BY David Villavicencio
The Marlins are on the verge of upgrading their starting rotation.
The Marlins are on the verge of upgrading their starting rotation.
A source close to Gio Gonzalez reports the Miami native could be joining his hometown team soon.
The 26-year-old is coming off the best season of his young career. Gonzalez won 16 games and struck out 197 batters while posting a 3 .12 ERA and representing the Oakland A’s in the All-Star Game. He has won 31 games and struck out 368 over the past two seasons with Oakland.
Gonzalez would be interested in joining his hometown team if a trade can be agreed on between Oakland and the Marlins. The left-hander is hoping for an extension should he get moved to another team and the Marlins appear to be interested. He will not become a free agent until 2016.
Upgrading their rotation is a priority for the Marlins and they have been connected to several pitchers this off-season. The Marlins hosted free agent Mark Buehrle last week and have been rumored to have interest in Gonzalez and Tampa Bay’s James Shields.
Adding Gonzalez would give the Marlins a formidable duo at the top of their rotation. Ace right-hander Josh Johnson and Gonzalez would form a tandem that would rank behind only Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain and Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter in the National League.
But adding a player like Gonzalez comes at a price. The lefty is young, performing at a very high level, affordable and under team control through 2015. A’s general manager Billy Beane could expect to get a nice package in return for the left-hander. He is also certain to receive plenty of calls from fellow GMs should word get out that Oakland is actively looking to move him.
The source says three different players have been discussed as potential pieces for the deal. All three players played significant time with the Marlins last season. It is unlikely that all three would be involved in the deal.
He would fit right in!
ReplyDelete"...He (Billy Beane) is also certain to receive plenty of calls from fellow GMs should word get out that Oakland is actively looking to move him."
ReplyDeleteBy now, if Villavicencio has learned about it every popcorn vendor in organized ball knows too, nevermind every GM in the sport.
It's a no for lomo and stanton for sure... but ... gaby + matt dom. + volsatd or boni ... plus maybe, just maybe, a minor league bat to sweeten the deal and not have billy b in oak, think about it long.
ReplyDeleteThe "Pretenders" (Loria and Sampson) will not get a deal done because they always want something for nothing . . . to bad they wanted to get Miguel cabrera off the books so bad that they balked at great offers from the Dodgers and the Angels and went with the garbage that Detroit was offering because they were cheap.
ReplyDeleteReal Contenders would have made the trade with the Dodgers for Billigsly and Kemp but the PRETENDERS blew that deal just like they will blow a great opportunity to get Gio.
Give LOMO, Volstad and Cogs and get GIO!
You say that the Marlins don't make deals because they want something for nothing and then you suggest a deal that includes two players with no value. LoMo definitely would have to be part of the deal, and probably Nolasco. I still do it if they sign Pujols putting Buehrle and Wilson off the table.
ReplyDeleteInteresting reading your blog
ReplyDelete