Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Marlins fans! Here is a gift from me, a blog post from the guy who has been MIA (pun intended) for quite some time. Figures I would pop up at literally the dullest point of the in or off season. Anyway, hope everyone is having a great holiday. The Marlins have already given us a great gift in the removal of John Buck¹. Then the Mets made things better by acquiring him! Here are a few other things I'd like from the organization:

• An updated roster with pictures. I seriously don't know who any of these guys are.
• A contract extension for Giancarlo Stanton, so he can keep giving us extensions in the pants.
• Enact a "clothing required" ordinance for batting practice, just in time for Mike Redmond's first year as manager. (They are other ways to bust through a slump)
• Better craft beer selections at Marlins Park
• Resign Cody Ross
• Tom Emanski's Defensive Drills DVD for the entire roster
• Wins, more of them 
• Revert to teal and black uniforms, kthxbye

Not exactly keeping my hopes up of receiving any of these. Carry on...

¹And Emilio Bonifacio (!!!)

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Placido Polanco?

Today the Marlins found their 2013 third baseman in Placido Polanco, who signed a one-year deal worth a reported $2.75 million. He joins a murderers' row of SS Adeiny Hechavarria, 2B Donovan Solano, and newly-moved 1B Logan Morrison to fill out the team's infield next season.

I know, you're thinking one of two things right now:

1. Him?
2. $2.75 million?

Here's the deal with Polanco, who posted a Triple-A quality .303 OBP last season. He is by far the best option among the remaining free-agent third basemen (the Marlins were reportedly also looking at Brandon Inge and Miguel Tejada, both of whom haven't been effective everyday players in years). And while $2.75 million seems like a lot for a dude with back problems who is also past his prime, remember that Plan A was paying $5 million for Yunel Escobar, so this qualifies as a discount (of sorts) for the Marlins. The team's Opening Day payroll could be less than $30 million if they find a taker for Ricky Nolasco; that's why they are okay with paying that much money for Polanco.

Polanco is a stopgap solution on a one-year deal heading into a rebuilding season. It is highly conceivable that he could be dealt midseason for another prospect if the Marlins find a buyer for him (and they most certainly will be dangling Polanco as soon as tomorrow). All in all, it is a good deal for the team, buying them time to find a better long-term solution at third base, either in the farm system or through a later deal.

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Yunel Escobar is the new Mike Piazza*

*Only if you ignore the fact that Yunel Escobar will never be in the Hall of Fame and we never got to see him in a Marlin uniform for a week.

The details:

The payroll-slashing Marlins dealt the shortstop and his $5 million salary across Florida to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night for minor league infielder Derek Dietrich.
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The 23-year-old Dietrich, a second-round draft pick in 2010, was selected MVP of Class-A Charlotte this year, batting .282 with a team-high 10 homers and 58 RBIs. He was promoted to Double-A Montgomery on July 28 and finished with a combined .279 average with 14 homers and 75 RBIs.

On the plus side, the Marlins now have the lowest payroll in MLB!

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