General FA: Beinfest Says Rotation Set

[Metes]

Buttrape

[MiamiHomer]

JCRMarlinsbeat Juan C. Rodriguez
Heard Brewers made inquires about him when teams met at season's end RT @DKnobler Brewers could try for Gaby Sanchez if Marlins move him.

...

[Ralph]

Cool. Even if Pujols doesn't come this team is better off with lomo at 1b.

[Big Z]

At least seven teams have expressed interest in free agent right-hander Francisco Cordero, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Cordero's agent Bean Stringfellow told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon as much yesterday, but Morosi also names many of the clubs who have interest in Cordero: the Red Sox, Reds, Blue Jays, Marlins, Dodgers, Angels, and Mets.

MLBTR (Twitter)

[emkayseven]

no plz

[lou]

I see no point in looking at Cordero when you can get give Leo/Oviedo $6 mil on a 1 year

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

@joecapMARLINS: #Marlins want Greg Dobbs to return next year. Made him an offer before the 2011 season ended

/Twitter

[dim]

^^^

I approve of this.

A bench opening with Bonifacio, Coghlan, and Dobbs sounds nice (assuming we sign a CFer and don't stay in house)

[Swifty]

I think Bonifacio kind of has to play next year. If his 2011 is repeatable, that's a very useful player to have around.

I'm all for the super-sub idea to get him 400ish AB's, but the positions he can play figure to have guys who really don't need days off all that frequently.

[Jay]

I'm all for the super-sub idea to get him 400ish AB's, but the positions he can play figure to have guys who really don't need days off all that frequently.

I think the organization feels comfortable with him playing in 6 positions. I think that gives everyone a day off each week.

[MiamiHomer]

This covers multiple things being talked about so I'll post it here but feel free to take the discussion to the more specific thread.

The Marlins met today with Jeff Berry, the agent for pitcher Mark Buehrle, who visted the team’s new ballpark last week during a visit to Miami.

Buehrle hasn’t made a decision yet, but there’s a sense of optimism by some people on the Marlins that they’ll sign him.

Although Buehrle might prefer to stay close to his home in the Midwest, he also likes playing for manager Ozzie Guillen.

Another attractor could be the new ballpark, which Marlins baseball operations president Larry Beinfest believes could be more of a pitchers’ park than spacious Sun Life Stadium.

“We’ll see how it plays,” he said. “We don’t know how it’s going to play with the roof closed, roof open…”

“We would like this to be a little bit more of pitchers’ park but we’ll just have to wait and see.
The dimensions are generous. Center field on other side of the home run feature is 422 (feet). So, there are some large parts of the park. We want it to be fair and I think it will be.”

The Marlins also have interest in Oakland’s Gio Gonzalez.

Beinfest wouldn’t discuss specific free agents, but he did repeat what he has said all off-season, that the team wants to upgrade its pitching staff.

That plan might not include Chris Volstad, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2005, who went 5-13 in 2011.

“We were all disappointed a little bit in Chris’ year. He was disappointed as well but there’s still a lot of upside,” Beinfest said.

Volstad is “6-(ft.)-8. repeats his delivery, he’s 25 years old. There’s a lot of good things happening for him,” Beinfest said.

The Marlins have not had any recent talks with pitcher Javier Vazquez…

What to do with shortstop Hanley Ramirez is a question the Marlins will have to answer if they sign Jose Reyes. I have read speculation that one option could be to trade Ramirez, but I don’t see that, especially after listening to Beinfest talk about him tonight.

Beinfest said he has spoken with Ramirez about where he might play if Reyes is signed.

“We’ll keep that between Hanley and us,” Beinfest said. “Hanley wants to win and he is working hard to get his shoulder 100 percent so he can be ready to go on April 4. We think he is going to be ready.

“He is a big part of our team. If we can get him and (Josh) Johnson back, and we expect to have them both back opening day, that puts a big dent into improving the team.”

Beinfest was also asked about Reyes.

“He’s just a dynamic player. We have seen him a lot in our division. The speed tool, the fielding, the enthusiasm. He plays with a lot of joy on the baseball field. He’s a game-changer in a lot of ways because of the tools he brings. He’s a good player. He’s a tough guy to play against.”

Marlins meet with pitcher Mark Buehrle’s agent; more on Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes

[Big Z]

With the Padres growing less optimistic about retaining their All-Star closer, Heath Bell spoke to Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune about where he may pitch in 2012.

My agents have told me numerous other teams are interested with most of those on the East Coast,” said Bell. "I told my guys that if there is any shot for San Diego, hold onto it. But I haven’t really heard anything from the Padres since they changed general managers. Right now, I have no idea what to expect.... But I think there’s going to be a three-year deal out there from someone. And that's what I’d like to have. I’d rather stay on the West Coast. But I still have a home in Florida."

Bell's representatives at ACES negotiated Jonathan Papelbon's deal with the Phillies and have a reputation for working quickly to get their clients signed. Bell indicated that he'd like to have a clearer idea about his future before he leaves for a vacation to Fiji on Thursday, and even suggested that he could end up on Papelbon's old club: "I’ve heard Boston might have interest in me. I could go play with Adrian [Gonzalez] again. I could do that."

During the season, Bell said that he'd accept an arbitration offer from the Padres, but he's less certain about that decision now.

"I have to weigh all my options," said Bell. "I don’t know what I’m going to do. But it seems like there are going to be some very good options soon. And after everything that has happened with the Padres, I don’t know what is going on."

MLBTR

[HUGG]

[Swifty]

Here are the nuggets so far from Stark:

Marlins MET with Reyes at 12:01 and his agent, not just called.

Sense is that Pujols' money is there b/c of ability to front-load deal.

Has not independently corroborated 6/$90 offer to Reyes but has no reason to doubt it.

Marlins believe they can get Reyes, Cespedes and a pitcher. (this thought was worded awkwardly, don't know if he meant it to mean 'confident they'll do this' or that they have the budget to do it, I assume the latter).

[Omar]

I actually think it's the former. Having the budget for Reyes/Cespedes/pitcher is a no brainier if the report of having budget space for Pujols/Reyes/Buehrle/Cespedes is accurate.