Marlins hope to stay busy dealing at Meetings
Third base high on shopping list; Hill says club still has 'work to do'
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- After a flurry of free-agent signings, the Marlins look to keep the momentum going at the Winter Meetings this week at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort.
Team officials arrived on Sunday for the Meetings, which officially get underway on Monday and conclude with the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday.
All indications are, get ready for more moves. The Marlins are in dealing mode.
Miami became unexpected free-agent spenders last week, officially signing catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and infielder Rafael Furcal, who will play second base. A third move became official Monday, when the club finalized a two-year contract with first baseman Garrett Jones.
The Marlins have done much of their heavy lifting already, but they aren't done yet. So the four-plus days of interacting in a town known for attractions should be eventful.
One of the storylines for the week will be the possible trade of first baseman Logan Morrison, who might be on the market with Jones under contract.
"We still have work to do," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "Until we're finished with this roster, we'll continually be in conversations and discussions with our peers and free agents -- until we can put this club together and improve in the areas that we feel we need to improve. We still have work to do, and we're hard at it to get that accomplished."
Finding a third baseman is also high on Miami's shopping list, and it can be addressed either through a trade or free-agent pickup. Whatever direction the Marlins go, marlins.com will be on hand to cover everything.
Saltalamacchia will meet with the media in Lake Buena Vista on Monday afternoon. Manager Mike Redmond will be in town, too, and will have his media session on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Meetings are the first time to hear what the skipper feels about the club's offseason moves as he heads into his second season.
Readers also will have a chance to express their viewpoints in the comments section under every story.
With so much activity currently surrounding the Marlins, there will be plenty of topics to discuss over the course of the week.