Marlins CEO Derek Jeter has "got a big job ahead of him" to convince the local fan base the new ownership group can be successful, according to ESPN's Jon Sciambi. The Marlins fan base "as a whole distrusts the ownership groups that have been there" in the past -- both Jeffrey Loria and Wayne Huizenga signed off on fire sales that gutted the team's roster -- and the group led by Jeter and Bruce Sherman needs to "build trust." However, some of the moves ownership has done since taking over in October were "missed on." That includes not retaining Jeff Conine, Andre Dawson and Tony Perez as team ambassadors and dismissing the majority of the FS Florida announcing crew. Conine also was part of the previous broadcast crew, and Sciambi said of the Marlins, "It's a franchise that doesn't have a ton of history. You'd probably like to hang on to the guy called Mr. Marlin that you could trot out at events." These issues are "not the things that have been the problem" for the Marlins. Jeter "made a mistake in terms of dismissing those guys." Sciambi: "Those were not the issues. Those were positives. I really think it's a job that you need to ask people in that market to understand" ("OTL," ESPN, 11/30).
LIGHTENING THE LOAD: In Miami, Clark Spencer notes Marlins P Wei-Yin Chen's $80M contract "represents a fiscal lead weight ... that has a profound bearing on looming roster decisions" as Jeter and Sherman "try to put the team’s financial house in order." Chen's deal is an "albatross that impacts the Marlins’ ability to bring payroll under control," and the backloaded contract "poses an even greater financial strain going forward." The team "reportedly lost" $50M last season with a franchise-record $115M payroll. That payroll figure "would climb" to a projected $140M next season if the Marlins "kept everyone on the current roster" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/1). One way the Marlins are looking to cut salary is to potentially trade RF Giancarlo Stanton, who is owed around $300M over the remaining 11 years on his deal. Stanton has a no-trade clause in his deal, and ESPN's LZ Granderson said, "Didn't we just see this in New York with Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony, a star player with a no-trade clause?" Granderson: "It didn’t work out too good for Phil. I am not saying Derek Jeter is going to be out, but this is a misstep and a miscalculation by him. You do not alienate this particular player, because that sends a signal to all the other big-time players who are out there who might be looking where to land come free agency. I just think it’s a bad look all the way around for leadership” (“SportsNation,” ESPN, 11/30).
