Marlins ‘outraged’ at Red Sox over subpar spring training lineup

The Miami Marlins are one of those bad teams that kind of relies on marketing their opponents as a sales pitch to fans wherever possible. Thursday’s Grapefruit League spring training game against the Boston Red Sox was one of those opportunities. Unfortunately, the Red Sox burned them, and now they’re reportedly upset.

The Marlins designated Thursday’s game against the Sox as a “premium game,” figuring that they could get more money from diehard Sox fans who are in Florida to watch the team, or anyone else who wanted to see the defending World Series champs. They charged over 42 percent more than regular spring training ticket prices for the game. But they ended up with a team full of barely recognizable names.

Here’s a look at the lineup the Red Sox used for the game:

Only Jackie Bradley Jr. and Ryan Lavarnway have major league experience out of that bunch.

The Red Sox were technically breaking rules by running out that lineup. Here are the rules for spring training games:

“A minimum of four players who are regulars on the previous year’s major league team or who were platooned on the previous year’s major league team on a regular basis, or who have a reasonable chance to be regulars on the major league club’s squad during the upcoming season. Each of those regulars, excluding pitchers, must play a minimum of three complete innings.”

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Marlins were “outraged” over the Sox’ lineup for the game and planned to contact the league office. Boston could be subjected to a fine for their lineup Thursday.

No word on what the Marlins plan to do about giving their fans a minor-league starting lineup the past two seasons.

Forearm bash to Eye on Baseball