BREAKING UP THE MARLINS - AGAIN



Florida has traded first baseman Derek Lee to Chicago in exchange for 1B Heep Seop Choi and a minor leaguer to be determined.

Though asshole owner Jeffrey Loria pledged to keep the nucleus of the Marlins together in the aftermath of their 2003 World Series win, let's take a peak at how this is all turning out :

1) they've traded a 28 year old Gold Glove 1B (Lee) who knocked in 92 runs last year...to a team in their own league, because said player is coming up for salary arbitration (Lee earned $4.25 million last year). Choi is younger, cheaper and assuming he doesn't bonk his head again running down a pop up, might put up numbers equal to those of Lee. This sort of buy low / sell high practice isn't what you expect out of a defending World Champion, but as you're probably sick of hearing, it's all about payroll flexibility in 2004.

2) they're already admitting they won't be able to keep Pudge Rodriguez.

3) When and if the Mets fail to get Keith Foulke or Billy Koch, they're going after Oogie Urbina.

4) There's no shortage of suitors for 2B Luis Castillo, so say goodbye to him as well.

On the bright side, those new orange Dolphins jerseys are making a big difference.

(Loria, so cheap he refuses to take down his Expos wallpaper).


Posted: Tue - November 25, 2003 at 05:37 PM      

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