2014-2015 Marlins Offseason Rumors

[lou]

Latos and Dunn going to cost $11+ range. Club Controlled guys will be all other spots. Hech will get a higher tender, but it's safe to say, $8 million tops here.

Loria will be $60-65 range, with Dodger/Yankee bucks handling the rest.

Really no excuse to not get Shields for 5/$90, especially with dumping even half of Haren's salary and/or Cishek.

[marlinsfan24]

@jonahkeri Re: James Shields to #Marlins rumor: "Zero percent" chance of that happening, per source close to the situation.

https://twitter.com/jonahkeri/status/556186750880845824

There goes that pipe dream.

[dim]

It was never a realistic possibility. With us paying just over $60 million for the team next year and Shields costing likely $12 million to $15 million next year, he'd take up over nearly 20% of the teams overall payroll. If Haren pitches it'll be Alvarez/Latos/Cosart/Haren/Koehler with Phelps/Crow/Hand on reserve to start the year, and Fernandez/Alvarez/Latos/Cosart/Haren with Koehler/Phelps/Crow/Hand on reserve when JFern is healthy. While Shields makes the rotation really really good potentially, the Marlins already got decent pitching depth on what they view as a discount rate financially. In Loria and the front office's eyes, they got themselves a capable starting rotation and backup options without having the break the bank. Why should they open up their wallets when there's a decent chance the rotation they're going to field to end the year is more than capable of being a top 5 NL rotation?

I think the entire Shields talk within the forums has been overblown. The team doesn't need Shields to compete, and there's a big bust factor with a player his age with the numbers of miles he's put on his arm (8 straight years of 200+ innings looks absolutely great. But at 33 years old giving 5 years for $100 million plus to a 33 year old pitcher with 1700 innings under his belt isn't smart business).

I think the team did a good job this offseason even if it cleared house when it came to the majority of its minor league system. Only big questionable decision was the amount given up to get Dee Gordon, but the rest of the moves have filled what would've been big holes (Prado at 3B, Morse at 1B, and Latos/Haren now rotation guys are solid additions all around). Let Shields make his $120 million with the Tigers where they can withstand the financial cost of Shields potentially succumbing to age and declining or getting injured.

I also believe Alvarez can still post a low 3 ERA, Latos won't get injured, Cosart won't regress tremendously, Haren will benefit from Marlins Park, Koehler will still be a capable #5, and that Phelps/Crow/Hand are respectable alternative options for poor performance or potential injuries. The money for Shields is better used for extensions for key players currently on the team moving forward (Fernandez/Alvarez/Yelich/Ozuna being the key players).

[emkayseven]

It was never a realistic possibility. With us paying just over $60 million for the team next year and Shields costing likely $12 million to $15 million next year, he'd take up over nearly 20% of the teams overall payroll. If Haren pitches it'll be Alvarez/Latos/Cosart/Haren/Koehler with Phelps/Crow/Hand on reserve to start the year, and Fernandez/Alvarez/Latos/Cosart/Haren with Koehler/Phelps/Crow/Hand on reserve when JFern is healthy. While Shields makes the rotation really really good potentially, the Marlins already got decent pitching depth on what they view as a discount rate financially. In Loria and the front office's eyes, they got themselves a capable starting rotation and backup options without having the break the bank. Why should they open up their wallets when there's a decent chance the rotation they're going to field to end the year is more than capable of being a top 5 NL rotation?

I think the entire Shields talk within the forums has been overblown. The team doesn't need Shields to compete, and there's a big bust factor with a player his age with the numbers of miles he's put on his arm (8 straight years of 200+ innings looks absolutely great. But at 33 years old giving 5 years for $100 million plus to a 33 year old pitcher with 1700 innings under his belt isn't smart business).

I think the team did a good job this offseason even if it cleared house when it came to the majority of its minor league system. Only big questionable decision was the amount given up to get Dee Gordon, but the rest of the moves have filled what would've been big holes (Prado at 3B, Morse at 1B, and Latos/Haren now rotation guys are solid additions all around). Let Shields make his $120 million with the Tigers where they can withstand the financial cost of Shields potentially succumbing to age and declining or getting injured.

I also believe Alvarez can still post a low 3 ERA, Latos won't get injured, Cosart won't regress tremendously, Haren will benefit from Marlins Park, Koehler will still be a capable #5, and that Phelps/Crow/Hand are respectable alternative options for poor performance or potential injuries. The money for Shields is better used for extensions for key players currently on the team moving forward (Fernandez/Alvarez/Yelich/Ozuna being the key players).

It's only better used if you buy into the idea that this team can't support a payroll higher than $60 million.

Having a perennial 82-85 game winner doesn't really do anything. At some point you need to go for it and get a piece or pieces that put you over the top.

We're much improved over last year, but we're not a playoff team unless everything breaks our way. And if we aren't a playoff team in a year in which most of our key pieces are club controlled, Stanton is only making $6M, we have Mat Latos who we probably won't resign, and we've decimated our system to acquire these pieces, then when ARE we a playoff team? What's the ETA? If it's 2015, you need to go for it.

[marlinsfan24]

It's only better used if you buy into the idea that this team can't support a payroll higher than $60 million.

Having a perennial 82-85 game winner doesn't really do anything. At some point you need to go for it and get a piece or pieces that put you over the top.

We're much improved over last year, but we're not a playoff team unless everything breaks our way. And if we aren't a playoff team in a year in which most of our key pieces are club controlled, Stanton is only making $6M, we have Mat Latos who we probably won't resign, and we've decimated our system to acquire these pieces, then when ARE we a playoff team? What's the ETA? If it's 2015, you need to go for it.

Amen.

[AdamRavs]

Haren is this yrs Javier Vasquez. Hopefully he doesnt start as shitty as he did. Altho he can certainly finish like him.

[emkayseven]

Jerry Crasnick

The #marlins interest in free agent OF Ichiro Suzuki has begun to intensify, according to MLB sources.

[HUGG]

[lou]

It's only better used if you buy into the idea that this team can't support a payroll higher than $60 million.

Having a perennial 82-85 game winner doesn't really do anything. At some point you need to go for it and get a piece or pieces that put you over the top.

We're much improved over last year, but we're not a playoff team unless everything breaks our way. And if we aren't a playoff team in a year in which most of our key pieces are club controlled, Stanton is only making $6M, we have Mat Latos who we probably won't resign, and we've decimated our system to acquire these pieces, then when ARE we a playoff team? What's the ETA? If it's 2015, you need to go for it.

Absolutely.

I think the Marlins have a nice window to be real good for awhile, but they really need to take advantage of the next 2 years with the Braves tanking until the new park, Phillies in complete disaster, and Mets having a very bad offense right now.

They need to go for it and if that means they have an over priced Shields in the last year or two for a deal, so what. They'll still be bottom half in payroll.
--------------------

https://twitter.com/jonahkeri/status/556186750880845824

There goes that pipe dream.

I think Mark Buerhle had a 0% chance of signing with the Marlins

[lou]

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears the Blue Jays are showing renewed interest in free agent James Shields.
Shields' price has begun to drop slowly as spring training nears, making the Jays more interested. Rosenthal said that interest is purely internal at this point, as the club hasn't engaged Shields' agent in negotiations. The Diamondbacks and Tigers are two other teams possibly in on Shields, whose price could be in the four-year, $70-80 million range at this point, Rosenthal notes.

Not sure anyone can disagree with that amount for this team. If they ditch Haren, and even eat half his money, and Cishek, that's huge to the bottom line of a lets say $75 million contract and will get a good prospect or two with Cishek.

[Bobbob1313]

The payroll limitations remain such bullshit.

[lou]

According to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish, there's a growing sense around the league that Max Scherzer will sign with the Nationals.
The Nats haven't publicly expressed much interest in the prized right-hander and Cotillo notes that no deal appears imminent. He would add to an already loaded Nationals rotation and make them a prime contender for the National League crown.

Rotoworld blurb

Another reason to get ahead of this and sign Shields.

[emkayseven]

Was just coming here to post that

If you're serious about winning, and the Nats sign Scherzer and your move is extending a 2 year offer to Ichiro, there's a problem.

[emkayseven]

RT @AdamKilgoreWP: Per a source, Max Scherzer to the Nats is "very close." Not finished yet.

this team needs shields

[dim]

I think if we can by some miracle get Shields to a 3 year contract, I'd be all in on it. Even if we have to overpay with something like 3 years $80 million I would actually be ok with it (although I'd much rather prefer 3 years $60-65 million with incentives that could make it up to $70-75 million). The biggest reason for this, other than Shields' age, is Stanton's contract. For the next three years, we will be paying Stanton $6.5 million, $9 million, and $14.5 million respectively. After that, the contract becomes $25 million or more for the next ten years.

So for the next three years, our payroll will be stable enough that taking on a Shields contract will NOT impede too much on our future ability to spend. However, in the potential 4th or 5th year of a James Shields deal, not only would you be dealing with a 37 to 38 year old pitcher with at least 2000+ innings of mileage already under his belt, but you're also gonna be using that cap to pay that player $20+ million a year. That payroll would end up being well over $100 million once you factor all the other players we'll also end up having to pay. That's not feasible in the least.

But for years 1-3, we could manage a $70 million to $80 million payroll with Shields on the books for a large amount of money. After that Shields can go his own way, and we can deal with having to find the money to keep Fernandez/Cosart/Alvarez/Yelich/Ozuna/Gordon and others that come along for the foreseeable future.

If to get James Shields will take a 4 or 5 year deal, I'd be very very upset if the Marlins make an offer. It wouldn't be smart and it would hinder the team beyond next season.