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ST. LOUIS Marlins President David Samson spoke before Sunday’s game about the disappointment of not having a Marlin named to the All-Star team to replace injured Giancarlo Stanton as well as frustration with the inconsistency of the team throughout the first half of the season.
He addressed issues such as problems with the grass at Marlins Park, attendance and the upcoming reality TV series “The Franchise” featuring the Marlins that will debut Wednesday night on Showtime.
Samson had not yet received a report on surgery that Stanton underwent Sunday morning in Miami.
Subsequently, the team announced that Stanton did have loose bodies removed from his right knee and should retjurn to action in 4-6 weeks.
Here are highlights of the interview with Samson:
(On Washington’s Bryce Harper replacing Stanton instead of a Marlin)
“I spoke to MLB. Cishek, Ruggiano, I think there were a lot of different ways that Tony [La Russa] and MLB could have gone. I think it’s unfortunate. I think that every team should be represented on the line in an All-Star Game.”
(Note: Harper was called up ot the majors earlier than Ruggiano, who is hitting .410 in 78 at-bats with six homers and 17 RBI. Harper is hitting .283 in 244 at-bats with eight homers and 25 RBI.)
“For me it would have would been natural to have Ruggiano in, who has absolutely played as well as anyone since he was called up. Obviously MLB or Tony or whoever makes the decision had their own view of it, and it’s certainly disappointing.
“I think that all teams are supposed to be respresented, and if our guy had to have surgery, he had to have surgery.
“Obviously its been a disappointing first half, there’s no question about it.”
(On the effect of the Stanton injury)
“It hurt. He is such an imposing force in the lineup. Carlos Lee was brought in to combine him with Stanton in the lineup. Now it’s sort of back to where you are.
“But Giancarlo will be back in time to help us. We’re not nearly out of it –- the second wild card or even the division.”
(On what held the Marlins back in the first half)
“The inconsistencey is what bothered us the most the first half.
“It’s been an interesting first half. There’s been a lot of attention with the team that we never had before. I think when you talk about all the excitement going into the season, that’s what leads to this level of disappointment because you don’t expect to be below .500 at the break.
“But the way things went I think we’re pretty happy to be this close to 500. It could have been a lot worse.
“It took a record-brekaing May just to get us in this position. I’d like to see us just consistently win series. That’s how we’ll make the playoffs. This team is capable of it.”
(On Hanley Ramirez’s inconsistent first half)
“Hanley is the man on this team. But saying you’re the man and being the man are two different things. He has it in him to do it, and I hope the switch goes on. He is sort of the catalyst.”
(On the problem with the grass at Marlins Park)
“The grass sort of reflects our season. It’s brown right now but getting greener.
“We’ve called agronomists, we’ve called voodoo people, we’ve called agriculturalists, we’ve called grounds crew people, we’ve called grass growers, we’ve called them all.
“They all say the same thing, it’s not seasy. This Celebration grass should be the right grass. The shade’s have been a little weird. The weather pattern was off. The rainy season started early this year and we had to close the roof. We had a lot of day games.
But it’s getting better.”
(On attendance at Marlins Park)
“It’s hard not to be happy averaging over 28,000 people, but we’d rather be at 32,000 to 35,000 people.
“I think the team did not help in that regard.
“Fans, not just in Miami, but everywhere, they want to see a team that’s winning and trying. This team never gives up. The fans are happy to see that and we expect attendance to build.
“It will respond based on perfomrance, and right now our performance is just to the left of mediocre. .500 is medicre. We’re not a team that shoots for .500, we’re shooting for the playoffs. Being around .500 is not anywhere near where we want to be.
(On feedback on the ballpark)
“The complaints are zero. People love it
The parking is easy, the air-conditioning works. Our biggest complaint is people are cold.”
(On how the Miami Heat’s championship run effected Marlins attendance.)
“I think that our no-show rate went up when the Heat were playing. I think our market can handle a good Heat team and a good Marlins team and a good Dolphins team.
“ We rooted for the Heat. Do I wish they would have won in 16 straight? Maybe. But I wanted them to win either way.”
(On the Showtime series)
“We promised to give them access to everything. We did that. They’re everywhere. When we did the trade for Carlos Lee, they’re there, when we sent players down, they’re there. They’re there when we trade players, when talk about players.
“The debut is Wednesday and it should be very interesting. I think fans around the world, while they’re not going to see us at the All-Star Game, the’yre certianly going to see us everywhere else.
“Instead of sending a player to the All-Star Gamde, I guess we’re going to send the Showtime crew and it’s going be like Where’s Waldo. We’re going to have the Showtime crew just looking for the Marlin.”
(On the benefits of doing the Showtime series)
Our merchadise sales are so good around the country.
“I think the bounce you get is just brand recognition, and that builds over time.”
(Any regrets about doing the series?)
The Showtime people are really good, they’re like flies on the wall, so it’s not staged. I think that if we were staging scenes like a regular reality show, I think that might be an issue. But this is all live as it happens. So I don’t think it’s had any impact.
“Showtime, when they asked to do the Marlins, I don’t thin thay had any clue what they’d be in for. I feel badly for next years team.
“I think it’s a good experience for all of us. We commited to increase and improve our brand, and that’s happened.”
He addressed issues such as problems with the grass at Marlins Park, attendance and the upcoming reality TV series “The Franchise” featuring the Marlins that will debut Wednesday night on Showtime.
Samson had not yet received a report on surgery that Stanton underwent Sunday morning in Miami.
Subsequently, the team announced that Stanton did have loose bodies removed from his right knee and should retjurn to action in 4-6 weeks.
Here are highlights of the interview with Samson:
(On Washington’s Bryce Harper replacing Stanton instead of a Marlin)
“I spoke to MLB. Cishek, Ruggiano, I think there were a lot of different ways that Tony [La Russa] and MLB could have gone. I think it’s unfortunate. I think that every team should be represented on the line in an All-Star Game.”
(Note: Harper was called up ot the majors earlier than Ruggiano, who is hitting .410 in 78 at-bats with six homers and 17 RBI. Harper is hitting .283 in 244 at-bats with eight homers and 25 RBI.)
“For me it would have would been natural to have Ruggiano in, who has absolutely played as well as anyone since he was called up. Obviously MLB or Tony or whoever makes the decision had their own view of it, and it’s certainly disappointing.
“I think that all teams are supposed to be respresented, and if our guy had to have surgery, he had to have surgery.
“Obviously its been a disappointing first half, there’s no question about it.”
(On the effect of the Stanton injury)
“It hurt. He is such an imposing force in the lineup. Carlos Lee was brought in to combine him with Stanton in the lineup. Now it’s sort of back to where you are.
“But Giancarlo will be back in time to help us. We’re not nearly out of it –- the second wild card or even the division.”
(On what held the Marlins back in the first half)
“The inconsistencey is what bothered us the most the first half.
“It’s been an interesting first half. There’s been a lot of attention with the team that we never had before. I think when you talk about all the excitement going into the season, that’s what leads to this level of disappointment because you don’t expect to be below .500 at the break.
“But the way things went I think we’re pretty happy to be this close to 500. It could have been a lot worse.
“It took a record-brekaing May just to get us in this position. I’d like to see us just consistently win series. That’s how we’ll make the playoffs. This team is capable of it.”
(On Hanley Ramirez’s inconsistent first half)
“Hanley is the man on this team. But saying you’re the man and being the man are two different things. He has it in him to do it, and I hope the switch goes on. He is sort of the catalyst.”
(On the problem with the grass at Marlins Park)
“The grass sort of reflects our season. It’s brown right now but getting greener.
“We’ve called agronomists, we’ve called voodoo people, we’ve called agriculturalists, we’ve called grounds crew people, we’ve called grass growers, we’ve called them all.
“They all say the same thing, it’s not seasy. This Celebration grass should be the right grass. The shade’s have been a little weird. The weather pattern was off. The rainy season started early this year and we had to close the roof. We had a lot of day games.
But it’s getting better.”
(On attendance at Marlins Park)
“It’s hard not to be happy averaging over 28,000 people, but we’d rather be at 32,000 to 35,000 people.
“I think the team did not help in that regard.
“Fans, not just in Miami, but everywhere, they want to see a team that’s winning and trying. This team never gives up. The fans are happy to see that and we expect attendance to build.
“It will respond based on perfomrance, and right now our performance is just to the left of mediocre. .500 is medicre. We’re not a team that shoots for .500, we’re shooting for the playoffs. Being around .500 is not anywhere near where we want to be.
(On feedback on the ballpark)
“The complaints are zero. People love it
The parking is easy, the air-conditioning works. Our biggest complaint is people are cold.”
(On how the Miami Heat’s championship run effected Marlins attendance.)
“I think that our no-show rate went up when the Heat were playing. I think our market can handle a good Heat team and a good Marlins team and a good Dolphins team.
“ We rooted for the Heat. Do I wish they would have won in 16 straight? Maybe. But I wanted them to win either way.”
(On the Showtime series)
“We promised to give them access to everything. We did that. They’re everywhere. When we did the trade for Carlos Lee, they’re there, when we sent players down, they’re there. They’re there when we trade players, when talk about players.
“The debut is Wednesday and it should be very interesting. I think fans around the world, while they’re not going to see us at the All-Star Game, the’yre certianly going to see us everywhere else.
“Instead of sending a player to the All-Star Gamde, I guess we’re going to send the Showtime crew and it’s going be like Where’s Waldo. We’re going to have the Showtime crew just looking for the Marlin.”
(On the benefits of doing the Showtime series)
Our merchadise sales are so good around the country.
“I think the bounce you get is just brand recognition, and that builds over time.”
(Any regrets about doing the series?)
The Showtime people are really good, they’re like flies on the wall, so it’s not staged. I think that if we were staging scenes like a regular reality show, I think that might be an issue. But this is all live as it happens. So I don’t think it’s had any impact.
“Showtime, when they asked to do the Marlins, I don’t thin thay had any clue what they’d be in for. I feel badly for next years team.
“I think it’s a good experience for all of us. We commited to increase and improve our brand, and that’s happened.”
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports...sentative.html
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