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Florida Marlins to ‘actively’ participate in free agent market – MLB Update

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Florida Marlins to ‘actively’ participate in free agent market – MLB Update
Unlike past seasons, the Florida Marlins, soon-to-be Miami Marlins, will not remain tight-fisted this offseason. As the team gears up to move to a new ballpark under a new manager, the Marlins are expected to grab some top-quality names from the free market,
which opens at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, November 3.
Just when the regular season ended, team owner Jeffrey Loria introduced Ozzie Guillen as the new manager for the Marlins. Given his aggressive nature, Guillen is expected to bring onboard a list of players that will help boost the roster. A major reason
for this is the lacklustre performance that the team produced during 2011, finishing at the bottom of the National League East division.
Marlins’ president, Larry Beinfest, asserted that he wants to improve his team to a considerable extent and will do whatever it takes to make a formidable combination. He said, “I think we can open up a little bit now. We maybe need to look into areas that
we haven’t or have been unwilling to look into in the past.”
This assertion became concrete when it was learned that the Marlins are prepared to increase their payroll from the current mark of 57-million-dollars to somewhere in the range of 80 to 90-million-dollars for 2012. It was not clarified as to whether the
team will sign new players or trade existing ones, but rest assured, some big names will join the team at the new ballpark.
Nevertheless, names such as Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Jose Reyes are still not an option for the Marlins. All these free agents are expected to bag long-term lucrative contracts and the Marlins might have to wait a few more years to
attract these names to the ballclub.
The management is confident of strengthening the bull-pen for 2012, with the intent of going after C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle and Edwin Jackson in the free agent market. James Shields is also on the radar, but it still remains to be seen as to which player
do the Marlins target.
Marlins’ closer Juan Carlos Oviedo, formerly known as Leo Nunez, is still awaiting clearance from immigration authorities in a bid to return to the United States. Beinfest emphasized that the team does have back-up plans for a closing pitcher, but nothing
is final thus far.

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