JUPITER -- The media waited all week for Giancarlo Stanton to talk about his feelings in the wake of the Marlins' offseason moves, which angered him initially. Given Stanton's mostly muted reponses to almost every question, let's put it this way: I would have much rather been up in Dunedin this morning listening to Jose Reyes.
Reyes, speaking to the media for the first time at spring training, said Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria encouraged him to buy a home in Miami just days before he was traded to Toronto. Asked what he'd advise any future free agents who might be interested in playing for the Marlins, Reyes replied: "I don't have to tell them nothing. They can see what happened."
Reyes also told reporters he felt sorry for Stanton.
Reyes, who signed a 6-year deal with the Marlins and was traded after only one season, said he was surprised when he learned he had been traded.
"I was shocked because Jeffrey Loria, he always told me he's never going to trade me," Reyes said. "He always called my agent and said, 'Tell Jose to get a good place here to live,' and stuff like that."
Reyes said he had dinner with Loria only a few days before the trade and, even then, 'he was still talking about 'get a nice house in Miami.' That was kind of crazy I mean, how can you want me to spend some money in Miami when I have my house in New York, and you're going to trade me in two days?"
Future free agents won't be receiving any ringing endorsements from Reyes about the Marlins.
"I signed there for like six years," he said. "I played there for one year. So I don't have to explain anything. But I feel sorry for the fan base there in Miami because they had a great fan base there. To let them down like that, I mean, that's going to be tough for them."
As for Stanton, Reyes said, "I feel sorry for him."
Informed of that comment, Stanton said Friday in his "State of the Stanton" address that nobody should feel sorry for him.
"What is there to feel sorry for me about?," he said. "I'm in the big leagues. I play a game for a living."
Reyes, speaking to the media for the first time at spring training, said Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria encouraged him to buy a home in Miami just days before he was traded to Toronto. Asked what he'd advise any future free agents who might be interested in playing for the Marlins, Reyes replied: "I don't have to tell them nothing. They can see what happened."
Reyes also told reporters he felt sorry for Stanton.
Reyes, who signed a 6-year deal with the Marlins and was traded after only one season, said he was surprised when he learned he had been traded.
"I was shocked because Jeffrey Loria, he always told me he's never going to trade me," Reyes said. "He always called my agent and said, 'Tell Jose to get a good place here to live,' and stuff like that."
Reyes said he had dinner with Loria only a few days before the trade and, even then, 'he was still talking about 'get a nice house in Miami.' That was kind of crazy I mean, how can you want me to spend some money in Miami when I have my house in New York, and you're going to trade me in two days?"
Future free agents won't be receiving any ringing endorsements from Reyes about the Marlins.
"I signed there for like six years," he said. "I played there for one year. So I don't have to explain anything. But I feel sorry for the fan base there in Miami because they had a great fan base there. To let them down like that, I mean, that's going to be tough for them."
As for Stanton, Reyes said, "I feel sorry for him."
Informed of that comment, Stanton said Friday in his "State of the Stanton" address that nobody should feel sorry for him.
"What is there to feel sorry for me about?," he said. "I'm in the big leagues. I play a game for a living."
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