2012 MLB Free Agents: Marlins Offer Reyes Six Years, $90 Million
By Editorial Staff
It appears that the Miami Marlins are willing to put their money where their mouth is. According to FOX Sports, the Marlins have extended a six-year, $90 million offer to free agent shortstop Jose Reyes. Along with Reyes, Miami is rumored to have offers out to Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle and Ryan Madson.
FOX is hearing that, while Miami is interested in Reyes, the 28-year-old is also intrigued by the Marlins. Sources are saying that Reyes would enjoy playing in Miami under current manager and former major league shortstop Ozzie Guillen.
Another reason Miami may be a good fit for Reyes is because of its climate. According to FOX, by removing himself from the colder home games he’s faced in New York and transitioning to the warmer weather of Florida, Reyes may be able to avoid hamstring injuries that have plagued him throughout his career.
Throughout the season, it was rumored on several different occasions that Reyes would be seeking ‘Carl Crawford money’ this winter. Crawford signed a seven year, $142 million with the Red Sox last December. The Marlins offer obviously does not qualify as Crawford cash, but Reyes would still be making an average annual salary of $15 million.
FOX says that many around baseball are skeptical of the sincerity behind the Marlins’ current offers. Some expect the club to put something forward so they can say they tried, only to have their offers come up well short of what their targeted free agents eventually sign for.
Another interesting point in the whole Reyes-to-Miami situation is what happens with Hanley Ramirez. Before 2011, if you were to have asked which position the Marlins had locked up for the foreseeable future, it would have been shortstop.
At 27 years of age, Ramirez is a three-time All-Star and has a career OPS of .886. But, after a rocky 2011 season, the Marlins are discussing shifting Ramirez to the hot corner and naming Reyes as their everyday shortstop.
At first, Ramirez seemed open to the idea. Maybe he didn’t think his club would actually be able to real in a prize free agent. Now, with word of an offer on the table, Ramirez seems to have switched his tune. According to Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald, Ramirez is “not at all pleased at the prospect of changing positions if the Marlins sign Reyes”.
For more on the Marlins, be sure to check out Marlin Maniac.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.