rgkeller

But Coghlan has not shown any ability to play 2B at the major league level. Solano won't be the worst player to start for the Marlins this year.

The best solution for everyone - Loria, the players and the fans is for the Marlins to be sold to the Clevelander.

Fernandez is Cuban. All Cubans want to play for the Marlins because of the strong support the Miami area Cuban community gives the team.

http://deadspin.com/5619235/florida-marlins-financial-documents/gallery/1

The financial illiterati are once again out in force in every thread. Idiots who think that revenue sharing and TV deals covers costs don't have the first clue. The Marlins' general overhead "before you sell a ticket" is in the neighborhood of 90 million. Add player payroll to that. 130+ million is what it will take to run this outfit, or any other MLB outfit, in '13. For the Marlins, that number was about 190 million last year. They lost, according to the Marlins, 40 mill last year. I estimated a little less than that, but I'll take their word for it. Which fully explains the drastic changes and trades. Doesn't matter whether the loss is 20 or 30 or 40 million. Major losses require major action to change what is going on. It may be time for a thread about the actual costs of running a MLB franchise to disabuse the morons of their various delusional financial fantasies -- something that they never seem to tire of propagating. ok, lets go. put together a rough overview of the 90 million in overhead. in 2009 Marlins' expenses other than MLB salaries was south of $50m.

If the Marlins "overhead" is $90M, then Loria and Samson must be making twenty million each in salaries.

Loria will trade Stanton when he has to pay him. Doesn't have to pay him this year. In the offseason, Marlins will have a better idea which "prospects" are working out and which are not. Marlins will have plenty of room to pay Stanton his $10M in 2014 or make the trade before next season begins. They might have to take a big salary like Stanton's in 2014 to make the union happy. Loria doesn't care about saving money by locking up Stanton long term because Loria has no intention of signing Stanton to a long term deal. And Stanton probably wouldn't sign anyway.

There is no red ink when he does this. He makes bundles. Drop payroll, lower attendance, higher profits. He does not care otherwise and if his blind squirrel finds a nut, ok, then he takes the credit. Loria will not be able to get away with keeping payroll much below $60 million in future years. Union and other owners simply will not permit it. Loria can make millions from the Marlins but no longer tens of millions. And, at this point, it really doesn't matter whether Loria is a good or a bad owner. The Marlin's history and his reputation among fans, local press and national press - deserved or undeserved - precludes his regime from achieving the revenue increases that the franchise requires to be competitive. The Marlins are not and will not be a self sustaining franchise under Jeffrey Loria. They continue to exist only because of the largesse of other franchises. They are not essential to the operation of the League. They are not important to South Florida. That could change but not with Loria as owner.

What fan base there is in Miami will never support the team through actual attendance so long as Loria owns the Marlins. When and if Loria's ego is overcome by red ink, he will sell the team. If that instance never arrives, fans and prospective fans will have to wait the overweight seventy three year old's departure from this mortal coil.

Rich teams can wait until talent proves itself at the Major League level and fill the roster with free agents. The rest must rely on baseball acumen. The Rays are the primo example of a well run, financially challenged team. The Marlins are the primo example of a poorly run, financially challenged team - but one in much better financial shape than the Rays ever will be. The Marlins' problem is management of the on the field operations. Baseball management exhibits poor judgment of talent, lousy hiring decisions of coaching to develop talent and a tolerance for shoddy physical training and medical practices. The poor baseball operations management problem is exacerbated by the interference in those operations by ownership and his step son. Loria cannot lead the Marlins to consistent excellence. He lacks the skills. And what skills he has are overcome by his ego.

The Marlins are among the most interesting teams in baseball so long as the fan does not get too hung up on wins.

It is a shame that Musial died. He had a good chance to make Opening Day roster.

Stanton will be close to Howard offensively and way ahead defensively. Mid 40s in HRs this year and Stanton will get his $10M in 2014.

Pitching will be the key and the new Marlins are sorely lacking in 2013. Hopefully the usefull experience needed to improve a very young staff will accompany the coming pain.

Ugggh, I was referring to best power, but whatever. I'm done with you. If you've been watching baseball for 6 decades, you should be at least 60. Grow the f*** up. BTW, StatBoy, in August of the year you cite for ARod , he was ...... twenty one.

Most power. Not the best. BTW, I have only one account here. With my winning personality, I need only one. In how many fantasy leagues do you participate?

And we get to watch him in a Marlins uniform for four more years. I'm sure it'll be much longer than 4 more years..... Well, in 2014 Stanton will get $10M or so in Arbitration and will be ready to get $15 in 2015 and $20M in 2016 and he is a California boy and Loria won't want to let him go for nothing as a free agent - not to mention that Loria doesn't like to pay full value for a player anyway. But four years is a long time and it will be a wonderful time to be a Marlins fan.

Well, stat boy, Giancarlo has 14 hr in 196 ABs. BTW, ARod turned 21 in the year you cite.

Stanton has more power than any 20 year old I have ever seen in the six decades I have been an avid baseball fan. Power to all fields. The only one close was ARod, but he wasn't real close. Giancarlo is the next great power hitter. A-Rod had 36 HR and 54 2B as a 20-year-old. That's still better than Stanton. Giancarlo isn't going to get a full season at age 20. I am talking raw power not stats. Fantasy baseball has ruined so many fans.

And we get to watch him in a Marlins uniform for four more years.

Stanton has more power than any 20 year old I have ever seen in the six decades I have been an avid baseball fan. Power to all fields. The only one close was ARod, but he wasn't real close. Giancarlo is the next great power hitter.

Stanton has officially surpassed Hanley as the franchise player. I too will be buying a Stanton jersey before anything else. I have to say Stanton is the most exciting rookie to ever wear a Marlins uniform, even moreso than Dontrelle and he is just getting better! It will be interesting to see how Hanley handles being number two. Work harder or sulk?

Another thing I love about Giancarlo is that he doesn't get emotional on the field. You rarely see him get mad or frustrated even when he was struggling and he cracks a smile every here and there which is good as he seems to be laid back, down to earth and won't be a problem in the locker room. He hit two bombs in one night and didn't even crack a smile on either one, he seemed a bit more how should I say this, in disbelief that he didn't hit the ball harder or farther. I LOVE HIM! His comment last night was, "I can't count on these streaks." I am in love

Seriously, who wouldn't be thrilled if they signed him to 8 year/$55 million tomorrow? Mike's agent

Lamb is hitting about 350 playing 3B in AAA. So.... That's even better than Hector Luna did.