MLB team suffers ultimate humiliation as Double-A team surpasses them
After the Miami Marlins traded away a slew of stars this offseason, some people said they’d be fielding the equivalent of a Triple-A team in 2018.
Now the season is underway and the “crowds” the Marlins are drawing would fit comfortably in a minor league park.
In fact, the team’s Double-A affiliate outdrew the supposedly major league team Wednesday night.
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp attracted 6,960 fans to their Southern League home opener against the Mobile BayBears.
Meanwhile, only 6,150 souls showed up at Marlins Park to watch Miami in the finale of a three-game series against the New York Mets.
The Jumbo Shrimp had 810 more people in the stands than the Marlins.
@JaxShrimp opening day with my little man pic.twitter.com/SgjNQAVHWc
— Jim Mcnair (@jmcnair9978) April 12, 2018
Those fans also got to see a win: The Shrimp beat the BayBears 9-5 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The Marlins, on the other hand, lost 4-1 and were swept by the Mets after manager Don Mattingly pulled starting pitcher Jarlin Garcia with a no-hitter going through six innings.
Attendance for the three Mets games totaled just 19,669 despite the fact that New York, which has the best record in the majors at 10-1, is seen as a big draw.
It’s hard to blame South Floridians for choosing to spend their time and money in other pursuits. The area has an endless supply of fun things to do, and watching the Marlins play with a depleted roster probably isn’t one of them.
The team’s new ownership group and CEO Derek Jeter traded away National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees, fellow All-Star Marcel Ozuna to St. Louis, speedy second baseman Dee Gordon to the Mariners and outfielder Christian Yelich to the Brewers.
It’s one thing to pay less than $20 for a great seat at a Triple-A game in a charming small-town stadium like, say, Coca-Cola Park, home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Gates open in 5 hours!
Get your tickets here: https://t.co/Mghmk9TPMR pic.twitter.com/ClpptGD43X
— Lehigh Valley IronPigs (@IronPigs) April 12, 2018
It’s another to shell out $40 for a comparable seat to watch the same level of talent in an empty 36,742-seat ballpark.
At least the young Marlins are used to playing in front of minor league crowds.
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