John Mallee fired as Eduardo Perez takes over as Florida Marlins’ hitting coach – MLB News
In what could be called an unexpectedly surprising move, the Florida Marlins fired the hitting coach John Mallee after the seven-game losing streak. Mallee who was inducted in the Florida Marlins in June last year seemed to have lost his relevance after
the recent set-backs.
As Mallee was sent packing, the more surprising element of the development was the induction of Eduardo Perez, an analyst for a popular sports channel and a former Major Leaguer. While Perez has a lot to handle, Mallee’s termination has raised a few voices
of dissension as well.
The biggest dissenting note that was struck after the news was that of otherwise placid Logan Morrison who said, “I don't think it's right. I don't think it's just. He had us prepared. It's not his fault we're not scoring runs. We let him down, and it's
disappointing."
However, before things turn inevitably unpleasant if the issue is not addressed by someone at authority, the team president of baseball operations had an explanation to offer. "I don't want to put it all on John, and I don't want to put it all on Eduardo,"
Beinfest said. "We just need to find a way to score some runs."
The move came after the seven consecutive losses of the Marlins, last of which came against the otherwise relatively weak Atlanta Braves. Such a losing streak was last witnessed in 2009 when the Marlins lost games to the sheer disappointment of fans.
Ranking 19th this season in the runs the Marlins have scored, the termination of hitting coach insinuates growing frustration with Mallee’s failure to put the team on the right track. Taking the charge as hitting coach last year, Mallee did give
some semblance of improvement in the team’s record.
The team manager realises this. Mallee might have experimented a different set of strategies, and instilled new approach into the offence to play, what remained to be seen was the efficacy, or the ability of players to practically execute the strategy.
"Every game we've been one hit away from winning," Rodriguez said. "What is missing is the execution from the players. They didn't go to the field and execute."
Perez who will now replace Mallee has previously served as manager in Puerto Rico Baseball, guiding Leones de Ponce to the much sought title. It will now be quite interesting to see how Perez helps the Marlins to get back their form.
Combining practical and theoretical experiences, Perez may well be an ideal figure to take the Marlins out of the morass they currently find themselves in. Only time will tell if the this sudden move will make an impact on the Marlins’ performance on the
field.
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