The Marlins have extended an offer to Ross Gload, their top left-handed hitter off the bench last season when he led the majors in pinch hits. The offer is thought to be similar to the one received last year by Wes Helms, who agreed to a two-year deal for $1.9 million.

 

Gload said toward he end of the season that he would prefer to remain with the Marlins, especially if he could work out a deal early in the free agency process, thus relieving him of any uncertainty.The Marlins' exclusive negotiating window with Gload closes at midnight Friday, at which point any team can start discussing financial terms with the free agent.Gload

 

The Marlins, as expected, declined to pick up a $2.6 million club option on the 33-year-old veteran.

 

Gload hit .318 as a pinch-hitter and .261 overall while appearing in a career-high 125 games, most of those occuring off the bench.

 

Meanwhile, add catcher Ronny Paulino's name to the list of Marlins that have attracted trade interest from other clubs. Paulino shared catching duties with John Baker and ended the season with a .272 average and eight home runs in 239 bats. Interestingly, the Marlins obtained Paulino and Gload in separate trades, four days apart, at the end of spring training last year.

 

Along with Paulino, the Marlins have also received nibbles on Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross and Ricky Nolasco.

 

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2009/11/marlins-trying-to-keep-gload-in-the-fold.html

 

 

I would be very happy if Gload returns and honestly I'm surprised the Marlins have offered him such a contract like Helms' - maybe it proves that payroll might not be as low as you'd think.

 

On the other hand I really hope Paulino stays, we don't have a viable alternative behind Baker and Paulino's splits against lefties are very impressive.

The Marlins have extended an offer to Ross Gload, their top left-handed hitter off the bench last season when he led the majors in pinch hits. The offer is thought to be similar to the one received last year by Wes Helms, who agreed to a two-year deal for $1.9 million.

 

Gload said toward he end of the season that he would prefer to remain with the Marlins, especially if he could work out a deal early in the free agency process, thus relieving him of any uncertainty.The Marlins' exclusive negotiating window with Gload closes at midnight Friday, at which point any team can start discussing financial terms with the free agent.Gload

 

The Marlins, as expected, declined to pick up a $2.6 million club option on the 33-year-old veteran.

 

Gload hit .318 as a pinch-hitter and .261 overall while appearing in a career-high 125 games, most of those occuring off the bench.

 

Meanwhile, add catcher Ronny Paulino's name to the list of Marlins that have attracted trade interest from other clubs. Paulino shared catching duties with John Baker and ended the season with a .272 average and eight home runs in 239 bats. Interestingly, the Marlins obtained Paulino and Gload in separate trades, four days apart, at the end of spring training last year.

 

Along with Paulino, the Marlins have also received nibbles on Dan Uggla, Jorge Cantu, Cody Ross and Ricky Nolasco.

 

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2009/11/marlins-trying-to-keep-gload-in-the-fold.html

 

 

I would be very happy if Gload returns and honestly I'm surprised the Marlins have offered him such a contract like Helms' - maybe it proves that payroll might not be as low as you'd think.

 

On the other hand I really hope Paulino stays, we don't have a viable alternative behind Baker and Paulino's splits against lefties are very impressive.

I'm glad to see us offering Gload a deal, and I hope Paulino doesn't go anywhere. Our catching platoon was very good last year.

I'm glad to see us offering Gload a deal, and I hope Paulino doesn't go anywhere. Our catching platoon was very good last year.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

 

 

Our main aim is to win baseball games. Unless Paulino has specifically requested a trade so he can be a starter (which there is no evidence of) then we should be looking after our own priorities and keeping him unless we a) Get an offer that blows us away and b) Find a viable alternative who can hit lefties.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

 

 

Our main aim is to win baseball games. Unless Paulino has specifically requested a trade so he can be a starter (which there is no evidence of) then we should be looking after our own priorities and keeping him unless we a) Get an offer that blows us away and b) Find a viable alternative who can hit lefties.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

 

 

Yes me too but did you think he would be offered it from the Fish?

 

I didn't. Gladly surprised though.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

 

 

Yes me too but did you think he would be offered it from the Fish?

 

I didn't. Gladly surprised though.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

 

 

Yes me too but did you think he would be offered it from the Fish?

 

I didn't. Gladly surprised though.

Yeah.

 

I don't think many teams are on the phones trying to sign Ross Gload. He's an okay pinch hitter but he failed miserably as a starter.

I had anticipated he would get a Wes Helms type deal.

 

 

Yes me too but did you think he would be offered it from the Fish?

 

I didn't. Gladly surprised though.

Yeah.

 

I don't think many teams are on the phones trying to sign Ross Gload. He's an okay pinch hitter but he failed miserably as a starter.

I think you may be underestimating his market value a bit. After what he did this year I would certainly say he's a lot better than "an okay pinch hitter". Agree with you that he's not a starter though. But he'd be a great weapon for any team, especially an NL team, off the bench. Also defensively he was superb at first base as a late innings replacement.

I think you may be underestimating his market value a bit. After what he did this year I would certainly say he's a lot better than "an okay pinch hitter". Agree with you that he's not a starter though. But he'd be a great weapon for any team, especially an NL team, off the bench. Also defensively he was superb at first base as a late innings replacement.

I'm not sure what the Marlins are doing, to be honest. Penny pinching on starters, while offering nice contracts to bench players makes little sense to me. I wasn't a fan of the Helms signing last offseason; I would prefer if they didn't do that twice.

I'm not sure what the Marlins are doing, to be honest. Penny pinching on starters, while offering nice contracts to bench players makes little sense to me. I wasn't a fan of the Helms signing last offseason; I would prefer if they didn't do that twice.

I think Paulino should be our regular catcher in 2010.

Baker has had a serious problem of caught the baserunner. It's a potentially damage to starting pitcher.

(a single or walk means a two base hit. It's huge difference.)

 

Statistically, Paulino has showed a good "catcher era" better than Baker.

 

Only advantage of Baker as a catcher, he just called a lefthanded hitter, I think.

I think Paulino should be our regular catcher in 2010.

Baker has had a serious problem of caught the baserunner. It's a potentially damage to starting pitcher.

(a single or walk means a two base hit. It's huge difference.)

 

Statistically, Paulino has showed a good "catcher era" better than Baker.

 

Only advantage of Baker as a catcher, he just called a lefthanded hitter, I think.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

 

 

Our main aim is to win baseball games. Unless Paulino has specifically requested a trade so he can be a starter (which there is no evidence of) then we should be looking after our own priorities and keeping him unless we a) Get an offer that blows us away and b) Find a viable alternative who can hit lefties.

Yeah i'm sure Paulino doesn't want to be a starter.

Paulino is a starter and he needs to be traded somewhere, where he can be a starter.

 

 

Our main aim is to win baseball games. Unless Paulino has specifically requested a trade so he can be a starter (which there is no evidence of) then we should be looking after our own priorities and keeping him unless we a) Get an offer that blows us away and b) Find a viable alternative who can hit lefties.

Yeah i'm sure Paulino doesn't want to be a starter.

Good news about Gload, though I'm prety sure the Fish said they would negotiate a Helms-like deal after declining his option, so it's not entirely unexpected. While his value as a starter is clearly limited, Beinfest and co. clearly undertsand the value of a solid, consistent and dependable veteran presence on the bench and in the clubhouse (with the 2010 team shaping up to be one of the youngest since 2006, this will be needed).

 

As far as Ronny, hearing this is a bit of a surprise considering how long the team has coveted him and after finally being able to land him. But if we can get a good return for him, why not? Brett Hayes is essenially the same type of catcher, just a few years younger and cheaper. He did quite well in ST last year and probably would have made the team as the RH platoon backstop if we hadn't traded for Paulino. Plus, the other guy we coveted last year (Chris Coste) is a FA, as is Miguel Olivo (I'm not serious on that one).

Good news about Gload, though I'm prety sure the Fish said they would negotiate a Helms-like deal after declining his option, so it's not entirely unexpected. While his value as a starter is clearly limited, Beinfest and co. clearly undertsand the value of a solid, consistent and dependable veteran presence on the bench and in the clubhouse (with the 2010 team shaping up to be one of the youngest since 2006, this will be needed).

 

As far as Ronny, hearing this is a bit of a surprise considering how long the team has coveted him and after finally being able to land him. But if we can get a good return for him, why not? Brett Hayes is essenially the same type of catcher, just a few years younger and cheaper. He did quite well in ST last year and probably would have made the team as the RH platoon backstop if we hadn't traded for Paulino. Plus, the other guy we coveted last year (Chris Coste) is a FA, as is Miguel Olivo (I'm not serious on that one).

Maybe I read this wrong but it seems that Paulino (who was roundedly unloved throughout baseball coming out of the 2008 season and couldn't stick with two other NL clubs) isn't being shopping rather (flatteringly) teams have called to express their interest in the guy. This time of the year everyone is interested in everyone, including speculation that the Red Sox may be back to poach Cody Ross for Manny Delcarmen.

 

There's going to be a lot more speculation, gossip and hearsay before the trading season is over.

 

As for Gload it's a matter of going with the guy you know and with a season of experience seeing what he brings to the team the move probably makes sense and isn't for big money. I wonder though when they say a "Helms-like deal" does that mean the dollars or the two year length of the contract offered.