According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, Marlins ownership will allow the team to keep all of its many arbitration-eligible players, if that is the front office’s preference. The Marlins won’t be forced to make payroll-motivated deals; instead, they’ll just look for good baseball trades like any team. Greg Cote suggested the same a few weeks ago, noting that the Marlins will shift focus to pitching, speed, and defense but won’t cut payroll just for the sake of it.
Olney figures they’ll keep Dan Uggla:
It appears very unlikely they will deal Uggla and others, and they are poised to be the Rays of 2009.
Still, I wouldn’t rule it out. The Angels are already said to have Uggla on the radar if Mark Teixeira leaves. Uggla is also considered a good fit for the Giants. The Marlins lost leverage when it was thought they had to move Uggla and others for payroll reasons. It’s beneficial to get the word out that they can afford all of the arb-eligible players, even if it’s not true.
