Marlins Outfielder Complains About Fans Booing Him, Despite His Failure to Perform
They probably won't admit it, but if you gave the Miami Marlins some truth serum, there's a free agent signing they might want back.
Heading into the 2022 season, the Marlins needed some outfield help. Striking quickly in free agency, they signed a 29-year-old veteran to what was then the longest contract issued by that ownership group, at four years and $53M.
But in retrospect, the decision of CEO Derek Jeter to give that deal to Avisaíl García wasn't a good move. Despite coming off of a .262/.330/.490 year with Milwaukee where he hit 29 homers and drove in 86, he's batted only .214/.258/.313 across his 138 games in Miami across the last two seasons.
And the Miami fans have had enough. García was booed at home this weekend when coming up to bat, both from the lack of production and the seeming disinterest in running out routine plays.
Boo birds LOUD as Avisail Garcia strikes out on 4 pitches.#Marlins #MLB #HomeOfBeisbol #MarlinsBeisbol #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/koMoLuMVKg
— Marlins Historian (@MarlinsHistory) March 28, 2024
Speaking to the Miami Herald's Jordan McPherson, García admitted that he hears the boos and is defiant that it's not fair of the fans to react that way towards one of their own players.
“Last year, I was hurt. This year, I’m healthy. Every time they put me in the lineup, I want to do my best, of course, but it’s not good for players to hear that the first at-bat of the season. I strike out and they boo? That’s not good. I don’t like that. It’s the first time in my career that happened. Fans are fans. The game looks easy from the stands. I understand it, but it’s not fair.”
García's done several things over the last few seasons to attempt to right his offense at the plate, from mechanical changes to working with two-time batting champ Luis Arraez in the offseason.
But nothing's clicked for the outfielder, who is resolved to keep working unitl he figures it out.
“I’m working,” Garcia said. “I mean, that’s the only thing that I can do. ... I’ve just got to keep focused and try to do my best every at-bat.”
But just saying you're trying isn't enough for many fans - as several have noted on social media, García often suffers from lack of effort on the basepaths, failing to run out routine ground balls. It's a terrible look for García, who probably made the fan reaction even worse by bringing attention to it.
The parallel of Anderson sliding into second giving it his all and then Avi’s light jog is just such a slap in the face to this team and that clubhouse
— Danny (@DM__MIA) March 30, 2024
I’m not sure how Skip or Bendix (or even Bruce) see that and don’t just say that’s enough. And again, I get most teams wouldn’t https://t.co/akTxXrmrjY
The booing will continue until performance improves.
After all, it's perfectly reasonable for Marlins fans to expect more effort out of someone making $12M both this season and next. And that money means that García's leash is probably a lot longer than we'd like - let's hope he figures it out, because he's unlikely to be sent packing with Miami just eating his salary at that cost.
Managing Editor for Blackerby Media, covering the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins Also: Senior Baseball Writer for Auburn Daily, member of both the National College Baseball Writers Association and Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (where he won the 2023 Prospects, Minors, & College Writer of the Year award)