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3. Miami Marlins
One team with quite ambitious Winter Meeting plans was the Miami Marlins. Rather than filling any apparent areas of need, it seemed that the Marlins biggest priorities this week were what players they can trade, and what kind of talent they can acquire for those players. At the top of this short list were outfielder Marcell Ozuna and starting pitcher Jose Fernandez. It has been clear for weeks, and really months, that the Marlins have wanted to trade Ozuna at all costs. Fernandez on the other hand has come with more doubts, with the Marlins going back and forth on whether to actually trade their ace pitcher. This week was all about fielding offers for both players.
After four long days of discussions and rumors, the Marlins still have both players on their roster. Likely because the team was just asking for too much in return for both guys. In the case of Ozuna, the Marlins asked for Major League caliber pitching in return, with names such as Yordano Ventura, Taijuan Walker and Danny Salazar being mentioned.
While Ozuna has a lot of long-term potential, that is quite an asking price for a player that struggled last season and is basically being run out of town. Fernandez on the other hand has pitched like an ace, and is being treated like an ace by the Marlins in the trade market. The Marlins have made it clear that the asking price for Fernandez is enormous, with up to five or six players expected in return, including Major League talents. While they have had various discussions with several teams, that price did not come close to being met. For the Marlins, this week was another step backward for an organization that has seemingly lost their grip on reality. But hey, that’s Owner Jeffrey Loria for you.
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