Wes Helms and the Florida Marlins came to an agreement making sure, Wes, will be wearing teal once again.
The Marlins liked Wes Helms so much that they signed him as a free agent one time and traded for him another. Now they've decided to keep the union intact, agreeing to a two-year, $1.9 million contract for the hard-nosed backup infielder. ''After doing a great job for us in 2006, we welcomed Wes back to the Marlins this year and he again strengthened our bench and was a positive influence in the clubhouse,'' said Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations. ``We look forward to Wes being part of highly productive Marlins clubs in 2009 and 2010.'' Wow, another multiyear contract for a player. Which is interesting since the Marlins are typically a year-to-year type of franchise. Helms is an excellent pinch hitter, a very good late innings defensive replacement and a wonderful veteran presence in the clubhouse. Last season as a pinch hitter Wes hit .317/.378/.537. And with runners in scoring position he batted .308/.383/.446. The interesting part is not his prowess off the bench, but that the organization feels the need to lock-in a respected veteran for the next two years. It kinda makes me wonder if the Fish are planning to get younger once again. Who knows? Maybe so. Maybe not. Whatever the case, Helms is a strong addition to the Marlins bench for the next two seasons. And anyway, someone needs to orchestrate the various costumes for the parade in the next two seasons. And Wes has already proven his skill in that endeavor too.