When the Marlins assembled the current squad of players who, for the most part, will not be arbitration eligible till 2009 they created a situation which frees up a lot of cash to sign Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, the team's leaders and the team's foundation, to multi-year deals.

 

I see this offseason as a critical time for the Marlins as far as keeping Willis and Cabrera beyond their arbitration years goes. If they don't sign them to multi-year deals this offseason, it will indicate to me the Marlins likely have no intention of holding onto them beyond their arbitration years.

 

If an attempt is not made to sign Dontrelle and Miguel longterm ? both of whom have said on numerous occasions they want to remain Marlins ? and they are instead dealt before they push the team payroll past the D'Rays payroll this organization will have hit it's lowest point in my opinion.

 

So my question to you is what type of deal do you think Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera would accept? Would they take a "Marlins discount" to stay with the team? Will the Marlins even make an attempt to sign them to longterm deals this offseason? And should they make an attempt?

Simple answer is it's not going to happen so long as Loria is the owner.

Lock em up!!! Especially Cabs. Now that Miguel is eligible for arbitration, what would happen if the Marlins didn't agree to at least a 1-yr deal with him? I'm unfamiliar with how arbitration works.

 

How can the Marlins not want to sign Miggy to a long-term deal? He is our franchise, a 23-yr-old superstar who is immensely popular and irreplaceable. Think we don't have a lot of fans now? See what happens if they trade Cabs away.

I don't see the organization putting any money into long term contracts until a stadium is pretty much guaranteed. It would be foolish for the organization to do so before then.

I would love for the Marlins to sign them long term, but for right now were looking at 1 year deals each. You have to sign Miguel Cabrera long term though, u just cant let him get away later on down the road due to the money. The fact that they want to remain Marlins makes it even more of a obvious thing to do.

 

If there is one thing I want accomplished this off season it is to see Miguel Cabrera locked up for awhile and Dontrelle Willis to follow.

 

Reality may not let us have that with Loria being the Owner.

Willis 5/50M

Cabrera 5/50M

Willis: 7/70 backloaded

Cabera: 1 year 4M next season, similar 7/70 backloaded after next season

 

Playoff caliber team with a payroll under $30 mil next year, under $55 in 3 years, no need to sell anything off until 2011 even without a stadium

8/100 million for miguel cabrera

Sign them to 15 year contracts like Rick Dipietro.

 

:plain

I'd still go year to year with Willis maybe buy out the remaining arby years and one year of free agency.

 

Cabrera deserves a ten year deal for whatever amount he wants.

 

Now, I said this is what I'd do, no way in hell Loria goes long-term with either.

Sign them to 15 year contracts like Rick Dipietro.

 

:plain

 

Do they have to play goal too?

When the Marlins assembled the current squad of players who, for the most part, will not be arbitration eligible till 2009 they created a situation which frees up a lot of cash to sign Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, the team's leaders and the team's foundation, to multi-year deals.

 

I see this offseason as a critical time for the Marlins as far as keeping Willis and Cabrera beyond their arbitration years goes. If they don't sign them to multi-year deals this offseason, it will indicate to me the Marlins likely have no intention of holding onto them beyond their arbitration years.

 

If an attempt is not made to sign Dontrelle and Miguel longterm ? both of whom have said on numerous occasions they want to remain Marlins ? and they are instead dealt before they push the team payroll past the D'Rays payroll this organization will have hit it's lowest point in my opinion.

 

So my question to you is what type of deal do you think Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera would accept? Would they take a "Marlins discount" to stay with the team? Will the Marlins even make an attempt to sign them to longterm deals this offseason? And should they make an attempt?

 

 

I don't see it that way at all. The team has never signed arbitrtion eligible players to long term deals for one simple reason. They don't have to worry about them going someplace else right away. If they both really want to stay Marlins then they know the ropes on how the team does things and will hang in there for the eventual bigger payday/stability. The team will still be able to play the money game and it will also allow the team to fill in a couple of hot needed spots that should allow them to make a legitimate run for it next year. And the year after. DTrain makes over $4 mil now and that will increase a bit more this off season, despite his lackluster performance this year. Miggy makes next to nothing but that will also change this off season because he does become arbitrtion eligible. He will be one of the highest paid players on the team, just without that long term contract for a couple more years.

Lock Cabrera up now. Won't happen though, I see a 3 year deal as the max for either side.

 

I don't see Willis doing a long term deal this year, because of the relative slip in his performance. The long term deal he'd be offered this year wouldn't be a fair deal for him IMO. He understands that, his agent understands that and the lowballing ownership understands that. 1 year deal for $3.5 mil

Simple answer is it's not going to happen so long as Loria is the owner.

 

 

So if Loria left (What are the chances?) we would probably lock up Trelle and Miggy long term? So pretty much this means that Loria is keeping us from doing that. (I dont pay attention to FO stuff)

Simple answer is it's not going to happen so long as Loria is the owner.

 

 

So if Loria left (What are the chances?) we would probably lock up Trelle and Miggy long term? So pretty much this means that Loria is keeping us from doing that. (I dont pay attention to FO stuff)

yep..

 

well atleast Cabrera

Willis: 7/70 backloaded

Cabera: 1 year 4M next season, similar 7/70 backloaded after next season

 

Playoff caliber team with a payroll under $30 mil next year, under $55 in 3 years, no need to sell anything off until 2011 even without a stadium

 

 

Do you think backloaded contracts would really be best? To me, a backloaded contract is the kiss of death with the Marlins as there is a good chance they will dump them once the real big bucks start to kick in. With most of the team set to make the league minimum (or thereabouts) over the course of the next two seasons, it seems frontloaded contracts may be the best bet. If most of the rookies stick around till their arby years and most perform at this season's level or improve, the Marlins are in for some major arbitration salary figures come 2009.

 

As far as the 7/70 deal for Willis, that seems a little steep. That would be just about what he would get if he was on the free agent market (maybe more like 6/70 then). Beckett signed a 3 year $30 million extension with the Red Sox. I think we could at least get a deal in that ballpark with Willis, if not less.

 

As far as Miguel goes, it is hard to say. I think 7/70-80 may be something we can pull off, but I am not sure where Miguel stands. He would probably more likely go for a 6/60-80 since giving him a nice hefty contract and he will still be in his 20's when it comes time to renegotiate his contract.

Simple answer is it's not going to happen so long as Loria is the owner.

 

 

So if Loria left (What are the chances?) we would probably lock up Trelle and Miggy long term? So pretty much this means that Loria is keeping us from doing that. (I dont pay attention to FO stuff)

yep..

 

well atleast Cabrera

 

Crap.

 

So, what are the chances or Loria hitting the road?

Simple answer is it's not going to happen so long as Loria is the owner.

 

 

So if Loria left (What are the chances?) we would probably lock up Trelle and Miggy long term? So pretty much this means that Loria is keeping us from doing that. (I dont pay attention to FO stuff)

yep..

 

well atleast Cabrera

 

Crap.

 

So, what are the chances or Loria hitting the road?

um... no clue... gotta hope he gets fed up or something

I hope so too. Thanks.

Name me one MLB signed for 5 years or more that has been worth the money. I am not saying there are not any...just asking for someone to name one.

 

IMO...Pitchers get no more than a 3/4 year deal. Batters no more than a 5-6 year deal.

Name me one MLB signed for 5 years or more that has been worth the money. I am not saying there are not any...just asking for someone to name one.

 

IMO...Pitchers get no more than a 3/4 year deal. Batters no more than a 5-6 year deal.

 

 

Pujols, Arod, Vlad

 

there is 3 in the same Caliber as Cabrera is

Name me one MLB signed for 5 years or more that has been worth the money. I am not saying there are not any...just asking for someone to name one.

 

IMO...Pitchers get no more than a 3/4 year deal. Batters no more than a 5-6 year deal.

 

 

The longer the Marlins wait to sign Miguel Cabrera to a multi-year deal, the more it will cost the Marlins. I think this offseason (or maybe a deal inked during the 2007 season) is the last time the Marlins will have to to sign him to an "affordable" deal. Whatever contract they end up settling on would be worth it since he will undoubtedly be paid less by the Marlins than what he would be getting on the open market. The same goes for Dontrelle for the most part, but the need is more pressing with Miguel.

The longer the Marlins wait to sign Miguel Cabrera to a multi-year deal, the more it will cost the Marlins. I think this offseason (or maybe a deal inked during the 2007 season) is the last time the Marlins will have to to sign him to an "affordable" deal. Whatever contract they end up settling on would be worth it since he will undoubtedly be paid less by the Marlins than what he would be getting on the open market. The same goes for Dontrelle for the most part, but the need is more pressing with Miguel.

 

I agree 100%

I don't see the organization putting any money into long term contracts until a stadium is pretty much guaranteed. It would be foolish for the organization to do so before then.

 

 

IN MY OPINION, even with a stadium deal, any long term deal is still questionable. With revenues from a new stadium, why spend it on players, especially ones that will cost a lot of money. Maybe there will a long term deal with Reggie at the minimum for 10 years-he would jump at that. Excuse my sarcasm, but leopards and spots and all those cliches.

Marlins discount? doubt it...I don't see Miguel taking a discount: would you take one to play for a franchise that has ZERO loyalty to its players? Willis seems like the kind of guy that would though...