After tiring of this week's depressing events, I decided to pretend we'll actually have a team next year and found myself browsing online a list of type A/type B free agents:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/columnists/askba.html

 

It got me thinking. Juan Enc. and Gonzalez are Type B FAs

 

Jones and AJ are Type A FAs.

 

We already knew that we were going to give AJ his walking papers. But after acquiring HanRam and the past week's events, obviously we're going to let Juan and Alex walk too. Nevertheless, do we even risk offering them abitration now (considering our desire to have a minimal payroll)?? Apparently, we might get a first round pick for both of them.

 

The Jones situation seems very tricky. He's likely going to be out of our price range, but do we risk offering him arbitration either (considering that he could get quite a bit after the season he just had)? If he indeed is a type A FA, we could get a 1st rounder PLUS a sandwich pick.

 

After all is said and done, we could end up with 5 first round picks (counting our own), and 2 sandwich selections after the departure of AJ, Juan, Alex, and Jones. Of course that would require all these FAs to go to teams in the bottom half of the draft (and to a team that does not sign a higher ranked Type A or Type B FA - which seems nearly impossible).

 

After both last year's draft and this ensuing firesale...we could have QUITE the farm system after next year's draft.

I wouldnt offer any of them arbitration, maybe Jones, but he would probably command 4+ million for the year. ENC and Gonzalez wont be bacl next year.

I don't see any reason not to offer arbitration to AJ and Jones. Jones accepting could be a good thing and we know AJ won't. I would be surprised to see us offering arby to Gonzalez or Encarnacion if we don't want to take a chance on them coming back. Having Gonzalez back for 1 year while HanRam matures could be a good thing....but yet I'm not controlling the purse strings.

No way that ENC and Seabass get arbitration with HanRam and Hermida on deck.

ok, this is nonsense. OBVIOUSLY the team does NOT want to spend money on veteran talent. not to mention they just got a major league ready SS in Hanley. So WHY would you post something like this?

 

It doesn't matter what you would "like" to see (we'd all like to see beckett, delgado, lowell and the whole 05 roster plus some new bullpen help on the field next year). We should focus on what the Marlins WILL do. And I can garuntee you, signing new contracts for vets is NOT one of them. Kill the pipe dreams buddy.

No way that ENC and Seabass get arbitration with HanRam and Hermida on deck.

 

 

Yes they do. Encarnacion probably will reject and we'll get decent picks out of him.

The real question is Conine. He's a Type A, I'd love to get 2 first round picks for him.

The real question is Conine. He's a Type A, I'd love to get 2 first round picks for him.

 

I love Niner but come on, 2 first rounders for him?

 

*drools*

They are less than likely to resign, because all will get good offers from contenders and we are rebuilding. Offer em arbitration and get the picks.

Even were they to accept whats to stop us trading them on for more prospects/talent? What they will likely make in arbitration we might see as expensive other teams not so, would offer arby to all type A, maybe to Agon but Enc could get quite a bit, and no one would want his salary.

I think Niner is getting ready to retire.

IMO it would be best to at least offer and get some compensation for them.

We can hope that they're signed before the deadline for offering arbitration (really, Encarnacion and Jones are the only ones this applies to).

 

Otherwise, offer they type-A's arbitration, AJ isn't coming back, and given what's gone on, Jones would be nuts to come back...have to get those first round picks; I mean, we need to use those picks to get more young pitchers in our organization .

ok, this is nonsense. OBVIOUSLY the team does NOT want to spend money on veteran talent. not to mention they just got a major league ready SS in Hanley. So WHY would you post something like this?

 

It doesn't matter what you would "like" to see (we'd all like to see beckett, delgado, lowell and the whole 05 roster plus some new bullpen help on the field next year). We should focus on what the Marlins WILL do. And I can garuntee you, signing new contracts for vets is NOT one of them. Kill the pipe dreams buddy.

 

Obviously you missed the whole point of the post. All of these players are CLEARLY not in our plans now. The question is: Do we RISK offering arbitration to them so we can get draft picks when they sign with other clubs?? Usually, you only offer arbitration to players you want on your team. But, AJ is 100% signing somewhere else, so it doesn't hurt to offer him arbitration - there's no way he takes it.

 

But, offering Alex, Enc, and Jones arbitration is risky - because there is a small chance they could take it - and we'd be saddled with their new arbitration contracts. Although, it seems like Alex will be offered a multi-year deal by somebody, so offering him arbitration is the least risky.

 

I guess we could always trade them away if they accept arbitration, but do we want to take that chance?