Reports have surfaced that the Marlins plan to make legitimate run at extending Giancarlo Stanton this offseason, and MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro hears the same, shedding more light on the situation. According to his sources, the Marlins are serious about not only building around Stanton, but supplementing him by adding a top-flight starter this winter. Frisaro says the 2015 payroll could jump to $75MM, which, while modest relative to the rest of the league, would be about $30MM higher than the team’s Opening Day payroll from the current season. He suggests that the team could make a run at James Shields on the open market, who would front the rotation while Jose Fernandez rehabs from Tommy John surgery.
Suffice it to say, Frisaro gets the impression that the Marlins won’t be trading Stanton under any circumstances this offseason. In fact, he hears that even in the event that Stanton doesn’t sign an extension, the team is comfortable going year-to-year and keeping him as long as possible, then watching him leave in free agency. Miami feels that it has built a team that can be a serious postseason contender in 2015 and 2016 — Stanton’s final two years of arbitration eligibility.
As it stands right now, the Marlins could slot a free agent starter atop their rotation and fill in the remaining four spots with Henderson Alvarez, Nathan Eovaldi, Jarred Cosart and Tom Koehler. Fernandez projects to return around the All-Star break next year, if not sooner, and the team also has one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball — Andrew Heaney — looming in the minor leagues. With rising young talent such as Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna on board, that would seem to be enough to give them a chance to contend in 2015.
Frisaro adds that in the hypothetical event that the Marlins ever do decide to move Stanton, it won’t be solely for a package of prospects. The Marlins would require Major League talent from another club’s roster in addition to top prospects in order to part with their elite slugger. As Frisaro writes: “You’re not going to see a repeat of the Miguel Cabrera trade. It’s not going to be Stanton for six prospects.”
I’ll believe when I see it
Marlins might be a dark horse for Jon Lester
I really don’t think they would give a no-trade clause. I would think with the Marlins history that he would require it.
As an A’s fan, I obviously don’t want to lose Lester but it would be cool if he signed with the marlins. I’m moving to Miami in the winter to intern for them so I’d be fun to have him follow me lol
I hope he signs with the Marlins because I know he’ll probably be with the Jays in 2016.
The issue with signing with the Marlins is a fear of being shipped off. Look at The last fire sale.
That’s why he’d probably demand a no trade clause. I know the Marlins don’t give those to anyone but Stanton is the type of player you do anything to get keep long term.
I agree. I meant more with a free agent, such as Lester or Shields.
I think the Marlins should be more inclined to offer shorter deals to FA with NTC. Anything more than 3-4 years and I’m doubting the Marlins would be willing to give NTC. Now if FA like Lester or Shields would sign for 3-4 years is another story.
If they want to stick Stanton around, giving him a 4 year 85ish deal might entice him. He’d be about 30 when it’s up then.
More like 28
Well, extension would be giving around his final arb years. Then he’d be 31 after the 4 year deal. I doubt they’d get him or try and buy out any arb years.
I honestly didn’t realize they do have him for 3 more seasons.
He is 24 now, so he would be 29 at the end of a 4 year deal. This site (MLBTR) has a formula for calculating what a player will probably earn in arbitration and it puts Stanton at somewhere between $14 and 15 million next season and if he plays at this level next season, around $24-25 million in 2016. Stanton has more service time than Trout did when he signed his deal, so you figure he is going to want a contract that is a minimum of Trout’s 6 years $140 million. A good idea of what he may be asking for is – $14 million for 2015, $25 for 2016, $30 for 2017-2020. A total of 6 years and $159 million.
talks break down when Giancarlo demands a NTC.
If I’m Stanton and the Marlins are offering big money without a NTC I ask for a deal like greinke’s where he can opt out after let’s say 3 years. That way he can earn his money and if he sees the team isn’t competitive and is selling players he can leave ASAP.
“He wants a NTC?! Trade him imiedately!”
-Jeffery Loria
Marlins are so going to trade Stanton.
I have never been someone who wishes a team to be bad, but I would be thoroughly disappointed if the Marlins sign anyone significant this offseason. They have just manipulated their fan base and the league to many times for me to assume that they have anything other than malicious intents…
and the Marlins would never lie to the Fans about spending big and being perennial contenders when they need good PR, right?
I so hope he goes year to year and sets records the next two years. I mean he could be asking for 14 million in arb next year and it would be an appropriate deal if he continues to produce and stay healthy this year.
Are they serious? Stanton will make somewhere close to $15 million in 2015 and around $24-25 million in 2016. Does anyone think its even possible to compete with one player making more than 20% of the payroll? He is going to be too expensive for the Marlins and they will have to trade him. Its only a matter of when, not if, the Marlins will trade him. We saw what happened the last time the Marlins signed a bunch of free agents and so did the players. No free agent worth his salt will sign there. Loria and the Marlins brass have been lying so long they actually believe their own lies and expect the fans to believe it too. Its really depressing.
We know they have to trade Stanton, they know they have to trade Stanton and all of this is just negotiating tactics. The biggest question to me is what will it take to get Stanton in the offseason and who is going to give it up?
“Does anyone think its even possible to compete with one player making more than 20% of the payroll?”
Yes, the Rockies ownership.
But the Rockies are far from competeing…
I think that was his point.
But the ownership (Dick Monfort) has said publicly that this current Rockies team with a healthy Tulo and CarGo will win 60% of their games every year. That equates to a 97 win season in his mind.
The moment talks go south, he will be traded.
An outfield of Stanton, Ozuna, and Yelich is one of the best in baseball. As much as I hate to see the Marlins being competitive, they are clearly in a great position to be competitive in the NL East.
With the lowest revenue in MLB at about $150 million and a max payroll somewhere in the $70-80 million range, there is no way the Marlins can pay Stanton the $14-15 million he will earn in arbitration, the $24-25 million or more he will get in 2016 in arbitration, nor can they commit the 6 years and $140++ million it would take to sign him long term today. At least they cant do any of those things and still field a competitive team. They may want to keep him, but simple economics say he will be traded. Its not really a question of if, its only a question of when.
He’s not going anywhere.
Its a given that the Marlins WILL trade Stanton, regardless of what they are saying right now. The balance sheet says they cant afford him so they have to trade him. Stanton is a southern California kid, so here is my idea. The Angels send Kole Calhoun, CJ Cron (or Hank Conger), Cam Bedrosian and a low level, high ceiling pitcher to Miami. The Marlins get 3 good, young, cheap, and cost controlled players with MLB experience + a good prospect for Stanton. Now the Angels OF is Hamilton, Trout , Stanton and the Marlins is Yelich, Ozuna, Calhoun and they also get a 1B and their closer of the future. The Marlins can then trade away Garrett Jones whose salary jumps to $5 million in 2015 and not sign another relatively expensive reliever such as Kevin Gregg.
IMO that deal wouldnt work if it was Kole Calhoun, CJ Cron (AND Hank Conger), Cam Bedrosian and a low level, high ceiling pitcher…
“Yeah, go ahead and buy yourself a house in the Miami area”…
This is all postering to sell the team in 2015. That’s when Loria can I believe with that stadium’s restrictions. He’s just getting the appeal part to a new ownership to advertise Stanton/Yelich with the “Front-End guy” + Jose Fernandez/Heaney.