This is what I tend to believe as well but it just doesn't make sense. Why not wait until the Peavy is dealt and negotiate with the teams who missed out? Why not wait until the winter meetings? This franchise is so perplexing.
And what's worse, they made the cardinal sin of trading within the division, where Willingham and Olsen can come back not just once a year, but multiple times a year to bite them in the azz. What are the Marlins thinking ? Bonifacio is nothing. Low batting average in the minors. And on top they get a garbage level pitcher, and another infielder that are both considered at least 1, if not 2 seasons away, if ever, from worthy of a major league roster spot. 9 INF ??? Why ??? This was pure and simple a salary dump. Thanks Loria. Then you see Oakland make a smart move, in which they are going to either get a boatload by the trading deadline for Holliday, or get 2 1st picks as compensation if he leaves via FA. Brilliant on their part. This just isn't the way to run a franchise, when you are always looking more at the bottom line, than you are at winning.
He is, no doubt, the worst owner in sports. He hates his fanbase, because he does whatever he can, to destroy it.
I have been telling folks for MONTHS, that I never expect the Marlins to pay one cent of that new Ramirez contract. There is a reason it doesn't kick in until this next season. They never intended to pay any of it, and they can get rid of him this off-season, and the team that gets him, doesn't have to worry about negotiating a new contract for years & years......sweet deal for them. We'll be trading Uggla next for Mr. Met and a box of Cracker Jacks......UGH !
Holy crap ! That is not good news.....ACL & MCL ? Geeesh.....damaged goods (Willingham) for damaged goods (Smolinksi). I hope he can return to form, but I am not looking at this as a trade for the future, but what it really is, a salary dump. My worst fears are becoming true, that now we are in the position, unlike a couple of years ago of having real major league talent to trade (Llowell, Lee, etc) and get decent prospects back, we are now trading mediocre talent, and getting less in return. Also Beinfest is a notoriously poor drafter (Hermida, Allison, Dominguez) it spells a lot of trouble for the future, and maybe getting used to being a lot like the Pittsburgh Pirates.....lots of last place finishes.
Deal! Mr Met will make for an awesome floaty during those mega-rainstorms you guys get there so he has value. The box of cracker jacks is what I would be most upset to see go; theyre my favorite food!
PMQZ I disagree about trading within the divison. If you can get the most value with trading to a divison rival, especially if your team won't be contending for awhile, there's no reason why you should do those types of trades.
I agree on the surface, but let's keep in mind we aren't privy to everything that goes on. Would you be surprised if it came out later that Willingham will miss the first 6-8 weeks because of injury rehab?
Sources: Fish trade Gregg to cubs!!! ESPN - Sources: Florida Marlins trade reliever Kevin Gregg to Chicago Cubs thankgod.....
He only blew nine games? Feels like 90. I like Gregg, but it was time for a change of scenery. What's the scouting report on Ceda?
The mini-fire sale continues. Are the Marlins going to spend any of this money they're saving? Or is it all just helping to subsidize their stadium?
I'm pretty sure it'll go towards paying arbitration. Cubs #3 prospect: Love this deal. Way better than the Nats' one
Good move by the Marlins. Ceda was pretty good once they moved him into the pen. According to the Cubs they needed Gregg because they can't resign Kerry Wood.
And I'm still surprised by it. Well, whatever, there's a reason the Cubs never make the World Series.
A little thread necromancy for your Sunday afternoon. Players' union files grievance against the Marlins for not giving per diems during home spring training games. Hanley won the Silver Slugger Award. According to the Sun-Sentinel, Beinfest is trying to make the Marlins more closely resemble the Rays. He's looking for pitching, speed, and defense. I think we have the pitching set, honestly; speed will come with guys like Maybin and Hanley; and defense needs to be coached. Lastly, Henry Owens (remember him?) has been suspended for 50 games due to testing positive for a banned substance.
Really odd that they added these guy over a Chris Mobley, Jacob Marceaux, or a Jeffrey Allison whom I believe are all eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.
Looks like we're keeping the core players and building around that. Not a bad strategy. (Wow, who'd have thought Wes Helms would qualify as a core anything?)
Some more headlines. PBP: Marlins don't expect to make big deals at winter meetings This is probably good. At this point, a "big deal" would involve Hanley and/or Uggla. I'm still amazed that we haven't done something with Jeremy K. Hermida yet. But speaking of Mr. K. Hermida... MLB.com: Marlins to seek out backup catcher Noteworthy for two reasons: one, apparently John Baker is going to stick around for a little while longer as the every day catcher; and two, there "is a lot of speculation that Hermida could be traded." The substance of this speculation isn't clarified, though. It could be chatter among baseball writers or there could be something of substance to it: we just don't know. What could we get for Mr. K. Hermida on the open market, anyway? Lastly, the Marlins have not extended arbitration to any of the team's free agents. Nothing odd or unexpected here.
Per Rotoworld: he Miami Herald adds the Rangers and Mariners to the list of teams to which the Marlins are shopping Jeremy Hermida. We're starting to get the sense that another bad Marlins trade is a real possibility here. The team is already talking about having Hermida change positions and move to left field if they keep him, a sign that he's not in any long-term plans. Source: Miami Herald
"Another bad trade?" I don't know, the Marlins usually get the good end of deals. Not always, but usually. Interesting that Jeremy K. Hermida is being shopped. Not surprising either, since he was the player of interest in the Manny Ramirez trade.
Ya I kind of did a double take at that as well Desides. For all the money the Marlins dont put in to their player payroll it seems like a lot of it sure goes in to scouting and player development. I mean you guys are like the farm team for the rest of baseball when the Marlins decide to cut payroll.
I'd bet almost most of it goes right back into the owner's pockets. But yes the Marlins do do an excellent job scouting and in the player development department.
The Fish will start paying players once they finally move in to a new stadium. That lease is a blood sucker.
Well I don't care for Hermida but to give him up for next to nothing will not make me, or many of the few remaining Marlins fans very happy
Well they didn't do too well with Hermida who was the 11th pick in the 2002 draft. Taken just a few spots later, was Cole Hammels, the MVP of the World Series. Think of how good the Marlins would have been had they taken Hammels instead of Hermida. We would have won the East last year going away.
Hopefully it will happen, but I am not convinced this ownership will ever open up the wallets to pay for players, because they have had some success doing it the cheap way.
Eh you can't kill them for that. Baseball is the hardest sport to predict future talent. It's not like they passed up BJ Upton for Bryan Bullington like Pittsburgh did. Or every MLB team passing up on Albert Pujols or Jake Peavy for 15 rounds or so. It's a crap shoot and although Hermida didn't pan out it was a good pick at the time, because every team can look back at a player they could have picked but didn't.
I know, I know .....but young hitting is always harder to predict than young pitching, especially when it comes to the Marlins. They seem to be able to see pitchers easier than hitters, just look at their history. Allison and Valdes are their biggest pitching busts, while nearly all of their "position" players they have taken in the 1st round have ended up busts (of some sort).
Without going into great detail, high school hitting is twice as easy to project than high school pitching.
What a joke. Yes he pitched over his head and likely will regress but when Wes Helms is making $1m a year and we cant give our best reliever $150,000 more, something is wrong.
damn arthur rhodes signed a 2 yr deal with cincy.....wish we coulda kept him, dude was a guarentee out of the BP against lefties......solid solid pitcher..... http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news...t_id=3715953&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla