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The Marlins still looking for a catcher and a pitcher

By craig

Either that, or they are just trying to piss me off.

The Marlins won't be big spenders, but they will be players when the free-agent market opens for business today.

Aside from catcher Yorvit Torrealba, the Marlins also are interested in catcher Michael Barrett and pitcher Mike Maroth, according to industry sources.

Let's take the catcher position first.

But Barrett might prove to be too expensive. He made $4.53 million last season, which he split between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. He is expected to be seeking a multiyear deal, which the Marlins rarely offer players.

Barrett was traded to San Diego in June after a run-in with Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano. He spent most of August on the disabled list with a groin injury and finished the season with a .256 batting average, nine homers and 29 RBI.

Barrett is a Type A free agent, meaning he would cost any team that signed him a first- or second-round pick if the Padres offered him salary arbitration. The Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays also like Barrett.

Let's see, he is too expensive, has been known to fight, literally, with the pitchers and can't catch.

Not to mention he isn't that good at the plate putting up career numbers of .266/.322/.426.  And most of the good stuff came in 2004-2006.

So let's move onto Maroth.

Florida, trying to improve its pitching staff, also is expected to make an offer to Maroth, a left-hander who was released by the St. Louis Cardinals in October after he struggled badly in 14 appearances, seven of them starts.

Maroth made $2.95 million in a season split with Detroit and St. Louis, going 5-7 with a 6.89 ERA in 20 starts overall.

He went 5-2 with a 5.06 ERA for the Tigers before being traded for a player to be determined. He pitched well in his first Cardinals start, then struggled to finish 0-5 with a 10.66 ERA in 38 innings.

Okay, he won some games with Detroit while posting a 4.72 ERA and a .306 BAA in that National Park the Tigers call home. I'm guessing the Tigers offense bailed him out.

Then he started his only 15 games in the NL for the Cardinals and didn't win any of them and got released in the process.  Surely the Marlins can do better than that.

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