In another reminder why it’s good that the Marlins are moving into their own ballpark, we learn today that Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Landshark Stadium will now be known as Sun Life Stadium. The Dolphins have signed a 5-year deal with Sun Life Financial at an average of $7.5MM per year. Let’s hope this deal actually lasts the two years the Fish have in the Stadium.
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.
Andre Dawson has finally been elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.
“The Hawk”, who finished out his career with the marlins in 1995 and 1996 and is currently a member of the Marlins front office is a former NL MVP and ROY. He was an eight-time all star, retired with 438 home runs and 1,591 RBI.
A Miami native, Dawson becomes the first Marlins player inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Update: Dawson received 77.9% of the vote.
The transformation from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins is beginning to take shape.
Except for the “F” logo on the baseball caps, the 2010 Marlins uniforms will no longer contain references to Florida. The most noticeable difference will be on the road uniforms where “Florida” will be replaced with “Marlins” as it appears in the home uniform. Additionally, the uniform sleeves will no longer have the “F” logo patch.
More details on the Marlins website.
Third baseman Jorge Jimenez became the player to be named later in the Matt Lindstrom trade when Houston picked him on behalf of the Marlins in the Rule 5 Draft. Originally from Puerto Rico, Jimenez hit .298 with 13 home runs and 87 RBIs for the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox). The Marlins will likely give him a shot at winning the starting 3B job.
On the other end of the Draft, the Marlins, as expected, lost John Raynor when the Pirates took him with the second pick. Raynor performed well in the minors but was left exposed because the Marlins decided to protect pitchers.
Dethroned closer Matt Lindstrom is heading to the Houston Astros (literally, he is on his way to Houston for a physical). Will update once we hear who the Marlins got in return.
Update: Peter Gammons is reporting that the Marlins received two minor leaguers and a player to be named later.
Update 2: Minor leaguers coming back to the Marlins are RHP Robert Bono and SS Luis Bryan.
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:
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.