Market makes search tougher for Marlins

 

By Joe Capozzi

 

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

 

Sunday, December 03, 2006

 

The young Florida Marlins surprised the baseball world in 2006 by winning 78 games, just five fewer than the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

 

So Marlins officials couldn't help but go into the off-season wondering if they were just a player or two away from being a playoff team.

 

But with the off-season already at its halfway point, landing that key player or two is proving more difficult than the front office imagined.

 

Handcuffed by a market in which teams are giving fat contracts to mediocre players, the Marlins go into baseball's winter meetings Monday in Orlando still looking to shore up their two biggest holes: center field and the bullpen.

 

Although Florida is prepared to go with an inexpensive and less experienced solution in center, an experienced pitcher or two for the back of the bullpen is considered the team's top priority.

 

But finding a quality veteran arm that fits the Marlins' limited payroll constraints has been difficult.

 

"We are trying. We're just going to have to fight through it like everybody else. It's an active market and there's a lot of need,'' General Manager Admin Beinfest said.

 

"There have been a lot of aggressive teams out there signing players. (Teams) have needs and goals and different payrolls and they go out and spend whatever works for them.''

 

Small-wallet syndrome

 

The problem for the Marlins is the same one the team has faced for most of the franchise's history: They don't have much to spend. After Florida opened the 2006 season with the lowest payroll in baseball at $14.9 million, owner Jeffrey Loria is believed to have authorized a 2007 payroll of around $20 million.

 

A good chunk of that - at least $13 million - will go to Florida's two arbitration-eligible stars, third baseman Miguel Cabrera and starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis.

 

That doesn't leave Beinfest with much money to sign 23 other players, even if most of them get slight raises over the major-league minimum, which will be $380,000 in 2007 - up from $327,000 in 2006 - under the new collective bargaining agreement reached last month by the players and union.

 

Even if Florida finds a veteran closer such as Dan Kolb or Jose Mesa, the question is whether the Marlins can afford him. Judging by the contracts given to journeymen middle relievers, the Marlins will have a tough time:

 

? The Baltimore Orioles doled out $42 million worth of contracts to four relievers: $10.5 million for three years to Chad Bradford, a 32-year-old submariner who went 4-2 with a 2.90 ERA for the Mets; a $900,000 one-year deal to Scott Williamson; a $19 million, three-year deal to Danys Baez; and a $12 million, three-year deal to Jamie Walker.

 

? Anaheim gave setup man Justin Speier $4.5 million for one season.

 

? La Troy Hawkins is close to getting $3.5 million from the Rockies.

 

"It's ridiculous,'' said former manager and general manager Jack McKeon, a Marlins special assistant who will attend the meetings. "Why overpay for someone who might not produce?"

 

Willis likely to stay put

 

The Marlins will explore trade options, but they don't plan on giving up Willis or any of their coveted starting pitchers.

 

"We will trade based on need, but we will not steal from one component to help another,'' Beinfest said. "We need to keep the depth in the pitching.''

 

The Marlins already acquired three relief pitchers with limited big-league experience. Kevin Gregg, Henry Owens and Matt Lindstrom all have shots at winning bullpen jobs, Beinfest said.

 

Regardless of the upgrades they're trying to make, the Marlins will face pressure to succeed or at least do as well as they did in 2006.

 

"There needs to be a fan recognition and a media recognition that this is still a very young team. While we had a lot of questions answered, there are still some that need to be answered in '07. We need to see duplication in production by a lot of these guys. We still have our challenges here in terms of revenue,'' Beinfest said.

 

"We are very talented and very competitive. Whether we're ready to take that next step, which is we need to win 10 more games than we did last year ... are we ready to make that 10-game swing? I hope so, We are going to try to find the right pieces to do that.''

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/conte...rlins_1203.html

I've heard that Mesa would like to play for teh Marlins somewhere that I can't pinpoint, and personally I'm all for it, he'd do great here!

I've heard that Mesa would like to play for teh Marlins somewhere that I can't pinpoint, and personally I'm all for it, he'd do great here!

 

 

I agree about Mesa but I also read recently somewhere that the Marlins have no interest. He seems to be the kind of pitcher we have brought in the past few seasons. As for Dan Kolb, no. Please no.

After hearing Tanyon Sturtze, a pitcher with no notable successs in his career and had a ERA well over 7 before an injury sidelined him, got a $750K deal with a $350K roster bonus (which he'll obviously get) and more incentives, it makes you wonder if Beingfest and the Marlins can find the missing pieces they need.