r/MiamiMarlins • u/fyr3f4wkes • 6d ago
Discussion Hot Take: Stop Whining about the Mesa Jr. Trade
Just because a player goes on to have more success with another organization doesn’t mean it was a horrible trade. There are two parts to this:
The fact remains that the Marlins have a logjam of outfield talent. People complaining about losing Mesa seem to think we had sub-replacement-level play from our outfield, when in fact Hernandez and Conine were outstanding, Marsee and Caissie had long slumps but also showed major potential as well, and Stowers was largely relegated to first base because we had nowhere to put him. Additionally most of our best prospects who are close to major-league ready are outfielders, like Cam Cannarella, Brandon Compton and Kemp Alderman. It’s not like we’re desperate for outfielders; we actually have too many even after trading Mesa.
There’s no guarantee that Mesa would have had a breakout performance without the trade. Sometimes players need a change of scenery, new coaching, new environment etc. in order to unlock new levels in their development. I personally think it’s very unlikely Mesa could have had this type of season if he’d stayed with the Fish. Maybe the trade motivated him. Maybe a new hitting coach taught him a new idea that really changed things for him. There’s no telling, but player performance is not a constant that can just be assumed. Even after one decent season there’s no guarantee about Mesa remaining a viable big leaguer for many years.
So just relax everyone. Be happy for Mesa, Jr. This is not evidence that Bendix has no idea what he’s doing or whatever. Honestly he was a very borderline prospect who didn’t seem that likely to become a productive big leaguer, and he’s had a very nice season but he’s certainly not an irreplaceable superstar-level talent. We’re talking about a guy who has beaten the odds to become an average-to-above-average big leaguer. There’s still a very strong possibility of Marsee having the better career, and I’m far more excited about the potential of Cannarella than I ever was about Mesa Jr. We already have several outfielders just as much talent or potential as him; too many to even get on the field at once in fact. Stop acting like we traded away Miguel Cabrera or Christian Yelich.
9
u/Booger_Hollar Marlins 6d ago
The way teams develop players will vary across the board. I doubt he would be the same (better/worse) with us.
18
27
u/DietrichDoesDamage Sweepy 6d ago
Cold take, only ones whining about him don’t know ball or haven’t been paying attention
2
3
u/Catsaremyeverything 6d ago
By people’s logic on here, the Guardians should regret the Junior Caminero trade
2
4
u/TealandBlackForever Marlins 6d ago
Aren't you aware that measured takes aren't allowed in this sub?
Launch Bendix and CMC into the fucking sun! 🚀☀️
1
u/Old-Veterinarian1994 5d ago
Just the fact that the Rays wanted Mesa should have resulted in the Marlins keeping him.
1
u/Significant_City9991 4d ago
I appreciate that you understand the mental and psychological effects of sports. Most people push it aside and think it’s just black and white. Goes for all sports at all levels. Even player performance can come down to it, too.
1
u/dannymac420386 D-Train 6d ago
I’m just saying when reality hits and you realize we have inept ownership and management combining to let talent slip through our fingertips while we can’t win, the rest of the actual fanbase that hates Bendix and wants better will be here like we always have been
-3
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago edited 6d ago
It sucks that he turned into what he did after he left, but it happens to every MLB team. The bigger deal is the Marlins are still just mediocre at best with Bendix as GM.
It’s getting to the point in Bendix tenure that there needs to start being playoff appearances, or at least finishing with 85 plus wins, or he needs to be let go.
This is totally his team now, we needs results
8
u/NL4Lyfe 6d ago
He's been here 2 years. Thats not enough time to overhaul the farm system and build a complete roster with all players Bendix selected. Stop rushing things.
-2
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
He’s been GM for 3 seasons. Next year will be his 4th. Expecting playoffs next season is not remotely “rushing” anything
3
u/NL4Lyfe 6d ago
Thats still not enough time. You are rushing. You dont turn around a farm system and the major league team that quickly. They're more competitive and getting better. We're not the Dodgers, bro. Bendix has done well.
-1
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
Well you were flat out false with two years, and 4 years to expect a playoff appearance is not rushing a damn thing.
Has nothing to do with being the Dodgers. The Rays and Guardians are consistently competitive with low payrolls.
White Sox lost 100 3 years in a row and look where they are now. They should be pushing for playoffs from here on out under Bendix. You don’t get 5 plus years to fuck around in sports
1
1
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
They should be pushing for playoff runs every year from here on out? In the NL East? What are you smoking man?
1
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
Rebuilding is over. No GM gets 5 years with zero expectations
1
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
There’s a difference between no rebuilding and making playoffs every year in arguably the toughest division in baseball.
1
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
I didn’t say making the playoffs, competing for the playoffs. This organization NEVER has expectations. They never expect to win. That can’t happen
3
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
What happened this year?! Were they not pushing for the playoffs? They were still in it with less than 10 games left. What are you really complaining about?
2
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
Was this not our best record in like 15+ years? Did he not inherit a poverty franchise with bare cupboards and empty or undersized coffers? I want to win too, but I think we need to be reasonable with how we assess Bendix. This organization has a lot of potential and upside given the plethora of negative factors that are outside of Bendix’s control. I don’t think he’s necessarily a brilliant baseball mind, but I think he’s doing a pretty good job all things considered.
Oops. Definitely not our best record in 15+ years. But, I still think we got pretty good results given the circumstances of this season. I would’ve loved a playoff run and don’t think it’s an impossibility moving forward with what he’s created.
1
u/SALTYP33T 6d ago
You are correct. This whole crazy ass fan edict of playoffs every year or you are fired!!! It’s just plain ignorant. Didn’t someone just post today that we were second in win value behind Cleveland. Frankly we almost made the playoffs if it wasn’t for a few crappy weeks after all star break.
1
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
They made the playoffs and won 84 games in 2023? Like how can you be this confidently wrong and still have dumb asses agreeing with you.
Next year will be his 4th in control of the team, not a ton of GM’s are given 5 plus seasons with no playoffs. Thats the reality of sports
0
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
I immediately corrected the one thing I got wrong. Also, the team is set up much better for long term success today than it was in 2023. That’s undeniable.
The Marlins are not like most teams in the league. Comparing this poverty franchise to the other orgs is the number one flaw in your thinking and anyone else who is as delusional as you are. I like that Bendix clearly makes his moves with the long game in mind and without any delusions that he’ll have the opportunity to sign a big name free agent, trade for a guy with a big contract, or some other similar pipe dream.
If the salary floor becomes a thing and the Marlins have to radically change how they’ve been constructing the roster, perhaps it’d be more appropriate to discuss a different guy to man the helm of the organization. Until that happens, I think it’s worth letting the guy work. It’s not like we’re so far away from a playoff run. 2026 was only 4 games back from the 2023 team you mentioned above, except now there’s a stocked farm system and fairly solid depth as opposed to what Kim put together.
1
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
10000% the next time the Marlins play the financial structure of the MLB will be different. Full Stop. Pretending like it will be anything like is it now is wildly dumb.
The only thing that has made the Marlins a “poverty” franchise compared to teams with similar payrolls is their awful front offices.
And it’s wild you talk about all this depth when they used basically 3 real starters all year because he traded the others away. And then every single FA signing was a pure waste of money with Fairbanks being the worst.
He has accomplished absolutely nothing so far. All he has done is trade away talent and take the Marlins back to being mediocre, which they were before he got there
0
u/HartyInBroward 6d ago
It’s definitely not a guarantee that there will be a salary floor, though. That’s also wildly dumb to just assume owners will agree to spend more money and the players are against the salary cap that the owners would want to compensate for the salary floor.
Just stop and reread your last paragraph. What are you complaining about? This is some silly stuff.
0
u/lyme6483 Xavier Edwards 6d ago
It is a GUARANTEE the financial structure of the MLB will be different. One way or another the Marlins will be forced to spend more.
It makes perfect sense, they were mediocre before Bendix, he tore it down to the studs while being awful only to build it back to being mediocre.
-9
u/dannymac420386 D-Train 6d ago
We don’t have a logjam of mlb talent in outfield. He’s an mlb level talent that we let go of. It’s another terrible move by Bendix. We traded away all stars for guys like mesa and then trade him away for nothing. It gets old. I’m not a shitty fan for noticing that they are doing a terrible job
6
u/fyr3f4wkes 6d ago
Doesn’t even make any sense. You disagreed with my point about outfield talent but have zero proof or evidence. Also we didn’t trade for Mesa we signed him as an international free agent. He was given 6-7 years in our milb system to develop and failed to reach the big leagues during that time. He had very little trade value to begin with.
The Rays got lucky that he’s played so well for them, absolute best case trade scenario for them.
4
u/CandleOk436 Marlins 6d ago
You're joking, right? We had to put Stowers who has only played OF in the Majors, move to 1B. Where the hell do you think Mesa would've had the chance to start games? He'd be stuck as bench player or just in AAA.
1
u/puppiesr4pussies 2d ago
I dont mind trading him if there's a logjam, but we got nothing in return essentially
15
u/CandleOk436 Marlins 6d ago
Funny part with Mesa Jr, I remember Jeter wanted his older brother more than him and just got his younger brother just because family. It was a high paying international signing that went nowhere.