They should have thrown in Heath Bell too, as a complimentary snack.

I feel like if I were the editor of a business textbook, I would be furiously adding passages about this deal so I could get it out in time for the fall semester.

Rest assured, the Marlins are nowhere near done with their fire sale right-sizing. There are murmurs that even Josh Johnson might be on the block.

Just keep repeating to yourself: they are not dumping salary, they are putting the best team on the field in order to win.

And #1 might be the only time that "Heath Bell" and "snack" have appeared in the same sentence when the former wasn't devouring the latter.

How many firesales can one franchise have? jeesh....

Can anyone comment on the pitchers the Dodgers sent? I suppose this makes sense for the Marlins if you believe the Hanley's 140 OPS+ days are behind him, and that he's going to continue to be the somewhat unspectacular player he's been over the last year and a half. Not sure if I buy that argument, though.

This just in - @JonHeymanCBS: ok, if someone wants to write a book on the #marlins season, u can have my title, free of charge: From Fidel to Fire Sale

also:

@JonHeymanCBS: breaking. sources: #marlins do intend to keep new stadium.

With the Marlins the jokes write themselves.

I'm not sure what to make of Eovaldi. He throws in the mid 90s but doesn't strike guys out, is a groundballer but gives up a #### ton of line drives, and walks more guys than he really should.

As for McGough? He's done it again.

The Turner deal seems like one that will be paying dividends for a while-- it looks like they bought really low on him. I'm surprised they couldn't get more for Hanley, but maybe I'm undervaluing the pitching going their way.

Despite all their efforts, no teams are accepting of the CF statue as a throw-in.

With the Marlins the jokes write themselves.

One eagerly awaits them to wear uniforms reading "MARLNS."

So what does this make Carlos Lee? Something like "the temporary crappy shelving you set up while stripping the place to the walls during the fire sale," evidently …

I believe Carlos Lee was acquired so he could be combined with Josh Johnson and traded for Jon Jay and Daniel Descalso.

what a joke. if bud selig believed in the best interests of baseball, the owners would be out of there.

i also wish it would serve as a template for cities NOT to give in to the hostage-taking attitude of owners when 'we need a new stadium so we can put a competitive team on the field!'. however, i know it won't.

ok, back to the jokes. they're funnier and more deserving for these (***** fill in the stars with your choice of word)

How many firesales can one franchise have? jeesh....

Check out the history of A's, Philadelphia.

Despite all their efforts, no teams are accepting of the CF statue as a throw-in.

Apparently they tried to deal it to the Cubs but Theo took one look and said "sorry, Soriano is no longer available."

Can Hanley or Jhonny Peralta play 2B? If yes, why did Dombrowski settle for Infante?

TFA:

With Dee Gordon on the disabled list, Ramirez figures to return to shortstop. When Gordon returns, Ramirez could move to third base -- or not.

Can Hanley or Jhonny Peralta play 2B?

Peralta has never played second, but in fairness, he can't play shortstop and he's made nearly 1,000 MLB appearances there.

Can Hanley or Jhonny Peralta play 2B?

No.

Well, good thing the Marlins owners paid for that stadium with private funds.

Jeff Loria makes me ashamed to be a baseball fan.

Hanley Ramirez WAR 2011-2012: 0.4 in 184 games

If Hanley has actually regressed as a player down to pretty much nothing, then this was a very nice little salary dump by the Marlins. If Hanley's back has left him less than a shell of the superstar he was in his early 20s, then well done Florida Marlins GM whoever you are because I just remembered you aren't Larry Beinfest. googling... Michael Hill. Conditionally well done, Michael Hill.

It's one hell of a risk, though. The Hanley Ramirez of 2006-2010 is very much underpaid at $15M per season through 2014, and the Marlins got back a pretty much nominal return. Eovaldi has some upside, but he only squeaked into the top 100 last year, and his stuff and numbers strongly suggest he's headed for the bullpen. The Dodgers might have gotten themselves a star at below market price for a bullpen prospect.

It really all rests on Hanley Ramirez. Hanley's minor league career always suggested to me that he has a serious effort problem. His defensive decline in the majors suggested this as well. (So did all the stories from the Marlins clubhouse about his lack of effort.) I wouldn't be surprised at all if Hanley's drive and conditioning have been mostly lacking in Florida, and a change of scenery might get him motivated for a few years. In that case, it'd be a hard trade to judge on both ends, since Hanley in Florida might be much less valuable than the Hanley who comes to LA.

Are the Dodgers paying the full freight? This doesn't seem like much in the way of prospects, but I admit I haven't paid a lot of attention to Hanley recently

Your move, Giants!

Are the Dodgers paying the full freight?

Yes.

Your move, Giants!

Carlos Zambrano, Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, John Buck, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell, and Jose Reyes are available.

As is Alfonso Soriano, I hear.

When will Ozzie Guillen be traded?

Carlos Zambrano, Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, John Buck, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell, and Jose Reyes are available.

I think Buehrle, for some reason, is not. I'm not sure why they'd rather keep him than Johnson.

"Stunning"? Drama queen alert!

So what does this make Carlos Lee?

Aren't the Astros paying a massive amount of his contract? If so, there's your answer: another cheap player.

As for McGough? He's done it again.

Man, cartoons were really racist back then.

When will Ozzie Guillen be traded?

I think teams would rather take the CF statue. Maybe even the JoePa statue.

There's a trade idea! The home run sculpture for the JoePa statue! You thought Jacob Turner was a case of buying low, well, here's a real opportunity.

I'm mostly of the opinion that Hanley Ramirez is done as a superstar, but I'm also of the opinion that he has to be worth more than a decent pitching prospect and another guy I've never heard of. I mean, I would have been highly in favor of the Mets trading Jeurys Familia and Jefry Marte for Ramirez.

Your move, Giants!

What are the chances that Reyes is available at a discount?

MCoA [Edit: and Billyshears] seems to be the only one who has noticed that Hanley Ramirez is not very good at baseball anymore. Of course that can change, but if the Dodgers are paying his entire contract through 2014, I don't see this as anything more than new ownership trying to make a splash.

this is a good trade, and i'm not just saying that because i'm stoked about this year's upcoming LAD-NYY WS.

\nutbag post\

*strums guitar*

I remember when the Dodgers acquired Manny Ramirez
Now they've gone and traded for Hanley Ramirez

*strums guitar*

[if you're enjoying this song, feel free to paypal me your spare change]

MCoA and billyshears are surely not the only ones who have noticed that Hanley is no longer very good at baseball. I noticed. I think everyone who follows an NL East team closely has noticed over the past few years.

What I think a lot of people are relying upon as an unstated assumption, however, is that Hanley's problems are largely psychological rather than physical. I think there's a certain degree of plausibility to this, actually, but I don't think it reflects well on Hanley. Ramirez has (by all accounts justifiably) acquired an extremely toxic reputation over the past several years as a loafing, self-entitled 'clubhouse cancer'-type of player. IIRC, he's basically the reason Fredi Gonzalez is now managing the Atlanta Braves instead of the Marlins. Given that he's still relatively young and his decline doesn't seem to be driven by any injury issues, it wouldn't shock me at all if Ramirez were to suddenly put up better numbers with the change of scenery to Los Angeles. But of course that just poses the question of what will happen if/when Hanley decides he's not getting sufficient respect and love in L.A., either.

Man, I can't wait for Simers to sink his teeth into him. I know you all hate Simers with a passion, but I don't, and let's be honest here: his schtick was basically designed to puncture the egos of people like Hanley Ramirez. This could be glorious, people.

I can understand the Marlins wanting Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough, but if they are in fire sale mode, why the hell did they want 36 year old Randy Choate?

I can understand the Marlins wanting Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough, but if they are in fire sale mode, why the hell did they want 36 year old Randy Choate?

Maybe Jeffrey Loria is an alum of the Choate School with a fondness for indirect nostalgia?

Seriously though, while the Infante/Sanchez trade wasn't a standard Marlins-style salary dump (since the Marlins got back a very good prospect), this Hanley move screams "get him out of here, for a sack of baseballs if necessary."

I can understand the Marlins wanting Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough, but if they are in fire sale mode, why the hell did they want 36 year old Randy Choate?

They didn't, Choate is going to LA

I mean, I would have been highly in favor of the Mets trading Jeurys Familia and Jefry Marte for Ramirez.

And playing him where? They have Wright at 3B and Tejada at SS. Moving him to LF would be an option, but he probably wouldn't go for it. I agree with the sentiment, but I just don't see the particulars of this situation making much sense.

Remember when people thought Hanley for Wright was a good idea? February seems like a distant planet at this point...

And playing him where? They have Wright at 3B and Tejada at SS. Moving him to LF would be an option, but he probably wouldn't go for it.

CF, I suppose. Apparently he did tell Mattingly he'd "play anywhere." Obviously you'd want to find out if he actually meant that before acquiring him.

Ultimately, as everyone pretty much has said, it all depends on how much Hanley's recent underachieving is due to being unhappy in Miami. Although it's true that it doesn't speak well of him as a person if he wasn't trying his best for the Marlins, I dunno if that much matters if you're the team getting him and reaping the rewards. (I suppose you could argue that if he quit on Miami, he'll quit on you, but, seriously. Miami is a crappy situation.)

Remember when people thought Hanley for Wright was a good idea?

Remember when they thought Bourjos for Wright would be a steal for the Mets?

I can understand the Marlins wanting Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough, but if they are in fire sale mode, why the hell did they want 36 year old Randy Choate?

They didn't, Choate is going to LA

Got it. I have reading comprehension problems apparently.

Jeff Loria makes me ashamed to be a baseball fan.

Jeff Loria makes me ashamed I'm the same species.

A's almost got Hanley

A's turned down a deal for two minor leaguers where the Marlins would pick up half the salary. Wonder if it was the minor leaguers, the cost or Hanley's negative reputation that did it in (or maybe Beane simply didn't think Hanley was good enough any more).

CF, I suppose. Apparently he did tell Mattingly he'd "play anywhere." Obviously you'd want to find out if he actually meant that before acquiring him.

Counting on him to handle CF seems like a big gamble. One probably worth taking, considering how bad the OF is right now, but if he sucks there, it's a drain on the pitching staff.

Remember when they thought Bourjos for Wright would be a steal for the Mets?

I think I missed that one, or blocked it from my memory.

Although it's true that it doesn't speak well of him as a person if he wasn't trying his best for the Marlins, I dunno if that much matters if you're the team getting him and reaping the rewards.

At the same time, if there's reason to think Hanley's never going to turn it around in Miami, then the Marlins did a good job dumping his salary on someone else.

This is one reason why I never spent a lot of time fretting over what the Sox lost in Ramirez. I've never been certain that Hanley would have developed into the player he became if he'd been left in Boston. Mercurial chap.