Jeter trades barbs with Gumbel over tanking
In a contentious interview that begins airing today on HBO, Marlins CEO Derek Jeter displays his competitive nature while failing to make a compelling case that he is overseeing a competitive team on the field this season.
The intrigue in a lively segment of “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” is the verbal sparring between Jeter and the host.
On the topic of whether the Marlins are tanking – in Gumbel’s words, “not trying your hardest to win ballgames” — Jeter insists the team is built to be competitive.
The fun comes when the joust takes on a personal tone. Jeter labels Gumbel as “mentally weak” if he would accept losing as inevitable. Gumbel says he’s merely being realistic and calls Jeter “delusional.”
The interview is set to debut on the heels of the Marlins being outscored 30-10 while getting swept in a four-game series at Milwaukee. But they were in position to pull off a split.
After 12-3 and 8-0 routs in the first two games, they met Jeter’s criteria of being competitive in the final two games. They led in the eighth inning Saturday before losing 6-5 on a walk-off homer and failed to take advantage of Caleb Smith’s 10-strikeout
performance in a 4-2 defeat Sunday.
That left the Marlins at 5-16, tied for the franchiseworst record after 21 games (1995, 2013).
“We have two different minds,” Jeter says to Gumbel. “I can’t wait to get you on the golf course, man.”
Ultimately, Jeter exhibits the mindset that served him well as a 14-time All-Star shortstop but has him on the defensive as a rookie baseball executive.
Jeter: “I see your lips. I see. I’ve been seeing ’em this whole interview. I see your lips moving constantly. You’d never tell your players that you are expected to lose. You don’t do that. You should take that as a slap in the face as a player. You should take that as a slap in the face.”
Gumbel: “You expect them to contend?”
Jeter: “I do. I do. If I don’t believe with the – in the players that we have on the field, who’s going to believe in them?”
Gumbel: “But as an executive, it looks like you’re delusional if you believe otherwise.”
Jeter: “Well, call me delusional.”
Otherwise, the interview breaks no new ground about Jeter’s plans for the Marlins. He restates the oft-cited premise of building for sustainable success by fortifying all levels of the minor league organization.
There is also an exchange between Gumbel and Dr. Charles Jeter, who points with pride to his son’s achievement of becoming the first African-American CEO in Major League Baseball.
“It means a lot,” Derek Jeter says. “I’m well versed in the history of this game, and you know, I understand that diversity, especially in the front office, has been an issue with this game. I think there’s been some progress, but not quite as much as there should be.”
Juggernaut in Jupiter
Anyone interested in watching a Marlins club playing at a championship level right now, take a drive to the franchise’s spring training home in Jupiter at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium where the Class A Hammerheads were on a run of 13 wins in 14 games through Sunday.
The Hammerheads, whose 14-3 record is the best in the Florida State League, are led by John Silviano (.333, three home runs) and Joe Dunand (.328, 19 RBI).
Silviano is a Boynton Beach native who was signed as a free agent in 2016 after a memorable season with Lynn University. Dunand, a Miami native and nephew of Alex Rodriguez, was the Marlins’ second-round draft pick in 2017 out of North Carolina State.
While Dunand may have a future in Miami, a couple of other Hammerheads may offer more immediate help. The two highest-paid Marlins this season, Martin Prado and Wei-Yin Chen, are on injury rehab assignments with Jupiter.
Prado, the veteran third baseman who has been battling recurring hamstring issues, could rejoin the Marlins as soon as the upcoming homestand later this week.
Chen was impressive Sunday in pitching five shutout innings and limiting the Cardinals’ FSL team to two hits. The lefthander struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.
In addition, righthander Dan Straily, who had two rehab outings with Jupiter, is set for a Tuesday start with Double-A Jacksonville in what could be his final tune-up before rejoining the Marlins.
Miami could use a veteran infusion from Straily and Chen as its youthful rotation has combined for a 5.56 ERA, which ranks 14th out 15 NL teams.