The Marlins have “signaled that they might be willing to trade” closer A.J. Ramos, reports ESPN’s Jayson Stark (via Twitter). On the one hand, the news isn’t all that surprising, as Ramos projects to earn a relatively hefty $6.8MM in 2017 and is only controllable for another two seasons, so Miami could market him as it looks to add more stability to its rotation. On the other hand, there have been reports that the Marlins are weighing a run at right-hander Kenley Jansen to beef up the bullpen and shorten the game for their starters due to the lack of available rotation help. Moving Ramos would go against the stated goal of deepening the relief corps with high-end talent, although perhaps the team could look to add some rotation help by moving Ramos and replace him with a free-agent arm. Ramos, 30, posted a terrific 2.81 ERA with 10.3 K/9 but also averaged 4.9 BB/9 and posted a career-worst 36.4 percent ground-ball rate in 64 innings with Miami last year.
A few more notes on the Fish…
- There’s been “little to no dialogue” between the Marlins and other teams about outfielder Marcell Ozuna, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Many clubs are taking a patient approach to see how the pitching market develops before they determine whether they can part with an arm in a trade to address the outfield, Frisaro writes, and there isn’t much internal traction regarding the idea of dealing Ozuna. With Edinson Volquez on board, the Marlins may look further to the free-agent market rather than seeking trades to bolster the staff.
- Also from Frisaro, the Marlins have had internal discussions regarding Doug Fister, C.J. Wilson and Jon Niese. Previous reports have linked Miami to the latter two names, but this appears to be the first definitive link between the Marlins and Fister, who posted a 4.64 ERA with 5.7 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate in 180 1/3 innings for the Astros last season. That marked a second consecutive weak showing for Fister, who was previously one of the more underrated starters in baseball while pitching for the Tigers. Fister’s strikeout rate has plummeted in recent years, though, and while he’s never thrown hard, his once 89-90 mph fastball is now more in the 86-87 mph range. David Phelps is also a candidate to step into the rotation, but the Marlins prefer that he remains at the back of the bullpen, Frisaro adds.
- Also of note from Frisaro’s piece on the team’s free-agent hunt, he lists Jansen and Aroldis Chapman as assets that are probably too expensive for the Marlins but lists right-handers Mark Melancon and Daniel Hudson as more affordable options that could be realistic targets.
- Meanwhile, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Marlins have reached out to the representatives for right-hander Dillon Gee, who became a free agent when he was cut loose by the Royals after the season. Gee is no stranger to the NL East, having spent the bulk of his career with the Mets, and he delivered 125 innings with a 4.68 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 41 percent ground-ball rate for Kansas City last year. However, Gee’s season came to an end when he required surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. He’s expected to be ready for Spring Training, though, and would give the Marlins a veteran arm who could function in a swingman capacity, making some starts as needed but also providing a relief arm capable of throwing multiple innings.
The Marlins should go all in next year. They have no farm system and good bullpen and hitting. They should trade for an ace and try for Rich Hill.
“They have no farm system”
How are they supposed to trade for an ace…?
Idk but if anyone can pull off a move that makes no sense and have it end in a World Series championship, it’s the Marlins.
This market is good for the Marlins, there are a bunch of 3/4 starters out there who will help them move on from the loss of Fernandez without breaking the bank. I won’t be surprised if they sign 2 more starters like Fister and Gee. They have a good starting line-up which compares to the rest of the teams in the division. if they hit on a few of them they will be contenders. They also need to improve their pen. For the Marlins it’s all about pitching, but they don’t have a great farm system to make a trade.
Marlins should sell now with the loss of Fernandez they can’t compete right now. Farm system is week and poor free agent class. Trade off stanton, gordon,ramos, ozuna. Restart completely.
They have some very good young talent currently on their big league roster. The loss of Fernandez was devastating but they are very close to making the playoffs. The only guy that you mentioned on that list who they should consider trading is Stanton for some young starting pitching.
I agree, trade what you have now so they don’t have to start from scratch. That’ll never happen with their current owner though.
All the comments saying trade Stanton I get where your coming from but not many teams are going to touch him he has a 300 mil contract and has health issues and his numbers have not been good. I understand that injuries have hurt his numbers but he hasn’t closed up the holes in his swing of anything they have gotten worse. He is still running away from the ball in. He could put up Mike trout similar walk numbers but he doesn’t which really hurts is obp numbers. For 300 million u better not just be able to his 40 bombs and strike out 150 times. So all things said the contract limits his market to a hand full of teams and those teams may not even have interest in him. I see two possible fits the Yankees but they won’t want to give up the prospects and the nationals may not have the money, the astros have the prospects and the money but idk is they want to use it all on 1 player. The redsox don’t need him the cubs don’t need him and the dodgers have a big enough outfield group as it is. Giants don’t have the players to acquire him. The only other team could be the rangers they have always liked him but idk if the could afford him.
I’d field offers you’re a small market club with a mammoth contract (if he doesn’t opt out after 2020). Which a team i.e Houston or Boston could say he’s easily going to opt out playing here and they have prospects and a need. I’d field offers who knows who else calls you might find a bidding war that brings the next Stanton affordably or that ace that you now need.
If I know the Yankees and Hal Steinbrenner, they’ll drool over the idea of trading a couple of hopeful prospects (in their eyes) for a big name power hitter.
Yanks would’ve never won World Series in 90s if George hadn’t been suspended. It gave the Yanks time to rebuild and grow their prospects. As soon as George got back he traded for Giambi and got rid of Tino Martinez, ruining the Dynasty.
Giambi was a free agent signing. George did approve the signing but nothing was lost except a draft pick.
Giambi was a free agent signing not a trade.
And I hardly think Giambi is the only reason the dynasty ended.
Steinbrenner was reinstated in 1993.
Tino Martinez was traded to the Yankees following the 1995 season and stayed there through the 2001 season.
Jason Giambi was signed as a FA following Martinez’s departure.
From 2002-2004, Giambi went to the All Star game three times and posted a WAR of 11.8 (inlcuding and injury shortened 2004). Over the same time period, Tino posted WAR of 4.6.
Your memory mistakes you
If the Marlins ever want to return to contention they need a new owner and should trade all there current assets (Yes, including Stanton) for top tier prospects. As the 50s Yanks, 90s Braves, 90s Yanks, 2010s Giants, and 2010s Cubs have shown us, the best and most certain way to build a champion team, is through the farm. By trading a possible wild card team away for a yacht load of prospects, the Marlins could look to be the best team in the National League 6-12 years from now. While that is a while to wait, it’s better than the Cubs. A teams worst nightmare is to stay in the middle. A team that is barely below .500 doesn’t get high draft picks, and only adds another year of service to the players on roster. Marlins should Tank in other words. Tanking with talent will make rebuild quicker. Look at Braves right now.
I bet the Marlins would love to have Brad Hand back right now. Loved him on the Padres this past year.
one of many the Marlins have rushed to the big leagues, used wrong, used all their options, and given away for absolutely nothing
I would like to see the Marlins go after Ivan Nova, as I did before the trade deadline. Doug Fister is another name that could be nice, assuming we also do something else in the rotation, though there are some similar options. I’m really worried about the rumors of the Marlins being interested in Travis Wood as a SP, considering his peripheral numbers, the reported interest in perennial injury Charlie Morton, and even the Edinson Volquez news is a little worrisome, considering his history of command issues and injuries, though the numbers suggest that he had some correctable issues last year, like his strand rate and BABIP, and they did get him for less than I thought it would be for him, so I wont necessarily complain about it. That being said, this makes me think they arent looking to do much else, again.
If they were to do some other stuff to round out their bench, Mike Napoli would be a really good fit, as I said last year, and I still think he can be had relatively cheaply…There are also a few interesting relievers, both lefty and RH. I have an idea of the names I’d like to see the go after, although its somewhat difficult to predict a couple of those guys’ price points at this moment. Koji Uehara, Neftali Feliz, Brad Ziegler are a couple of the RH names I’m interested in, and then though Cecil signed with the Cardinals, there are still a few LH options available. We’re expected to believe they’ll spend $85+ million on a reliever, like Kenley Jansen, on top of giving up their draft pick, with that percentage of the payroll to a reliever?
I would pay attention to Carlos Gomez’ market, in the event of an Ozuna trade. I personally believe that would be a good fit, and shouldnt be too costly in terms of years or dollars, though he did have a nice bounce back with the Rangers at the end of the season, which could influence someone to pay him
I’m also not happy with the report that the Marlins havent reached out to Jeff Mathis yet. Despite what some of you think, I want to see him back here for another season. He gives us an important veteran presence behind the plate, contrasting with JT, but also serving as a mentor for him, and the pitching staff, and then obviously, he is good defensively behind the plate
Chien-Ming Wang had a solid season in the Royals bullpen 6-0, ERA 4.22. The fact that he may be stretched out for multiple innings implies possible spot starts.