Miami Marlins owner Jeffery Loria was caught on the defensive at the winter meetings in Chicago on Wednesday one day after his team made a blockbuster trade.
According to ESPN and other outlets, sources have said that the team has agreed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a multi-player deal that includes shortstop Jose Reyes and starter Josh Johnson.
The deal would send Reyes, Johnson and pitcher Mark Buehrle, as well as catcher John Buck and infielder-outfielder Emilio Bonifacio to Toronto for prospects.
"The Blue Jays are sending shortstop Yunel Escobar, right-hander Henderson Alvarez, catcher Jeff Mathis and prospects Jake Marisnick (OF), Adeiny Hechavarria (SS), Justin Nicolino (LHP) and Anthony DeSclafani (RHP) to the Marlins, sources told ESPN."
The owner was forced to defend the trade on Wednesday and quell notions that the team is conducting another fire sale of players, which has been done in the past.
"We finished in last place. Figure it out," Loria told CBSSports.com from the winter meetings in Chicago.
Just a year ago, the team was full of excitement and promise. The team finished completion of a new multi-billion dollar stadium and brought in manager Ozzie Guillen to lead the roster. The Marlins were re-branded as the Miami Marlins and a new logo and uniforms were introduced.
It took years to get financing for the stadium, and while the team did not promise on paper that it would not dismantle the team, there was a feeling from the organization that the future would be different. Fans would not have to suffer from fire sales of the past, including the dismantling of two World Series champion teams for payroll reasons.
The team appeared to be changing their ways, but instead it may have just been a trick towards fans to get approval for the stadium.
During the last offseason the team pursued free agent Albert Pujols and spent a massive amount of money on Reyes, Buehrle and Heath Bell, who all signed long-term deals. Reyes signed a six-year, $106 million deal, while Buehrle signed a four-year, $58 million deal.
"We have to get better,'' Loria said, according to CBSSports.com. "We can't finish in last place. We finished in last place. That's unacceptable. We have to take a new course.''
There were also reports that the moves had to do with the imminent sale of the franchise.
"Absolutely not,'' Loria said, according to the website. "That's more stupidity.''
Things started off on the wrong foot when Guillen made comments praising Fidel Castro that angered the heavily Cuban community in the Miami area and resulted in a five-game suspension.
Guillen said: "I love Fidel Castro ... I respect Fidel Castro. You know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that motherfucker is still here."
The team played poorly all year and in mid-season the Marlins traded franchise player Hanley Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team finished with a 69-93 record, one of the worst in the National League. The Marlins were 35-46 at home and ranked in the bottom-six of baseball in runs, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
After the season ended with the Marlins in last place in the AL East, the team fired Guillen and traded Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The contracts the team signed in the offseason ended up being complete disasters.
Bell signed a three-year, $27 million contract, but was extremely ineffective at the beginning of the season and lost his closers job. He got into arguments with Guillen and eventually was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Reyes had a solid season offensively, hitting .287 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs, but didn't come close to the expectations a $100-million deal brings. Buehrle was also subpar this season, going 13-13 with a 3.74 ERA.
So for anyone counting, of the three major free agents the Marlins signed during the offseason, zero are left on the team.
After the blockbuster trade of Reyes and Johnson, the team is at another crossroads. They still have young players in Giancarlo Stanton, Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano, but will be much weaker after the trade.
Following news of the trade on Tuesday night, Stanton tweeted: "Alright, I'm pissed off!!! Plain & Simple."
Looks like history is repeating itself again.
