Miami Marlins fans too quick to criticize Derek Jeter’s every move

The Miami Marlins haven’t made any major personnel moves yet. But the small amounts of turnover that have occurred have been overblown.

There’s a lot of soreness around the Miami Marlins camp. Understandably so. The team is seemingly always in a state of flux. In their 24-years of existence, they’ve undergone no fewer than three total roster overhauls.

It’s easy for the mistrusting fanbase to take a “prove it” attitude to whoever sits in the owners chair. Even for Derek Jeter, whose baseball track record is as spotless as one can dream up, it’s an uphill climb to win the fans back, and nobody can blame them for it.

But with that in mind, not everything an ownership group does is bad. Simply being the owner of a team doesn’t make you a monster. Jeter and business partner Bruce Sherman have been subjected to a disproportionate amount of scrutiny since taking the reins.

One of their first moves was an unpopular one. They quickly cut ties with several Marlins legends, and beloved members of the organization. Jeff Conine, Jack McKeon, Tony Perez, and Andre Dawson were let go.

Well, they were offered a diminished salary; a 75 percent decrease in pay, totaling somewhere around $25,000 per year.

For some reason, Marlins fans were livid over this. Particularly about Jeff Conine, affectionally called “Mr. Marlin”, and “Trader Jack”.

It’s well within reason to be unhappy that they won’t remain with the organization, but to be up in arms about it? Excessive. It would have been nice to keep them around, but it appears to me that most of the hoopla over the split is bitter fans looking for something to complain about.

More on the way

Keep in mind, these aren’t even the “unpopular decisions” that Jeter alluded to in his introductory press conference.

Roster turnover is on the way, as well it should be. If those who are expected to support the team are so incensed over two honorary figureheads, the backlash when Giancarlo Stanton is traded is going to be virulent.

Miami Marlins fans would do well to be patient; it isn’t reasonable to pay $140 million for a team that will win 82 games. Changes need to be made, and Marlins fans can’t fly off the handle every time something happens.

The baseball culture in Miami is toxic, but it doesn’t have to be. Give Jeter and Sherman a chance to bring in their guys and do things their way. It might work out, and if it does, it means we’ll have a winning baseball team. Ultimately, isn’t that what we all want?

We’re just rooting for the clothes, after all.