2:15pm: In a comment to MLBTR, Nolasco's agent Matt Sosnick said, "Ricky is still hopeful that a deal can be reached for him to stay in Florida. We remain optimistic that something can be worked out with the team. We don't see it as an impasse, just the normal course of discussions. Anyone who says we hit a stalemate is reading too much into it."
12:21pm: The Marlins and arbitration-eligible right-hander Ricky Nolasco have hit a stalemate in their talks about a long-term contract extension, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. We heard that "a significant gulf exists between the two sides" back in September. Morosi says they've been exchanging three-year proposals.
If the Marlins and Nolasco are unable to agree to a long-term deal, they could simply allow the arbitration process to play out, settling on a one-year contract around $6MM (he earned $3.8MM in 2010). Nolasco is arbitration-eligible for the third time as a Super Two, so the Marlins still control him through 2012.
Morosi says that several teams have called in recent days to express interest in the 28-year-old right-hander, and we know Florida is gauging interest around the league. Nolasco was involved in talks about a potential three-team trade earlier this offseason, but those talks fell apart. We know the Yankees, Rangers, Nationals, Brewers, and Twins are looking for pitching help, but there are surely others.
