The Marlins are next in our 2012 Contract Issues series.
Eligible For Free Agency (4)
- Javier Vazquez's lost 2010 season with the Yankees allowed the Marlins to get him on a one-year deal. Can he re-establish himself?
- Omar Infante was a key component to the Dan Uggla deal. A strong season could cement him as a regular and result in the best contract of his career.
- Bench players Wes Helms and Greg Dobbs also project as free agents.
Contract Options (0)
Arbitration Eligible (9)
- First time: Chris Coghlan, Donnie Murphy, Brian Sanches, John Baker
- Second time: Clay Hensley, Edward Mujica, Burke Badenhop
- Third time: Anibal Sanchez, Leo Nunez
Not all of these players will make it to the point of being tendered a contract. Coghlan and Hensley will still be affordable. With Vazquez up for free agency, Sanchez will probably be retained even in the $6MM range. Nunez might be a tough sell for the Marlins at a price exceeding $5MM.
2012 Payroll Obligation
The Marlins' 2012 payroll obligation is $45.75MM, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts, with Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, and Ricky Nolasco leading the way. With the new stadium the team's payroll could rise to $70MM, but arbitration eligible players could account for more than $15MM, leaving the team with less than $10MM to work with. Of course $70MM is just one reporter's speculation, and trading or non-tendering Sanchez and/or Nunez would free up money.
“Javier Vazquez’s lost 2010 season with the Yankees allowed the Marlins to get him on a one-year deal. Can he re-establish himself?”
No.
Yes he can. But I doubt he’ll ever be as highly touted as he once was.