The Marlins are more likely to look internally for third base help than they are to sign a major free agent like Aramis Ramirez, a source close to the team tells Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.
We'd heard the Fish had interest in Ramirez and the team is known to be willing to spend this winter, but Miami also has top prospect Matt Dominguez waiting in the wings at third. Dominguez has just a .255/.325/.418 batting line in five minor league seasons but is considered to be a Gold Glove-caliber fielder. The Marlins could decide to spend at positions where there's a more glaring need, since signing Ramirez would block Dominguez for at least the next few years.
Ramirez recently said that he would enjoy playing for Ozzie Guillen in Miami and expounded on that thought to Wittenmyer. "[Guillen] knows how it is because he played the game,’’ Ramirez said. “No disrespect to all the other managers that haven’t — that doesn’t mean they don’t respect the players. I don’t think [Mike Quade] played a lot. But I never had any problem with him. I respect him, and he respects me back. But it’s a little different when you get a guy who played the game and knows how things work.’’
Guillen, for his part, says the Marlins have already asked him about some Chicago players, but the manager said he wasn't going to go out of his way to lobby the front office to acquire particular names. Besides Ramirez, Carlos Zambrano has been connected to a possible move to Florida, and Wittenmyer also adds Mark Buehrle's name to the mix. Buehrle recently said he would be intrigued by pitching in the NL after spending his first 12 seasons with the White Sox.
THEY BETTER SIGN REYES OR WILSON THEN
Wilson would be great!
yeah but they need to sign a veteran bat too
where would reyes play?
The Marlins could probably pump up attendance by trading for Z, signing Michael Barret, and then marketing it as a UFC Fight Night.
Zambrano Is a pitcher’s version of Milton Bradley, A complete Psycho with mental health problems. I don’t want him…
doesn’t warrant a full post…this is news?
This is a mistake…Dominguez is not ready and there is good chance Aramis hits 20+HR and 90+RBI in a lineup that needs consistent hitters. If they could get him for the right price i would love to see him at third for 2-3 years so Dominguez could get more time – he is NOT ready to play every day and would be a detriment to the lineup. Who else is out there besides these expensive first basemen? He, H2R(if improved), Stanton, and Morrison are 4 great hitters to be together and he can help protect H2R and Stanton. I dont like this news at all, i would like to see him signed…
The fish have no body to protect Stanton in the 5 hole, and they have no 3rd baseman that is MLB ready. Greg Dobbs was great, but he is really a valuable pinch hitter and back up more than an everyday. So what more “glaring need” is there? The pitching collective ERA is like 3.80, which is not bad, and the bats were the worst in history. There is the need for a #2 starter, but no less glaring than the 3b position.
This guy is delusional, have another on Gordon!!!