Why, Hanley? Why?

I guess the thing that we all love about sports is that you never know what is going to happen on the field.  Off the field, things are usually pretty predictable.  For instance, for the last ten years or so, you could pretty much figure that any star player that came up with the Marlins, Orioles, or Royals was going to split town the first chance they got.  Or, in the Marlins case, they were going to deal that player before they had to start paying him big dollars through arbitration, and in most cases, the star player would be ecstatic to escape baseball’s purgatory.

So when news broke that the Marlins had resigned Hanley Ramirez to a six-year $70 million contract, no one really knew how to react.  Considering that the Marlins currently have a payroll of $21 million and that Ramirez was set to enter arbitration next season, most people expected him to be dealt either at the deadline or some time during the winter.  I don’t think anyone ever expected owner Jeffrey Loria to pony up and pay the budding superstar, especially after dumping Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis over the offseason.

It just doesn’t make sense for either side.  Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s wonderful that the Marlins are finally, after all these years, showing some desire to win.  It’s even better that Ramirez is showing some loyalty to his team in an era where it no longer exists, but I feel sorry for this guy, and I just have a nagging feeling that the cash flow is going to start and stop with Ramirez.

With a new stadium on the horizon, Loria was well aware that he was going to have to do something to handful of fans that stuck with the team, and to attract some new ones.  You have to have the superstar for the new house, otherwise fans will come once and never again, if at all.  That’s all this is, I don’t think that Loria really wants to win, he’s just trying to keep people interested long enough to sell some season tickets for the new pond.

Why Ramirez didn’t realize this is beyond me.  Anyone that thinks this ownership group couldn’t stand to see this great talent walk out the door is fooling their self.  If they were really concerned with winning titles and building a solid team then Miguel Cabrera would still be there.  He too is a special talent that is destined for Cooperstown, but now it will be with a D on his hat.

Ramirez should know these things first hand, he’s in the trenches with these guys, and he’s seen how they have bred a losing culture.  I just don’t get why he signed that contract.  It wasn’t for money, he could have easily went out and commanded a ton more money when he was granted his walking papers, and it certainly wasn’t to be part of a championship caliber team.

Could he really just feel that much loyalty to this team?  If that’s the case I have to ask why.  What have they done for him?  Does he really think he can win a title there?  He doesn’t owe to the fans, because, well, they have no fans.  If that’s the case I have to say it’s never going to happen.  They don’t have the money to do it, or the desire.  He can’t do alone and I highly doubt that Loria has suddenly decided to go out and shop for premium talent.

We’ll soon find out, Dan Uggla, Josh Willingham, Mike Jacobs and Scott Olsen will all be up for arbitration this winter.  If Loria is really set on changing a losing culture, it starts with keeping his core of players.  Otherwise, Ramirez will be the equivalent of a statue for people to marvel at when they visit the park, and nothing else.