by Hans on March 23, 2009
Turbulent times for Florida’s housing market be damned, the Marlins are ready to build their new home.
ESPN reports that the team has overcome the final obstacle in their decade-long battle for a new ballpark. Miami-Dade County commissioners have approved the plans for a $515 million retractable roof stadium to be constructed on the site of the old Orange Bowl in downtown Miami.
Construction will begin later this summer with the ballpark expected to debut in the spring of 2012. This follows NL East rivals the Mets, Nationals, and Phillies all opening new ballparks since 2004. The Braves have been tenants of Turner Field since 1997.
Suffice it to say, the Marlins new digs look like they will fit Miami’s style to the T. For
renderings and more information on the ballpark, visit its
official website.
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by Hans on March 18, 2009
The Washington Nationals announced today that they have signed left-handed reliever Joe Beimel to a one year, $2 million contract. Beimel, whose lack of contract this late in the spring was a surprise to some, will serve as the primary setup man for closer John Hanrahan.
Washington has built a halfway decent bullpen rather quietly, adding lefty Beimel to right handers Saul Rivera (3.96 ERA in 70 innings), Stephen Shell (2.16 / 50 ), Jesus Colome (4.31 / 71), and well regarded starting pitching prospect Garrett Mock.
While the Nationals probably won’t drive ticket sales with this move, they did acquire one of the game’s best lefty specialists late and on the cheap. But that’s not all. At the beginning of the offseason, Beimel was tagged as a Type B free agent. The Dodgers, probably expecting to pay quite well for his services, chose not to offer arbitration forfeiting their rights to a supplemental 1st round draft pick in this year’s amateur draft. If Beimel pitches as well as he has, the Nationals could wind up with a compensation draft pick in the 2010 draft should he leave as a free agent.
To put that in perspective, the Red Sox drafted Clay Buchholz with a supplemental pick in 2005. The Yankees drafted Joba Chamberlain with the same in 2006. Washington themselves took full advantage of this in 2007 selecting now top prospect Michael Burgess.
As the first official move made after the Jim Bowden era, the Nationals have made a good step in the direction of competence. Let’s hope they keep up the good work.
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