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Sun Sentinel:

 

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving, and I trust those rumors about Josh Johnson not making it to Opening Day or the Marlins "reportedly being engaged in talks" with the Red Sox about Hanley Ramirez didn't cause any unnecessary indigestion.

 

Was glad to hear General Manager Michael Hill squash this Tweeted notion by my colleague, John Perrotto, that the Marlins are "very willing" to move Johnson for the right package. Hill went on 790 The Ticket's new Hot Stove baseball show Saturday and, if memory serves, used the word "certainty" to characterize the probability of Johnson being on the 2010 club.

 

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Johnson not only throws the first pitch for the Marlins in next season's opener, but the three to follow. My understanding is the Marlins aren't going to let their distaste for the way Johnson's agent, Matt Sosnick, handled their opening round of negotiations hinder their efforts to lock up Johnson this offseason. Don't be surprised if the two sides ultimately come to terms on a deal that will keep Johnson in a Marlins uniform beyond 2011, when he's eligible to become a free agent. If and when the Marlins commit to that fourth guaranteed year, no reason why talks won't resume.

 

As for Ramirez, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News listed David Samson as No. 7 on his top 10 turkeys in baseball. His reasoning: "The Florida Marlins president obviously has no shame. After finally succeeding in securing a new taxpayer-funded stadium for the Marlins in downtown Miami - supposedly enabling the Marlins to have the financial means to keep their star players - Samson demonstrated he has no intention of doing that when he refused to give his best pitcher, Josh Johnson, a four-year extension. Now it also looks as if Hanley Ramirez won't ever see that new stadium in a Marlins uniform as the Red Sox, who let incumbent Alex Gonzalez go, are reportedly engaged in talks with Florida about reacquiring the All-Star shortstop."

 

Not sure who's reporting the Marlins and Red Sox are engaged in talks. I haven't seen that anywhere, and it makes absolutely no sense. We don't need Mike Hill or Admin Beinfest or anyone else to tell us Ramirez isn't going anywhere. Neither the Red Sox nor probably any other team for that matter could put together an attractive enough package that one, fits within the Marlins financial structure, and two, makes the Marlins better in 2010.

 

Even at $7 million, chances are Ramirez outperforms his contract. And speaking of contracts and payrolls, spoke with someone who's been in contact with a member of the Marlins' front office. Word is the payroll will increase slightly to about $40 million.

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