Will 2006 be the Year of the Hawk?

(TheJournalNews)

How To Accomplish a Successful Negotiation With Huizenga's People

Step 1: Be the Orange Bowl Committee. (SunSentinel)

The After-Christmas Bargain Hunting Continues

...as Marlins sign infielder Wes Helms and catcher Miguel Olivo. (SportsNetwork)

MORE: And Kerry Ligtenberg, too. (SunSentinel)

Nats Get in the Relocation Race, But Generous Jeffrey's Way Ahead

"Officials in Las Vegas, San Antonio and Portland have had informal discussions with Marlins executives about relocating but have not talked with MLB regarding the Nationals. One thing working in the District's favor is that none of the cities is willing to pay for the full cost of a stadium, as the District agreed to do last year. By luring the Marlins instead, the team would likely be able to convince the team owners to pay for part of the project.

"On the other hand, MLB, which owns the Nationals, so far has been unwilling to contribute heavily to ballpark construction, agreeing to commit $20 million toward the Nationals' stadium only after a tense four-month negotiation over the lease.

"'We are not going to fully publicly finance a stadium,' said Christian Archer, a special assistant to San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger. 'That's not on the table here. Everyone knows what the tab is, and it's substantial.'

"Industry sources said Las Vegas may have the strongest chance oflanding a team because it is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation and mayor Oscar Goodman is a wild baseball supporter. But financing plans are still under discussion, and support from residents and casino operators has been mixed.

"Portland does have in place a bill, passed in 2003, that would use an estimated $150 million in income taxes from players and team officials toward ballpark construction. But city support for baseball has softened in the last year. New mayor Tom Potter has said baseball should not be a priority, and it is unclear whether governor Ted Kulongoski would support a stadium plan because he is seeking re-election." (WashingtonTimes)

Fish Get Pokey, Joe

EDIT: No, not Joey,...Joe. (MLB)

Marlins To Sign Player Who Actually Played in Big Leagues

(FishStripes)

FLASHBACK: Loria's Ex-Wife and Samson Closer to Selig Than Jeffrey?

Check out the October 20, 2003 post on the late Doug Pappas' Business of Baseball Weblog.

"Commissioner Bud Selig and his family have long-time ties to the wife of Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. Sivia Loria is from Milwaukee, Wis., as is David Samson, the Marlins' president and stepson of Jeffrey Loria. Samson's father-in-law was the former team physician for the Milwaukee Brewers.."

MORE: For fun, here's the Wikipedia entry for Jeffrey Loria.

McKeon "Pacing the Aisles of Discount Stores"

"I go nuts!" says he. "He needs to go outside and do something," says wife. (BaseballMusings)(GoogleMiamiHerald)

MORE: And also a cool mention of Larry Walansky at marlinsbaseball.com.

STILL MORE: Jack'll be in Clearwater on Jan. 25. (TBN)

BREAKING NEWS: Santa Holds Fire Sale

Deals 8 veteran reindeer to Hanukkah Harry for half-a-tray of latkes....red-nosed rookie to now head up team of flying squirrels....flight path diverted to Portland, Charlotte, Monterrey. (NORAD)

MEANWHILE...No matter how things may seem, I still wish for you and yours a very wonderful (insert your preference here).

TOP STORY: Fan Compares Fish to KISS

(rec.music.artists.kiss)

Q&A About the WBC

(ESPN)

Adios Juan (Right-Field Version)

Off to St. Louis you go! (ESPN)

Part 2 of the Joe Arriola Interview

(MarlinsToday)

Two Positive Words For the Marlins: Mike Jacobs

(MLB)

Parting Shot For Luis

Condo development company Castillo and Edgar Renteria invested large chunks of money in files for bankruptcy. (MiamiHerald)

Coaching Staff Complete

Presley does the hits, Tuck's on the bench. (GoogleMiamiHerald)

Presley: "I'm really excited about this. I know the Marlins are in a rebuilding stage, but when you look on paper and see the young talent they have available ... they have guys who can flat-out play." (PensacolaNewsJournal)

Conine Back in Baltimore

(FOXSports)

MORE: Check out Mr.Marlin March 2nd in Ft. Lauderdale. (BaltimoreSun)

Joe Dillon Escapes to Japan

(BradentonHerald)

Complete Next Year's Marlins Ad Slogan --- "Get ____ed Up!"

No, your first guess was wrong. But at least there's some good news - the Marlins' ad budget was cut less this year than last year's. (SunSentinel)

Andre Dawson Learns How to Swim

(BattleCreekEnquirer)

Selig Wakes Up?

"Top MLB officials appear determined to get a Marlins stadium deal done on Wayne Huizenga-owned land next to Dolphins Stadium. Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB president Bob DuPuy already have spoken with Huizenga, DuPuy tells us."...ALSO: Hanley doesn't think he's ready. (MiamiHerald)

San Antonio Has The Judge's Stadium All Ready...But It's Not Ready For MLB

"Two years ago, a Major League Baseball executive contacted Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff about the possibility of San Antonio as a home for the vagabond Montreal Expos. Team executives spurned an offer of playing a split schedule in minor-league Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio and in Monterrey, Mexico...

"Wolff said he isn't sure if San Antonio is ready to build a stadium and support baseball but thinks that it will be within the next decade....

"With an empty Alamodome, only a 1/8-cent of sales tax left under a state-mandated cap, and hotel occupancy and car rental taxes paying for the Spurs' arena, a new stadium is not likely in the picture, (Mayor Phil) Hardberger and Wolff said." (MySanAntonio.com)

Braves Interested in Conine

...along with Orioles and Twins. (BaltimoreSun)

Looks Like We Got Ourselves a Team Of Historic Proportions

"Having only three players remaining from a championship team three years later is the lowest total ever, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Marlins got rid of any or all of the three post arbitration....Baseball has not seen as inexperienced a team as this since foundation of the rival Union Association in 1884....Whatever the cause, I think we have an opportunity to witness something that will make the '62 Mets and the 2003 Tigers seem like amateurs (or is that professionals?). We're talking neo-Cleveland Spiders here." (BaseballToaster)(Part2)

"Miami Fans are All Yak and No Shack"

"Perhaps there is something a little odd about us. Like, even at rock concerts, Fla-botomized music lovers can barely muster the requisite applause for an encore. And when you do clap and whoop, they look over their shoulders at you and scowl. Is it the weather? Is it the transient society? Why, even when our boys the Dolphins spin a big win, can't South Floridians stick around long enough to be rocked?" (NewTimesBPB)

Slate's Justin Peters Thinks the Fire Sale is 'Ingenious'

"The Marlins will suck this year, which will disappoint their 17 fans. But it will be a short-term badness. In two years or so, when the Las Vegas or Portland Marlins are ready to get back to spending, other clubs will still be saddled with the bad contracts that Florida dumped on them this year." (Slate)

Bye Bye Ron

Off to the Yanks you go. "At least I get to go to a place where I have a pretty decent chance to win," said Mr. 6.85 ERA. (MLB)

MORE: Maverick evaluates the trade, then gets P.O'ed. (MaverickBall)

'Scott' Gives 10 Reasons Why Portland Can't Afford a Baseball Stadium

(OnTheRocks)

Marlins Claim Former A's Catcher

... and invite a bunch of guys to Spring Training. (MLB)

Andy Delivers Part 1 of Joe Arriola's "Very Candid" Recent Radio Interview...

...and then puts out some dead-on commentary of his own. (MarlinsToday)

...And Berardino Reveals the Biggest Punch Line Of Them All

"'We can win a World Series every year, we can have four million people, five million people coming to see us and we still couldn't survive [without a new stadium],' Samson said. 'Baseball wouldn't allow it and we can't do it.'" (SunSentinel)

Enjoy Some of David's 'Party' Humor

(Courtesy of the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald, NBC6, and the AP.)

"'I appreciate the emotion...I appreciate the fact you feel hurt and burned.'"

"'Jeffrey wants [the team] to stay more than all of you.'"

"'We were [considered] the most disappointing team in all of baseball [in 2005]. It's not like we traded the '27 Yankees.'"

"Off stage, Samson said the team has received fewer than 100 refund requests, which the Marlins won't grant."

"'We're definitely negotiating with everybody, and we're trying to get a deal done here.'"

"Samson, in talking about how the team's fan base has grown under Loria's ownership, was roundly booed when he said, 'In 2002, none of you were wearing Marlins stuff.'"

"'Five of the last seven stadium deals were done in cities where the team started to relocate and then didn't. . . . The first thing I said to the mayor of San Antonio is you are not our first choice.'"

"'Our focus is on staying in South Florida, that's our only goal.'"

"When one suggested the Marlins sell the team to Venezuelan media mogul Gustavo Cisneros, Samson said, 'I'm sorry. Do you work for [Miami city manager Joe] Arriola?'"

"'If you're thinking you can have an owner who is super rich, who is all of a sudden going to pour money into the team, I've got a very interesting surprise for you. You had two owners like that and they didn't do it either.'"

"Samson again ruled out building a stadium without a retractable roof to save money."

"One fan blasted Samson for his 'tone of voice,' yelling, 'We're all you've got. Look at how you're talking to us.' Samson responded, 'Look how you're talking to me! That's not how a conversation should go.' The fan then left."

"Asked about ideas to help raise money for a stadium, Samson said local government suggested a ticket surcharge, but the team opposes that. 'We've looked at the legal implications of doing a stock offering,' he added."

"After the session, Samson said, 'It would have been a problem if we had five people here. Apathy is far worse than negativity.'"

"It's The "Guess the Opening Day Lineup" Game!!!"

(FishStripes)(BaseballMusings)

"We're Number 0.81!! We're Number 0.81!!"

Keith Isley looks under the surface appearance to discover Marlins fans are not the suckfest that even they themselves claim to be. (HardballTimes)

Joe Impresses Dontrelle And Miguel

Cabrera: "Manager Joe Girardi is a good thing for us. He'll make us play the right way"....Willis: "He called [Friday] to see how I was doing. I like him. He's a very intelligent, articulate guy, a winner." (GoogleMiamiHerald)

Girardi: "I'm Very Excited"

More quotes from this interview by Newsday's Ken Davidoff: "My job is to get the community to embrace the team by the way we play....I need guys to step up, and I'm going to let them know. The important thing to me is that they know they're accountable to each other, before anyone else. When a clubhouse runs itself, that's the best clubhouse. I will work on that, quickly...My owner wants to win. They've proven that they can do it. No regrets." (Newsday)

MORE QUOTES: "My thought is if you're going to go young, go all young. They can grow together, learn to rely on each other, be accountable. And the competition is good. The competition for the spots is healthy....A big part of my job is making sure that these guys understand that they belong in the big leagues and they can do it. That's going to be my message; that just because you're young doesn't mean you can't play." (StPeteTimes)

They're Calling It a 'Party'

"The Marlins will allow season-ticket holders to speak with Samson and General Manager Larry Beinfest at a party at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Dolphins Stadium." (GoogleMiamiHerald)

Bye Bye Jeff, and Antonio, and Alex, and Ismael, and Paul, and Jim, and Mike, and Damion, and Juan (the Right-Field Version)

Why, hello Moe. (GoogleMiamiHerald)

Bye Bye D-Train and Miggy?

"(T)he cost-cutting Marlins...have begun to tell teams that every player on their roster - including Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera - is available for the right price." (SunSentinel)

Bye Bye Juan

Off to Chicago you go! (FishStripes)

Bye Bye Todd

Off to Detroit you go! (DetNews.com)

"The Tigers apparently are waiting until Thursday to announce the signing so they don't have to give the Marlins a high pick in next year's draft as compensation for Jones." (Freep.com)

Forget Blaming Loria, Fans, Commissioners, MLB, State Senators...

....there's always been only one cause of the Marlins' woes, and its initials are HWH. (BrowardNewTimes)

Huizenga Offered Land and Money to Marlins, But Marlins Won't Budge

...according to "a person familiar with the discussions and close to the Dolphins owner", who says "Wayne is very close to pulling the plug on the offer. At some point you say, 'I've had enough,' and that's about where we are. ....Unless the Marlins or Major League Baseball put something meaningful on the table, I'm leery a deal can be done. Up to now, all the movement has been by everybody but the Marlins." (FOXSports)(SunSentinel)

MORE: But the Marlins did make a movement,...towards San Antonio. (Mlive.com)

Marlins "Are a Black Mark on the League"

"So they have won two World Series in just 12 years? Big deal. Part of being a champion is behaving like one, and in that, the Marlins have failed. Miserably.

"Huizenga and Jeffrey Loria -- past and present owners of the Marlins -- probably wonder why deals for a new stadium never gained momentum, especially with an organization that boasts such an impressive track record.

"It's no secret, really. You don't generate good will and civic pride by rolling over. Neither had the clout or the wherewithal to facilitate a deal for a new stadium. But both were pros when it came to cutting their losses with fire sales.

"It's a travesty." (BeaufortGazette)

A. J. (Adios, Jack) Burnett Signing With Toronto

...reportedly for 5 years at $11 million per. (BaseballMusings)

The Jeffrey Speaks

"We've spent a lot of time going through baseball as we can see it. We're quite capable of building another championship team rather quickly, in two or three years. These names of players that you don't know, they'll be household names down the road, many of them."..."I'm not going to lose any more money. There is no reason to. No intelligent businessman is going to run his business this way. I've run this business with my heart the last four years."..."(*T)here would have been corrections anyway. Let's not forget, the team didn't improve last year."(MLB)

Huizenga, Marlins Agreed On Something?

"We have offered the Marlins a lot"..."At the appropriate time, shortly, we'll talk about what we've agreed to do." (GoogleMiamiHerald)

Another Rumor Becomes Real - Lo Duca Traded to Mets

"The Mets will send 19-year-old right-hander Gabriel Hernandez and another minor leaguer pitcher to be named, the Daily News reported." (ESPN)(NYDailyNews)

Le Batard's Head and Heart Smack Each Other Around

(GoogleMiamiHerald)

N.Y. Times Reports Marlins in "Very Serious" Talks About Trading...

...Lo Duca to the Mets. (NYTimes)

Did 'ReEfEr MaDnEsS' Stumble Onto The Master Plan?

(GoogleGroups)

Berardino Puts The Kibosh on the "Market Correction" Spin

"To recap, in the span of 10 days the Marlins have shipped off a combined eight All-Star appearances, four Gold Gloves, 532 homers, 3,812 hits, 63 wins, 1,073 innings and a World Series MVP. In return they have received a total of 102 big-league at-bats and 92/3 big-league innings." (SunSentinel)

Rumor Becomes 'True'-mor

(BaseballAmerica)

"Why is it That Wherever Loria Goes, Teams Threaten to Move?"

Winter meetings coming up; Washington and Miami problems inspire sales of Rolaids. (TorontoStar)

Can You Stand More Rumors?

Luis goes to the Twins? (FOXSports)....Villone back to Seattle? (ScrippsHoward)

Chef Bob Trying to Save The Marlins

(DeepFriedFish)

Miami City Manager Joe Arriola and David Samson

You can just feel the love. (SunSentinel)(GoogleMiamiHerald)