Major League Baseball News

For the last decade, the Florida Marlins organization has been all but loyal to its young bright stars. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. On Wednesday, Hanley Ramirez and the Florida Marlins came to terms on a 6 year deal worth $70 million. Ramirez looks to be staying in Florida to help keep the Fish winning. Off to a great start, the Marlins must believe Hanley Ramirez is responsible for much of their early success. Moving from lead off batter to 3rd on command, Ramirez has amassed 9 Home Runs and 13 Stolen Bases while batting .330 through the first month and a half of the season.

Ramirez would have been eligible for arbitration at the end of the season, a reality that the Marlins were not ready to face. With Ryan Howard settling for a record $10 million, experts estimate Hanley could have been worth $12 after the hearings, which is right around the price the Marlins locked up arguably the best player in baseball for the next 6 years. Ramirez is the first player in MLB history to bat .300 and steal 50 bases in his first 2 seasons. He also showed signs of developing power, hitting 29 Home Runs last year as the lead off batter.

Hanley also won the NL Rookie of the Year in ‘06, and is on pace to become only the 4th player in MLB history to hit 40 Home Runs and swipe 40 stolen bases. The others are Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Jose Canseco. Look for the Marlins to only get better by the minute as Hanley Ramirez becomes one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game.

Apparently Juan Gone ain’t so ‘gone’ yet, or is he? Today with Johan Santana debuting in his first start since being acquired by the Mets, there were two runners on. Juan Gonzalez zoned in and crushed a Santana delivery for a 3-run Home Run. Albert Pujols also homered later in the game off Sanchez. May your health be with you both for the rest of the season.

Fantasy Spin: This is great news for Cardinals fans, Pujols fans, and Juan Gone fans. Be confident about Phat Albert and keep an eye on unranked Juan Gonzalez. Don’t forget he won two MVPs in the AL already. As for Santana, Juan Gone hitting a Home Run tells us nothing bad about Johan, yet.

Ryan Howard isn’t the only Ryan trying to cash in on his early MLB success for the first time. With arbitration hearings ruling in favor of Howard for $10 million just this week, the Brewers are aware that California born Ryan Braun could be eligible for the same treatment in 2009.

When asked about a potential long term deal similar to the NL’s Tulowitzki, Braun appeared very interested. “It’s certainly something I am open to, but I honestly haven’t thought about it too much yet,” Braun replied. “I’m definitely not opposed to considering whatever they have to say.”

Tulowitzki and the Colorado Rockies agreed just recently to a 6-year, $31 million deal with a potential $15 million option for the 7th year. Many consider this deal to be a preview of the type of deal Braun and agent Nez Balelo might be able to negotiate with the Brewers. Braun will start in the outfield this year, a move prompted by a series of errors at 3B last year. Braun set an MLB record for rookies with a .634 slugging percentage, while batting .324 with 34 HRs, 97 RBIs and 15 SBs in only 113 games.

Phillies home run slugging Ryan Howard finally got pay day, winning his arbitration hearings versus the Philadelphia baseball club on Thursday. His $10 million award is a new Major League Baseball record.

“My reaction is mostly relief,” Howard sighed. Baseball analysts expect his next salary to be worth close to $20 million per year. The highest the Phillies were willing to offer Howard before his $10 million settlement was $7 million.

Howard made $900,000 in ‘07 and $355,000 during ‘06, when he won the NL MVP.

C.C. Sabathia is fresh off of a Cy Young Award in ‘07, and he’s motivated as ever after losing to the Red Sox in the ALCS playoffs. However, being a free agent at the end of the year could only distract him, which is why he is waiting to discuss an extension until the end of the ‘08 season.

“I don’t want to go through the season thinking this will be my last year. I want to help my guys here win. Everybody knows how I feel about this place and this organization and the city,” he explains. “I’ve been here since I was 17 years old.”

Sabathia went 19-7 starting 34 games for the Cleveland Indians in 2007. He recorded a 3.21 ERA with 209 K’s and only 37 walks. He will lead the pack of free agents come season’s end.

Sources confirmed Tuesday that second baseman Ian Kinsler and the Texas Rangers have agreed to a 5 year deal worth $22 million, with a one year extension that could be worth $10 million for a deal that could be worth $32 million max. At age 25 last year, Kinsler joined a rare group of second basemen to hit 20 HR and steal 20 bases. The epic milestone is the 40/40 club, whose members include Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Alex Rodriguez.

After passing a physical to complete the deal, the New York Mets officially have signed LHP Johan Santana to an MLB record setting contract for a pitcher. The terms of the agreement include a 6-year, $137.5 million contract with an option in 2014 and a $5.5 million buy out. This deal eclipses the previous record setting pitcher contract set by Barry Zito in 2006 when the Giants inked him for a 7-year, $126 million deal with an $18 million option in 2014 and a buy out at $7 million.

“It was unbelievable the work that went into this,” Mets GM Omar Minaya exhuberated. “It’s a historic day.” The Mets will begin the 2008 season with Santana the ace and opening day hurler, followed by #2 Pedro Martinez.