With Dee Gordon now extended through the 2020 season (and possibly 2021 by way of vesting option), MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro gets the sense that the Marlins hope to hammer out a long-term deal for Jose Fernandez, possibly in advance of tomorrow’s exchange of arbitration figures (Twitter link). That’s an ambitious goal for a number of reasons — lack of time, Fernandez’s stock being low after an injury-shortened season, Scott Boras’ aversion to long-term deals, etc. — and Frisaro himself notes that he hasn’t confirmed long-term contract talks are taking place. Jon Heyman, meanwhile, tweets that there’s “no word” that the Marlins are hopeful of coming to terms on an extension with their young ace. With Fernandez already eligible for arbitration, the urgency to sign a deal isn’t as pressing, as he’ll begin earning notable salaries as soon as 2016, when MLBTR has him projected at $2.2MM. Given his excellence when healthy, that number should rise rapidly, as he’ll be arb-eligible three more times before qualifying for free agency.
Here’s more on the Marlins and the NL East…
- Miami’s agreement with left-hander Wei-Yin Chen should put to rest the trade rumors swirling around Fernandez and Marcell Ozuna, writes Frisaro in a full column. By adding Chen (and extending Gordon), the Marlins sent the message that their goal is to contend in 2016. Adding Chen lessens the temptation to add a young arm by trading Ozuna, which would’ve simply created another hole in the outfield anyhow, Frisaro notes.
- Within that piece, Frisaro reports that the Nationals made a run at Christian Yelich this offseason, floating a concept involving left-hander Gio Gonzalez going to the Marlins. He’s the second reporter to say as much, as Jon Heyman first mentioned the scenario about a month ago While I’d imagine that other pieces were involved in the Washington’s scenario, Frisaro hears that the inquiry “didn’t go anywhere,” which isn’t necessarily a surprise. The Marlins took Yelich 23rd overall back in 2010 and rewarded him with a hefty $49.75MM contract extension with a little more than one year of service time under his belt last offseason; the team is quite high on Yelich’s potential.
- The Braves could end up going to an arbitration hearing with right-hander Arodys Vizcaino tomorrow, writes MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. Atlanta cemented itself as a “file-and-trial” team (one that does not negotiate one-year salaries after arbitration figures are exchanged) last season when it went to a hearing with left-hander Mike Minor. With figures set to be exchanged tomorrow at 1pm ET, there’s little time for the two sides to work out a deal, although GM John Coppolella voiced a desire to work something out. “Our hope is always to settle before numbers are filed, but we showed last year that we have no problem going to a hearing if we are unable to reach a number that works for our club,” Coppolella explained. Vizcaino is projected by MLBTR to make $1.1MM next season, although as a Super Two player, establishing a more significant base in his first trip through the process would make the right-hander exponentially more costly in his next three arbitration-eligible offseasons.
- In a piece for Vice Sports, Mike Vorkunov spoke to former Mets vice president of player development/amateur scouting about his decision to jump ship to the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and the journey that brought him to baseball in the first place. DePodesta recalls some influential lessons he learned while interning for George H.W. Bush’s deputy assistant, Jim Pinkerton — an experience that changed the way he approached his understanding not only of baseball but life in general. Vorkunov spoke to DePodesta’s former colleague, Josh Byrnes (now a senior VP working under Andrew Friedman in L.A.) as well as former Harvard football teammates/coaches and current/former Browns employees. DePodesta explained to Vorkunov that he’s tried to learn about as many other industries as possible (healthcare, finance, etc.). “I’ll say this: the last 20 years in baseball, much what I’ve done is try to learn as much as I can about other industries, especially ones that I thought shared common characteristics to what we were doing in baseball,” said DePodesta. “Because I was always trying to learn how they dealt with similar interests to what we had.” Vorkunov’s lengthy piece gives an excellent look into DePodesta and what he and his unique background will bring to the NFL. To read more about DePodesta’s career change from a football perspective, check out MLBTR’s sister site, Pro Football Rumors.
I must of not understood something but I thought Fernandez was with the Marlins on opening day of 2013 how did he become a super 2 and not have 3 full years of service? I thought injuries didn’t affect service time. Any help appreciated.
Guess you can’t edit comments anymore. I think its just a typo of “Given his excellence when healthy, that number should rise rapidly, as he’ll be arb-eligible three more times before qualifying for free agency.” that threw me off, clearly he’ll only be arb-eligible two MORE times.
It will be hard for the Marlins to contend. Mets are pretty much slated to win the division baring an epic screw up like the Nationals last year. Nationals do come back in 2016 with some key prospects and some FA signings, they will be the main competitor for Miami. I think what determines the second place spot in the NL East is the health and productivity of Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton along with Jose Fernandez. A rebound season for Ozuna and more development from Yelich would pull the Marlins closer
I think as it stands right now, the mets are the 3rd best team in the division, They’ll be asking an awful lot out of their rotation if they expect to repeat last season
3rd. Really?! U r insane! I could possibly give u the Nats, but u can’t honestly in anyway say that either the Marlins or the braves will be better than the mets. U r crazy and I don’t even know why I’m responding. I just felt like I had too. The mets have THE BEST starting rotation in baseball. A rotation that kept them alive and well until the offense received reinforcement at the deadline. In June, mets had minor leaguers throughout their entire lineup and still stayed in it. Now do I hope and wish we get cespedes as that one last move and big bat, or course, but even without, we now have a very very solid infield with depth never before seen on a mets roster, depth to help wright, and a full season of conforto, easily the next big name in New York. So we are already better than last year before the deadline, meaning we will be better than the 3 games above .500 roster to start the season as we r now. So u are already talking 85-90 wins as the roster sits now. Get wheeler back and now u have five legitimate number 1/2 starters filling out the entire rotation. So no. They are not a third place team. And I would even doubt seeing the Nats pass them. But without that cespedes big bat, they are not a World Series team. Need that bat. But division. Yeah I am confident.
By the way you say “we” so many times people will know you are delusional and won’t respect your opinion.
They might have the best rotation, but they also likely have one of the worst offences. If the Marlins were in my division, I’d be scared of a team that had Fernandez, Stanton, ozuna, Gordon, and Chen as their core
Note that rotation screwed then in the WS, all fastball guys, with so so off speeds. The royals are a good fastball hitting group. In baseball if you don’t shake something up your done. I would put the mets over the Marlins and braves though with the Nats in first. Nats had terrible injury luck past year, and got a new 3b man in Murphy and Turner will be up this year, all be it not opening day.
It’s a lot for you to assume that ‘your’ rotation will be healthy for an entire season or even first half. Their offense is NOT going to be reminiscent of the post-trades-Mets but moreso of the pre-trades-Mets. I am not discounting them to 3rd or worse in the division, but with a potentially rebounding Nationals clubhouse, the Nats slot in 2nd at best in the division.
What’s wrong with we? I put enough of my money into supporting a team I can say we. Anyway…..u guys aren’t mets fans I take it so u don’t know much about conforto do u? Or a healthy infield with depth like no other infield. They have four starting middle infielders. So there will never be a backup in the lineup,even when wright gets hurt. And for whoever said they will be pre trade mets, tell me, where do u see Campbell, Mayberry, recker, Kirk, a not ready Herrera, in the lineup this year? Help me out on that one. And with pitchers, I’m pretty sure everyone who watches baseball would take the mets starters over there own as a whole. And the World Series was not lost due to fastballs. It was lost due to the fact the other team was better in general, and the mets defense and bullpen was atrocious. Starters were not the problem, case in point Noah Harvey and degrom. So yeah “we” are in good shape this year in tune for another division title, and if “we” get that bat in maybe a cespedes “we” become World Series contenders yet again.
U clearly never watched them other than the playoffs. Harvey and sydergaard both have nasty hooks. Harvey has 90 mph slider with a dirty change up. deGrom was clearly spent during the playoffs but was filthy all year. I do agree that they don’t have enough offense to get back to ws as constructed and have a lot of question marks going into spring training.
You can use “we” if you never say “they”
I would hardly say the Mets are a shoo-in for the division title. They’re good and the Nats got worse (on paper at least). However, a big part of the Nats struggles last year was injuries happening around the same time and uncharacteristically poor play from a lot of their guys. I think as long as both teams stay relatively healthy and their guys don’t have downright terrible years, it should be close all year. Plus the Marlins will have another year together and hopefully full years out of Stanton and Fernandez. They’ll probably get quickly eliminated if they were to make the playoffs, but the Marlins should be able to keep it close all year.
Something to consider from the perspective of the Mets finishing first or second. They’ll get a full year of Conforto, Syndergard and Matz. Wheeler returns in June/July. Not to mention potential trade deadline acquisitions.
If the offense can put together 3-4 runs a game, I’d say their chances of finishing towards the top are pretty good. The Marlins don’t have the depth, and there’s always the off chance they’ll trade someone to cut budget. IMHO, the Nats are the only other team in the division that will legitimately contend with the Mets for first.