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The Winter Meetings

The winter meetings start today and I really don't expect the Marlins to be much of a player in the week long event.  But that doesn't mean that rumors won't be afloat concerning certain Marlins players.  In fact it is already happening, if you were to search the news feeds you can learn how the Marlins could/should trade Dontrelle Willis for Richie Sexson, or maybe a trade to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera. (I didn't link to that one because it is so stupid it doesn't justify a link.) There will be many others.

Buster Onley at ESPN (subscription required) continues to expound the theory that the Marlins should trade Willis this off-season. I do understand the argument that trading Willis may bring some pieces to the puzzle and especially in this pitching starved market, but my guess is that there is almost no way the Marlins will trade Willis this off-season.  The organization is already skating on thin ice with the fans and it is imperative that the club have some face recognition at least at the start of the season. And furthermore until the younger pitchers do it again, I'm not sold just yet - I remember Vargas.

Should a stadium deal not be reached this season it is very possible that Willis will be traded sometime during the season, probably near the end when the possible playoff teams are willing to over pay.  If Willis is with the team and the Marlins are in the playoff hunt, he isn't going nowhere.  The other factor is that Willis is probably signable to a long term contract whereas Cabrera isn't, according to all indications, so it is in the realm of possibilities that Willis may be in a Marlins uniform longer than most expect.