Marlins Looking For Catcher, Reliever

So Ramon Hernandez who is red hot since the AS Break (1.209 OPS). And added 14 points to his B.Ave in a couple weeks.

And George Sherrill who is still at his peak value. 30 saves and a K/9 over 9.

Who would the Marlins give up? I have no idea. Do they have any high end players at SS in the minors?

How is Doumit Defensively?? That was a guy Id love to see the Red Sox get someday, he has a decent bat and if his catching skills were to improve I wouldnt see why not

Mick Kraut,

Doumit has improved slightly defensively this year under the tutelage of the Pirates' new manager, a former MLB catcher. As for game calling skills, outside of Kendall and Varitek, what other catchers actually call their own games any more?

As far as being injury-prone, that was completely true in the past, but he really worked in the offseason on his conditioning and has been much better this year. He did miss time with a broken thumb (from trying to block a wild pitch) and a concussion (after taking three or four foul balls off the mask over a two-game stretch), but those are injuries more of a freakish nature rather than a statement about his fragility.

Would the Pirates trade him? Only unless they are stumbling drunk or innately stupid. He is OPSing 1.086 at home this year, where his lefty bat loves the short porch in RF, and with a OPS+ of 145, I'd say they would have to be completely blown away by an offer to move him.

Ronny Paulino, on the other hand...

Marlins also inquired about Pudge as of last week I think. He'd probably approve a trade to Florida since he lives in Miami and The Tigers are presumably in a position to eat a lot of his salary to get prospects. Only problem is that Dombrowski apparently thinks this team can still win a division..

Its times like these that make being an O's fan frustrating sometimes. Lemme tell ya, it wouldn't be this way if Billy Beane were GM...or if Angelos wasn't the owner! The Marlins want a reliever and a catcher and have already been linked to both Sherrill and Hernandez at different times...AND McPHAIL CAN'T FIGURE THIS S@*# OUT!!!

As I've mentioned before, the answer is right in front of his face. Eat something like, 80% of Ramon's deal, package his ass with Sherrill and welcome in Chris Coughlin, Logan Morrison, Aaron Thompson, and a reliever. Better yet, since the Marlins don't seem to consider it a necessity to have a lefty reliever, make it a Ramon, Chad Bradford, Daniel Cabrera trio (the Fish have a decent staff, but they're young and prone to breaking down/injury; Cabrera is durable, cheap, pretty young and still has ridiculous upside...perfect for the No.4 slot), and eat most of Hernandez's contract for Coughlin, Morrison, Thompson, Jesus Delgado (he was the first reliever I could think of), and Bryan Peterson.

Done and done. From where I'm sitting, Ramon's contract is the only problem...and it is, if the deal were simply Ramon for X prospect(s). In that case, the caliber of prospect coming back doesn't make it worth eating so much, but if such a package deal were to be made, it WOULD make sense, the prospects would be decent (though I left out Maybin, Dominguez, Volstad, and Tucker, figuring they'd be off limits), and the Fish would get a legitimate shot in the arm for the stretch run (and the next couple years, actually). As long as it's made worth the Orioles' while, there's a lot of wiggle room with Ramon's contract; what with the Marlins' ridiculously low payroll and the O's being a fairly large market club. GET IT DONE, ANDY!!!

FishFan. Only untouchable listed in the original post was West. Just sayin'

BTW- why would Morrison be untouchable? He's a first base prospect- a good one, but still...not a premium position- who hasn't played above High A. I wouldn't give him away or anything, but untouchable is kinda overstating things, no? (They also have Gaby Sanchez raking at Double A)

And Stanton? Over, say, Dominguez? Nah

1)Maybin 2)Dominguez 3)Skipworth 4)West

And that's only if you don't include Volstad and Tucker!