cornfield

Jeter and Co. are looking to cut $50-60 million in payroll, yet field a promising young team. Philly is hoping to contend again soon, and has payroll money to burn. Put the two together and everybody wins. Marlins trade 25-man roster plus DL personnel to the Phillies for theirs. Why does it work for Phillies? They get an all-star laden, veteran lineup overnight. Just needs pitching. Sooooo, Miami lets them keep Nola and a couple more arms, making the deal irresistible. Why for Miami. Younger, cheaper roster with upside. It's that simple.

Thoughts on this signing: 1) It will be regretted 2) What is a closer for when you are trotting Volstad, Nolasco, Hand, Sanabia, etc. to the mound? 3) Ceda's minor league numbers suggest he can do as well if not better than Bell. I'd give him the shot. 4) The over/under on blown saves for 2012 for Bell is 7.

I get the sense that they are both serious and smart. There have been 26 $100+ million contracts in baseball history to date. Almost every one of them has been a financial disaster for the team that gave them. If Jose Reyes can get more than $15 million a year from somebody, you have to just let him walk. If Pujols thinks he is worth more than double his last contract, despite the fact that there is no chance he will produce as well, you just have to let him go. Pitchers for big bucks are almost sure to be a nightmare. Better off trading for younger, cheaper arms.

Agree with training Hanley. Send him to Atlanta for Jurrjens and Beachy. Pitching problems solved.

His 300 lbs. are a deal killer for me. Forget it.

I want to trade Hanley too. Gotta get some pitching. If the Marlins sign Reyes, I'd move Hanley for Gonzales and some other young pitching.

When you won't let go of Logan Morrison in a deal for a quality lefty moundsman with a pretty favorable contract, it's time to find a new GM. As a long range answer at first base, I want a lot more power than Morrison or G. Sanchez bring to the plate. Morrison and Dominguez for a surefire producer like Gonzalez would be about the best move the Marlins could make this offseason.

If I'm an owner, I sure don't pay $15 million a season for Buehrle. Not a chance. However, I would trade Hanley Ramirez for a bargain like Gio Gonzales at the drop of a Marlins hat.

Lots of penciling in JJ as the Marlins number one guy next season ... is that reasonable? Or is it more reasonable to assume that his problems will continue and the Marlins are going to need a lot more pitching help? I'd go with the latter. His inability to bounce back last season tells me that his career is precarious at this point. Three quality starters should be the top objective this off-season. Reyes and other offensive players shouldn't even be considered until the pitching is addressed. James Shields in a trade? Sure. Gonzales in another deal, for sure. Buehrle for over $12 million? Not so sure about that. Carlos Zambrano? Pretty sure there is no need for a DH in Miami.

The Pujols talk is just PR. The team is looking to sell season tickets and drum up excitement. Pujols will get like $20 mill a year for five years. At his current age and production level, he's worth half that. Even Reyes is going to want something like six and $90. At his age, it's just not worth it. The Marlins have been fairly smart about payroll matters in the past and shouldn't change that dramatically. Full focus should be on pitching. Gio Gonzales would be a brilliant pickup. I think Jonathan Sanchez would have been a good acquisition ... if the Giants traded him for Melky Cabrera perhaps they would have taken Morrison or Coghlan. Resigning for Vasquez to last year's salary would be great. Beuhrle would probably pitch okay down here. I would definitely be open to trading Gabby or Morrison, Coghlan, Bonafacio, Nolasco, Volstad. I would also trade Buck if someone was willing to pay his $6 mill salary. He was not a good signing.

Send Edwin to AAA

Team had batting coach's back too ... and he gone. Edwin is lousy decision-maker ... he gone.

1) Volstad pitching opponent is normally bottom of the rotation for the other team .. meaning Marlins score lots of runs. 2)Volstad has been lucky. I see absolutely no good reason why the Marlins should ever put him on the mound again. There are better options in the system. Not great, but better.

The big time beneficiaries amidst the weak Marlins lineup are Hanley and Gaby, hitting in front of and behind Stanton.

With Nolasco struggling and Volstad very unimpressive, the pitching looks like the biggest problem to me. I like Johnson on top and Sanchez seems to have settled into consistent form, but other than that there are serious questions in the starting rotation.

I'll willingly go out on a limb and say there is absolutely no way Dominguez starts the season with the Marlins. He needs another year in the minors because he just can't hit.

Who would have guessed that Villanueva and Hill would be in the starting rotation to begin the season ... and not out of necessity but because they were the best options.

I am on board with Chris Davis. Marlins need a power bat and another lefthanded presence in the lineup. I don't know what the Marlins could offer for him however.

Is there a possibility this guy makes the roster? Barring any drastic injuries, not really. He's good depth at AAA and is a front line backup plan throughout the season. If he can get people out, he ought to be in the starting rotation. Looks like there will be room there for any pitcher who can retire batters.

By weak sticks, I am referring to a lack of power. And while Dominguez has a flashy glove, he is still making lots of errors. Over the course of a season, Sanchez could easily produce 40 or more rbi's at the plate than Dominguez IMO. To each his own.

I thought Gaby Sanchez was a third baseman. Even with mediocre skills at the position, I would put him at third and Morrison at first. The added offense Sanchez would provide at third base means more to me than any defense that Dominguez or Bonafacio or whoever could provide. Some production at third is especially important with all the weak sticks in the Marlins lineup this season like Infante, Coghlan and Morrison. Moving Morrison to first would also open up left field for a good bat ... if the Marlins could find one.

Sanchez actually had a slightly better season at the plate than Upton. He earns a fraction of Upton's salary.

If they each earned $400K a year, you could make a case for trading Stanton for Greinke. Even then, you'd have to think about it a little.

Take a look at what Edgar was doing at Sanchez' age. Nada mucho. He didn't start hitting until he was 29. I'm just reporting that I'm picking up on some similarities and I think Gaby is going to have a whale of a career. It's a little short-sighted to discount Sanchez potential for matching Edgar when he's already off to a much better start. Their approach at the plate is similar.

I don't much like hearing Sanchez' name come up in trade speculation for Upton or anyone else. He reminds me so much of Edgar Martinez, who was a late-blooming super star at clean up for the Mariners. Martinez didn't start producing until his late twenties and Sanchez is way ahead of schedule. I'm looking for a solid season for Sanchez ... somewhere in the range of 25 HR, .300 average, and 100+ rbi. The Hanley, Sanchez, Stanton foundation in the middle of the batting order is the Marlins strength. A lineup of Coghlan, Morrison, Hanley, Sanchez, Stanton at the top of the order is what the Marlins should be all about in 2011. If you are going to move any of those guys, it should be Morrison in favor of better defense in left field. However, I wouldn't give up on the idea of Morrison growing into that left field spot. Sanchez is going to be a big name in Marlins' history .... count on it.