Marlins Requiring Spanish Instruction for English-Speaking Players
As part of the Marlins new education program, team executives are learning Spanish as its players are learning the language too, an article from ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports.
While Latin American-born players take English, American-born players and coaches will be required to learn Spanish.
Marlins part owner and CEO Derek Jeter is taking lessons too.
"I've been to the Dominican and Venezuela,'' Jeter said in the article. "I went to Cuba with Major League Baseball in 2016. So I've been to those countries and tried to learn as much as I could about their cultures. Everybody expects the Latin players to make an effort to speak English. Well, especially here in Miami, if you don't speak Spanish, you don't fit in. I think it's important.''
Young players are also receiving education in budgeting, cooking and more.
A group led by Jeter and Bruce Sherman bought the Marlins last September. After getting rid of stars like Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich, the Marlins are in a rebuilding phase, but the group has come under scrutiny for selling such talent.
The Marlins sit in last place in the NL East at 48–73.
