The Marlins have agreed to one year deals with Jorge Cantu and Leo Nunez. Cantu will earn $6MM this coming season while Nunez will earn $2MM. Cody Ross, on the other hand, appears to be headed to arbitration as the sides were unable to come to terms.

Anibal Sanchez has agreed to a 1-year $1.25MM deal with a $100K bonus based on games started. Renyel Pinto also agreed to a 1-year deal with terms TBA.

The Marlins have agreed to a 1-year $7.8MM deal with Dan Uggla, avoiding what could have been an ugly arbitration hearing (aren’t they all?). Despite the edict to spend more money, the Fish are apparently still shopping Uggla around. But, at this point, it’s very likely that Uggla will be the opening day second baseman.

The Marlins and Josh Johnson have agreed to a 4-year $39MM deal which buys out his first two years of free agency. The deal matches JJ’s original demand of a Greinke-like deal (4 years at $38MM) which suggests the Marlins relented after the recent pressure from MLB and MLBPA.

From ESPN:

“I’m excited,” Johnson said. “It sets up me and my family for life. One of the best parts is knowing where I’m going to be the next four years. I won’t have to hear about any trade rumors or anything like that. I’m happy to be in South Florida.”

The contract buys out the final two years of salary arbitration eligibility and the first two years of free agency for Johnson, who has a 34-16 record and a 3.40 ERA in parts of five seasons with the Marlins.

With Hanley Ramirez anchoring the offense, Josh Johnson now becomes the long-term ace of the pitching staff as the Fish make another run to the playoffs and as they look towards opening the new ballpark in 2012.

Update: A few more details. JJ will earn a mere $3.75 million in 2010, $7.75 million in 2011 and $13.75 million in 2012 and 2013. Incentives include $50K for making the All-Star team, $500K for wining the Cy Young and $1MM for World Series MVP.

Ross Gload is heading to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Marlins had hoped to bring back Gload but the defending NL champs capitalized on the opportunity and signed him to a two year deal. Big loss for the Fish as he was a reliable pinch hitter and a good defensive first baseman.

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick is reporting that negotiations between the Marlins and Josh Johnson have reached an impasse.

Agent Matt Sosnick told ESPN.com that negotiations between the Marlins and Johnson have reached an “impasse,” and Johnson expects to play under a one-year deal in 2010. Johnson will be eligible for free agency after the 2011 season, and a failure to reach agreement on a multiyear contract would probably force the Marlins to explore a trade before then.

“Based on our conversations, there’s no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins,” Sosnick said. “We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn’t going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed.”

Apparently JJ wanted a 4-year deal but the Marlins were only willing to go up to 3 years meaning they would only buy out one of his free agency years. Let’s hope this is just early posturing by both sides.

According to local reports, Marlins reliever Renyel Pinto is in a bit of trouble with the law and apparently there is a warrant out for his arrest.

On May 30, the Venezuelan pitcher was tooling his white 2007 Infiniti SUV, pimped-out with gigantic subwoofers in the trunk, through Hallandale when cops pulled him over and discovered he didn’t have a valid driver’s license. He was ordered to appear in Broward County court on June 16, but when you spend as much time flipping off the camera while lying in hammocks as Pinto does, you really can’t be be expected to alter your schedule. When he didn’t show up, his driving privileges were suspended and a warrant was issued for his arrest, with a $2,000 bond. He hasn’t been nabbed yet.

And Renyel never paid his management team:

According to a lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade County on September 4, the reliever breached his contract with Coral Springs-based Pro-Management Resources Inc. when he “failed to pay” a one-and-a-half-percent cut of his $400,000 salary.

Pinto’s name has appeared in recent trade conversations and even before this news, the Marlins shouldn’t expect to get much in return.

Links:

• Moron of the Week: Bird-Flippin’, Agent-Jiltin’, County-Evadin’ Marlins Reliever Renyel Pinto
• Renyel Pinto is Running Tacky

Chris Coghlan has earned a well deserved recognition after being named the National League Rookie of the Year. Coghlan’s rookie year started in May and took off after the All-Star game when he lead all of baseball in hits and batting average.

While this year’s NL rookie crop was very strong, Coghlan’s record setting run in August and September combined with his overall .321 average (as well as 9 homeruns and 47 RBIs) pushed him over the edge. Coghlan’s patient and consistent approach at the plate made him a strong presence in the Marlins’ lead-off spot. He quickly began to accumulate multi-hit games and avoided long slumps. He recorded 47 his in both August and September, the most the league has seen in 30 years.

Coghlan edged out J.A. Happ of the Phillies 105-94 after receiving 17 first-place votes, 6 second-place votes, and 2 third-place votes. Amazingly, he still won even though he wasn’t named on 7 ballots (while Happ was named on all 32).

Coghlan is the third Marlin to win the ROY aware, joining Dontrelle Willis and Hanley Ramirez.

Two veteran players are leaving the Fish. Earlier today, the Marlins declined Ross Gload’s $2.6 million option and he is now a free agent. Also filing for free agency was reliever Brendan Donnelly.

The Marlins have traded Jeremy Hermida to the Boston Red Sox for left-handed pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez.

Hermida was never able to live up to high expectations batting .259 last season with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. Now that he is in Boston, the Yankees/Red Sox obsessed national baseball media will fawn over his talent and potential. For Hermida’s sake, we hope the change of scenery will help.