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A mere 48 hours after the Miami Marlins acquired All-Star caliber catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Dan Jennings and the rest of the organization made another move to help solidify their infield. On a one year deal worth around $3 million, the team acquired former All-Star middle infielder Rafael Furcal to be Miami's projected starting 2nd baseman in 2014.
After an eight year stretch (2001-2010) where Furcal had an average WAR around 3.0, his overall production took a sharp decline towards the end of his run with the Dodgers and brief stint with St.Louis. After a disappointing 2012 season with the Cardinals where he produced the disappointing .264/.325/.346 slash line, Furcal underwent Tommy John surgery to repair an injured right elbow.
The signing of Furcal could potentially be the atypical "low risk, high reward" move as Furcal is going to enter Miami with a history of being a top-notch offensive player. The fact that he's a 36 year old player who's coming off a major elbow injury is one factor that could scare fans away when they're looking at this deal. Add that in with his sudden transition to 2nd base during the twilight of his career is another legitimate reason why you could question this deal. With that said, Furcal could potentially add that All-Star caliber bat to a lineup that could be much improved with Saltalamacchia, Stanton, and Christian Yelich.
Because of the following factors, this move could be a deal that will spark debate throughout the Fish Stripes community. So we want you to tell us your thoughts on the Furcal signing in the comment section or by answering the following poll. Also, here are some more questions to ponder as you type away in the comment section.
1. Where would you place Furcal in the lineup? Is he still a solid lead-off option?
2. What will the deal do for the future of Derek Dietrich and Donovan Solano?
3. How will Furcal fit into the Marlins defense? Will he make the middle infield better or worse?
4. Could his Latin American roots help out younger players like Jose Fernandez and Adeiny Hechavarria?