Marlins News

Treanor has surgery, hopes to return
"The muscle tears around catcher Matt Treanor's left hip that sidelined him 24 games last season were worse than anticipated. Yet after undergoing surgery Oct. 1 that also fixed an umbilical hernia, Treanor expects to be at full strength well before he heads to Jupiter. That is, if Jupiter is where he will report for spring training. Treanor is unsure whether he has played his last game for the only organization he's known since midway through the 1997 season. One of 15 arbitration-eligible Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now!, Treanor will go through the process for the second time. Last season, he didn't know whether the Marlins were keeping him until the December deadline to tender ..."
This is time of year when fans take notice of baseball - except Cubs fans
"Can't believe the Cubs aren't going to the World Series? Hey, it's October. Time to talk about other teams. If there's one person in the world who doesn't get that by now, it's Ernie Banks, and thank heaven for it. Cubs fans need his undying optimism to survive another gray winter. As a matter of fact, they need Ernie's contiuous coating of mental and emotional well-being more than Chicago ever needed Michael Jordan or Mike Ditka and their championship ways. Think of it. Banks, 77, is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who played for the Cubs from 1953 to 1971 with two National League MVP awards and 11 All-Star appearances and never once experienced post-season baseball. Yet he still believes in ..."
Florida Marlins sign Wes Helms to two-year deal
"The Marlins liked Wes Helms so much that they signed him as a free agent one time and traded for him another. Now they've decided to keep the union intact, agreeing to a two-year, $1.9 million contract for the hard-nosed backup infielder. ''After doing a great job for us in 2006, we welcomed Wes back to the Marlins this year and he again strengthened our bench and was a positive influence in the clubhouse,'' said Larry Beinfest, the Marlins' president of baseball operations. ``We look forward to Wes being part of highly productive Marlins clubs in 2009 and 2010.'' Helms, 32, had informed the Marlins before the end of the season that he wanted to remain with the club. A veteran of 10 ..."
Top sub Helms gets two-year, $1.9M deal
"Wes Helms was delighted to learn on the final day of the regular season the Marlins were interested in bringing him back. He never imagined a deal would be in place less than a week later. The Marlins wasted little time locking up their best pinch hitter, signing Helms on Friday to a two-year, $1.9 million contract. Helms, who could have become a free agent in November, had said he was comfortable in his reserve role with the Marlins. They had Helms in 2006 and re-acquired him from the Phillies on April 5. "For them to do it so quick really made me feel good and even more positive with the Marlins because they showed me nothing but respect," Helms said. "That really showed me the loyalty ..."
Waechter, others outrighted off 40-man roster
"The Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! continued their roster maintenance Tuesday, outrighting several players to Triple-A. Among them was right-hander Doug Waechter, one of 16 players eligible for salary arbitration. Waechter, who can opt for free agency, signed a minor league contract and started 2008 at Albuquerque before his April 18 promotion. In 48 games, he was a more than serviceable 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA, 21 walks and 46 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings. Waechter might consider another minor league deal with the Marlins if he cannot secure a guaranteed contract elsewhere. The player Waechter replaced on the 25-man roster, right-hander Lee Gardner, also was outrighted along with ..."
Dan Uggla, Mike Jacobs could be among Marlins traded
"There were hugs all around in the Marlins' clubhouse after Sunday's season finale - not to celebrate a 4-2 win over the New York Mets but to say goodbye for what could be a long time. Some players will see each other again at spring training; others will not. With 16 players eligible for salary arbitration, players know the team will look different in February. "The way baseball is now, you've got to make changes,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I don't foresee 15 players (getting traded), but we are going to make some changes (and) improvements. That goes without saying. I think every team does it." The front office already has started a series of meetings to determine which players to ..."
Florida Marlins season recap
"Miami Herald sportswriter Clark Spencer goes over the good and the not so good from a Marlins team that posted the third-best record in franchise history but fell short of reaching the postseason. WHAT WENT RIGHT 1. The Marlins won. They went 84-77, which marks only the fifth winning season in franchise history and is exceeded only by the records of the Marlins' two World Series clubs in 1997 and 2003. The Marlins never dipped below .500 after the third game of the season. 2. They scored runs. Thanks to their home run muscle, the Marlins ranked fifth in runs scored in the National League. Their 208 home runs was a club record and was second only to Philadelphia's 214 in the NL. They ..."
Florida Marlins hope addition by subtraction improves team