'll be right back after a nice homestand. Rip into them, just tell them you're done. 

Except I think ignoring positive steps that have been taken comes across as pure emotion and not educated.  The point is I have followed the team and seen the steps they’ve taken but that now since they’re not taking that last step they need to take, now it’s time to move on.

Just now, rmc523 said:

Except I think ignoring positive steps that have been taken comes across as pure emotion and not educated.  The point is I have followed the team and seen the steps they’ve taken but that now since they’re not taking that last step they need to take, now it’s time to move on.

I know, you're right, but if you're seriously gonna send that letter to the Marlins they're gonna find the positives and shrug their shoulders and say "this guy will be back."

This is actually reminding me of an awful but true story... when I was a kid my dad had a serious problem with a waiter in a restaurant we were eating at. My dad exploded on the guy like I've never seen him do before, or after, and he got up and we all left the place immediately. It was emotional and stupid and embarrassing and I don't condone it... but my dad stood his ground and made his point to that waiter and to the restaurant and got up and gave them no business. If my dad had said "listen I've got a problem with this waiter but the soup was really good and here's the money for my check and if you guys fix the problem I'll be back next week, thanks and have a nice evening" then the restaurant knows they did things fine and still have a customer. 

I'm just saying sometimes you gotta really exaggerate the point.

Marlins fan for 27 years. First year I'm not renewing mlb.tv. My letter would be a lot more mean. 

I get it.  I guess it’s still me holding on to a sliver of hope that they’ll do something still.  But I’m sure it’s a lost cause.

1 hour ago, Iowa said:

Marlins fan for 27 years. First year I'm not renewing mlb.tv. My letter would be a lot more mean. 

If you have T-Mobile you can get it for free!

Quote

Fans didn’t even get to finish celebrating 1997’s Championship before its dismantling; 2006 was because we needed to reset payroll because of no stadium.

Funny enough, 2006 was, by far, one of the most exciting seasons we've had since 2003. Probably my favorite Marlins team since that 2003 World Series, actually.

13 minutes ago, Valid said:

Funny enough, 2006 was, by far, one of the most exciting seasons we've had since 2003. Probably my favorite Marlins team since that 2003 World Series, actually.

Same here.

My open letter is shorter; it just says fuck you and isn't even worthy of a signature.

5 hours ago, Valid said:

Funny enough, 2006 was, by far, one of the most exciting seasons we've had since 2003. Probably my favorite Marlins team since that 2003 World Series, actually.

No, I thoroughly enjoyed that '06 season too - it was actually one of the first seasons I truly started watching on a very regular basis.

16 hours ago, rmc523 said:

So I went ahead and typed up a letter to have out there for Marlins ownership to see.  Idk how they’ll see it but, if anything it’s a venting here…..

I keep thinking of things to add, but here’s what I have for now:

 

 

Dear Bruce Sherman, Kim Ng, the Marlins Organization, and MLB,

Thank you for destroying a passion for a team and sport that has lasted for decades.

As a native south Floridian, and someone who is only 3 years older than the Marlins organization itself, I have naturally been a fan since the team’s inception, but my real passion for the team started around 15 years ago.  Since then, I’ve found myself increasingly more involved in following the team’s transactions, purchasing various hats, jerseys, memorabilia, and even went as far as creating and entire Marlins-themed room in my house.  My family and I have gone to countless games over the years and have been season ticket holders.  I’ve stuck with this team through the endless fire-sales and rebuilds that were always touted as the “last time”….until the next one.  Fans didn’t even get to finish celebrating 1997’s Championship before its dismantling; 2006 was because we needed to reset payroll because of no stadium.  2012 things were supposed to be different with the stadium, only for another fire-sale to occur mid-season after just a few months.  Then with the incoming Sherman/Jeter group, yet another selloff began – goodbye went the best outfield in baseball, goodbye went the best catcher in baseball, all in the name of “sustainability” and yet again resetting what was already a bottom/lower third payroll.  I realize current ownership cannot be held responsible for the actions of previous ownerships group, but the move to begin yet another dismantling of the team – while perhaps the right long term move if additional spending was included long term – was utterly tone-deaf to a fan base that has continually been teased and abused over decades.

Even so, I stuck with the team, clinging to that promise that money would be spent when the time is right.  To be fair, ownership has done well rebuilding the farm, and that left hope that things have been on the right track.   The offseason also started well, but post-lockout the team seems to be frozen, unable or unwilling to do anything, continuing to waste years of control of the pitching core that has been built.  They have failed to take that next step the team needs to win in a competitive division.  Instead of “2 pitchers away”, we’re now multiple bars away.  And we’ve seen countless free agent targets that could help this team sign for reasonable $100M deals.  I am deeply concerned if this team will ever be able to retain or sign any noteworthy free agents if we cannot entertain any $100M deals.

One may wonder after all the ups and downs, why now?  Why is now the breaking point?  It’s because there seems to be no follow through on the promise of spending to support the core after years of promises.  If ownership and the front office doesn’t care, why should I?  If they’re waiting for fans to show up to spend, it unfortunately won’t happen because the fan base has been burned too many times.  Look at the Panthers – fans will come out for a winning team.  Fans will come out for a winning Marlins team, but are afraid to support the team because they’re worried about ownership yet again abandoning the team.  On top of that, aside from the shortened 2020 season, the team has done nothing but continually lose, and ownership didn’t add to the team after a year of success in 2020.

The line of not wanting to mortgage the future is understandable, but fans don’t care about having the best farm system for years on end.  We want the team to win, and the team is not doing that, we just have “sustainable” losing.  Significant free agent signings could have been made without affecting the farm.  Significant trades could be made while retaining most of the farm.  Moves need/needed to be made for this team to be successful.  Instead we have seen every other team in the division make significant signings, including some players we were targeting.  All while we stand pat, “monitoring” and doing nothing.  It is incredibly frustrating as a fan to have all this hope to then have nothing happen.  The endless “wait for the prospects” line is tiring.
I say all this knowing I am not the only die hard fan fed up with the team’s actions, and I know the die hard fans are now ready to jump ship and stop supporting.  I was hoping that the powers that be would realize that, but they seem to continue to be tone deaf to the fan base.

At the end of the day, as a true fan, I find it extremely difficult to adopt another team, and there will always be a part of me that still supports the Marlins as my hometown team, but the actions – or rather lack of actions – this offseason after years of preaching “we’ll spend when the time is right”, has caused me to become apathetic and just move on from the Marlins and baseball in general.

I’d like to thank the Marlins for providing entertainment over the years, and the fun time watching the various stars, from Miguel Cabrera, to that fun scrappy ’06 team, up through Stanton, Yelich, Ozuna, but until this ownership group realizes they’re going to have to actually invest in the team, to both be successful, and rebuild the fanbase that has been continually teased and heartbroken, I cannot continue to put my passion into this team as I have the last 15+ years.

Thank you from a fan,
Remmy
 

 

 

Well said, and is the same delimma I have going on in my brain. I desperately want to support the Marlins, but the team kills my enthusiasm each & every year. I'm near retirement age, I don't want to follow them into the golden years being frustrated & getting high blood-pressure spikes nearly everyday.

Also tired of the broken promises from management. 

And seeing opposing teams fans outnumber (sometimes significantly) the home fans & management be seemingly baffled by this. Giving the fans more "theme nights" doesn't move the meter one bit either. You have the 9th largest metro area in the USA to drawn from yet there are mights when the University of Miami baseball team might outdraw the MLB team. (I'm not kidding)....yet blame the fans, and defiantly proclaim, "we aren't spending until the fans show up"...easy cop out to continue with abhorently low payroll. 

We all know you aren't losing money, and might be in the top 10 earners in baseball. The national TV & radio & internet contracts make sure of that.

4 hours ago, Fotog said:

defiantly proclaim, "we aren't spending until the fans show up"

This ownership has never said that. 

7 hours ago, SilverBullet said:

This ownership has never said that. 

no but's been implied a number of times....and of course they haven't said it out loud, but people have implied that on twitter and just recently in talking about Jeter leaving.

7 hours ago, SilverBullet said:

This ownership has never said that.