Posted on Mon, Dec. 08, 2003

 

Rodriguez, Marlins fail to agree on contract before deadline

TIM REYNOLDS

Associated Press

 

 

 

 

CLOSE? Catcher Ivan Rodriguez says the length of the a deal with the Marlins is not the most important aspect - salary is. HECTOR GABINO/EL NUEVO HERALD

 

 

Ivan Rodriguez's last act in a Florida Marlins uniform was kissing home plate at Yankee Stadium. Now, he's kissed the World Series champions goodbye.

 

Rodriguez and the Marlins failed to agree on a contract Sunday night, meaning the 10-time All-Star catcher will playing elsewhere next season. His previous contract prevented Florida from offering salary arbitration, which could have extended negotiations through Jan. 8.

 

Instead, the Marlins ran out of time, despite all three of their top executives - owner Jeffrey Loria, president David Samson and general manager Admin Beinfest - negotiating with Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, Sunday and increasing their multiyear contract offer.

 

That session was followed by another round of talks late Sunday night. Rodriguez asked Friday for a $40 million, four-year contract.

 

"I would like to thank the Florida Marlins' fans," Rodriguez said in statement issued late Sunday night by Boras. "We had a great championship season together.

 

"I tried my best to remain a Marlin by not requesting a salary increase. To my knowledge, I'm the only major leaguer in recent times who won the World Series and received a postseason MVP award, and yet his club did not offer a higher salary."

 

Rodriguez was the NL championship series MVP and had a team-best 17 RBIs during the Marlins' World Series run.

 

The team scheduled a midnight conference call to discuss the Rodriguez situation.

 

"It was a privilege to be a part of this world championship team, and it is unfortunate the ownership chose not to keep the club together, as I felt we had the players to repeat as world champions," Rodriguez said.

 

Rodriguez's decision means the Marlins likely will enter next season with two veteran backups, Mike Redmond and Ramon Castro, vying for the starting job.

 

Redmond hit .240 with no homers in 125 at-bats in 2003; Castro hit .283 with five home runs in 53 at-bats.

 

Florida also strengthened its bullpen Sunday, agreeing with reliever Chad Fox on a $1.2 million, one-year deal. Fox had a 2.13 ERA after joining Florida as a free agent in August, and could move from setup man to closer, since the Marlins were not expected to offer free agent closer Ugueth Urbina salary arbitration before Sunday's deadline.

 

Florida also did not make arbitration offers to another pair of free agents, outfielder Todd Hollandsworth and right-hander Rick Helling, before the deadline.

 

Urbina was 3-0 with six saves and a 1.41 ERA during the regular season for the Marlins, when he served primarily as the setup man for Braden Looper. After Looper faltered late in the year, Urbina became the closer and saved four of the Marlins' 11 wins en route to the World Series title.

 

It's unknown if the Marlins will offer Looper, who was the closer for much of last season, salary arbitration which could result in a significant raise over his $2.4 million deal for 2003.

 

The Marlins have until Dec. 20 to offer deals to their arbitration-eligible players, including Looper, Redmond, outfielder Juan Encarnacion, shortstop Alex Gonzalez, and pitchers Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, Mark Redman and Michael Tejera.

 

Also Sunday, the team formally announced the signing of second baseman Luis Castillo to a $16 million, three-year contract. Castillo passed his physical to complete the deal, team spokesman Steve Copses said.

This was already posted..

"I'm the only major leaguer in recent times who won the World Series and received a postseason MVP award, and yet his club did not offer a higher salary."

SOB...

what a f***ing bastard. good luck finding a raise.

I hope he signs with the Detroit Tigers for 6 mil.

I hope he signs with the Detroit Tigers for 6 mil.

That would be grrrrrrrrrreat...

"I would like to thank the Florida Marlins' fans," Rodriguez said in statement issued late Sunday night by Boras. "We had a great championship season together.

 

"I tried my best to remain a Marlin by not requesting a salary increase. To my knowledge, I'm the only major leaguer in recent times who won the World Series and received a postseason MVP award, and yet his club did not offer a higher salary."

raise? why should he get a raise? i thought the only reason why he earned 10 mill was because it was only for 1 year and since its deffered.. if not it would have been more like 7-8 mill. what a greedy asshold.

 

 

 

f*** YOU Fudge!!!

Everything happens for a reason. Yea, I am sad that P-udge is gone but whatever. It's time to move on. Now we can get more bullpen help, which I think is more important since we already have two catchers.

niether of those 2 catchers can fill the gap that Spludge left...

 

I say use the money we had planned for Fudge, to sign Javy and Some pen help.

As much as I'd absolutely love to sign Javy, it's not going to happen.

As much as I'd absolutely love to sign Javy, it's not going to happen.

you dont happen to have a link do you?

niether of those 2 catchers can fill the gap that Spludge left...

and....

 

thats arguable

niether of those 2 catchers can fill the gap that Spludge left...

and....

 

thats arguable Oh, let me! Let me!

niether of those 2 catchers can fill the gap that Spludge left...

and....

 

thats arguable Oh, let me! Let me! no.

The Marlins upped their offer to about two years and $16 million, added incentives based on health and added a vesting option year that would have brought the three-year total close to $25 million, reports ESPN.com's Jayson Stark.

 

that was a dammed solid offer right there. 3 years for more than 8 mill per season. i couldn't have asked for more effort from Loria & Beinfest.

 

Thanks for trying guys, now go sign all the starters.