Six Months Late

New Years' Day makes it six months since the deadline set by the preliminary agreement between the Marlins, City and County for final agreements and contracts to be signed to build the ballpark. Maybe the aggreements'll get presented to the Commissions in January. Even so, at least one commissioner wants answers to her questions or she'll vote no. And at least one person in state government wants it to be law that stadium decisions be put to public votes. (MiamiToday)

Yesterday's Rumor

The Red Sox tried to get Hanley to play center field in Fenway by offering Ellsbury and Buchholz and 'others', but "talks apparently have been aborted after no agreement could be reached." (SI.com)

Our Latest Confirmed Former Marlin

Mark Hendrickson seems headed to Ft. Lauderdale this spring as multiple sources say he's signing with the Orioles. (MLB)

Today's Rumors

The Marlins don't want Sammy Sosa, but oddly are considered one of the last refuges for players such as Pudge and Manny.

Matt's on Top

Lindstrom beats out Jonathan Broxton for the title of "Fastest Fastball in the Majors for 2008". (While Marlin-killer Jamie Moyer had the second-slowest.) (InsidePitch)

Christmas With the Johnsons

From Oklahoma to California Josh couldn't wait until his new son started tearing open presents. Josh also tells of his favorite gift, his hockey prowess, his favorite Christmas movies, and what his family holidays were like.. (MLB)

Ho Ho Ho!...Oh No, Joe Go!

The Fish continue their giving ways, as big Joe Nelson signs with the Rays. (TampaBay)

Xmas Eve Extra

Happy belated birthdays to Hanley and Cody.

Bryan Harvey now pitching coach for AA Tulsa. (HickoryRecord)

Watch the last game at Shea again, on MLB.com. (MLB)

The Marlins in "Marley and Me"...and is a Manatee movie in the works? (MLB)

TODAY'S-RUMORS: The Marlins won't go for Pudge unless he prices himself near the minimum, and they're shopping Andino to the Pirates.

Today's News Flashes

Gamefish gets awarded. (Fishstripes)

Braman appeals (to the courts if not to Marlins fans). (blogs.trb.com)

Cookie Rojas, Chris Clapinski and John Hughes do the baseball camp thing.

Things From Frisaro's Mailbox

Hanley may play 3rd base, Cantu may stay at 3rd base, McPherson will get a chance to play 3rd base, and Jeff may visit JAX.

TODAY'S-RUMOR: Marlins no want Brad Penny, but are still pondering Pavano. (MLB)

Like Father, Like Uncle

Lance Niekro is signed by the Braves to fulfill his destiny and return the knuckleball to the National League. (ChicagoTribune)

Today's Stuff

Alex Carver discovers why Taylor Tankersley sucked last year.(MarlinsToday)

Grant Paulsen talks to Logan Morrison, who says he's going to left field next year. (GrantPaulsen.com)

Cleveland wants Joe Nelson. (MLBTradeRumors)

TODAY'S-RUMOR: The Marlins are not interested in Ray King and are interested in Derrick Turnbow. (SunSentinel)

Today's News Bits

He's a Tiger-Treanor now. (Freep)

The surveillance state arrives at D. Stadium, as fans now must take care not to get tipsy on the watered-down beer the vendors are constantly selling, because a single text-message from an anal-retentive type could possibly get your season tickets taken away, even if the drunk isn't you but some bozo who sat in your seat. (USAToday)

Get all your new ballpark info (except renderings, darn it) at the new official Fish websites. (Blogs.Trb.com)

TODAY'S-RUMOR: The Marlins are sending 'feelers' to Ray King. (MLB)

News Notes

Marlins avoid arbitration with Josh Johnson, but "have not moved closer to finalizing a deal with Nolasco". (MLB)

This profile of Norman Braman contends "Braman's lawsuit might have succeeded in an unintended fashion by stalling the Megaplan until the economy caught up with it." (MiamiNewTimes)

Former Fish minor-league manager (and co-discoverer of Junichi Tazawa) Jon Deeble will be managing Austrailia in the WBC. (Google)

Matt's on Track

Treanor's getting interest from the Orioles but may already have committed to the Tigers.

ANOTHER-RUMOR: The Marlins are interested in Paul Byrd.

Out With The Old

Now that Nelson is getting offers from a dozen MLB teams, it seems the purging of the 30-year-old-and-over players on the Marlins roster will continue, as then there will be only two remaining. (FishBytes)

Karma?

Mr. Braman, the fighter of the Marlins stadium, is said to have lost 'massive sums of money' in the Madoff investment scandal. (Philly.com)

Does A Bigger Crowd Help A Team?

Because of the Marlins' attendance eccentriciy, this issue comes up occasionly. Colin Wyers of the Hardball Times tries to give some finality to the question by examinng "nearly every game from 1974 on", and finds that the "results certainly seem to suggest that the home crowd is a factor in giving a team home field advantage" but discovers that "super-high-attendance teams don't seem to win any more games than our high-attendance team did". And when he excludes games played after August, there's "still is an advantage to playing to a packed house, but not enough to make a difference in a full season's slate of games. There is still a sizable disadvantage to playing to an empty house". (HardballTimes)

Say It Ain't So! Joe!

One of the best Marlins relievers of last year was not tendered a contract and is now a free agent. Confusion and anger abounds at this move, and Mike Hill confused more on this morning's Hot Stove Show by saying the door's not closed and they are still hoping to make a deal with Nelson (are the Marlins hoping his value will go down on the open market?)

Bye Bye Arthur

Rhodes signs with the Reds. (MLB)

Winter Meeting Result

The Marlins drop Treanor, and pick up Zach Kroenke. (MiamiHerald)

MORE: The Fish got 3 players in the minor-league draft, and are still looking to trade Hermida. And they shut down Anibal, too. (SunSentinel)

See Mike Mordacai Play...

...this Saturday at the Old Timers' Game in Baconton, Georgia.

Vegas Happenings

Larry has the dealmakers all around but still does the texting thing, and Cody does the rodeo. (PalmBeachPost)

Bye Bye Matt

The Fish, in need of catching help, release catcher Treanor and hope they can make a deal or find someone in the Rule 5 draft. (MLB)

Keep Up With The Rumors

Check this link for the latest posts from MLB's Hot Stove Blog concerning the Marlins.

Oh Frick

Dave doesn't win the Frick, even though Van Horne is the only active broadcaster of those nominated. The winner, Tony Kubek, hasn't worked a game since 1994.

Condensed News Bits

"(D)isregard those national Web site rumors that had them (the Marlins) interested in
receiving slick-fielding shortstop Jason Bartlett...there are no plans to move Dan Uggla off
second base...(Manny Acta) said he had "no idea" how Bonifacio might fare at third
should the Marlins follow through with plans to audition him there next
spring. Bonifacio, who was reaching base at a .377 clip in winter ball,
has been playing right field almost exclusively in the Dominican
Republic..." (SunSentinel)

"The Marlins are confident John Baker can handle regular catching
duties...Marlins president David Samson told reporters that, even in a sour
economy, the club is under no pressure to trade additional players in
order to trim payroll. He said owner Jeffrey Loria has not ordered a
payroll reduction." (MiamiHerald)

"The Marlins will publish a 2009 calendar of the Manatees, their
all-male, full-figured cheerleading review...(Samson says) 'Our (season-ticket) renewal rates are up from last year thanks to the
World Baseball Classic and frankly having a low base but you cannot
assume the industry will perform.' (PalmBeachPost)

Conine Has a Career

Jeff (MLB's first player-Ironman) "has accepted a standing offer from the club to become a special assistant to team president David (MLB's first obnoxious-Ironman) Samson."(MLB)

HIS-FIRST-DUTY: Roam the hallways of the Bellagio and try to get Jack away from the craps tables.

Hermida's a Vegas Headliner

Jayson Stark considers Jeremy Hermida one of the 5 "big trading chips" of the Las Vegas winter meetings....

"People sometimes assume the Marlins will trade just about anybody on the roster who's arbitration-eligible. So why not a guy like Hermida, who has tantalized them with his talent, yet frustrated them with his unfulfilled potential? Well, there's plenty of interest (in both Hermida and the even-less-available Dan Uggla), according to clubs that have spoken to the Fish. The Marlins have been pushing Jorge Cantu over Hermida, at least so far. But Hermida fits exactly what teams like the Cubs, Phillies and Rays are looking for to plug into their outfield holes. And the Marlins have young studs like Cameron Maybin, Logan Morrison and Michael Stanton on their outfield horizon. So it will be interesting to see whether they can build a Hermida deal around Jason Bartlett and a young starter (Edwin Jackson or Andy Sonnanstine) with Tampa Bay, or around infield prospect Jason Donald with the Phillies." (ESPN)

MEANWHILE: The even-less-available Uggla is not worrying about trades but does hope to be picked for the WBC. (PalmBeachPost)

The Breaks

Brett Carroll recovering from broken hand after recovering from shoulder sprain. (here's the story, in original English or in retranslated English)

Another Quickie Review

Again I tuned in late to this Saturday's 2-hour Hot Stove Radio Show - about 40 minutes in. This time Beinfest came on the show, but I only caught the end of the interview. Both hosts said later the 'big news' of the interview is that Beinfest is confident with Maybin being in the majors next year and also with Cody in left field and Jeremy in right. They also interviewed Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, whose interesting insight was that Manny Ramirez (or his agent) quashed the deal with the Marlins. The two hosts later talked about Greg Maddux retiring, and how tough it is for the Marlins to get trade value when all the other teams know that they have payroll constraints. Ended up with a Geffner plea for more season ticket purchases. Lots of commercials but not a bad show overall.

Rumor Shift

San Francisco GM Brian Sabean says that he "at the moment is not in trade talks with the Florida Marlins (Sanchez for Jorge Cantu) or any other team." So now Jayson Stark reports that the White Sox are now interested in Cantu.

Miami in Baseball History

Before the Florida Marlins, and before both versions of the Miami Marlins, there was the Miami Sun Sox, a team whose 1952 "pitching staff was one of the most effective in baseball history". This article from minorleaguebaseball.com tells the story of that team (and its rival the Miami Beach Flamingos) plus other tidbits of Miami baseball history.

What's the Latest Rumor?

It's a trade of Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez for Jorge Cantu. Rotoworld says it would be terrific for the Marlins. Giants Cove says it would be a disaster for the Giants.

Check Out The Future

The Future Fish blog already has Nos.40-50 covered in its yearly listing of the top 50 Marlins prospects. (FutureFish)

MORE: Another set of reviews of the best Marlins players by position can be found at the new blog, All Marlins, All The Time.

Another Miracle Season

The team that was the Miami Marlins from 1962-1971 and from 1982-1991 has released its 2009 schedule. Watch them go after the Stone Crabs in the opener.

Some Good News for Next Year

The good news for Marlins fans is, Jamie Moyer has just turned 46, "and there aren't alot of comparable 46 year old pitchers that have had good, or even passable seasons". (NewEnglandPhilliesPhan)

Quickie Trivia

What do Alfredo Amezaga, music producer Emilio Estefan, Heat forward Udonis Haslem, and '40's film star Veronica Lake have in common? (2thinkgood.com)