July 29, 200323 yr Read first paragraph... :o Team cautious as trade deadline nears By Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 29, 2003 The Marlins have talked to the St. Louis Cardinals about a deal that would bring left fielder J.D. Drew and second baseman Bo Hart to Florida for All-Star second baseman Luis Castillo and a starting pitcher. But the deal, first discussed last winter and revived last week, likely won't happen because the Marlins don't want to part with any of their starting pitchers with the team so close to first place in the wild-card race. The non-waiver trading deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday, and an upgrade in left field remains Florida's biggest need. But team officials say they are happy with the roster and won't make a deal unless it's a significant upgrade. The continued improvement of rookie left fielder Miguel Cabrera also could factor into any deals. Cabrera hit a home run Monday to extend his hitting streak to six games. He went into Monday hitting.389 in his past 10 games. Any addition would have to be a veteran player, preferably with post-season experience. The Marlins have talked to the Yankees about a deal that would include Raul Mondesi coming to Florida for minor-league right-hander Vladimir Nunez. Another discussion involved Padres outfielder Rondell White coming to Florida, but the Marlins are reluctant to part with San Diego's top wish -- catcher Ramon Castro. Pudge Rodriguez isn't expected to return when his one-year contract expires after the season, so the Marlins want Castro and Mike Redmond behind the plate in 2004. Mondesi and White both fit Florida's needs for a run-producing outfielder. Mondesi, who recently complained to management about a lack of playing time in right field, is hitting.259 with 16 home runs and 54 RBI. He is in the final year of a contract that pays him $13 million, all but $7 million of which is being picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays. White, 31, is owed about $1.9 million and can be a free agent at season's end. He is hitting.277 with 16 homers and 54 RBI. Florida also has expressed an interest in Pittsburgh's Reggie Sanders, 35, who is signed to a one-year deal worth $1 million. Sanders is batting.256 with 18 home runs and 45 RBI in 293 at-bats for the cash-strapped Pirates. Don't fret future, just enjoy the now By Greg Stoda, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Tuesday, July 29, 2003 It seems a strange method of running a business, and it's a lot to ask of Florida Marlins fans who -- quite justifiably -- are hesitant to put their faith and/or trust in franchise management. But if it's good enough for Jeffrey Loria (and it is, after all, his money as team owner), then maybe the best thing anyone who cares about the Marlins can do is follow his lead. That would mean, in simplest terms, giving themselves over to the joys of the now without regard to worries about the future. In other words, live for the very good baseball the Marlins are playing these days and try not to think about all the bad things that could -- and probably will -- happen to them when the music stops. "I could be sitting in my yacht in the south of France, but that's not where I want to be," Loria said Monday night in the Florida clubhouse after the Marlins' 3-2 victory against Arizona. Loria was where he was, which can't possibly be anything at all like the south of France, because, he said, he cares "about the long-term survival and continuity of baseball in South Florida." Again, though, it sounds incongruous for anyone to insist the best way to secure the future of something is to not worry about it. But, hey, Loria's the guy with the loot and the art collection. And, suddenly, he's the guy with a baseball team one game off the wild-card lead in the race for a spot in the National League playoffs. The reason Loria and Marlins President David Samson don't want fans thinking too much about what next season might hold is because they know that's when priorities change. There are too many important players with too many contractual issues coming up for that not to be the case... especially with stadium considerations hanging in the balance. Don't think so? Samson on Marlins catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who is playing on a one-year, $10 million contract: "I am much more concerned about tomorrow than the off-season. It was a mutual agreement to come in here for this year." Loria on a roster stocked with arbitration-eligible players: "I'm tunnel-visioned about this year and nothing else. We're having too much fun to think about anything that might be a negative." It was, you might recall, something Loria referred to as an outlay of "special money" that allowed him to sign Rodriguez. The best guess about any "special money" that's going to be spent next is that it will go toward construction of a stadium in downtown Miami. The counter-cost, of course, would be the impact on the Florida roster. It's almost as though management is hoping this year's team will buy enough goodwill to offset future disappointments on the field if the Marlins do decide to get a stadium built. What, for example, would it mean the Marlins might have to say to Rodriguez and Mike Lowell and Luis Castillo and some others who have pushed Florida into the playoff race? "Good job, thank you," Samson said. "We have now secured the future of the franchise forever." The Marlins deserve much credit for how management has made so many pieces fit in a season that could have been a disaster from the early time when star pitchers A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett were out with injuries. Burnett never won a game, and is done for this season and maybe next. Beckett is 5-4. Florida, though, has cut-and-pasted its way to 57-49 and a place in the National League playoff race. Loria's suggestion is to enjoy it while it lasts.
July 29, 200323 yr Drew would be a great fit here, and would give us a pleasant dilemma - what to do with Encarnacion and Cabrera? Obviously, keep Cab and trade Encarnacion - if you want to keep Drew (and I think we would). I would make that deal if we werent in playoff contention, but I also think Castillo and one of our starting pitchers is a lot for just Drew and Hart. Drew seems to be a hot rumor right now...Sun-Sentinel mentioned him in a 3 way deal with Pittsburgh, us, and St. Louis. Suppan to Cards, Drew to us, and we deal prospects to Pirates.
July 29, 200323 yr Drew would be a great fit here, and would give us a pleasant dilemma - what to do with Encarnacion and Cabrera? Obviously, keep Cab and trade Encarnacion - if you want to keep Drew (and I think we would). you sure you'd keep drew over encarnacion jonnylons? Enc and Drew would make about the same next year in arby... drew might give you more offense in a full season but not that much. plus encarnacion's going to be on the field every game. who knows with Drew..
July 29, 200323 yr what they currently make(both are arb eligible) JD Drew: $3.7mil Juan Encarnacion: $3.45mil pretty even HC
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