The Marlins dismissed manager Mike Redmond earlier this week and it appears that the Marlins players are none too pleased. If firing their manager was not bad enough, Marlins general manager Dan Jennings, who only coached high school baseball 30 years ago and had no professional coaching or managing experience. Some speculate that the Marlins players purposely skipped a charity event out of protest. Fans are upset.
The Miami Herald reports:
The Marlins Foundation hosted its annual Fish ’N Chips casino style party on Thursday night, a charitable event aimed at bringing fans together with players, coaches and alumni while raising money for the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.
In the end, they might have have been better off just calling it Chips — because there were no Fish in attendance.
Caught up in the disappointment of a seven-game losing streak, the handful of Marlins players who had committed to attending the event skipped out, bringing ire from fans Friday who paid between $100 and $175 to be there.
great time at Fish and Casino Chips Marlins charity event. too bad ZERO players showed https://t.co/FlzphKO3ER
— Marlins Man (@Marlins_Man) May 23, 2015
not 1 Marlins player showed up for casino nite which usually brings out many players… "Attitude reflects leadership" Remember The Titans
— Armando in Miami (@LakersCanes305) May 22, 2015
@Marlins I had a good time #FishNchips even tho NOT ONE player showed up I feel let down by our players even when they r losing I SHOW UP!
— Dori (Mama Fish) (@DoriMarlin) May 22, 2015
Marlins reliever Steve Cishek claimed that it was not a protest by players:
Cishek said players skipping the event had to do with the grind of playing 20 games in 21 days, including a grueling 10-game coast-to-coast trip. He said the losing streak had players feeling disinclined to socialize in public, but was not intended to disrespect the charity or fans, nor any form of group protest.
"I mean, I can see why people make a big deal. People pay money, want to be around the players. But you've got to realize we're here all day. Everyone is exhausted," Cishek said, adding that, "Guys went this week to their school visits and everything like that. … I did a school visit the day before."
Cishek may be a good guy who does service, but he did skip this particular protest.
Marlins star player Giancarlo Stanton has had seven managers in his young major league career. The latest manager with no experience probably is not going to drive a team to win. In fact, Jennings has lost all five games since becoming manager.
