Hanley Ramirez To Sign Long Term

It looks like the Marlins will be locking up their best player for the next six years. Recent reports indicate that Hanley Ramirez will sign a six-year, $70MM deal within the next few days. There is no word on whether all six years are guaranteed, or if there will be any options involved. A six-year deal buys out Ramirez’s first two years of free agency.

As we learned back in March, the Marlins haven’t signed a player to a multi-year deal since Carlos Delgado in January of 2005. Florida finished third in the NL East that year, and began their infamous fire sale that off-season. This off-season, they traded Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, their two highest paid players. They currently reside atop the NL East at 21-14.

Ramirez finished 10th in the NL MVP voting last year, though he probably should have finished higher. He posted by far the highest OPS for a shortstop in the majors, beating MVP Jimmy Rollins’s mark by nearly .075. He’s said to be a butcher in the field, though, which could force a defensive move in the future. Still, a .948 OPS is a .948 OPS.

In the early goings this season, he’s hitting .336/.421/.569 with eight homers. He makes $439,000 this season.

Posted by Joe Pawlikowski, who writes for River Ave. Blues, a Yankees blog.