JUPITER, Fla. -- After spending the offseason revamping the organization and restructuring the roster, the Marlins opened full-squad workouts on Monday at the Roger Dean Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla.
"This is what everyone looks forward to," Marlins chief executive officer Derek Jeter said. "They look forward to paying attention to what happens on the field. There's been a lot of noise that's been out there, a lot of stories that's been out there. A lot of people want to see what happens on the field."
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The ownership group headed by Bruce Sherman and Jeter purchased the club from Jeffrey Loria for $1.2 billion in October, and they repeated they are building the franchise from the bottom up.
"This is a dream come true," said Sherman, the organization's principal owner. "I'm an analytical person by nature. I got into this with full disclosure. I was privileged and honored to have the opportunity to participate in a Florida franchise in Major League Baseball.
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"I think it comes across once in a lifetime. My family has been supportive. Derek has been great. It's just a privilege. We now want to give back to the city, the county, the state and have a sustainable product out there for a long, long time."
Sherman made it clear ownership has a long-term commitment and is not seeking to turn short-term profits.
"I didn't get into this personally, nor did the other partners get into this, for one, two or three years," Sherman said. "Nobody is in this to make any short-term profits, whatsoever. This is a long, long haul, and I'm excited we get to play baseball now and I can be a fan again."
To move the franchise forward, the Marlins broke up the previous core, trading Giancarlo Stanton, Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.
The organization made it clear the day they took over in October that some moves would be unpopular. The reality the Marlins face was they were 77-85 in 2017 -- their eighth straight losing season. The organization lacked pitching and depth, and the decision was made to break the roster down to strengthen their Minor League system while creating payroll flexibility.
Some of the moves have created a negative public backlash, but Jeter reminds that many fans are supportive.
"That narrative needs to start to change that every single fan is upset," Jeter said. "I've met with many fans over the last four months, who all said, 'We have patience.' They understand what we're doing. They're giving us a chance. Mentioning that all fans are upset, that can't be further from the truth."