Stark: Marlins Could Be Big Players This Off-Season UPDATE: All Big Names In Play

[Ramp]

Kinsler is in the mix too

[Metes]

Youkilis is awesome despite his extreme ugliness and stupid batting stance

He hasn't posted a full-season OPS under .800 as a big leaguer

[Big Z]

Major League Baseball and the Players' Association announced earlier this evening that the start of the free agency period will be delayed by 24 hours, and will officially begin at 12:01am ET on Sunday, October 30th. All team/player/mutual option decisions are due by 11:59pm ET on Monday, October 31st. Free agents will be able to sign contracts with new teams starting at 12:01am ET on Thursday, November 3rd. The MLBPA will release a full list of free agents on Sunday, but here is our Free Agent Tracker so you don't have to wait.

-MLBTR

Here we go!

[HUGG]

Pujols' deal with the Cardinals should be announced by November 2 or so

[jOOj]

He'll make $1 more than A-Roid and everyone is happy.

[Big Z]

MIAMI -- Get ready for a new era of Marlins baseball.

On Nov. 11, the organization officially changes to the Miami Marlins in anticipation of moving into its 37,000-seat, retractable-roof ballpark.

There will be a new logo, new uniforms and a new way the franchise conducts business. For the first time in team history, the Marlins will be more on an even playing field with the majority of the league when it comes to payroll.

The days of frugal spending are over, and the team now anticipates going on the biggest free-agent shopping spree in franchise history. The 2005 Marlins had a $60 million payroll, and the 2012 figure could approach $90 million.

In years past, sharing Sun Life Stadium with the Miami Dolphins, the dollars simply weren't there to make a big splash for elite free agents. Now, the club is plotting how to approach the top two names on the market -- Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.

If those two are not attainable, the team will be considering proven free agents like C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle, Ryan Madson, Aramis Ramirez and perhaps Jose Reyes.

On the trade front, James Shields could draw interest.

Moving into their own ballpark represents a new beginning. But management knows the best way to generate fan interest is to provide a winner. The sense of urgency increased after a disappointing 72-90 finish.

Eager to turn the page, the team began looking ahead to next year before the final out was made in its 2011 season. In late September, the Marlins signed second baseman Omar Infante to a two-year, $8 million extension, and they hired a high-profile manager in Ozzie Guillen.

The team will have to make some tough personnel decisions. Already on the books for 2012 is $49.25 million locked up in six players -- Hanley Ramirez ($15 million), Josh Johnson ($13.75 million), Ricky Nolasco ($9 million), John Buck ($6 million), Infante ($4 million) and Randy Choate ($1.5 million).

"I have a lot of confidence in this organization," Guillen said. "In the past, this has been a very smart organization. They know what they're doing."

Contract issues:

Free agents: INF Greg Dobbs, INF Jose Lopez, RHP Javier Vazquez.

Eligible for arbitration: RHP Burke Badenhop, C John Baker, 3B/CF Emilio Bonifacio, RHP Clay Hensley, RHP Edward Mujica, INF Donnie Murphy, RHP Juan Carlos Oviedo (formerly Leo Nunez), RHP Anibal Sanchez, RHP Chris Volstad.

Mutual options: None.

Non-tender possibilities: Baker, Badenhop, Murphy, Hensley, Oviedo.

Areas of need:

Starting pitching: Johnson's shoulder injury had a crippling impact on the entire staff. The starters had a combined 4.23 ERA, which was the 12th highest in the National League. Bolstering the rotation will be a primary objective, and the team will look to add a veteran left-hander. The rotation also could be without Vazquez, who made $7 million this past season, but he may be leaning towards retirement.

Third base: Top prospect Matt Dominguez gained some big league experience as a September callup. The question will be if he is ready to win the starting job in Spring Training. In case the 22-year-old needs more seasoning, the Marlins will likely explore the market for veteran experience. Another possibility is Bonifacio.

Closer: Oviedo remains on the restricted list as he deals with identity issues (he's played his entire big league career under an assumed name). The right-hander also is lined up to make about $6 million in arbitration, and the Marlins must decide if they are better off retaining him or pursuing other options on the market.

Center field: Chris Coghlan endured an injury-plagued 2011, and center field became a patchwork position for most of the season. Mike Cameron was brought in, but he was eventually released. Bryan Petersen did a solid job when given a shot, and Bonifacio may find himself in the mix, depending how third base shapes up.

2012 Payroll: The club doesn't officially announce its figure, but with the new revenue streams provided by the new ballpark, payroll promises to jump significantly. It was about $58 million in 2011, and projections for 2012 are in the $85 million range. The total could exceed $90 million if the team signs a big-ticket free agent like Pujols or Fielder.

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/...s_fla&c_id=fla

[lou]

Non-tender possibilities: Baker, Badenhop, Murphy, Hensley, Oviedo, Volstad.

Fixed

[Big Z]

Tony La Russa is retiring. #stlcards

BJ Rains twitter.

Impact on Pujols decision?

[MiamiHomer]

Javier Vazquez has repeatedly indicated that he plans to retire despite being a free agent coming off a very good season, but Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post reports that the Marlins may try to talk the 35-year-old right-hander into pitching at least one more season.

Capozzi writes that playing close to his home in Puerto Rico and playing for a contender are the two factors that could change Vazquez’s mind about calling it quits, and of course he also speculates that the Marlins would have to offer Vazquez a raise on his $7 million salary.

For now the Marlins have exclusive negotiating rights with Vazquez, but that ends Thursday. He had a terrible 2010 season for the Yankees, but surrounded that with an excellent 2009 for the Braves and a strong 2011 for the Marlins, tossing 193 innings with a 3.69 ERA and 162/50 K/BB ratio. Turning down another $10 million might be tough, but then again Vazquez has already earned $100 million during his 14-season career.

Marlins trying to talk Javier Vazquez out of retirement

[Omar]

If he wants to go for family reasons, just let him retire. Not sure how a pitcher whose head isn't in the game is going to be performing regardless.

[MiamiHomer]

I posted this in the MLB off-season thread but I'll say it here as well. Grady Sizemore's option was declined by Cleveland so he's going to be a free agent. Could be one of those people looking for a one year deal to prove they're healthy.

[Big Z]

Give him an Incentive laden deal. Sizemore has very high upside. You can trade LoMo and put Cogz in LF. They are super injury prone, which scares me, but I think they'll do fine.

I'm expecting Washington to go after him and offer him a shitload of money, because they're stupid like that.

[Ralph]

Why not? They got money to blow.

[MiamiHomer]

They gon throw it all at Prince Fielder.

[Miamarlin21]

I'd be happy with Sizemore.