Cost-cutting Marlins trade 4 key players

By by The Associated Press

Posted 6:49AM on Friday, November 25, 2005

MIAMI - The Florida Marlins have sliced their payroll in half, and their star power by even more. Within a four-hour span Thursday night, the Marlins completed two big deals in which they sent away four key players. Slugger Carlos Delgado was traded to the New York Mets for first baseman Mike Jacobs and two minor leaguers. Then, ace Josh Beckett, third baseman Mike Lowell and reliever Guillermo Mota went to the Boston Red Sox for four prospects. Both deals were reported and confirmed earlier in the week, but not consummated until Thanksgiving. The trades trimmed more than $27 million of the $60 million payroll the Marlins carried on opening day last season, and opened a fiscally conscious era for a franchise with two World Series titles in the past nine years. Some call it a fire sale, and it resembles what the Marlins did after winning the 1997 World Series. Virtually all of the talent - high-priced or otherwise - was sent elsewhere that offseason, and Florida won only 54 games in 1998. But earlier this week, Marlins president David Samson denied that Florida is following the same path as the franchise did then, saying these trades and other potential moves will represent a "market correction" - a term general manager Larry Beinfest also used Thursday night after the deal with Boston was finalized. "This is following through on the market correction and a lot of mixed emotions," Beinfest said. "We had players who were with us in '03 who helped us win a championship. It's a business, but we've had a lot of history with a lot of these guys. The recognition of what they've done is not going to be lost. Florida's cost-cutting stems largely from frustration over the lack of financing for a new ballpark. The Marlins received permission from the commissioner's office to explore a move after the 2007 season because of the failure to get government support for a 38,000-seat stadium next to the Orange Bowl. "The reality of the situation is the reality of the situation," Beinfest said. Florida will give the Mets $7 million to help cover the $48 million Delgado is owed over the next three seasons. The minor leaguers Florida obtained in that deal are pitcher Yusmeiro Petit and infielder Grant Psomas. "One of our goals this offseason was to acquire a big bat for the middle of our lineup," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said. "Carlos Delgado certainly fits that description. He'll be a superb fit." The Mets-Marlins deal needed approval by the commissioner's office because more than $1 million is changing hands. In the deal with Boston, Florida got top shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez, plus minor league pitchers Harvey Garcia, Anibal Sanchez and Jesus Delgado. "Hanley Ramirez has a chance to be an All-Star caliber shortstop, and Anibal Sanchez joins our stable of outstanding, young starting pitchers," Beinfest said. "Jesus Delgado has a very bright future in our bullpen." Carlos Delgado hit .301 with 33 homers and 115 RBIs in his lone season with the Marlins, reaching 30 homers for the ninth consecutive year. The 33-year-old first baseman, who spent his first 12 major league seasons with Toronto, has a .284 career average with 369 homers and 1,173 RBIs. He also attracted attention for protesting the U.S.-Iraq war by refusing to stand when "God Bless America" was played at major league ballparks. Delgado nearly joined the Mets last season before signing a $52 million, four-year deal with Florida. But he was disenchanted with the way the Mets recruited him a year ago, saying the team tried to appeal to his Latin heritage too much. Now, the two-time All-Star slides into a New York lineup that also includes center fielder Carlos Beltran, left fielder Cliff Floyd and third baseman David Wright. Delgado's .393 career on-base percentage should help a team that finished tied for 12th in the NL in that category last season (.322). Meanwhile, for the second time in three years, Boston spent Thanksgiving trading for a potential ace. In 2003, the Red Sox acquired Curt Schilling from the Arizona Diamondbacks and rode him to the World Series title the next year - one year after Beckett led the Marlins past the Yankees for the 2003 title. Beckett, 25, is eligible for salary arbitration and expected to make between $4 million and $5 million next season - but has been slowed by persistent blister problems and late-season shoulder soreness. He can become a free agent after the 2007 season. Lowell, 31, won a Gold Glove this year but his offense dropped off drastically and he is owed $9 million each of the next two seasons. "Mike and Josh were key players on our 2003 World Series championship team, and they'll both be missed," Beinfest said.