Miami Marlins' general manager Dan Jennings said the team is looking to sign star slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a long-term deal.
Jennings appeared on MLB Network Radio on the Sirius XM platform Thursday to help make his pitch.
"They know of our desire to extend a long term deal and make him a large part going forward," Jennings said.
The Marlins signed Stanton to a one year deal worth $6.5 million for the 2014 season and the slugger remains under team control until after the 2016 season. Going year to year with Stanton however is not the optimal thing for the team to do with escalating salaries and decreasing return in potential trades.
For the Marlins, they are likely in a position where they need to sign Stanton long term as soon as possible or move him along for a package of prospects as they did with Miguel Cabrera.
When the team traded Cabrera, they netted two of the top prospects in baseball from the Detroit Tigers in Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller in a package with other players. That trade did not work out too well for the Marlins which is always a concern for a team that is dependent on a lower budget than most teams in MLB.
Extending Stanton to a more team friendly deal right now would allow the team to build around him while still keeping the budget relatively low. Waiting until next off-season could result in Stanton looking for a mega free agent-type deal in excess of $200 million which is something that Miami can simply not afford.
Sports
Jennings was asked of any potential timetable for an extension during the interview and added: "In terms of a timetable, we think that sooner is better. It has been discussed; it's been talked about with Giancarlo and his agent. It's just a matter of let's continue to talk about this."
There is no guarantee that the team will be able to sign Stanton to an extension or that he is even interested in the concept of foregoing his upcoming free agent years. The best news for Marlins' fans is that the team is making an attempt.
