With a new stadium set to open next April, the Miami Marlins were in desperate need of some star talent. Amid a SEC investigation, and controversy over how said stadium construction was financed they were also in need of some better headlines. To improve a team that has not done very well at the gat, they need to prove they were willing to go all in on some expensive contracts. They accomplished all of those goals by signing SS Jose Reyes to a six year 106 million dollar contract.
Of course that was not the only signing this club has made. They inked closer Heath Bell to a 27 million dollar three year deal. As this team prepares to move into its new 515 million dollar retractable roof home, it has also brought in Ozzie Guillen to be the new Marlins' skipper.
The Reyes contract is not without its risks (as all big money deals are), given his history on injuries, and the presence of the sometimes volatile Hanley Ramirez who is currently the Marlins' starting short stop. Ramirez is entering the fourth year of a 70 million dollar six year contract. He is due to make 15 million dollars in 2012.
Ramirez has expressed an interest to remain at SS, but it will now fall to Guillen and the Marlins staff to convince him to make the move to third, in hopes of playing for a team that could be competitive.
The Marlins 2011 shopping spree may not yet be at an end. They have strong interest in signing Albert Pujols, and met with his agent recently. Of course the slugger may be unwilling to move to a park that no on knows how it will play yet. There are also some thoughts that the new Marlins Park will be a Pitcher's paradise.
We have seen teams in the past try to buy contenders, and it rarely works out. Right now the Marlins are in a position where they must overpay for talent to prove they are no longer the cheap organization they have been.
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