Gaby Sánchez
I’ve been in a lot of clubhouses, asked a lot of dumb questions, and seen more tarp pulls than I care to admit—but talking to Gaby Sánchez about Marlins Park? That was different. I mean, how many guys can say they played their first big-league game in their hometown and had to test the durability of a fish tank with live batting practice? From rain delays to rooftop AC to walking the same field he once sat above as a kid—this one’s got all the heart, humidity, and weird art you expect from Miami baseball. Let’s dive in.
Robby Incmikoski: Beautiful, former All-Star Gabby Gaby Sánchez? Hey, I want to ask you, you're a Miami guy and you played for the Marlins and you played the first-ever game in that stadium. How cool is that for a hometown guy?
Gaby Sánchez: I mean, it was really cool. I grew up going to games at the old football stadium—it had nine or ten names while I was even playing there. But finally getting to play in a real baseball stadium with a roof—no more rain delays every afternoon—that was big. And to be the first guy to step on that field and play first base? That was blueberry.
Robby: What was it like moving from that old football stadium to a real ballpark like Marlins Park?
Gaby: Just knowing we could take BP without worrying about rain was huge. The new place had AC, so you weren’t sweating through five shirts before the game. But we were also the guinea pigs—bad grass, weird hops, huge fences. I remember showing new guys where center field used to be, and they'd go, "You had to hit it over that?" It was ridiculous. But it was still fun. It felt like real baseball.
Robby: So the surface was rough at first?
Gaby: Oh yeah. The grass kept dying. They had to bring in new patches constantly. Sometimes first base was more sand than grass. But I was used to it from the football stadium—after Dolphins games, the field was wrecked. You just had to adjust, stay in front of ground balls, do your job.
Robby: What about hitting in that new stadium? I remember the batter’s eye was an issue.
Gaby: Totally. When we first saw it, it was too shiny—we couldn’t see the ball. We told the ownership straight up: “Someone’s gonna get hurt.” To their credit, they fixed it fast, repainted it before the Yankees came in for that preseason game. That was the kind of stuff that made the place feel new, alive, like it was still being shaped by the players.
Robby: Speaking of shaping the place, let’s talk about the fish tank.
Gaby: I actually liked it. You’re in Miami—bring the ocean in. It was different. Better than a bunch of car ads behind home plate. But yeah, everyone wondered what would happen if a foul ball smashed into it. So Samson calls me up one day and says, “Come to the ballpark. I need you to throw balls at the tank.” I’m like, what? But I go, and they’ve got TV crews and everything. I threw balls as hard as I could—low to mid-80s—and not a scratch. So we figured, okay, this thing’s gonna hold up.
Robby: Then there was the home run sculpture…
Gaby: I was old-school. I looked at that thing like, “Just bring the fence in.” But it was fun in its own way. You’d hit it in BP to see if you could knock the fish around. Still, it was a pitcher’s park. You’d crush a ball 420 feet to center and it’s just a flyout. Guys would laugh like, “That’s a homer everywhere else.” Eventually they moved the fences in, but yeah, it was tough early on.
Robby: And the Clevelander lounge with the dancers and pool? That was another level.
Gaby: Oh man. Yeah, they actually had to switch bullpens because our guys were too distracted by what was going on out there. Girls in body paint, DJs, people in the pool. It was like they were trying to make the stadium a party destination with some baseball on the side.
Robby: Okay, take me here: You’re a kid, you grow up watching the Braves on TV, then the Marlins come to town. You go to games, you dream. And then you actually make it. You play for your hometown team.
Gaby: Yeah. I remember sitting in the stands, thinking, “One day I’m going to play on that field.” And then I did. I didn’t care about my first hit or first home run. It was that first moment—putting on the jersey, stepping onto the field, looking up at the section where I used to sit. That’s the memory. That’s the dream fulfilled.
Robby: That’s powerful stuff, man. You’re one of just a handful of Miami kids to ever play for the Marlins.
Gaby: It meant everything. People say, “It’s hard to make the big leagues.” But when you hear that there’ve only been about 21,000 players in MLB history—and that doesn’t even fill a stadium—you realize how rare it is. To do it, for your city? That’s another level.
Robby: And now, as a fan or someone visiting the park, what would you say it feels like?
Gaby: It’s not like PNC—nothing is—but it’s a beautiful stadium. It’s comfortable, loud, and they do a lot for the fans. The Clevelander is now a lounge. The home run sculpture is outside. There’s a Hall of Fame section now. It feels more like a real baseball park. But there’s still some of that Miami flash in there. It’s still got a vibe.
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More from Gaby Sánchez
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.