Marlins have big plans for Giancarlo Stanton
According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports, the Miami Marlins are going to try very hard to not let star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton get away via free agency.
The Marlins have control over Stanton through the 2016 season and have expressed their desire to attempt to come to a long term contract extension this off-season.
The team, who right now has the lowest payroll in Major League Baseball, is prepared to offer Stanton the largest contract in franchise history.
They are also going to promise to build a winning team around him. The Marlins have yet to do so and Stanton has been known to be less than thrilled about that fact.
If the Marlins do not sign Stanton to a contract prior to 2016, the likely candidate for this year’s National League MVP, could command up to $300 million in free agency.
When talking to USA TODAY, Marlin’s president David Samson called Stanton the “leader of the franchise.” He also said that he calls him a no-food, no-bathroom player because when he’s up to bat not a single fan leaves their seat. He went on to say,
"“We always knew the talent he had, but what he’s done this year, playing every day, he’s the definition of a game-changer.”"
That is exactly what Stanton is. He has a slash line of .288/.395/.556. He’s leading the league in slugging percentage, OPS (.951), walks (92), home runs (37), RBI (105) and total bases (297).
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Stanton understandably wants to play for a contender and although the Marlins are doing much better this season at 71-72, he wants to keep winning.
Stanton told USA TODAY by phone that he is interested in what the Marlins have planned and is willing to listen.
If they can promise to provide him with a winning team he could very well remain with the Marlins for the majority, if not all, of his career. For the first time Stanton has hope that the Marlins may just deliver.
It sounds like the Marlins are more than willing to change their image and start spending money on big name players in order to be able to keep the “face of their franchise.”