Miami Marlins: New owners will set tone with Giancarlo Stanton decision

The incoming Miami Marlins owners will let fans know exactly what they’re all about based on how they handle superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

It’s a fascinating time for the Miami Marlins as a franchise. On the field, Giancarlo Stanton is mashing home runs at a truly unprecedented rate, willing the club back into the playoff race. Away from the diamond, the organization is preparing to welcome a change in ownership. All these storylines could converge in the near future.

Rumors and speculation have been flying around Stanton over the past month, much in the same way balls are flying off his bat and into the seats. The slugger reportedly cleared waivers, meaning he’s eligible to be traded. Do the incoming owners look to unload Stanton and his massive contract, or do they continue to keep him as the franchise’s crown jewel?

Buster Olney of ESPN considered the matter in a column today, illustrating how Derek Jeter‘s ownership group could very well define its reign by how it handles the Stanton situation. From a financial and roster-building standpoint, it makes all the sense in the world to trade him. The four-time All-Star will earn $285 million over the next 10 seasons, plus another $25 million if his team option is picked up in the final year. Starting in 2023, he’ll begin making over $30 million annually.

That’s an enormous commitment, especially for a club that typically doesn’t hand out that kind of big-money deal. And as Olney mentions, business hasn’t been particularly good for the Marlins in recent memory. FOX Sports’ Kent Rosenthal adds that they’re losing tens of millions of dollars per year and unlikely to suddenly start spending in large quantities. If they want to construct a sustainable winning team, it’s going to be very difficult to do that with one player taking up so much of the payroll.

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Of course, trading Stanton so close to such a historic run could be a marketing and PR headache for the Fish. He’s already belted 50 homers so far this year, including 17 in his last 23 games. He’s currently on pace to finish with 63 round-trippers, and fans are talking about the possibility of Stanton becoming the first player to “legitimately” break Roger Maris‘ 61-homer mark set in 1961.

Stanton is a special kind of player, and not just because of what he can do with a bat. He’s likable. He’s marketable. He’s larger than life, both literally and figuratively. That’s the type of player that can be the face of your franchise for a decade-plus, and they don’t come around too often. It would be hard to sell the Marlins fanbase on parting with someone of Stanton’s rare caliber, regardless of the financial relief.

On the other hand, there might be no better time than now (or, more realistically, this offseason) to shop Stanton. He’ll be coming off a landmark season. He’s still over two years away from his 30th birthday. Given his injury history and the real possibility he may never catch fire quite like this again, there’s logic to trading Stanton now. More valuable than prospects in any deal is the amount of salary the Marlins can get another club to agree to take on.

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Olney ultimately argues that the Marlins’ new owners should hold on to Stanton to differentiate themselves from the reviled Jeffrey Loria regime. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine someone of Jeter’s background surrendering a superstar like Stanton, even if keeping him will come with its own financial minefield. Either way, this story isn’t going anywhere and will be just one of the reasons to watch this team in the coming months.

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