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-Miami Marlins avoid arbitration with Giancarlo Stanton, two others - Sun Sentinel
For the first time since 2005-'06, the Miami Marlins will go back-to-back season without taking at least one player to arbitration.
According to multiple reports, Giancarlo Stanton and the Miami Marlins have agreed to a 1 year contract worth 6.5 million dollars for the 2014 season. This agreement will prevent the two sides from meeting in front of an arbitrator to decide Stanton’s upcoming compensation. Juan Rodriguez reported on the signing.
With Stanton in-fold for the 2014 season, it would not surprise me if the Marlins front office were to kick off long-term extension talks for Stanton soon. However, it would surprise me a great deal if Stanton were to accept anything, especially since he’d only be two years away from free agency after this current season.
As we have stated countless times, Jose’s 2013 season was a spectacular season; and not just for a rookie but as an overall amazing pitcher season. Jose posted an ERA of 2.19, best in all the Majors. Let’s put that number into some perspective. Shelby Miller, who finished 3rd in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, posted a 3.06 ERA while Hyun-Jin Ryu, who finished 4th in the voting, posted a 3.00 ERA. This makes Jose the only rookie that year to post an ERA below 3.00.
-Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins agree on $6.5 million deal | Fish Bytes
Stanton landed the biggest contract of the three, agreeing to a 1-year, $6.5 million contract. According to Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com, Stanton will also receive a $100,000 bonus by reaching 600 plate appearances. Stanton's contract is not a Marlins' team record for a first-year arbitration player. That mark belongs to Miguel Cabrera, who landed a $7.4 million deal in 2007.
Barring further moves, the Marlins' payroll will end up around $45 million, including $7 million still due the Diamondbacks in the Heath Bell trade. The Marlins began last season with a payroll of $48.6 million, but $12.5 million of that was for players who weren't on the team. So this year's on-field payroll will be slightly higher, but still among the lowest in baseball.
-Marlins sign pitcher Henry Rodriguez to Minor League deal | marlins.com: News
Henry Rodriguez, a hard-throwing reliever with a history of control problems, is getting a chance to hook on with the Marlins. The club announced Thursday it had signed Rodriguez to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. The 26-year-old right-hander possesses a fastball in the upper-90s. The trouble is he struggles throwing strikes. Last season, Rodriguez pitched for the Nationals and Cubs, and in 22 innings, he walked 20 while striking out 12.
-Jose Fernandez has brought his all-out passion to the sport of cycling | marlins.com: News
In full cycling gear, Jose Fernandez blends in nicely with the rest of the pack. Sometimes the 21-year-old is in a group of 50 riders who trek the streets and trails near his home in Tampa, Fla. It's during breaks that some of them finally realize they are in the company of one of the best pitchers in the Major Leagues. "With the helmet and glasses and the way we dress, you can't really tell who we are," Fernandez said. "But when we stop to get water and stuff, people are like, 'Whoa, I didn't know you were here.' It's pretty fun."
-Giancarlo Stanton's future in Miami remains a question | marlins.com: News
Reaching agreement on a one-year, $6.5 million contract on Friday settled how much Giancarlo Stanton will earn in 2014. But it didn't clear up the slugger's long-term future with the Marlins. For months, Miami had stated it was open to discussing a multi-year deal with the 24-year-old right fielder. Such conversations never took place between the club and Stanton's agent, Joel Wolfe of the Wasserman Media Group. The reason is both sides felt the timing wasn't right. Instead of at least sketching out the framework of what a major deal would look like, negotiations centered specifically on working something out for the upcoming season. By hammering out the agreement on Friday, the two parties came away pleased with how the process played out.
Around The League
-Motte heading to Florida to continue rehab | cardinals.com: News
Jason Motte traveled to St. Louis this weekend to participate in the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up and to accept the Darryl Kile Award at Sunday's annual St. Louis Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) Dinner. On Monday, he'll be relocating to Florida to continue his rehab work.
-Dodgers reportedly among clubs to offer Tanaka deal | MLB.com: News
The Dodgers are among MLB teams that submitted a formal contract offer for free-agent pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, according to a published report in Japan. According to a baseball source, the Dodgers still are not pursuing Tanaka with the aggressiveness they showed last year, when they outbid every team for the right to sign Hyun-Jin Ryu.
-Veteran reliever Grant Balfour on Nationals' radar | MLB.com: News
The Nationals are in the process of fine tuning their roster. As one means to that end, MLB.com has confirmed they are interested in free-agent reliever Grant Balfour.
-Cincinnati Reds continue efforts to add center fielder Grady Sizemore | MLB.com: News
The Reds are making efforts to add former Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com reported Sunday that Cincinnati and Sizemore's agent are in "advanced talks" for the free agent.
At Fish Stripes
-2014 Marlins Key Questions: Adeiny Hechavarria on offense - Fish Stripes
The Miami Marlins' biggest offensive hole is at shortstop, where potential Gold Glove defender Adeiny Hechavarria has failed to develop entirely at the plate. Can his offense pick up?
-Fish Bites: Prospect Avery Romero receives Spring Training invitation - Fish Stripes
Miami Marlins second base prospect Avery Romero, drafted in the third round of the 2012 draft, has received an invitation to Spring Training. Plus links on Jake Marisnick and Chris Coghlan.
-Fish Stripes Inbox: Marisnick, 2014 expectations, Cishek's future - Fish Stripes
The Marlins have two worthy prospects to the title of center field. On the one hand is the more highly-touted Jake Marisnick. On the opposite side is the more proven Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna has the edge at the moment because of experience, as he spent almost 300 plate appearances and played just well enough on defense and at the plate to warrant being the "incumbent" in the race. It did not help that Marisnick was awful in just over 100 plate appearances in his shot in the big leagues.
-Miami Marlins sign reliever Henry Rodriguez to a minor league contract - Fish Stripes
The Miami Marlins signed reliever Henry Rodriguez to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training on Thursday. Rodriguez had control issues with the Nationals and Cubs last season.
-This Day in Marlins History: John Henry Becomes the Marlins Owner - Fish Stripes
Fifteen years ago, on January 19, 1999, the sale of the Marlins from H. Wayne Huizenga to John Henry was completed.