The Marlins traded long reliever Burke Badenhop to the Rays for minor-league catcher Jake Jefferies and also signed veteran outfielder Aaron Rowand to a minor-league deal. The Badenhop trade was completed within hours of the midnight deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players. Badenhop was one of those.
The team tendered the following arbitration-eligibles: Anibal Sanchez, Emilio Bonifacio, Chris Volstad, Edward Mujica and Juan Carlos Oviedo. Clay Hensley, who had already been designated for assignment, was non-tendered and becomes a free agent.
Badenhop was arguably the most successful of the six players the Marlins received in their 2007 trade with Detroit for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis -- and was also the last remaining player for the Marlins from that trade. He appeared in 151 games for the Marlins (including 10 starts), going 13-15 with a 4.34 ERA.
Jefferies was the Rays' third-round pick in the 2008 amateur draft. In four minor-league seasons, Jefferies, who bats left-handed, has hit .254 with 13 home runs. He spent most of last season at Single A Charlotte in the Florida State League.
Rowand, an 11-year major league veteran, was released in August by San Francisco. According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, the Giants will be eating his $12 million salary in 2012 less the major league minimum.
Rowand plays all three outfield positions and the Marlins could employ him as a right-handed bat off the bench. Though he hit just .233 for the Giants last season, he went 9 for 26 with three home runs as a pinch-hitter.
The Marlins also announced the signing of infielder Donnie Murphy to a minor-league deal.
I don't like that trade for the Fish. For a team that was getting ready to bet the house on Pujols, it's surprising they wouldn't spend the money to tender a contract to the Hopper. Actually, it's not surprising. These are still the old Marlins with the exception of free agent spending.
Posted by: bob | December 12, 2011 at 07:56 PM
Forget Rowand and Murphy: they need to sign DOBBS
Posted by: d | December 12, 2011 at 08:50 PM
Should have kept the Hopper. Keeping Murphy could have something to do with the Hanley situation; this is, if he is traded. No other reason to keep him if Hanley stays. Everyone is talking about how JJ and Hanley were of little use last year due to injuries. Nobody mentions Coghlan, our forgotten man. In my opinion, he was one of our best players in '09. He was certainly one of my favorites...even though I think he has ego problems. He played hard, put his all into learning two new outfield positions and hit like an All Star for several consecutive months. My point is, he shouldn't be written off as he seems to have been. If he comes all the way back, it's like having traded for a very good regular player without giving anything up. Other opinions?
Posted by: Stan M | December 12, 2011 at 09:19 PM
Clark,
Does this trade mean the Marlins have given up all hope that Skipworth will mature into a Big Leaguer?
Posted by: rbleigh | December 12, 2011 at 09:44 PM
Stan M,
Agree that Coghlan could be very big for the Fish if he comes back healthy and hitting, but it seems like Marlins honchos have been eerily silent about the status of his injuries and his future with club. And I don't recall hearing a peep from Cogs himself in months. Let's hope he's keeping his head down and working hard so he can hit the ground running in Spring Training.
Posted by: laurelbowie | December 12, 2011 at 10:17 PM
Brother Coghlan is working hard and praying every night, that his health and determination returns him to what once was, a promising career.
Posted by: Father Flanagan | December 13, 2011 at 05:44 AM
Father Flanagan are u sayin Cogz will be reborn ? gimme an Amen
Posted by: Jesus in Little Havana | December 13, 2011 at 07:51 AM
D -- It's looking like Dobbs is not a match with the Marlins. I'm told that he is looking for a team that will provide him an opportunity to play fairly regularly, much like he did last season. The Marlins are interested in him only as a back-up and lefty bat off the bench.
rbleigh -- I don't think the trade has anything to do with Skipworth and what the Marlins think of him. I will say that the decision to trade Badenhop surprised me a little.
As for Coghlan, he has to prove to the front office that he's healthy and can play. He'll be given that chance in spring training.
-- Clark
Posted by: Clark Spencer | December 13, 2011 at 07:52 AM
There was a time when Rowand absolutely killed the Marlins and I dreaded seeing him come to bat against the Fish. He was also a very tough-nosed outfielder. Let's hope he's still got some of that left in him.
Posted by: laurelbowie | December 13, 2011 at 08:37 AM
Fish always seem to get a lot of juice out of these guys on their last leg. Rowand can be very helpful to us. I like his signing. Not a huge fan of trading Hopper, but I am sure they have something new up their sleeve.
Posted by: K-Man | December 13, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Clark,
Do you think signing Murphy is a fail safe move involving Hanley's future. Surely the Hopper had more value than Murphy on the 40 man roster...UNLESS...Hanley is to be traded.
Posted by: Stan M | December 13, 2011 at 11:10 AM
I bet Coghlan to be traded for pitching. He lives in the Tampa area...maybe the Rays would give up some of their overstocked pitchers.
Posted by: spitballer | December 13, 2011 at 05:51 PM
Stan,
I don't think the situation with Hanley had any bearing on the decision to sign Murphy. They're looking at him strictly as bench help. As for Badenhop, it's important to note that he was out of options, as is LeBlanc, and was projected to make more than $1 million through arbitration.
Clark
Posted by: Clark Spencer | December 13, 2011 at 09:26 PM
Marlins will not trade Hanley going into new stadium, period!!!!!
Posted by: I Know the Marlins | December 14, 2011 at 07:34 AM