Events of the offseason and the new rumors afloat, does bring up the question: is the new stadium deal in trouble?
As you remember when the offseason started, before the economic crisis was noticed by the press, Loria had this to say. Or at least some source said he said it.
According to an industry source, the Marlins are telling teams they should have no problem keeping just about all of their 16 remaining arbitration-eligible players. OwnerJeffrey Loria, the source said, has authorized a payroll of up to $40 million, depending on the recommendations of his baseball people.
Which really hasn't been the case. Now, I know that Jacobs was going to get traded and Gregg along with him. Olsen leaving wasn't a shock but wasn't a necessary move for a team with what would have money to spend. Then again, if they believe Sanchez and Miller can put forth better results than Olsen, I don't, then it was fine to trade him for a houseplant. And it has always been known that one of the corner outfielders would be sporting their wares elsewhere. I just didn't think it would be Willingham.
Okay, all of the trades made so far were expected to some degree.
But the rumors keep coming.
(Via Fishcrazy)
at least until Dan Uggla is inevitably traded off, this winter or next
Oh, by the way, will the press stop trying to shove down our throats that Bonifacio is the incarnate of Luis Castillo in his prime. He is not! Castillo actually got on base when he batted and when he attempted steals, he stole the base. Bonifacio has shown no signs of doing either.
But I got sidetracked, now back to the main point.
Peter Gammons had this to say about Hermida.
The Marlins have found an interested market for Jeremy Hermida, including the Cubs, Rays and others.
Don't know if the Marlins are shopping him or whether other teams are smelling blood in the water and are inquiring.
And then there is this fun tibet from the Public Transit Meeting.
(Dorrin) Rolle has slammed the Alvarez administration for being able to find funds to build a Florida Marlins ballpark and a port tunnel, but not to find a way to finish the North Corridor.
What the Marlins do in the Winter Meetings will speak volumes about the whether a new stadium will be built or at least their confidence in it being built.
When the season ended the Marlins were expected to make some changes in personnel but had the ability to keep anyone they wanted to. Now, it is sounding like that anyone who may make much over of $1 million dollars next season is gone.
If this is indeed the case, and I don't know that it is, it does leave the concern that the Marlins aren't sure they will have a new source of revenue in the near future. In other words, the stadium is very iffy.
Naturally, I'm not privy to the back room discussions but something seems to have taken a turn and possibly for the worse.
We will see.