Didn't the elf say that if the Marlins got a stadium deal done that they would lock up some of the players and even spend more money, or is this just me? I think I read an article that said that.

Muahahaha. We just sold Cabrera so we can free up the cash needed to secure the stadium. Should take years before it start taking effect to our payroll, and when it does, it should raise to $55M.

JUPITER, Fla. -- The impact of Thursday's approval to build the Marlins a new retractable-roof ballpark secures the future of the franchise for decades.

In time, it also provides a potential revenue stream for the Marlins to raise their player payroll to somewhere in the middle of the pack of Major League Baseball.

 

"What happened [Thursday] is the final elimination of uncertainty surrounding our franchise," team president David Samson said. "This date, Feb. 21, 2008, is the day the Miami Marlins are permanently saved in South Florida. Period. There is no more discussion."

 

After receiving the backing of the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County commissioners, the groundwork is paved to prepare and eventually construct a 37,000-seat stadium at the Orange Bowl. The building is scheduled to open for the 2011 season.

 

As part of the agreement, the club will change its name to the Miami Marlins after 2010.

 

The Baseball Stadium Agreement that passed calls for the Marlins have a 35-year lease at their new home.

 

"When fans are making their decision on who to support and how much they will invest emotionally, they can now feel good about the fact that their team will be here for generations to come," Samson said.

 

Since their inaugural 1993 season, the Marlins have been a turbulent franchise that has experienced many highs and lows. Currently, they are one of the youngest and lowest-payroll teams in the league. They also have two World Series titles (1997 and 2003), and several seasons of being in the Wild Card chase into September.

 

"Other than the initial granting of the franchise, this is the second most important date in our franchise's history," said Samson, calling Thursday's events bigger than the two championships.

 

The Marlins are coming off a 71-91 last-place season, and there remains uncertainty regarding their commitment to retain players for the long-term.

 

Left fielder Josh Willingham, who is eligible for arbitration after this season, is a realist about player movement in Miami.

 

Asked if the new stadium means the organization will help lock up some players, Willingham said: "I don't know how much they will do that, probably some. They would pick and choose. That's something yet to be seen, I guess."

 

The player whose future will be most closely watched is 24-year-old shortstop Hanley Ramirez.

 

Entering his third full season, Ramirez already is one of the top all-around hitters in the game, as evidenced by his .332 average and 125 runs scored a year ago. But he doesn't start his arbitration years until 2009. He would be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season. So if the team decided to go year-to-year with Ramirez, he could be in the Marlins' lineup for the 2011 opener of the retractable-roof stadium.

 

"I hope I can stay here for my career, they know how to treat people," Ramirez said. "They know how to treat players. It's a good organization. Hopefully, I can be here for Opening Day [2011]."

 

If not, and he is eventually dealt, Ramirez understands the business end of the sport.

 

In December, the Marlins made the tough call of trading Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers because they were becoming too expensive.

 

Was Ramirez upset Cabrera was dealt?

 

"Not at all," Ramirez said, aware that the slugger had made $7.4 million with the Marlins in '07. "The good thing is he is in the American League, and Dontrelle, too."

 

After this season, a number of key Marlins will reach arbitration for the first time, including Ramirez, Willingham, Dan Uggla, Jeremy Hermida, Mike Jacobs, Cody Ross and Scott Olsen.

 

"Who knows if they will start to lock people up," Uggla said. "They might wait a year or two, but [the stadium] will definitely give us hope that that would happen."

 

Hermida is focusing on playing right now and notes those decisions are up to management.

 

"That's something that is not my worry," he said. "My job is to go out there on the field. All those worries are something I don't pay too much attention to. Yeah, it would be nice if that happened and they shored up some guys, but I worry about what goes on on the field. Off the field, I let the other people worry about it."

 

Samson said after Thursday's meeting that payroll would go up with the stadium agreement in place. And team owner Jeffrey Loria added his commitment to fielding a competitive product.

 

For now, the Marlins are talking more about not making drastic changes to their payroll until they actually move into the new stadium. The stadium's cost is estimated at $515 million, with the team on the hook for $155 million, plus any cost overruns.

 

At Thursday's Miami-Dade County meeting, one of the commissioners inquired about the team's commitment to increasing payroll to make the team more competitive.

 

Miami-Dade County manager George Burgess, who negotiated the stadium financial package, told commissioners on Thursday the team's payroll "will range somewhere in the middle of baseball, give or take."

 

MLB President and COO Bob DuPuy also spoke to the commissioners about payroll commitment.

 

"This agreement is subject to all Major League rules and requirements," DuPuy said to commissioners. "All teams operate under the Major League constitution. The Major League constitution requires every team to make best efforts to put a competitive team on the field. We sell competition. That's what we sell.

 

"We are in the business of selling competitive baseball. We're confident that this ballpark will provide the resources for this team to be competitive."

 

Sounds like they plan on signing our guys that go through arbitration over the next dew years, and locking up the guys they feel are in the big picture down the road and dealing away components that aren't. BUT, from that bolded part of the article, it sounds like we won't be making anymore Cabrera/Willis like trades anytime soon.

 

They also said that our payroll will be around the middle of baseballs once the stadium is completed, which is closer to $80 Mill, not $55 Mill.

Only Hanley should be locked up, Hermida too depending on how he does this year.

I'd have no problem signing Josh Willingham and Dan Uggla to 3-year deals. Hermida and Hanley I'd like to see locked up for 5+ years.

I don't think Hermida has shown enough yet to warrant a 5 year deal. But I do think if he can follow up last year's second half with a strong year this year, you could make the argument that it'd be a smart move.

I'd like to see us lock up Hanley Ramirez to a seven year deal. Anyone know who his agent is?

I don't think Hermida has shown enough yet to warrant a 5 year deal. But I do think if he can follow up last year's second half with a strong year this year, you could make the argument that it'd be a smart move.

 

If Hermida has a solid year this year, the club would be wise to lock him up because he is not likely to take huge money to lock him up through free agency. But I'd more hope that they would focus on Hanley.

It's time we give Hanley a 75 year, $25 billion deal.

It's time we give Hanley a 75 year, $25 billion deal.

I'll chip in.

It's time we give Hanley a 75 year, $25 billion deal.

Do we get rights to his first-born as well?