December 7, 200718 yr http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/articl...sp&c_id=fla MIAMI -- The Marlins are aggressively searching the market for a third baseman. In fact, they may end up acquiring several choices for the job. One of the more likely options is Jorge Cantu, who was put on waivers by the Reds. There are strong indications that Cantu will end up signing with the Marlins, according to multiple league sources. Florida also has a trade offer on the table with the Phillies for veteran Wes Helms, who was with the Marlins in 2006. To land Helms, who can also play first base, reliever prospect Scott Nestor is being dangled. Helms is signed for $2.15 million in 2008. The question with Helms, however, is whether he is an everyday player. There is a chance the Marlins will acquire Cantu and Helms and have them battle it out. It might turn into a situation where the job is shared. Alfredo Amezaga, who is arbitration-eligible and a switch-hitter, is a choice to see time at third. Amezaga is drawing trade interest from several teams, including the Mets. At this point, the Marlins are leaning toward retaining Amezaga, but they are open to offers. Florida is hunting for a third baseman because four-time All-Star Miguel Cabrera was traded to the Tigers on Wednesday. As part of that mega-deal, Florida acquired catcher Mike Rabelo. Rabelo and Matt Treanor will split the job. Most likely, the club feels Rabelo could start about 100 games, with Treanor handling the rest. In the next day or so, the Marlins likely will release catcher Miguel Olivo, according to an American League source. Since the Marlins don't plan on offering Olivo arbitration next week, they will give him a few extra days to find another team. Olivo has been Florida's starting catcher the past two seasons. He earned $2 million in '07 and could get about $3 million in arbitration next year. Before the Marlins added Dontrelle Willis to Wednesday's trade with Detroit, they explored dealing the D-Train to the Reds. In that package, Florida would have received outfielder Josh Hamilton. As for teams after Cabrera, in the end, five were in the mix. The Angels and Dodgers backed off by the time the Winter Meetings started. The White Sox had steady interest throughout, and the Rangers inquired, but backed away when the Marlins denied them permission to speak with Cabrera's agent about signing a long-term contract. The Tigers swooped in with a strong package. While Detroit also wanted, and was denied, permission to seek signing Cabrera first, it didn't prevent the deal from being completed. Previously, the Giants showed interest in Cabrera, but they weren't willing to part with frontline starting pitchers Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain. They, instead, were offering Noah Lowry. Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
December 7, 200718 yr yea... Willis' value was pretty low Is that.... sarcasm? wasn't meant to be Good.
December 7, 200718 yr yea... Willis' value was pretty low Is that.... sarcasm? wasn't meant to be Good. Great.
December 7, 200718 yr I believe we will get Helms and Cantu. They will battle it out in ST, with the loser replacing Boone and Helms v. lefty's ( if he loses). I like it.
December 7, 200718 yr I believe we will get Helms and Cantu. They will battle it out in ST, with the loser replacing Boone and Helms v. lefty's ( if he loses). I like it. Do you believe that because you read it right of the article?
December 7, 200718 yr Cantu v.s. RHP and Helms v.s. LHP is pretty OK to me I mean, Cantu's career .318 OBP, .773 OPS against RHP isn't exactly great, but having Helms .359 OBP, .835 OPS against LHP will be nice.
December 7, 200718 yr I believe we will get Helms and Cantu. They will battle it out in ST, with the loser replacing Boone and Helms v. lefty's ( if he loses). I like it. Do you believe that because you read it right of the article? Actually I came up with this idea first. :mischief http://www.marlinbaseball.com/forums/index...showtopic=78887
December 7, 200718 yr man im gonna miss those miguel olivo 9th inning homers.. cmon guys with less strikouts u know that hes a pretty good catcher with the bat
December 7, 200718 yr yea... Willis' value was pretty low Is that.... sarcasm? wasn't meant to be Good. Great. DONE
December 7, 200718 yr Cantu v.s. RHP and Helms v.s. LHP is pretty OK to me I mean, Cantu's career .318 OBP, .773 OPS against RHP isn't exactly great, but having Helms .359 OBP, .835 OPS against LHP will be nice. I'd much rather have a cheaper Boone against lefties battling Cantu.
December 7, 200718 yr Cantu v.s. RHP and Helms v.s. LHP is pretty OK to me I mean, Cantu's career .318 OBP, .773 OPS against RHP isn't exactly great, but having Helms .359 OBP, .835 OPS against LHP will be nice. I'd much rather have a cheaper Boone against lefties battling Cantu. Already signed with Washington.
December 7, 200718 yr Cantu v.s. RHP and Helms v.s. LHP is pretty OK to me I mean, Cantu's career .318 OBP, .773 OPS against RHP isn't exactly great, but having Helms .359 OBP, .835 OPS against LHP will be nice. I'd much rather have a cheaper Boone against lefties battling Cantu. Already signed with Washington. Must've happened pretty recently... lol Still, Helms $2Mill+ plus a prospect or two? F'that.
December 7, 200718 yr Would like us to pass on Helms but I guess its up to the Phillies at this point. Give me Morgan Ensberg and lets keep the prospect (which in this case is rumored to be Scott Netsor)
December 7, 200718 yr Would like us to pass on Helms but I guess its up to the Phillies at this point. Give me Morgan Ensberg and lets keep the prospect (which in this case is rumored to be Scott Netsor) As an 'Stros fan... ENSBERG SUCKS! He hasn't been go since 05. Then again, I wouldn't completely mind it.
December 7, 200718 yr Marlins start searching for third baseman By JOE CAPOZZI Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Friday, December 07, 2007 NASHVILLE ? Scott Rolen, Wes Helms and Abraham Nunez were just a few of the names on a wish list posted in the Marlins' suite at the Gaylord Opryland hotel, a rough draft of candidates Florida might target to replace third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Trading for Rolen, who is feuding with St. Louis manager Tony La Russa, isn't likely, a Marlins source said Thursday, citing finances. But the inclusion of Rolen's name underscores the breadth of Florida's search to fill a gaping hole in the infield. "We're looking internally, externally. There are already some names up on the board. We have been active already on the third-base front,'' baseball operations President Admin Beinfest said at baseball's winter meetings. The Marlins went into Thursday's Rule 5 draft hoping to find their answer, as they did in December 2005 when they selected second baseman Dan Uggla. "We really would liked to have found somebody like Uggla that you could give a chance now that Miguel is gone, but there just wasn't that guy,'' said Jim Fleming, Florida's vice president of player development and scouting. Team officials aren't intrigued with many free-agent third basemen. Their main strategy will be to find someone in a trade. One such target is Helms, who played for Florida in 2006 before signing with Philadelphia. He is owed $2.15 million for 2008 and the Phillies want to move him. He hit .246 with five homers and 39 RBI in 112 games last season. If the Marlins can't make a trade, they will consider moving second baseman Uggla to third and putting utility man Alfredo Amezaga at second. But that's not likely, either, because the team doesn't want to disrupt Uggla's development at second base or his defensive chemistry with shortstop Hanley Ramirez. In the long term, the team has discussed moving infield prospect Chris Coghlan to third base from second base, where he played last year in Class A ball. Beyond that, the Marlins are hoping that Matt Dominguez, their first-round pick (12th overall) in 2007, will develop into a franchise player. Although Cabrera was the team's top offensive threat, the Marlins won't try to replace his power, especially since Uggla, Ramirez and first baseman Mike Jacobs combined to hit 77 home runs in 2007. "We'd like that compete guy," Beinfest said. "Defense will be important." Rule 5 Draft: The Marlins took right-handed pitcher Jose Guevara from Cincinnati's Class AAA Louisville affiliate in the major-league phase of the draft, then traded him to San Diego for cash. Players who are not currently on their team's 40-man roster are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft after completion of a standard exemption period. The Marlins took four players in the minor-league draft: shortstop Smelin Perez (Pittsburgh organization), outfielder Daron Roberts (Chicago White Sox) and pitchers Kenny Fernandez (Philadelphia) and Adalberto Mendez (Chicago Cubs). Former Rays pitcher signs: Right-hander Doug Waechter signed a minor-league deal. Waechter was 14-25 with a 5.62 ERA in four seasons with Tampa Bay. He was released in November 2006, a month after having shoulder surgery, and spent 2007 recovering. Van Horne a finalist: Marlins radio broadcaster Dave Van Horne is a finalist for the Ford C. Frick Award, an annual honor that includes induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame's broadcasting wing. He was the English-language broadcaster for Montreal for 33 years and has done the Marlins for seven years. No Puerto Rico trip: Major League Baseball approached the Marlins about playing a series next season in San Juan, Puerto Rico. But the idea was scrapped because the Marlins didn't want to give up any games at Dolphin Stadium. http://palmbeachpost.printthis.clickabilit...p;partnerID=493
December 7, 200718 yr My ideas: 1) Trade Carlos Martinez and maybe Graham Taylor for Andy Marte 2) Sign Morgan Ensberg and or Jorge Cantu (if the Padres don't offer him arby) 3) Trade Kevin Gregg for Ronny Cedeno and Billy Petrick (If this occurs put Cedeno at 2B and move Uggla to 3B)
December 7, 200718 yr GO GET JOSH HAMILTON then move the Hammer to the infield Sure. Except there is nobody left to trade. Except Hanley. :mischief :hat :blink: :| :lol
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