Offishial news, 2/8/23: Sandy’s Beach; payroll update; special guest Duke Johnson

Marlins Podcast Episodes

• The Sandy’s Beach promotion is returning to LoanDepot Park for the 2023 season. Looks like the Marlins got Curaçao Tourist Board to sponsor it. A special fan section will be set up for each of Sandy Alcantara’s home starts with the exception of Opening Day. The team is designing new Sandy-themed t-shirts for every month (not every start as was the case for the second half of 2022).
• Once-dominant reliever Ken Giles is holding a free agent showcase for interested teams today in Arizona. At least 15 major league clubs are expected to have representatives there, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. My educated guess is that the Marlins will consider him.
• The current Marlins payroll is projected to be about $96 million, by my calculations. The Fish finished last season at $84 million.
• For the Super Bowl week edition of Fish Stripes LIVE, we are welcoming NFL veteran and Miami native Duke Johnson as our special guest. There will be plenty of football talk, of course, but Johnson is also a sincere Marlins fan! Check it out tonight from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET on YouTube/Twitch/Twitter.

• From The Athletic, Jim Bowden suggests a geographical realignment of the MLB divisions that would group the Marlins with the Braves, Rays and a Nashville expansion team in the Southeast division. Eno Sarris picks the Jean Segura signing as Miami’s best under-the-radar move of the offseason (he’s projected to be nearly a three-win player, and they’re paying him like a one-win player).
• Alcantara and Segura helped out with a Field Day event at Doral Meadow Park on Tuesday. Alcantara says he’s reporting to Jupiter this weekend and scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Sunday (h/t Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald).
• The Marlins FanFest Caravan rolls on with two events today: a Community Newspapers breakfast (8 a.m.) and a visit to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (6 p.m.).