Larry Beinfest Quotations

We're moving on. We think that the 72 hours that have passed was more than a reasonable amount of time for him to offer some sort of explanation for his unexcused absence. We still do not have that explanation and we're moving on. He will not be with the Marlins in '06.

We'd expect to hear from him in a reasonable amount of time, and take it from there. I haven't been through this before. We're glad he is safe, but we'd like to know what's going on.

We've been informed through his agent that he is fine. We have nothing further.

The expectations of this organization (are) that as a professional you'd have the courtesy to at least notify us why he left. If he was a young player maybe without any experience, you may have a little bit different tack, but this guy's been around. We're extremely disappointed.

We use stats. We use a little bit of everything. We're open to fresh ideas. Look at Houston and the White Sox. Their pitching carried them to the World Series. I think that's the model we're going to stick with.

We're confident we're going to be able to sign these guys.

We're concerned, ... We want to make sure we have the infield covered.

We're concerned. He's a tough guy, but obviously it's bothered him.

Obviously we have been very active. I would anticipate as we head to Dallas we're going to remain active.

Obviously, we've been very active. I would anticipate as we head to Dallas we're going to remain active. We still do have a plan of action, and we're going to follow through on it.

I'd like to think that we're talented but inexperienced. We'll see how that ultimately translates into wins and losses later in the season.

Chris may have a little bit of an edge because he's played some in the big leagues and had some at-bats, and did a nice job for us as an extra outfielder last year.

He understands the importance of pitching. And the amount of pitching and the quality of pitching we got.

He was very out front that pitching and defense is something he thinks is the best way to build a team, and something he's going to focus on having been a catcher, ... We were looking for fresh ideas, a fresh approach, someone that would be in concert with some of our philosophies. Joe became a primary, primary candidate very quickly.

He taught our organization to work hard. That set the tone for all the good things that happened to us.

He has been a tremendous player in this organization for a long time. It's obviously a tough trade to make, but necessary given our market correction to our payroll.

He is not suspended. He continues to be paid.

There is going to be change just like every winter, ... Some of it will be by design. Some of it will be natural with guys graduating on to free agency. Some because we have young players who we think are ready to perform in the major leagues.

He's a great student of the game. He knows how to play the game right. And he's stand-up. There is no gray area. That's appreciated. People will always know where they stand with Joe.

He's going to have an energetic young team.

He was only a year and half removed out of high school. By midsummer of that first year (2002), we knew we had something special.

He was playing well. He looked healthy. We were happy with him. I don't know anything else.

I wouldn't rule anything out. But we've done that a couple of years and it really ties up your roster. That was with a very set team. It didn't hurt us, but it really limits your options on the bench.

I would say it's his job to lose. He needs to go out and do what he did in September and what he did in the Minor Leagues throughout the year. It's his job to lose.

I think that the 72 hours that have passed is more than a reasonable amount of time for him to offer some explanation for his unexcused absence. We still do not have that explanation, and we're moving on.

I think there is considerable interest in having him in the lineup and getting the at-bats and seeing what he can do, because he's really been one of the best hitters in the Minor Leagues.

Our pitching staff was strong, and we've seen the progression here to the big leagues. Tankersley's progression has been excellent.

Part of the beginning of this year will be patience with some of these players, allowing them to fail at times. It's a fine line. We're going to have to pick and choose and see how they respond to the challenge.

I'm specifically talking about '03. But he set the tone to win and to work hard,

We have some middle infielders, and we'll see. We're in Spring Training, once you get the first weeks of games in, there starts to be communications with other teams about wants and needs and teams that may have a surplus in other areas.

We're waiting to hear from him. As an employer, we'd like to know what's going on with our employee. We're all professionals here. We would expect to hear from him in a reasonable amount of time.

We could go as-is today. Our desire is always to try to improve and look at every possibility that's out there, and we'll continue to do that.

We got the players we wanted. We didn't take players because we thought we could sign them. We didn't bypass somebody. These were the players we wanted. We had worked the budget and worked with David and Jeffrey on the budget, and we're confident if this guy is here at that number, we're going to be able to sign him and get it done.

We're not going to comment on any discussions. We're going to keep everything in house.

We're just going to see how the guys react, and how they're playing. I don't think we can speculate right now if this guy is going to be in a platoon situation. We're going to just have to figure it out as we go along, because a lot of these players just don't have the Major League experience and they just don't have the track record of how they perform, left vs. left or right vs. right. You just don't have that right now in the big leagues.

When Jeffrey Loria said publicly not too long after we acquired Paul that he was not a summer rental, he meant it.

We thought that the 72 hours that passed was more than reasonable amount of time for him to offer some explanation for his unexcused absence. We still do not have that explanation, and we'll move on.

We thought it was in the best interest of the team and AJ for him to leave,

There are going to be changes to this team, ... We'll wait for that payroll direction from Jeffrey. Joe will have input.

When we initially hired him, we were looking for a turnaround, and we called him a turnaround specialist, ... That's exactly what he did. For me, he really taught the organization what it was to win, and to work hard. It was all about winning early on, every game. He set the tone in the clubhouse, then the working hard. He was out here before the players often, and working hard. Then he challenged a lot of the young players here who had not been challenged to work harder.

There is always activity in Spring Training. Is there something we may do in the outfield? That's a possibility. I've never really done this before, this much of a redo. This is something new to me as well as the staff.

We thank Carlos Delgado for his contributions and wish him well. He did a great job for the Marlins in 2005.

What stood out with Joe was the importance of pitching and defense. I think our philosophies are similar. The style will be Joe's. But the philosophies, pitching, speed and defense, will remain.

What stood out with Joe was the importance of pitching and defense, ... I think our philosophies are similar. The style will be Joe's. But the philosophies, pitching, speed and defense, will remain.

During the interview process, the adjectives about Joe were consistent: prepared, smart, competitive, communicative. All the things we were looking for in a manager.

Defensively, he's ready to play in the big leagues. We don't have a concern about him defensively. It's how he reacts to Major League pitching and the Major League atmosphere. Reggie Abercrombie, as well, is a very talented young player. He has speed and can do things. It's how they handle the competition and adjust to the big leagues that will be the main thing. This is a great opportunity for some of these guys.

You're talking about a really talented kid that can do a lot of things. Hanley Ramirez has all the talent that you need to be a successful major-leaguer.

This is following through on the market correction and a lot of mixed emotions. We had players who were with us in '03 who helped us win a championship. It's a business, but we've had a lot of history with a lot of these guys. The recognition of what they've done is not going to be lost, but the reality of the situation is the reality of the situation.

This is an exciting day for the Marlins organization. After several discussions with him, it became clear that not only was Joe ready to manage, but he is the right guy to manage the Florida Marlins. Joe has a tremendous reputation throughout the game and I am eager to start working with him.

This is one of those classic examples of the guy who got an opportunity and took advantage of it, ... He's been nothing short of outstanding. We're grateful that he's here. We've had our bullpen struggles at time and the one constant out there has been Todd.

This is a different challenge. I think everybody has been energized. I think we've gotten over the initial pain of moving on. So many of them relate to the championship team. We really haven't looked back.

there will be no multiyear contract offer made to him.

It's up to him. He's an experienced guy and he knows how his body feels.

It's unusual. I can't remember this ever happening and this is my 16th spring. I just hope he's OK.

It's unusual. I can't remember it ever happening. This is my 16th spring. We just want to make sure that he's OK.

That's obviously something he feels strongly about and we're 100 percent behind him. He wants the players to look professional out there, and he recognizes their job and to go about it in earnest. If that's part of it, to look the part, then we're all behind it.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion. I guess you have to be thought of to be pretty good to be thought of to be underachieving.

The adjectives about Joe were consistent. Prepared. Smart. Competitive. Communicative, ... We knew as we went through the process that he was the right man for this job. He had the characteristics we were looking for to carry us through '06 and beyond. We're very happy.

I'm confident in talking to the new manager. This manager wants to win, and he is going to have an energetic, young team. Joe is going to get this team playing the game right; it's going to be playing it hard, and we're going to try to win every day.

In the best interests of the team and A.J. Burnett, he was advised to leave the team, and he has done so. He is not suspended. He will continue to be paid.

In the best interest of the team and A.J., he was asked to leave the team and he has done so, ... Furthermore, no multiyear contract will be offered to A.J.

In the best interest of the team, A.J. was advised to leave the team and he has done so, ... There will be no multiyear contract offer made to him.

By midseason of 2002, we thought that we had something special.

He throws in the mid 90's. He's a big guy with a big arm.

He came as advertised. A clutch hitter, a good leader behind the plate. He was an All-Star for us last year. Again, these are very good players. It is tough, but it is necessary, given the correction.

He really came as advertised. Clutch hitter, strong leader and just a very, very tough player.

Alex is a tough guy and he's stayed out there, but obviously it's bothering him, ... We have to stay on top of it. ... He's played through some discomfort already. I don't foresee this keeping him off the field long-term.

The coaching staff -- they have been given permission to seek employment elsewhere, except for Perry Hill, ... We expect him to return in '06. I did speak to the coaches. They are aware that they have permission. What will happen here is when we have the new manager hired, we'll then reconsider the coaches that were here. There were no promises or guarantees. That's where we are right now.

The first pitch he threw went back to the screen.

Our hope is that a new manager, along with roster improvements, will restore a winning culture.

This is following through on the market correction and a lot of mixed emotions, ... We had players who were with us in '03 who helped us win a championship. It's a business, but we've had a lot of history with a lot of these guys. The recognition of what they've done is not going to be lost, but the reality of the situation is the reality of the situation.