The Marlins exile three big names and two smaller ones to Canada as they clean house:
During the midseason, when the Miami Marlins traded Hanley Ramirez in a deal that seemed contingent on dumping his $38 million remaining on his contract, folks clamored about a fire sale. I defended the Marlins organization, claiming that the Fish were merely getting rid of a deal that was not working in their favor. The Marlins claimed that they would “not stop spending” necessarily and that the outcomes of the deal would ultimately be determined not only by the results of pitching prospect Nathan Eovaldi, but also by how the team utilized the money saved.
Today, the Marlins proved that their old ways have not yet left the team. In a stunning move, the team traded Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, John Buck, Emilio Bonifacio, and an additional $4 million to the Toronto Blue Jays for shortstop Yunel Escobar, catcher Jeff Mathis, pitcher Henderson Alvarez, and prospects Adeiny Hechevarria, Jake Marisnick, Justin Nicolino, and Anthony DeSclafani.
The citizens of Miami were certainly taken for a ride with the new stadium. The team had a bad year. It happens. Why not give them another chance? They averaged 27,000 fans a game, a great year for the Marlins. They got rid of the manager, who seemed to be the biggest problem. I don’t understand it. Maybe Loria is doing this trade to make up for screwing up the Expos.
Never mind what the Marlins got in return. It is possible that Marisnick, Nicolio, and Hechevarria could develop into decent players who will contribute in the long haul for this team. It is not far-fetched to believe Yunel Escobar could bounce back and have another four-win season on the cheap. It is possible that the team could rebuild after another terrible season or two and subsequent high draft picks. Yet, despite all those possibilities (none of which are guarantees nor even particularly likely), the worst part is the knowledge that this trade had very little to do with getting the best return and had everything to do with dumping the salary of 2012 alongside the memories of a broken season. The Marlins opted to burn the entire house down following a tragedy of a season rather than building upon what they had with measured intelligence.
Read the rest to how distraught Marlins fans feel.
The way the Marlins organizations is, I think the proper headline is “The Blue Jays exile three players and three prospects to Miami”, taking the Marlins for a ride and ridding themselves of a homophobe.
Somebody’s got to stop the Marlin’s. I wonder if a case of fraud could be made. The team is marketing itself as trying to win (in order to sell tickets, etc), but all it’s actions point strongly in the opposite direction…. year after year. Fraud, or perhaps false advertisement, could be a problem here if the Marlins aren’t careful. The Players Unions could bring up the charge maybe, in an effort to force the Marlins to spend more. Maybe some season ticket holders could? Like, anyone who’s bought a season ticket for 2013. I wonder if a class action suit could be filed.
I figure if Houston and Miami want to run AAA teams out there, whoever broadcasts their games should only have to pay the going rate for minor league media.
Not that I’m a biased Red Sox fan who just looked at the new AL East and became scared or anything, but… Could Selig find some way to void this trade? Miami and Dade County just gave the Marlins half a billion dollars to build a new stadium that’s not only supposed to generate new revenues for the team, but generate revenues and create jobs for the community as well. To see the Marlins ownership turn back on the pact they made with the community is disgusting, and it says nothing about the civic duty that MLB should feel if it’s going to ask for taxpayer money to build new stadiums.
If the Marlins want to dump salary, fine. The Red Sox dumped salary earlier this year, but at least they got top AAA prospects in return — Marlins got a couple of infielders and single A prospects. This is just ridiculous.
The Marlins got two of the Blue Jays’ top three pitching prospects, plus Jake Marisnick, who was their #2 prospect according to Baseball America.
I’m definitely not saying the Marlins got a good deal, but two years from now it might be looking a lot better.
I’m surprised some Marlins executives haven’t resigned and/or quit over issues like this.
I guess it doesn’t bother the front office much too. May have been their idea in the first place.
Wow Tas. Bitter biased Red Sox fan much?
No chance this trade gets vetoed. The Jays gave up far better talent in this trade then the Dodgers did in theirs. To suggest this trade should be voided is definitely the cry of a bitter Red Sox fan and shows again the classic Red Sox Nation “we’re better than you” mentality. GFY.
Oh, and have fun with Farrell too. Glad he’s gone. He doesn’t deserve to manage this team.
Flame much, zeppelinkm? As for the talent the Dodgers gave up compared to the Jays, Rubby De la Rosa already has MLB experience and Allen Webster has pitched in AA. Jays sent over A-ball prospects.
Feel free to address the half billion received by the Marlins to undercut their fans and the community whenever you see fit.
And Yunel Escobar was a 4 WAR player in 2011, and even in a down 2012, was a 2.5 WAR player (in MLB). Hechevaria played for a few months in MLB in 2012, and Henderson Alvarez pitched 187 innings as a 22 year old in the AL East.
Jays just sent over A-ball prospects, eh? Those guys not MLB ready enough for you?
Marisnick finished the 2012 season in double A (55 games), Nicolino and DeSclafani are the only two A ball players the Jays sent to the Marlins. 3/7 players have from some to a lot of MLB experience, their top position prospect behind D’Arnoud in Marisnick) and an elite A prospect.
Your Red Sox superiority complex is showing. Your ignorance too.
If you toned down your attitude, zeppelinkm, I’d continue this conversation with you. But it’s obvious that you enjoy attacking people and listening to yourself, and your ego will make it impossible to have a reasonable discussion with you.
Good day.