Division-Watching (2009)

[houston-nat]

Okay, if he really thinks nobody wants Polanco and the Tigers will re-sign him cheap in March, then we have no excuse.

[NatsAddict]

Florida Marlins: 40-man roster decisions on tap
> Posted by Juan C. Rodriguez on November 19, 2009 07:30 AM

Teams have until Friday to finalize 40-man rosters before next month's Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings. The Marlins have numerous eligible players and not a lot of room to accommodate them.

The 40-man currently is at 35 after the addition of right-hander Hayden Penn and Alfredo Amezaga's activation from the 60-day disabled list.

Here's a look at who the Marlins could lose unless added to the 40-man: catcher Brad Davis, pitchers Jeff Gogal, Chris Mobley, Kyle Winters, Kris Harvey, Brett Sinkbeil, Graham Taylor, Brad Stone and Jay Buente, and outfielders Scott Cousins and John Raynor.

My guess is Cousins and Raynor will be protected. Sinkbeil also is a good possibility. He hasn't lived up to his first-round billing, but he made some strides as a reliever. Don't think the Marlins are prepared to give up on him yet. The Marlins thought enough of Buente to send him to the Arizona Fall League, where he had a 5.56 ERA in nine appearances (11 1/3 innings) with two walks and 14 strikeouts. Doubtful the Marlins leave him unprotected.

The Marlins could use all five available roster spots, but that would preclude them from making a Rule 5 selection unless they cut somebody before the Dec. 10 draft.

Also for your perusal, the list of minor leaguers granted free agency. The Marlins always seem to come up with a couple of gems out of this group. Anyone care to venture a guess as to who might be the next Brian Sanches or Joe Nelson?

Florida Marlins | Sun-Sentinel Blogs: Florida Marlins: 40-man roster decisions on tap

The Marlins will protect Cousins, who is ranked as their #9 prospect and likely to take over LF when Bonifacio fails at 2B and Coghlan moves back there.  Uggla will be gone by the 10th, potentially freeing up a spot depending on what the Fish get in return.  Sinkbeil has been enough of a bust, I doubt anybody would waste $50,000 on him, and the Fish are more likely to better fill that spot from elsewhere.

[NatsAddict]

Josh Johnson's days with Florida #Marlins appear numbered
Posted by Juan C. Rodriguez on November 20, 2009 08:39 PM

As far as agent Matt Sosnick is concerned, the Marlins can add Josh Johnson to their list of burgeoning young talents they could not afford to keep long term.

Discussions this week between the Marlins and Sosnick on a multi-year contract for the club’s No. 1 starter and one of the premier young arms in the game went no where.

Johnson wanted four guaranteed years. The Marlins would not budge off three with an option. Sosnick warned the Marlins if they didn’t sign his client this offseason, Johnson would elect free agency when eligible after 2011.

“No one’s getting any kind of a discount now,” said Sosnick, who also represents Ricky Nolasco. “This was the last chance for a team to get a bargain for Josh… They money wasn’t even the issue. It was shocking they wouldn’t do a fourth year. Josh Johnson is going to sign one of the biggest free agent pitching deals in history. If it’s in the National League, he’s just going to come back and keep beating the Marlins.”

Sosnick said his client was willing to give the Marlins a significant discount in his first two free agent seasons (2012-13). They would have settled for a little more than the four-year, $38.5 million the Royals gave Zack Greinke last offseason.

The Marlins weren’t in the same zip code, even though the will see a spike in revenues once they move into the new stadium in 2012. Sosnick said President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest told him guaranteeing a fourth year was too rich for his blood. A team spokesman said the Marlins do not comment on contract negotiations, adding "We refuse to negotiate through the press."

“The way it was sold was like they were doing us a favor by offering three years,” Sosnick said. “We were willing to discount the free agent years by a lot, both of them.They wouldn’t even talk about [the fourth year]…This is his last year there for sure.”

So why close the door on a long-term deal when Johnson is under team control for two more seasons? Sosnick said next offseason it would take a seven-year commitment well north of the $100 million mark to retain Johnson.

“They had a chance to lock him up for four years and they wanted everything their way,” Sosnick said. “The years. The dollars. It was ridiculous.

“If you’re going to spend your money on somebody how could it not be on Josh Johnson? I told Larry, ‘You have one player on your team outside of Hanley [Ramirez] that’s a sure thing. They’ll trade [Johnson] and get prospects back for him. There are going to be a lot of teams calling in the next couple of days.”

Florida Marlins | Sun-Sentinel Blogs: Josh Johnson's days with Florida #Marlins appear numbered

[Nathan]

Florida Marlins | Sun-Sentinel Blogs: Josh Johnson's days with Florida #Marlins appear numbered

Rizzo better be on the phone right now.

[NatsAddict]

Agent: Josh Johnson doesn't expect to get a long-term deal from Florida Marlins
Sides far apart on length, amount of contract
By Joe Capozzi
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 8:26 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

All-Star pitcher Josh Johnson had hoped to sign a new contract with the Marlins this winter that would keep him with the club for years to come.

Now he is wondering if 2010 will be his last season with the Marlins.

"Josh obviously wanted to do something to stay long-term with the Marlins, but it doesn't look that way now,' his agent, Matt Sosnick, said today.

Johnson, 25, is entering his second winter of arbitration but was hoping to sign a four-year contract worth at least $40 million.

The Marlins were believed to be willing to go no longer than three years for about $22 million.

When the sides could not resolve their differences, the Marlins said they preferred to go year-to-year.

"They made it very clear they only wanted to talk about a one-year deal,' Sosnick said.

Johnson could get at least $4 million in arbitration for 2010. He avoided arbitration last winter, agreeing to a $1.4 million contract before going on to post his best season: 15-5 with a 3.23 ERA and a selection to the All-Star team.

If Johnson posts another solid season, he could price himself out of Florida's budget, forcing the Marlins to trade him next winter before his final round of arbitration. Johnson could become a free agent after the 2011 season.

Sosnick has told the Marlins that Johnson would consider signing a multi-year contract this winter only, not next year.

The Marlins don't comment on negotiations, but earlier Friday discussed the opening of free agency. The Marlins are not expected to make any big signings.

"We'll field calls, we'll make calls," said Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations.

The free agent class includes four members of the 2009 Marlins: First baseman Nick Johnson, utility man Ross Gload and relievers Kiko Calero and Brendan Donnelly.

The Marlins are expected to be more active in the trade market.

"Given the dialogue I would have to stay some of these things are serious and may come to fruition," Beinfest said.

The Marlins have reportedly spoken to several teams about a deal involving second baseman Dan Uggla.

Also Friday, the Marlins finalized their 40-man roster, adding right-handed pitchers Jay Buente, Jose Ceda, Kris Harvey and Brett Sinkbeil, and outfielder Scott Cousins.

Harvey is the son of former Marlins closer Bryan Harvey.

Agent: Josh Johnson doesn't expect to get a long-term deal from Florida Marlins

[NatsAddict]

Rizzo better be on the phone right now.

I hope so.  Geez, I feel like I'm gonna puke.

[Dunnkey]

You should be used to that feeling by now, I'd think.

[houston-nat]

Grab him.

Is there any way the Marlins can sign him to something like $44m over 4 years and then trade him to us immediately?

[Lintyfresh85]

What do the Nats posses that the Marlins would even want?

Other than minimum salary talent?

[Nathan]

Minimum salary talent is what they want

[Dunnkey]

Minimum salary talent is what they want

I think he deliberately set you up for that

[Nathan]

I think he deliberately set you up for that

Maybe, I guess I missed it.  I'm in some pretty bad pain right now so I'm not thinking straight

[PatsNats09]

How about this:

Josh Johnson for Ian Desmond, Chris Marrerro, and Brad Meyers.

I just made that up in 5 seconds, I'm not sure the Marlins would agree to that but I can't think of something else. Give them Flores too I guess.

[NatsAddict]

The Fish would prefer 2 or 3 low-end prospects that they can put into MLB uniforms years before they are ready, and then pay them the minimum for 3 years.   None of this 1 or 2 years of experience stuff that is too expensive in the Marlins version of the long-term (3 years).

If Hanley finishes the year with the Fish, he will tie Mike Lowell for the most years played under a multi-year contract during the Loria/Beinfest regime - 2 (Wes Helms is in the 2nd year of a 2-year $2 million deal, too).

[houston-nat]

The Fish would prefer 2 or 3 low-end prospects that they can put into MLB uniforms years before they are ready, and then pay them the minimum for 3 years.   None of this 1 or 2 years of experience stuff that is too expensive in the Marlins version of the long-term (3 years).

So ... Josh Johnson for Chris Marrero, Zach Segovia, Stephen Lombardozzi, and Atahualpa Severino.

[PatsNats09]

So ... Josh Johnson for Chris Marrero, Zach Segovia, Stephen Lombardozzi, and Atahualpa Severino.

ACCEPTED!

Would you do Derek Norris and Brad Meyers for Johnson?

[houston-nat]

ACCEPTED!

Would you do Derek Norris and Brad Meyers for Johnson?

Maybe if I knew I could swing a multi-year contract for Johnson, or if the Marlins inked him to one immediately beforehand.

[PatsNats09]

Maybe if I knew I could swing a multi-year contract for Johnson, or if the Marlins inked him to one immediately beforehand.

theyre probably not on speaking terms now

[NatsAddict]

theyre probably not on speaking terms now

Yes they are.  Want proof?  Here's Sosnick exchanging pleasantries with Beinfest.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Recall what they got for Beckett - a top 10 MiLB prospect coming of a slightly off year in AA (Hanley), a good high A pitcher but not an elite prospect (anibal), and two A ball / rookie level pitchers who did not pan out.  They also got to drop an expensive contract coming off an awful year (Lowell).   A similarly structured deal might be Johnson plus Uggla for Norris, our best Potomac pitcher, plus 2 prospects.  Since Norris is not sure to stick at catcher and is not a top 10 prospect, you  might need to up the lower prospects or the pitcher.

[houston-nat]

Recall what they got for Beckett - a top 10 MiLB prospect coming of a slightly off year in AA (Hanley), a good high A pitcher but not an elite prospect (anibal), and two A ball / rookie level pitchers who did not pan out.  They also got to drop an expensive contract coming off an awful year (Lowell).   A similarly structured deal might be Johnson plus Uggla for Norris, our best Potomac pitcher, plus 2 prospects.  Since Norris is not sure to stick at catcher and is not a top 10 prospect, you  might need to up the lower prospects or the pitcher.

I would actually do this, and then flip Uggla immediately to somebody like the Giants for any prospects we can get, Bonifacio/Beimel-style. That way it evens out to Johnson and random prospects for Norris, a good young pitcher and random prospects.

[ASSCLOWN]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/odds-ends-johnson-.html

The Marlins are "very willing" to trade Josh Johnson for the right package, according to John Perrotto (via Twitter).  Just a few weeks ago, it seemed as though the Marlins intended on signing the 25-year-old ace to a multi-year deal.

The 6'7, 250 lb righty is arbitration eligible and due for a big raise from the $1.4MM he earned last season.  Johnson earned a trip to the all-star game in his best campaign to date, registering a 3.23 ERA with 8.2 K/9.

With a lackluster pool of available free agent starters, what teams should look to acquire Johnson?  What, in your mind, would be right package for the young hurler?  Let's hear your thoughts in the comments section.

[Lintyfresh85]

TRADE EVERYTHING!

[Nathan]

(Image removed from quote.)

TRADE EVERYTHING!

[PatsNats09]

GET JOHNSON!