December/Winter Meetings up ahead.

 

There have been some big November moves in Marlins History as far as the Hot Stove season is concerned. The vast majority of them though, let's just say have come in unique circumstances. 

Following the Fish's first World Championship in 1997, late owner Wayne Huizenga had then General Manager Dave Dombrowski orchestrate the Franchise's first Fire Sale due to money concerns over a high priced Roster. Mr. Marlin Jeff Conine (KC), Closer Robb Nen (SF), and slugger Moises Alou (HOU) were all Traded in the month of November of '97, the first 3 of 16 Players on the Championship Squad who would be shipped by the summer. The Expansion Draft for both Arizona & Tampa Bay also took place on November 18 of that year.

In November of 2005, the Marlins under Jeffrey Loria & Larry Beinfest this time around pulled off 2 Blockbuster Trades on Thanksgiving Day. Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Carlos Delgado went to Boston & the New York Mets in separate deals for the likes of Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez and Mike Jacobs, due to again money reasons and still with no clear Stadium path in place. Luis Castillo (MIN), Juan Pierre (CHC) and Paul Lo Duca (NYM) were all Traded the following month. 

Can't forget the infamous Blue Jays Trade in 2012 under Loria & Beinfest again. On November 19, 2012, Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, and Mark Buerhle headed up north for Henderson Alvarez, Adeiny Hechavarria, Anthony DeSclafani and Jeff Mathis. From a Baseball standpoint the Marlins won that Trade by a landslide, unfortunately though it signaled a complete Rebuild during the same calendar year the Fish opened up their new Ballpark.

Just 2 years ago, with the MLB Lockout looming in December due to Major League Owners and MLBPA's issues over collective bargaining, quite a few moves were finalized throughout the industry earlier than usual in November. The Marlins themselves handed out a hefty Contract that certainty has not panned out up to now to one Avisail Garcia. They also acquired via Trade Catcher Jacob Stallings (PIT) & Infielder Joey Wendle (TB) that same month.

Stallings was Non Tendered 2 weeks ago heading into his final year of Arbitration and is now a Free Agent, along with Wendle (who just signed an MLB Deal with NYM), after some extreme struggles Offensively for both in Marlins Uniforms, and despite valuable leadership from both Vets during this Playoff Season in South Florida. 

The big blow on the Free Agent market for the Fish heading into the Off-Season is Jorge Soler, after the Slugger put together an All-Star Campaign in 2023, following the massive struggles in 2022. Soler's presence to the Marlins Lineup was as invaluable as anyone probably not named Luis Arraez this Season, while the Fish have made no bones about it they'd like to retain Soler despite not offering the Qualifying Offer that could have rounded up to over $20 Million Dollars for 1 Season had the pending F.A accepted.

Which brings us to the biggest non Roster move of the Marlins Off-Season, which was the hiring of Peter Bendix as President of Baseball Operations for the Fish, a title that had been vacant within the Organization. Bendix's hire came after General Manager Kim Ng declined her end of a mutual option for 2024 after 3 years with the Franchise. Marlins Owner Bruce Sherman had the notion to hire a Baseball President at Season's end to oversee the Club prior to Ng's declining option however, which may have played a factor into her decision.

Director of Amateur Scouting D.J. Svihlik was fired by the Organization following Ng's departure, concluding four years with the Marlins that produced pretty much nothing Offensively through the MLB Amateur Draft. Svihlik had more luck on the pitching side with the likes of Andrew Nardi, Max Meyer and Jake Eder (Who Ng adeptly flipped at the deadline for Jake Burger 🍔), but certainty not for Sherman to inexorably make a change in the amateur scouting front, which was more than warranted. 

As for Ng, who reached the Postseason with the Marlins in 2023 following 2 really rough years at the helm as G.M after being away from a Major League Franchise for 10 years at Central MLB. "I was hoping Kim would stay" said Marlins Owner Sherman. "Not lost on me we're in the Playoffs, we had hours and hours of conversation, I respect that decision she made".

Another report surfaced of a "contrasts in visions" regarding Sherman & Ng with regards to Amateur Scouting. While Bendix was once the former VP of Player Development of the T.B Rays.

Bendix, who was most recently the General Manager and second in command in Tampa Bay, made his first hire as President with Vinesh Kanthan as Director of Baseball Operations for the Marlins. Along with one of his first acquisitions as Fish Prez, claiming Ryan Jensen off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. The Marlins will take a flyer on Jensen with a 40 Man Roster spot for the time being, a former 1st Round Pick of the Chicago Cubs.

More moves maybe on the horizon for the Marlins. There are holes up the middle of the diamond, beginning behind the plate. The Winter Meetings are next week, there's plenty of time. After all, we were barely in November.