Shortstop Hanley Ramirez has agreed in principal to a six-year contract worth $70 million with the Marlins, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. Ramirez, who would have been arbitration-eligible after this season, will be locked in with the Marlins and, barring a trade or injury, will start Opening Day of 2011 when the team hopes to open its planned stadium at the Orange Bowl site.
The organization had no comment on Ramirez's contract status Saturday, and Ramirez smiled as he shrugged off questions while warming up at Nationals Park before Florida's sixth consecutive victory.
The Marlins are expected to complete the deal and make a formal announcement once the team returns home from its seven-game trip.
''When that happens, I think it's a good message to send out to the organization, the team and the community,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday afternoon. ``But nothing's been set yet. It's all rumors right now. But when it gets done, it'll be good.''
Ramirez, hitting .326 with eight homers coming into Saturday night's game, has a dangerous combination of speed and power. Once the team's leadoff hitter (he now hits third), Ramirez hit 29 homers last season and stole 51 bases.
The National League's Rookie of the Year in 2006, Ramirez is obviously a cornerstone player the Marlins targeted. The 24-year-old would have received a hefty raise from his current salary of $439,000 had he gone to arbitration during the offseason. Today, he has financial security (the money is guaranteed), although he likely would have made more on the open market in a few seasons.
''He's set for the rest of his life and that's awesome,'' second baseman Dan Uggla said.
The Marlins have plenty of decisions to make, the biggest being how much the team wants to raise its league-low payroll. Florida's $22 million payroll is by far the lowest in the majors, and almost half that of Tampa Bay -- the next-lowest team.
WHO'S NEXT?
On Saturday, players in the Florida clubhouse were wondering which player -- if any of them -- would be next to sign a new contract with the team.
''Who knows what's going to happen,'' said Uggla, one of a good number of players who will be eligible to go to arbitration this offseason. ``With the new stadium and everything, you have to figure they're going to lock a few guys up. They started with Hanley, and everyone is happy for him. . . . But who knows what they're going to do now. I don't know.''
Players who will be arbitration-eligible this coming offseason include Uggla, Josh Willingham, Scott Olsen, Mike Jacobs and Jeremy Hermida. The Marlins could accept the salary set by an arbiter, lock up players to a long-term contract or simply trade them away to relieve payroll concerns.
With Ramirez seemingly locked in, players weren't talking about walking away from the Marlins but instead being part of their future.
''The team showed commitment by signing their best player,'' Willingham said. ``I think that's important. You want to sign your best players and make a commitment to the team, the fans and the city. It's an important step. You know he's going to be around for a while and you can build around his talents. Just go from there.''
The Marlins are known for their cost-cutting ways, with the team dumping salaries in large numbers after the 1997 World Series championship, following the 2005 season and again this past winter when All-Stars Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera were traded to Detroit.
LOOKING FORWARD
Yet with the team riding a six-game winning streak and sitting atop the National League East, the news of Ramirez's big deal definitely has the team looking forward and not back.
''The timing is right,'' veteran outfielder Luis Gonzalez said. ``Fans are getting excited about our team because we're playing really well. It's a win-win situation for everyone. The Marlins have committed to one of their bright young stars, a guy who's been bringing it ever since he got here. It just shows a unity now. The young guys see this and get excited about it.''
