The Florida Marlins were never a team who made a splash in the offseason, but the Miami Marlins are.
Since signing Ozzie Guillen to be their new manager on September 28, the Marlins have done everything to show people that they want to be contenders in 2012.
This year the Marlins will be moving into their new ballpark that cost 634 million dollars and seats 37,000 people. Last year the Marlins drew on average 19,007 fans, that is paid attendance per game, often times there were less then 1,000 fans at the games.
Owner Jeffery Loria knows he needs to make changes with his team, and he’s already began doing that.
Already this offseason the Marlins have signed All Star closer Heath Bell to a three-year 27 million dollar deal and signed last years NL batting champ Jose Reyes to a six-year 106 million contract.
Last years the Marlins payroll topped off at about 57 million dollars and already their projected payroll is 72 million dollars for the 2012 season.
Not to mention they have offered Albert Pujols a ten-year deal and are still pursuing left handed pitchers C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle.
Moving into a new stadium wont be enough to draw new fans to Marlins games, nor will a change in name, but talent will.
The Marlins are loaded with young talent- Hanley Ramirez 2006 Rookie of the Year, Mike Stanton who hit 34 home runs last year, Logan Morrison had 23 home runs and 72 rbis, 2009 rookie of the year Chris Coghlan, and Josh Johnson who is 48-23 with a 2.98 era throughout his career.
You mix that talent with Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, and possibly Albert Pujols, you have a team that will be challenging for a playoff spot, and potentially a World Series title next year.
Already landing All-Stars Jose Reyes and Heath Bell, the Marlins are still looking to make the biggest splash of all and sign Albert Pujols.
With the signing of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat showed that fans do exist in Miami, and the Marlins are hoping to tap into that.
The Marlins are expecting to average close to 30,000 fans in their new park.
Since 2001, the best the Marlins have done in average attendance is 26th. Averaging thirty thousand plus would have put the Marlins at 16th in the league last year.
Larry Beinfest and Jeffery Loria in the past have built up winners and then had a fire sale at the end of those seasons.
Among the players the Marlins couldn’t afford to keep include, Miguel Cabrera, Luis Castillo, Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett, Juan Pierre, and Derek Lee.
With the new investments and young talent, Loria and Bienfest aren’t looking to build a one time winner, they want a team that competes against the Phillies and Braves every year for the NL East title and capable of deep playoffs runs.
To many, this seems like just a publicity stunt and a team playing with house money, as the Marlins payroll has never gone above 60 million.
The reason spending money has been so easy this offseason is due to revenue sharing and their new stadium. Since 2002 it is said that the Marlins have made about 154 million dollars in profit from revenue sharing.
Some baseball executives don’t believe its all sunshine and a rainbow in Miami, as everyone thinks.
Many question whether or not Hanley Ramirez can handle being second fiddle.
Guillen and the front office have both denied that it would be a problem, and all have said they talked to Ramirez who is fine with the switch to third base.
However, according to sources, Hanley Ramirez would rather be traded then switch his position.
With Reyes signing such a big contract it doesn’t seem likely that Ramirez will have a choice if he stays with the Marlins. Ramirez will also be tough to move, as he is owed 47 million dollars over the next three years.
Josh Johnson, the team ace, didn’t pitch a game after May 16th due to shoulder tendinitis and many believe that without him it doesn’t matter who they sign.
No matter the concerns, the Marlins for the first time ever, are kings of the offseason.
For now.
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