[MLB] Marlins 'ecstatic' with final deal (MH)
Tarkus
Florida will pay $23.8 million of Hampton's salary
BY MIKE PHILLIPS
mphi...@herald.com
The deal is done. All that's left now is for the Marlins to pay Mike
Hampton to beat them.
The price -- $23.8 million over the next three years -- will be costly,
on and off the field. According to Marlins general manager Larry
Beinfest, the extra money that will go to the Atlanta Braves to help pay
Hampton's salary will prohibit the Marlins from shopping for a big
left-handed bat this winter.
Hampton was shipped from Colorado to Atlanta through Florida on Saturday
in a three-team, multiplayer deal that saved the Marlins millions over
the next three seasons.
Commissioner Bud Selig approved the deal Monday that sent catcher Charles
Johnson, center fielder Preston Wilson, reliever Vic Darensbourg and
utility player Pablo Ozuna from the Marlins to the Rockies for center
fielder Juan Pierre and Hampton, who was then traded to the Braves.
Atlanta then sent right-handed reliever Tim Spooneybarger and
minor-league pitcher Ryan Baker to the Marlins.
Beinfest said the Marlins were ''ecstatic'' about the trade, even though
the Marlins are paying the bulk of Hampton's salary over the next three
seasons. They will pay the Braves $9 million in 2003, $10 million in 2004
and $11 million in 2005, but they will actually pay a total of $23.5
million, because the Rockies are paying Florida $6.2 million of the $30
million owed to the Braves to help pay Hampton's contract.
The Braves will pay only $5.5 million to Hampton over the next three
seasons, then pay the remainder of his six-year deal. Colorado is paying
for Hampton's $19 million deferred signing bonus and his $6 million
buyout as well as paying the Marlins $6.2 million in three payments -- $2
million in 2003, $2 million in 2004 and $2.5 million in 2005 to get the
deal done.
Beinfest was asked how Marlins fans would feel about the team paying for
Hampton to pitch for the Braves.
''We did what we thought was right to get the deal done. We think we got
a great deal,'' Beinfest said. ``. . . We couldn't be happier.''
Contrary to published reports, the Marlins will have to pay the Braves
immediately, and Beinfest said after you add the cost of Hampton to the
Florida payroll, the Marlins have little money left for free agent
shopping.
''We are close to the threshold of our projected payroll of $45 [million]
to $48 million for next year,'' Beinfest said. ``The money we are
spending to offset the [Hampton contract] means we don't have extra money
to explore the free agent market.''
Beinfest added that the Marlins won't have any trouble keeping their 12
arbitration eligible players, saying: ``We have no pressure to trade our
core players.''
The Marlins still came out way ahead financially in the three-team trade:
They shed the salaries of Wilson ($27.5 million over three years),
Johnson ($25 million over three years), and Darensbourg ($1.3 million
over one year) to dump $53.8 million. Subtract Pierre's three-year, $6.6
million salary, it leaves a gain of $47.2 million.
Even if they pay the Braves $23.8 million, the Marlins are still $23.4
million ahead.
Beinfest said the Marlins would be happy to open the season today with
what they have now. Last season, Marlins manager Jeff Torborg complained
on several occasions about how difficult it is to win with an almost
entire right-handed lineup.
''I don't disagree [with Torborg], but it's a matter of prioritizing your
needs,'' Beinfest said. ``You always want everything. But if you have
quality right-handers, it's quality. I think we have enough power.''
--
"Sheff and I are the ones that feel the worst. We're the guys paid to
do things in those situations. We let the fans down. We let the city
of Atlanta down. It will stay with me." - Chipper Jones