By Fernie Ruano Jr.
Have you ever been involved with a significant other who always found a way to get another chance out of you, because no matter what he/she did to you they would convince you “this time would be different”?
That’s the first thing I thought of when word came down yesterday that the Miami Marlins – yes, the Miami Marlins – had officially inked star right fielder Giancarlo Stanton to a 13-year/$325 million, the largest contract ever in U.S. sports history.
It’s unquestionably great news for the 25-year-old Stanton, one of the game’s most prolific home run hitters and a cornerstone piece of a franchise on the fringe of being perennial contenders in the National League, especially with Jose Fernandez, Christian Yelish, Marcell Ozuna and Adeiny Echevarria, the Marlins’ other core players, all continuing their climb as established Major Leaguers and still playing out minimal salaries because of their service time in the league.
But with the passing of time those core players will only get more expensive, which if past history is indicative could mean Stanton might find himself having to carry the entire franchise on his big, broad shoulders.
No, say the Marlins who recently made public their intentions to keep their core players together for years to come. And what’s the problem, you ask?
The message was delivered by Marlins Owner Jeffrey Loria and Team President David Samson, the same dual who cried poverty before the county forked over $409 million in stadium construction bonds and the same dual who went on a publicity campaign in 2012 to promote their $191 million spree in conjunction with the opening of Marlins Park. By the way, the shopping spree resulted in a last-place finish in the NL East for the 69-93 Marlins and the firing of manager Ozzie Guillen.
But it’s almost Thanksgiving and the Marlins, who have ranked last or next-to- last in NL attendance 14 of the past 16 seasons, want your undivided attention because you know they share the same city with a professional basketball team which is still riding first class even after losing their lead pilot and an NFL team currently in the mix for a playoff spot in the AFC. Hell, even a day at the beach is still a blast around here – even in November.
Still, the Marlins are convinced or desperately trying to convince you that Marlins Park is the place to be because the richest man in American team sports is on their roster, even though he was also on their roster when he was making $480,000 and $5.5 million; And was hitting some of his 154 career home runs in front of thousands of empty seats.
What’s more is by empting out their wallet to pay Stanton, the Marlins, who reportedly earn $14-16 million from their TV deal, could be cash-strapping themselves for the future so fielding a team with a payroll of $75 million could be hard to imagine.
But the Marlins’ brass apparently believes inking their franchise player to a long-term deal will suddenly make Marlins Park a can’t-miss-destination, even though Stanton hit 37 home runs last season – a season cut short after being hit in the face with a pitch – and the team drew 1.7 million fans.
Stanton’s new deal comes with a no-trade clause, but how long will it take for him to speak up, like he’s publicly done in the past about the team’s penny-pinching tendencies, when he takes a look around him and sees he has nothing to work with? What is Fernandez, the Marlins Cuban pitching phenom who is recovering from an elbow injury and slated to return next summer, thinking after seeing Stanton get all that cash? Will Loria and Samson even be around to see Stanton’s contract through, especially since he can make out like a king if he sells the Marlins and walks away before 2017?
And just because Stanton is just getting his feet wet it doesn’t mean this deal won’t go sour. Just ask the owners in Colorado, Cincinnati and Minnesota where they have signed Troy Tulowitzki ($157.75 million), Joey Votto ($225 million) and Joe Mauer ($184 million), respectively, to long-term deals and now are trying to get out of the investments by putting the players on the trading block. They’re also singing the blues in Anaheim and Detroit, where Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are added weight on the verge of imploding at any second.
But in Miami, the same owner who just three years ago was telling you he was strapped for cash is now selling you on a powerful young star and a bright future - For now, anyway.
Do you want to know more about this 305-reeking, beach-bumming, Cuban food-obsessed dude? Well, then.. You can connect with Fernie @wordbyfernie (Twitter) and Fernie Ruano (Facebook). Who knows? If he really likes you, he might even give you his email.
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