Marlins 'outraged' by Red Sox road roster in most spring training/Marlins story ever

The Miami Marlins were "outraged" by the Red Sox' roster for Thursday's spring training game between the two clubs according to the Sun Sentinel. In fact, they're so upset that they're planning to contact the league office and oh my God I can't believe this is a thing.

Let's be clear: the Red Sox did not send the A-team. They didn't even send the B-team. Today's lineup was as close as you could get to a minor league team without actually having them don Paw Sox uniforms.

Who cares?

Yes, teams are supposed to ensure a certain number of MLB regulars make the trip every game. And yes, you have to squint your eyes and turn your head just right before today's bunch even comes close to that. But if you're going to a spring training game and expecting to see anything close to actual Major League Baseball, you're barking up the wrong tree. If you're expecting to see the road team's best then I don't know what to tell you. You simply haven't done your research.

Could the Red Sox have maybe sent along Will Middlebrooks and Jonathan Herrera? Sure. Did the fans who shelled out for "super premium" tickets at "super premium" prices do so in hopes of seeing Will Middlebrooks and Jonathan Herrera? No, they did not.

The only thing that would have maybe made good on what the Marlins were selling was if the Red Sox had brought along a couple of the big guns, and that was never going to happen. The stars don't take long bus rides across the state. It's a privilege that comes with seniority, and one that's accepted throughout the game.

The Marlins may be right that the Red Sox are technically in violation of the rule. But in spirit, that rule is a joke, and anyone who pays attention to spring training at all knows it too. The Marlins were doing what they do: charging their fans more for a product that was never going to deliver. Honestly they should get that engraved over the gates of their shiny new taxpayer-funded ballpark. They don't get to cry foul because the Red Sox didn't even try to keep up appearances.

And yes, that C-team held the Marlins to a 0-0 tie after seven innings because of course they did.