"The Blue Jays-Marlins trade is done... This is going to be one of the all-timers, with Reyes, Johnson, Bonifacio, Buck, Buehrle...holy cow." These were the words tweeted by baseball guru Buster Olney that sparked the trade hysteria. As I traversed the various sections of the library Tuesday night, I could not help but overhear the whispers, shouts and cries of baseball fans and their tumultuous reactions to this blockbuster deal.
"What were the Marlins thinking?" "That is so unfair to their fans." "Looks like I'm going to have to fill in at shortstop." These were just a few of the clamors of contempt pointed to the direction of Marlins' ownership for dealing their top prizes from 2012 free agency as well as their home-grown cornerstone players.
So the question is: why? After investing so much in the lucrative signings of Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell, why would they ship their free-agent gems, along with other Marlins cornerstones? Because they were that bad last season and they had to bite the bullet somehow.
The Miami Marlins were poised to make a splash in the 2012 season. With a new stadium, new manager and revitalized offense and pitching staff, this team had a bigger makeover than Lil' Kim for the '99 VMA awards. But with all systems go, the franchise ended up falling on its face, amassing an NL East worst 69-93, dealing All-Star third baseman Hanley Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and firing controversial manager Ozzie Guillen.
Thwarted by the media onslaught that continues to grow by the hour, it is difficult to decipher Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's philosophy in pulling the trigger that eventually had the state of Florida calling for his head. But if viewed as a long-term endeavor, this $166 million cap-clearing deal removes the underachieving ceiling from the Marlins, giving them a better opportunity to succeed in the future.
To be completely upfront, even after signing the likes of Reyes, Bell and Bueherle the Marlins were in no shape to contend for a title. Through the deal, the Marlins were able to address the needs they deemed vital to the growth of the organization at a much cheaper price, while garnering hundreds of millions of dollars for better usage in free agency. Henderson Alvarez, 22, provides great depth as the new third starter for the Marlins. Veteran Yunel Escobar, 30, provides serviceable stats year in and year out and will man third base. Adeiny Hechavarria, 23, will play shortstop; Jeff Mathis, 29, will play catcher.
The Marlins underperformed in almost every statistical offensive category last season. Out of 30 teams, the Marlins ranked 29th in runs scored (619), 24th in batting average (.244) and 24th in home runs (137). No player topped 90 RBIs and only prized possession and mainstay Giancarlo Stanton hit over 15 homeruns.
One of the best and most unique aspects of baseball is how quickly both players and fortunes can change; no team is bound to the division cellar for too long. As franchises endure incessant underwhelming seasons, they earn high draft picks and fill their minor league farms systems with all-star talent, with the Tampa Bay Rays being the prime example of this.
I am not trying to argue that the Marlins will reap the benefits of this fire-sale in the upcoming seasons. Baseball is a funny sport; in no way, shape or form can teams be deemed top dog solely based on a paper evaluation.
Year in and year out, franchises with high payrolls, coupled with boundless expectations, fall by the wayside, while small-market teams, through cohesion, chemistry and strong farm systems persevere through the rough patches and eventually come out on top.
The Marlins have a long road ahead of them; there is no denying that. But this trade cannot be written off as the move that decimated the franchise. Since July, the Marlins have excised $236 million dollars in future salaries. With the likes of Tim Lincecum, Joey Votto and Clayton Kershaw becoming free agents within the next two years, the Marlins have the opportunity of snagging these elite players, along with other potential contributors.
As the saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. Through this house-cleaning deal, the Marlins have averted five years of expensive and mediocre baseball. Yes, this pill of self-defeat will not be easy to swallow for Marlins fans. But come 2018, the Marlins will be vying for that NL East pennant with a stronger, younger and cheaper nucleus than they had before. I guarantee it.
– By Drew Heuman-Gutman
