Miami Marlins: Who Was Right, Team Or Jeter

It hasn’t been too long since Derek Jeter parted ways with the Miami Marlins, for the reason behind it to (allegedly) come out. The Hall of Fame shortstop walked away as team president citing “vision for the future” of the franchise. Now the rumor going around is that Derek Jeter was actually pissed at the Miami Marlins for not spending money to bring in talent. The team has decided to go other routes in order to fill out their roster. Which move makes more sense for the team going forward?

First, you can’t be surprised that Derek Jeter actually wanted to spend money to bolster up the talent level. He came from the New York Yankees where for years George Steinbrenner threw money into the wind hoping it would land in the laps of the top free agents. There weren’t too many players in his day that George went after that didn’t end up in pinstripes. Jeter saw this and took notes. To put the best team on the field, sometimes you have to spend the money to make it happen.

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Casual fans criticize it as “buying championships” but anyone with a brain will tell you it wasn’t just about championships. Sure, winning does put the fans in the stands, but if you want butts in seats you better have the big-name players that the fans will pay to see. Remember when McGuire and Sosa were chasing the home run record? The more the season went on the more packed the stadium got. It was the same thing with Barry Bonds. Granted not every year will be filled with historic moments, but fans want the excitement of seeing their favorite player.

That’s the excitement of baseball. You’ll never forget the first time you watched your favorite player trot out in your team’s uniform. On the off chance they do something truly special during that game, it’ll be a memory a fan will keep for life. The more players you have will certain skill sets, the better your chances of getting those big moments that keep fans coming back.

Now when it comes to the Miami Marlins, they haven’t had the success that the New York Yankees have. They don’t continually spend the money to go out and get the biggest names on the market. They’re more of a home-grown talent with key pieces signed in free agency kind of team. They’re never going to open up their wallets and dump them out on the table. Ownership wants to maximize profitability by not overspending. Unless a guy falls into their lap, they’re never going to get into a bidding war with the top-level teams.

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The Marlins instead will take the above-average talent and groom their type of players. This might not be the strategy that gets them to the World Series, but they’ll be relevant enough to make ownership some money. If rumors are true if that was the reason Jeter left, then it’s what was best for both parties. Where either goes from here is up in the air, but hey at least we’re getting a season this year.