Long shot Wigginton doesn't crack Marlins' roster

JUPITER, Fla. -- A number of factors would have needed to fall in line for Ty Wigginton to make the Marlins. Not surprisingly, they didn't, so on Tuesday morning, the 36-year-old was released.

A non-roster invitee, Wigginton entered camp as a long shot, especially after Jeff Baker signed a two-year deal.

Wigginton was in the mix to back up at first and third base, two spots Baker also plays.

So Tuesday's news was a matter of time. Wigginton went 5-for-34 (.147) this spring. Releasing him now gives him a couple of days to possibly hook on with another club.

"He's a pro," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "When you have a conversation like this with him, you just tell him, 'We were hopeful that something might open up for you. To this point, we've stayed fairly healthy and there is not going to be an opportunity. But you're a pro, and the professionalism you brought to the clubhouse is the type of change that we've wanted to bring.'"

The Marlins are looking to build around a young nucleus, and they've added a number of veterans who have experienced winning.

Wigginton broke in with the Mets in 2002, and he's also played for Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

"We've wanted to bring the qualities that he embodied," Hill said. "We thanked him for the time he's been with us and what he's done for our young players, showing them what it means to be a pro and how to approach your job day in and day out."