The Marlins won't be big spenders, but they will be players when the free-agent market opens for business today.

 

Aside from catcher Yorvit Torrealba, the Marlins also are interested in catcher Michael Barrett and pitcher Mike Maroth, according to industry sources.

 

The Marlins will begin reaching out to players this week, starting with Torrealba, who is considered their top choice to replace Miguel Olivo. But the New York Mets also like Torrealba, so the Marlins are lining up alternatives.

 

Barrett, 31, broke in with the Montreal Expos and played for them from 1998-2003. At that time, he was close with Jeffrey Loria, who owned the Expos before taking control of the Marlins in 2002.

 

But Barrett might prove to be too expensive. He made $4.53 million in 2007 in a season split between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres. He is expected to be seeking a multiyear deal, which the Marlins rarely offer players.

 

Barrett was traded to San Diego in June after a run-in with Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano. He spent most of August on the disabled list with a groin injury and finished the season with a .256 batting average, nine homers and 29 RBI in 101 games.

 

Barrett is a Type-A free agent, meaning he would cost any team that signed him a first- or second-round pick if the Padres offered him salary arbitration. The Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays also like Barrett.

 

Torrealba, who made $1,075 million last year, already has a two-year offer worth $6 million from the Rockies. He is considered a better economic choice for Florida than Barrett. Other possible options for the Marlins include catchers Paul Lo Duca, Damien Miller and Rod Barajas.

 

Florida, trying to improve its pitching staff, also is expected to make an offer to Maroth, a left-hander whom the St. Louis Cardinals released in October after he struggled badly in 14 appearances, seven of them starts.

 

Maroth made $2.95 million last year in a season split with Detroit and St. Louis, going 5-7 with a 6.89 ERA last in 20 starts overall.

 

He went 5-2 with a 5.06 ERA for the Tigers before being traded for a player to be named later. He pitched well in his first Cardinals start then struggled to finish 0-5 with a 10.66 ERA over 38 innings.

 

Maroth, an Orlando native who attended the University of Central Florida, was a 21-game loser for the Tigers in 2003.

 

Meanwhile, the Marlins have spoken to the agent for infielder Aaron Boone, who batted .268 in 60 games for Florida before his season ended in September with a knee injury. The Nationals are interested in Boone, who would re-unite with his father. Bob Boone, the retired All-Star catcher who managed the Kansas City Royals and the Cincinnati Reds, works in Washington's front office.

 

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/conte...2/1113marl.html

 

Please explain to me why we would even be remotley interested in Barrett. Why replace a sh*tty catcher with another sh*tty catcher. Especially when that sh*tty catcher is a cancer and would cost a draft pick. Hopefully he gets priced out of our range. Maroth. :plaindance

I'm going to kill somebody if Torrealba is signed at $5 million a season and we trade Miggy.

 

Seriously kill someone.

Now I could live with Barrett at catcher

Mike Maroth and Torrealba?

 

I miss the days of A-Rod and Bonds.

Now I could live with Barrett at catcher

 

 

lolololololol

Now I could live with Barrett at catcher

 

 

lolololololol

I could!

"maroth balls" hahhaha I used to love when he'd serve up fat ones that got smacked out of the park

I'm going to kill somebody if Torrealba is signed at $5 million a season and we trade Miggy.

 

Seriously kill someone.

Let me do it.

Just say no to Mike Maroth. 0-5 with a 10.66 ERA for the Cardinals last season.....he sucks! As for Torrealba he's never been a great player except in the post season for the Rockies. He's not much better than Olivo....which is saying a lot.

Look at what Colleti just did tonight "claiming Esteban Loaiza off waivers. Loaiza, who turns 36 on New Year's Eve, will make $7 million next season."

 

Think things are getting a little out of hand?

2008: The Year of the Admin Beinfest Player

 

 

 

Signing Torrealba will go down as one of Beinfest's most boneheaded moves.

Let's first see it happen before we go chalkin this up

Glad to hear we are looking in on Barrett. I'd love that signing.

Glad to hear we are looking in on Barrett. I'd love that signing.

I wish we'd just look at Baker and this catcher by the name of Bourgeious.... he looks like he could be a steal

Barring the Marlins being on the receiving end of a young catcher via trade, I think a platoon of Treanor/Baker is what the Marlins should begin their season with. The productivity of a Torrealba or whoever else the Marlins have as a second choice is not likely to exceed the production of Treanor/Baker in a manner that will justify the cost.

 

I say spend that money on pitching. Their is no use in wasting money on a Miguel Olivo-esque catcher.

 

Baker/Treanor? Yuck. I'm for moving Willis to either the Astros or Mariners and getting a talented catcher in return as part of the haul.

I wish the Marlins would target a good or adequate catcher instead of these crappy ones.

I wish the Marlins would target a good or adequate catcher instead of these crappy ones.

Catchers are a rare commodity. A minor league F/A is probably as good as any major league F/A when it comes to risk factor and rewards. I don't care for any of these guy, nor would commit to any of them financianally. Olivo was a good idea but hey he wasn't the answer. Try the Mexican Professional Leagues... The Far East...The Dominican Republic. Leave no stone unturned, There is uncharted countries and undiscovered talent pools. Puerto Rico is a basin of catching talent. Send the Scouts out in masses. "He who seeks shall find"

it's like they're trying to make this team worse...

Maroth :nono

Now how many times has a team comprised of Beinfest players made the playoffs?

Glad to hear we are looking in on Barrett. I'd love that signing.

I wish we'd just look at Baker and this catcher by the name of Bourgeious.... he looks like he could be a steal

 

I think we both wonder why Baker doesn't get more attention, or at least consideration, Jason Bourgeois has to be a bigger longshot than Dan Uggla. Speaking of which is he Rule 5 eligible? This is his seventh minor league season, eighth if you count an abbreviated summer stint and he's 22? Wow. (I forget how the Rule 5 rules work with these kids who are drafted very young).

 

Since this year's Rule 5 will be so rich perhaps we'll find someone there I said belfore I wouldn't be surprised to see one, two or three roster spots available this year if they get the right Rule 5 guys.

 

I'm not sure that I see that much difference between Torrealba for major bucks and Lo Duca at about the same money or Barrett (yeah they all have different styles and their own unique good and bad points), while guys like Baker and maybe this kid, or someone out to be Dan Uggla-ed because some phenom needs the roster spot, because at least for me catching is about game-calling, earning the trust and respect of your pitchers, and playing a good defensive game. Anything north of .235 /.300 is okay for me from that position. And it seems to me Wiley could play abig part in bringing up or getting a young catcher and working him in with his pitchers. It might be the right time to take a longshot.

Torrealba has the reputation of being a good receiver and working with the pitchers, which IMO is more important than any OPS he has, considering the youth and immaturity of the pitching staff. I think this is where they think Olivo failed (along with the errors and passed balls) - dealing with the pitchers. It's why Lo Duca would make sense as well.

Barring the Marlins being on the receiving end of a young catcher via trade, I think a platoon of Treanor/Baker is what the Marlins should begin their season with. The productivity of a Torrealba or whoever else the Marlins have as a second choice is not likely to exceed the production of Treanor/Baker in a manner that will justify the cost.

 

I say spend that money on pitching. Their is no use in wasting money on a Miguel Olivo-esque catcher.

 

amen x999999

 

 

lunacy.

Catchers are hard to find cause the ones who would make good catcher want to play other positions...

We've has trouble the last couple of years at my H.S. getting kids to try out at that position, 12-13 years ago i remember at my H.S. tryouts there being 20-30 guys going out for that position and now at Ferguson only 5-6 guys have come out for catcher...

 

And the guys i ask that i know would make good ones dont wanna play back there cause they dont wanna take the beating and also cause they say they dont make the flashy plays...

 

Kids....

I didnt know Jason Bourgeois was a catcher.

Look at what Colleti just did tonight "claiming Esteban Loaiza off waivers. Loaiza, who turns 36 on New Year's Eve, will make $7 million next season."

 

Think things are getting a little out of hand?

Loaiza happened in August? He pitched 22 innings for them in 2007?

 

Confused?