Our Noticias, 4/15/20: Jackie Robinson Day; new Mattingly, Penny interviews

Honoring Jackie Robinson Day

Commemorating his trailblazing MLB debut, every April 15 features players across the league wearing uniform No. 42. Robinson’s number is retired for all other occasions. Particularly for the current Marlins—whose front office is led by African American CEO Derek Jeter and president of baseball operations Michael Hill—Jackie Robinson Day cannot be taken for granted.

Adjusting to this year’s abnormal circumstances, the team has announced a special itinerary for Wednesday, including drive-through food distribution and food delivery events in Liberty City. On YouTube, a virtual roundtable conversation, “Connected to 42,” will include the following Marlins: moderator Charles Johnson; fellow alumni Cliff Floyd and Juan Pierre; active team members Lewis Brinson, Jazz Chisholm, Sterling Sharp, Stephen Tarpley and bench coach James Rowson.

Penny reflects on Marlins career

Photo by Corey Sipkin/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Retired right-hander Brad Penny had a lengthy interview on the Swings and Mishes podcast, covering everything from his trade to South Florida and the 2003 championship to his return to the organization near the end of his playing career. In parts of six seasons with the Fish (2000-2004, 2014), he posted a 4.12 ERA, 3.97 FIP and 1.33 WHIP in 807 ²⁄₃ innings. Penny was also the winning pitcher over the Yankees in World Series Games 1 and Game 5.

Penny insists that he hoped to sign an extension with the Marlins, but there wasn’t mutual interest from ownership. He recalls being surprised by the deal that shipped him to the Dodgers at the 2004 trade deadline. He would go on to earn two NL All-Star selections in L.A. before spending his 30’s as a veteran journeyman.

Check out the full episode as Penny highlights some of his favorite Marlins ex-teammates and revisits the 2005 milk-drinking dare controversy.

Walk-off links

• Marlins Hall of Fame player voting is still open! Here’s the 2020 ballot. Several borderline cases that should come down to the wire. The deadline to vote is Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. ET.
• The Marlins’ High-A Jupiter affiliate wants you to submit homemade baseball videos so that their PA announcer John Frost can practice his play-by-play skills. Please email the files to rogerdeanchevroletstadium@gmail.com (replying to the team’s tweet should work, too).
• Also on the MiLB side of things, Brent Martineau of ESPN 690 interviewed a variety of guests from the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday’s afternoon drive show.
• Much-needed walk-off win for Ryne Stanek in the MLB The Show Players League.

• Interesting deep dive from Heath Capps on our sister site Fake Teams about the fantasy baseball implications for Marlins hitters if the MLB regular season were to be played in Arizona. Should help the counting stats of Jonathan Villar and Brian Anderson, among others.
• MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro continues to hint at the Marlins selecting a pitcher with the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming MLB Draft, while admitting that “so much is still up in the air.”
• Manager Don Mattingly spent an hour Monday on Sev & Geff Live, discussing the Marlins rebuild as well as his outstanding playing career.