March 30, 200620 yr McGrew to the DL & Wilson to the minors are the final moves... :thumbup Roster almost ready Five dropped Wednesday; two more on their way out By Juan C. Rodriguez South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted March 30 2006 JUPITER ? New suitcases lined the corridor and clubhouse at the Marlins' spring training complex. Wednesday, it was all but determined which players would be packing them. The Marlins are down to 27 players in camp after sending out five. After making two more minor moves, the Marlins will be left with the 12 pitchers and 13 position players with whom they will open the season April 3 at Houston. Pinch-hitter Lenny Harris and right-hander Kerry Ligtenberg requested and were granted their release after being informed they did not make the club. Outfielders Matt Cepicky and Mike Kinkade were reassigned to minor-league camp, and left-hander Scott Olsen was temporarily optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. Manager Joe Girardi told Olsen he would be back in time to start April 15, the first day the team will need a fifth starter. Once here, Olsen will settle into the rotation that features Dontrelle Willis, Sergio Mitre, Brian Moehler and Jason Vargas. Veteran reliever Matt Herges, a non-roster invitee, made the club and will be added to the 40-man roster, which stands at 40 again. To reach the 25-man roster limit, the Marlins will reassign catcher Tom Wilson, also a non-roster invitee, to minor-league camp. Rule 5 left-hander Michael Megrew likely is bound for the disabled list. "We have the 25 people we're taking, but we probably won't announce it until we leave, just in case something comes up," said Girardi, who could have as many as five rookies in his Opening Day lineup. "I started counting them in my head. There's a lot, yes." With Harris (41 years old) and Ligtenberg (34) no longer in the mix, the average age of the 25-man roster is at 26.0 years. That number will dip even lower when Olsen, 22, is added. Harris and Ligtenberg also would have made a combined $1.05 million. Their projected roster spots were filled by minimum salary players. Including Megrew, the Marlins have 17 players making the $327,000 league minimum. Veteran Joe Borowski is one of them, but his deal could reach $1 million with easily reachable incentives. All totaled, the Marlins' on-field payroll is right around $15 million. They also owe Pudge Rodriguez, Carlos Delgado and Al Leiter a combined $3.25 million. That outlay does not include a left-handed reliever or a left-handed bat with pop off the bench, two components the current roster lacks. The Marlins will carry left-handed hitting outfielder Eric Reed as well as right-handed hitting outfielders Chris Aguila and Reggie Abercrombie. Matt Treanor also made the club as part of a 21/2-catcher alignment of sorts. Josh Willingham will play left when he's not behind the plate. "I feel good about the guys we have," Girardi said. "You hope they understand they don't have to do a lot of things differently. The game doesn't change once we start Monday. The stakes are higher." Even with two off days over the first eight days of the regular season, Girardi still thought it best to start with eight relief pitchers. Two of those (Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson) still project as starters. "We're trying to take the best arms in camp, so some of the guys have to start in the bullpen," Girardi said. "It's part of maturing as a person and as a pitcher. There are a lot of clubs that buy into starting young pitchers in the bullpen that have been starters and eventually you see as starters. They get a chance to grow up a little but more, then you move them into the rotation as they continue to progress." Olsen will go right into the rotation come April 15 against the Nationals. He will throw a simulated game in Jupiter on Wednesday and make an April 10 start with the Isotopes at Omaha. "[Girardi] said make sure you listen to everything I say before you react," said Olsen, of being called into the manager's office Wednesday morning. "It's a little bit of relief." Everyone getting set to pack a suitcase is probably feeling the same way.
March 30, 200620 yr i think it is smart the fish are stashing megrew on the DL..just put him there for the year and then next year give him some seasoning in the minors. i think they will have to keep him there for the season or offer him back to LA at half the price...so i see him sitting out the year
March 30, 200620 yr Author It will cost the Marlins $325,000 +/- to keep McGrew on the DL. Money saved by not keeping Lenny and Lightenberg? :mischief2
March 30, 200620 yr Look, maybe they will DL him and pay up, but with so many pitchers in the system at every level, it seems like a financial waste. Were I the GM (and I'd be a liar if I said I knew anything more than what I've read) I'd offer him back, and either pocket the $25k or if the Dodgers decline to take him back, send him to the minors, DL him there and pay him alot less.
March 30, 200620 yr FWIW, the Herald says Wilson will likely be released, and Megrew will likely be offered back to the Dodgers. Interesting that two S.F papers have two completely different reads on the only guys left on the roster.
March 30, 200620 yr I don't know if I agree with keeping Reed on the roster. If Abercrombie is the starting CF, why keep him? As a young player, I wouldn't think he's the left handed bat we want coming off the bench. I'd think they would want him to start in AAA...
March 30, 200620 yr I don't know if I agree with keeping Reed on the roster. If Abercrombie is the starting CF, why keep him? As a young player, I wouldn't think he's the left handed bat we want coming off the bench. I'd think they would want him to start in AAA... His best purpose is pinch running late in games anyway :whistle
March 30, 200620 yr Author I see absolutely no reason to keep Megrew. The potential for a quality left-handed arm in the bullpen should not be dismissed so quickly.
March 30, 200620 yr I see absolutely no reason to keep Megrew. The potential for a quality left-handed arm in the bullpen should not be dismissed so quickly. Yes and No. for the fact that we are wasting money by just keeping him on the DL and not seeing him perform much offer him back to the Dodgers. get the money from them and save it up for another occasion, u never know what may come up
March 30, 200620 yr I personally think its sad that some of you are arguing over 325,000. No MLB ball club should have to worry about a player with that kind of salary. Imagine if the Twins and Pirates would have had that mind set that some of you have here :thumbdown If you want to look for a player that is a waste of money and roster spot look no further than Nate Bump.
March 31, 200620 yr I don't know if I agree with keeping Reed on the roster. If Abercrombie is the starting CF, why keep him? As a young player, I wouldn't think he's the left handed bat we want coming off the bench. I'd think they would want him to start in AAA... At this point, there's enough PT in the outfield to go around. Whne Willy catches, he may get some starts, as well as some starts when Willy is starting in left.
March 31, 200620 yr If you want to look for a player that is a waste of money and roster spot look no further than Nate Bump. pistols at dawn, sir. :mad
April 1, 200620 yr Correct Move :thumbup Marlins placed LHP Michael Megrew on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 24, with a left shoulder injury. Megrew, a Rule 5 pick from the Dodgers. has been dealing with shoulder issues ever since returning from Tommy John surgery. He'll go on the lengthy rehab assignment once healthy, so it figures that his Marlins debut is months away. rotoworld.com
April 1, 200620 yr It will cost the Marlins $325,000 +/- to keep McGrew on the DL. Oh? I thought they only get half back if they let him go back to his team? I don't know if I agree with keeping Reed on the roster. If Abercrombie is the starting CF, why keep him? As a young player, I wouldn't think he's the left handed bat we want coming off the bench. I'd think they would want him to start in AAA... At this point, there's enough PT in the outfield to go around. Whne Willy catches, he may get some starts, as well as some starts when Willy is starting in left. We are very low on LHB. Jacobs, Hermida and.......? Reed is necessary.
April 1, 200620 yr We are very low on LHB. Jacobs, Hermida and.......? Reed is necessary. Dontrelle & Vargas pinch-hitting. :mischief
April 1, 200620 yr The guy I didn't think was going to make the roster coming into ST that I'm most excited to watch is Mitre. Saw him pitch in Jupiter and it was fairly awesome. It's good to see the young' un win a spot in the rotation.
April 1, 200620 yr Author From today's Sun-Sentinel... DOWN TO 25 The Marlins reduced their roster to the allotted 25 Friday as they assigned catcher Tom Wilson to minor league camp and placed Rule 5 left-hander Michael Megrew on the disabled list retroactive to March 24 with shoulder tendinitis. Megrew won't stick around once he's activated. The Marlins have no intention of paying Megrew the $327,000 major league minimum any longer than necessary and ultimately will offer him back to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cheap bastards... :whistle
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