Blue Jays & Marlins on the Verge of a Blockbuster Trade

[gladdyontherise]

Blue Jays To Acquire Johnson, Reyes, Buehrle From Marlins: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com

As it stands now, the Marlins will send right-hander Josh Johnson, left-hander Mark Buehrle, shortstop Jose Reyes, outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck for shortstop Yunel Escobar, infielder Adeiny Hechavarria, right-hander Henderson Alvarez, left-hander Justin Nicolino, outfielder Jake Marisnick, catcher Jeff Mathis, and right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, tweets Morosi.

The belief now is that the deal will not be official until Wednesday, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com.

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Jeffrey Loria is the biggest joke of an owner in sports. Good trade for Toronto, I guess.

[jwgreen68]

Blue Jays To Acquire Johnson, Reyes, Buehrle From Marlins: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com



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Jeffrey Loria is the biggest joke of an owner in sports. Good trade for Toronto, I guess.

He's given up on the 2013 season before it's even started and fire selling. I guess Giancarlo Stanton is the only star caliber player left on the roster.....for now anyways.

[ocanseco55]

ESPN had it right..
Fish get gutted!!

[key2win]

Geez raise your hand if you saw this happening last year after all the signings. LOL!

Stanton will be next.

[YankeeCollector]

Stanton should demand a trade and Mike Redmond should resign, as they are setting him up for many years of failure.

[key2win]

Jeffrey Loria is the Donald Sterling of MLB. I feel sorry for the fans. Everyone knew this would happen after they got their new stadium.

[tndcollectables]

Marlins ae a very big joke! If they average 5000 fans a game I will be surprised!

[Negron-23]

Wow. Just wow. Could not believe this when I read it. And the AL East gets even tougher.

[ocanseco55]

Stanton not happy with the trade.

anybody seen his Twitter today?

https://twitter.com/Giancarlo818/status/268502933832888322

[key2win]

No kidding. I wouldnt blame him. He should demand trade now.

[tndcollectables]

No kidding. I wouldnt blame him. He should demand trade now.

he doesn't have to demand it. i am sure he is going to be given away also.

[key2win]

Selig reviewing pending Marlins-Blue Jays deal - Yahoo! Sports

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- Bud Selig was on hand when the Miami Marlins played their first regular-season game in their swanky new ballpark in April. The commissioner provided a glowing review of the $634 million project and boldly declared that opposition to the facility would fade away within five years.

So far, it's not looking so good for that last prediction.

Selig said Thursday he is examining the pending blockbuster trade that sends at least three of Miami's best players to Toronto for a package of prospects just seven months after the Marlins moved into their new home, which was financed primarily with tax money.

Speaking at the conclusion of the owners' meetings, Selig said he also is aware of fan anger in South Florida but is going to do what's in the best interests of the sport.

''People have different views of that as to what you should do and how you should do it, but I think I've been able to come through all these situations and the sport's been stronger and better as a result,'' he said, pointing to his recent experience with the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers going through bankruptcy proceedings.

''So when I say I have this matter under review and I've talked to a lot of our people and I've spent a lot of time here in between all the other meetings - this is a tough place to do it - that's exactly what I mean. It is under review. I am aware of the anger, I am. I'm also aware that in Toronto they're very happy.''

[key2win]

Marlins reportedly broke verbal no-trade promises with Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports

The fallout from the agreed to 12-player blockbuster between the Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays continues, and just when you thought the Marlins couldn't possibly come away from the fire sale looking any worse than they already did, comes this very interesting report from Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

As we all know, the Marlins are notorious for their refusal to grant no-trade clauses to free agents. According to Rosenthal's sources, two players involved in the pending trade, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes, voiced concern with that policy and the Marlins history of dumping high salaried players at a moment's notice during their recruitment last offseason. That led to Marlins president David Samson personally promising both men that they would be a part of the Marlins' "long-term vision" if they signed.

Buehrle knew the Marlins' history of dumping high-priced players, and it concerned him, according to a friend. Team president David Samson, however, told both Buehrle and his wife, Jamie, that the team was committed to a long-term vision, sources said.

A source close to Reyes, asked if the shortstop also received verbal assurances from the Marlins that he would not be traded, responded, "The answer is yes. A vehement yes."

A verbal agreement is not binding and the Marlins have technically done nothing wrong by breaking their word to both players. Also, there's little reason to feel sorry for Buehrle and Reyes when they could have taken a little less money elsewhere for more security. But with all of that said, it has become increasingly apparent that the Marlins conduct their business very poorly at basically every turn.

The damage they have done to their image is immense, and at some point it will become irreparable. That's something they better be concerned about, too, because not only will they struggle to recruit future free agents, there are players still under their control who are angry, and those relationships will need to be repaired quickly if they intend on doing long-term business with them.

Of course the biggest name that comes to mind in that respect is Giancarlo Stanton. In the midst of the early reports on Tuesday, he offered a lone, simply-stated tweet that highlighted his disappointed and frustration.

Not that we really needed Stanton to explain why he was irritated about Buehrle, Reyes, Josh Johnson, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck being shipped to the Blue Jays, or why he continues to feel that way several days later, but he elected to do so anyway in an interview MLB.com's Peter Gammons.

Here a few of the highlights:

"I do not like this at all," Stanton said. "This is the 'winning philosophy?' Then to say it's not about money? What is the motivation? There comes a breaking point. I know how I feel. I can't imagine how the city and the fans feel."

"They talked about that, a winning philosophy, and how they were building a winner to play in the new ballpark," Stanton said. "They talked about me and Jose. They talked about how they'd have Jose and [Emilio Bonifacio] and Hanley [Ramirez] in front of me and how they would go get a bat to protect me.

"Jose, Bonifacio, Hanley ... all three are gone now. I had people warn me that something like this could happen, but it runs against the competitive nature every athlete has, that nature that everything is about winning. This kind of thing is what gets talked about all the time around this team. Former Marlins come back and they warn us. It gets talked about during the stretch, in the clubhouse, after games, on the road. Again, I do not like this at all."

[key2win]

Bud Selig approves Blue Jays-Marlins deal | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports

Bud Selig isnt going to turn into David Stern and veto a trade. LOL!

Jose Reyes can finally throw away the receipt for the Toronto Blue Jays gear he sported on Instagram over the weekend.

That's because Bud Selig has finally approved the 12-player megatrade between the Jays and Miami Marlins after completing a review of the controversial swap that transformed the two franchises.

Here's Selig's statement on the deal:

"Since Tuesday, I have carefully reviewed the proposed transaction between the Miami Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays. I asked our Baseball Operations Department and our Labor Relations Department to compare this proposed transaction with similar deals. I also consulted with experienced baseball operations executives to get their input regarding the talent involved in this transaction.

"After a thorough examination of this information, it is my conclusion that this transaction, involving established Major Leaguers and highly regarded young players and prospects, represents the exercise of plausible baseball judgment on the part of both Clubs, does not violate any express rule of Major League Baseball and does not otherwise warrant the exercise of any of my powers to prevent its completion. It is, of course, up to the Clubs involved to make the case to their respective fans that this transaction makes sense and enhances the competitive position of each, now or in the future.

"I am sensitive to the concerns of the fans of Miami regarding this trade, and I understand the reactions I have heard since Tuesday. Baseball is a social institution with important social responsibilities and I fully understand that the Miami community has done its part to put the Marlins into a position to succeed with beautiful new Marlins Park. Going forward, I will continue to monitor this situation with the expectation that the Marlins will take into account the sentiments of their fans, who deserve the best efforts and considered judgment of their Club. I have received assurances from the ownership of the Marlins that they share these beliefs and are fully committed to build a long-term winning team that their fans can be proud of."

There was probably no real chance that Selig was going to overturn the trade because the future value of prospects automatically defers evaluation of a trade to a point in time when it'll be too late to do something. Selig would have also angered a revived Blue Jays fan base had he canceled the trade in the "best interests of the game" and there wasn't much sense in doing that — even if he did feel the trade was unfair.

It's comical, however, to read that last tongue-clucking part about the Marlins and receiving "assurances." Jeffrey Loria and David Samson have completely destroyed the baseball market in South Florida — and maybe Tampa Bay, too — so Selig's weak words come off as perfect example of the horse having long left the barn.

[key2win]

Mark Buehrle says he was lied to by Marlins - Yahoo! Sports

MIAMI (AP) -- Mark Buehrle has issued a parting shot at Miami Marlins' management after his stay with the team lasted only one tumultuous season.

The left-hander was part of the blockbuster trade that sent Buehrle, All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, right-hander Josh Johnson and two other players to the Toronto Blue Jays as the Marlins pared $146.5 million in future payroll.

In a statement issued Wednesday through his agent, Buehrle said he was lied to on multiple occasions, just like Marlins fans.

Team president David Samson said the Marlins didn't lie to Buehrle, but instead were compelled to make drastic changes after a disastrous season that included a last-place finish in their new ballpark.

Buehrle signed a $58 million, four-year deal with the Marlins during their unprecedented spending spree a year ago.