New Marlins manager rarin’ for first workout
Jupiter, Fla. (AP) — New manager Mike Redmond arrived at the Miami Marlins’ spring training facility around 5 a.m. Monday. A few hours later, slugger Giancarlo Stanton arrived, a few days earlier than his requested reporting date.
Expectations may be low for the Marlins, yet their excitement level about getting spring training started is clearly high.
The last get-ready day for the Marlins was Monday. Boxes were wheeled in and out of the spring facility, a moving truck loaded with equipment was outside and there was plenty of acquaintances being made for the first time. Today, workouts officially begin, pitchers and catchers having their first session of the spring.
“It was good to see all the guys and get to finally meet some of the guys that I’ve read so much about,” Redmond said. “Like I said, everybody’s excited. Obviously, we’ve got a tremendous opportunity for guys in this camp and I think everybody realizes that. It’s a fresh start.”
For everyone, that is. Himself included.
Redmond was a backup catcher on the Marlins’ team that started the 2003 season with limited expectations and wound up winning the World Series — a season that began, just as this one will, at the spring facility in Jupiter. He’s now the man in charge, taking over from Ozzie Guillen as part of the Marlins’ big off-season revamping, one that carved off huge portions of the team’s payroll and ushered in a rebuilding era.
Picked by some as a title contender last season, the Marlins sputtered except for one dazzling stretch in May. They finished with 69 wins, only good enough for last in the NL East.
“We’re done talking about what happened last year,” Redmond said, standing outside on a breezy 79-degree morning. “It’s over. We’re moving forward. We’re going to talk about, day to day, what goes on and how we can build this thing back up and get this thing headed in the right direction. It doesn’t matter what you did last year. We’re focusing on what you can do for us and this team in the future and tomorrow and the next day after that.”