Last year — within the span of one month — the Miami Marlins went from a bottom-dweller baseball team to a potential World Series contender. Last December, the Marlins signed high-profile free agents to its core of young talent. It looked as if though Miami was ready to take baseball over with newly hired, controversial skipper Ozzie Guillen at the helm.
It only took the Marlins 11 months to end up in a worse position then they were before they signed a few high-profile free agents.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the Marlins traded Emilio Bonifacio, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes to the Toronto Blue Jays for players whom just aren’t as good as the players they shipped away.
The trade capped off a fire sale by the Marlins that started when Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez went to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers, respectively. It continued when Heath Bell was traded to the Diamondbacks last month.
What’s happened in Miami is ridiculous. The team began last season with high expectations, but has fallen farther then anyone could have predicted.
It’s hard to explain the logic behind the free fall Miami has taken (except for firing Guillen last month, that was very logical). As I watch it unfold in front of me, I can’t help but think as always, “classic Marlins.”
Reach the reporter at talopez3@asu.edu
