The Sports Rotation

Don't try telling Florida Marlins team owner Jeffrey Loria that he should be happy with his team finishing second place in their division with 87 wins despite having the lowest payroll in the major leagues.  Don't try telling Marlins team president David Sampson to be satisfied with the future of the team given the establishment of Hanley Ramirez as a potential MVP candidate, the improved health of team ace Josh Johnson, or the emergence of Chris Coghlan who has a shot to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award.  Despite the fact that most baseball experts considered the Marlins to be a dark horse team with an average starting rotation, team management had loftier expectations, namely contending in the playoffs.  And it looks like those expectations are about to cost Fredi Gonzalez his job.

It seems almost ludicrous that the team would jettison Gonzalez after having the third most wins in franchise history, but that point appears mute considering management fired 2006 manager of the year Joe Girardi after one year because the owner couldn't take Girardi's hot tempered personality.  And on the surface, the mentioning of Bobby Valentine as a replacement might seem somewhat puzzling to fans.  This is the same manager, after all, that is remembered largely for having been ejected out of game, only to return to the dugout an inning later in a disguise.  But Valentine also is the same manager that led the  New York Mets to a couple of playoff births in his tenure, along with a 2001 World Series appearance.  His considerable experience in managing, particularly in getting franchises to the next level, is why his name has been linked to the Indians and the Nationals (both teams looking to turn their fortunes around). 

So what does this mean for the Marlins as an organization?  It means that if the Marlins do land Valentine, their financial philosophies regarding payroll are about to change.  For one thing, you can bet that Valentine's services won't come cheap.  Not with so much success on his resume and other teams with the financial flexibility to meet his needs waiting for his decision. But the Marlins will also have to add to the overall team payroll, something that fans have been complaining about for years.  Valentine will assuredly demand that Josh Johnson be locked up for a couple of years, that another established starting pitcher be added to help offset the inconsistencies of Ricky Nolasco and Chris Volstad, and that the team finds an out fielding power replacement for Jeremy Hermida. In other words, the Marlins might not be afforded the opportunity to be cheap in free agency during the winter meetings.  And by not publicly defending the accomplishments that Gonzalez has had as a manager, it looks like management has already made their choice.