Some wanted photos with players such as Luis Gonzalez, Matt Treanor and Cody Ross. Others wanted to talk about Friday's 7-3 victory over the host Nationals, just a few miles away from the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel.
The buzz, however, was about something much bigger.
Hanley Ramirez, the team's 24-year-old shortstop, will sign a six-year deal worth as much as $70 million in the coming week.
The deal is contingent on Ramirez passing a physical. The Marlins are not expected to officially announce the signing until it returns home from a seven-game road swing, which opened Friday at Nationals Park.
The franchise had been negotiating with Ramirez and his agent since spring training.
Ramirez, who did not speak to reporters before or after Friday's game, recently was asked about his relatively low salary. Ramirez only said, ''Next year.'' Ramirez, who is making $439,000 this season, also has expressed an interest in staying with the team long term.
Ramirez, the National League Rookie of the Year in 2006, was 1 for 3 with two runs scored Friday. He's batting .336.
Andy Mota, Ramirez's agent, could not be reached for comment. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is in Washington, was in the clubhouse hours before the game but did not attend the casual reception at the hotel.
When reached at the party at the Mayflower, Marlins president David Samson said: ''I have no comment. My lips are sealed.'' A Marlins representative later said the Marlins had no plans to comment of the reports Saturday.
The Marlins, who have played at Dolphin Stadium since their inaugural season in 1993, have secured financing and have agreed to work with the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County to build a retractable roof ballpark on the Orange Bowl site in Little Havana.
