With the World Series over, the baseball world looks towards a winter of free agency--which opens up tonight at midnight--as rumors of possible trades arise with many teams looking to improve heading into 2014. One of these rumors involves the Miami Marlins and Giancarlo Stanton; but before other teams begin drool in hopes of landing the powerful outfielder, the Marlins are intent on keeping him and building around him.
"Mr. Stanton is not available," Marlins new general manager Dan Jennings said in an interview with SiriusXM Radio over the weekend, according to ESPN. "He is going to be in right field at Marlins Park, and [we're] looking forward to having a big year with him. We're excited."
Jennings was promoted to general manager at the end of the 2013 season in the midst of an executive shake-up throughout the franchise.
Stanton, 23, who missed 36 games due to a hamstring injury, hit .249 with 24 homers and 62 RBIs in his fourth year in the MLB in 2013. Stanton set career highs in average (.290) and homers (37) in 2012 during a fully healthy year, while adding his second-highest RBI total with 86, one shy of his career-high. His career-best for RBIs came in 2011 where he had 87, and hit .262 with 34 homers.
The Marlins don't plan on moving him anytime soon.
"We think it's going to be a lot of fun building around him and what he can mean to this ballclub and that city," Jennings said per ESPN.
Miami finished a National League-worst 62-100 last season and found themselves in last place for the third consecutive year with a loss total that has climbed each of the last four years. It's been 10 seasons since the Marlins last made a playoff appearance as their last trip to October saw the team win the World Series in six games in 2003 over the New York Yankees. The Marlins hope that keeping Stanton in the fold and building around him will eventually get them back into the playoff picture.
While Stanton appears to be an attractive acquisition for a team in need of an outfielder with a big bat, Stanton looks to be off the market. The right-handed hitting Stanton has a career average of .265 with 117 homers and 294 RBIs through his four years with the Marlins.
Whether or not the Miami is able to improve upon its lack of success in recent seasons remains to be seen, but Stanton looks to be a big part of the team's plans as it hopes to get out of the NL East cellar in the coming years.
© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
