Derek Jeter doesn’t even own Marlins yet, already firing people
By Nick Tylwalk
Derek Jeter is wasting little time cleaning house, apparently.
There’s no question that the Miami Marlins haven’t exactly been the best run organization in pro sports for the last few years, or even in the top half. But Derek Jeter apparently isn’t waiting to find out what he has before making wholesale changes.
According to the Miami Herald, Jeter has already decided he wants special assistants Andre Dawson, Tony Perez, Jeff Conine and Jeff McKeon fired. All four have special places of honor within MLB and the Marlins, especially McKeon, who managed the team to its 2003 World Series title.
The kicker is that Jeter wants team president David Samson to fire the others … before he, too, gets his walking papers.
Oh, and Jeter doesn’t even officially own the Marlins yet. That won’t be decided for sure for a few more weeks, when 75 percent of the MLB owners need to approve Jeter and partner Bruce Sherman as the new owners.
It could be embarrassing, then, if Jeter and Sherman don’t end up with the team, though that’s not expected to happen. And while the Marlins definitely could use a housecleaning and new management is almost always the impetus for such a process, it’s still kind of a bad look for Jeter to be lowering the axe by proxy before he even runs things day to day.
Next: Watch the Blue Jays fool the Yankees with the hidden ball trick
Dawson, at least, was philosophical about the moves.
"“It’s a new owner, and it’s business for them. Different direction, and I completely understand that. Like I told David, I’m thankful and expressed my gratitude. They gave me an opportunity post-career. I guess that’s what ownership does, and they have the right to do that. I didn’t know what was going to happen going forward. Nothing really surprises me. Life goes on.”"
It could be worse, we guess. When the Herald said that Mr. Marlin was fired — meaning Conine — we thought at first it might be the team mascot. That would be Billy the Marlin, and his job is safe … for now.