Unless Dan Uggla accepts the Florida Marlins’ four-year condition on contract talks, he will likely get traded, perhaps before Thanksgiving.
Reportedly, the teams who have expressed more than a mild interest in the 30-year-old second baseman include the Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals.
Despite the fact the Marlins will be left with a hole in the middle infield, the team wants a catcher and a couple of pitchers in return for the power-hitting second baseman.
An Uggla trade would also allow the Marlins to allocate the money intended for him towards alternatives in free agency. Options could include a pair of Gold Glovers in the way of second baseman Orlando Hudson (who has won four Gold Gloves) and a revitalization project in Eric Chavez (six Gold Gloves), who was cut by the Oakland Athletics after injury-riddled seasons in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
The Marlins are moving towards being a team built on pitching and defense and neither option should be surprising considering the team’s decision to bring back defensive guru Perry Hill.
Another alternative, according to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, would be free agent catcher A.J. Pierzynski if the Marlins fail to acquire a catcher in a trade. Both sides share mutual interest and expect for the Marlins to offer a two or three-year deal if it ever gets that far.
Dan Uggla will turn 31 in March, and the Marlins aren’t willing to give him a contract that extends to when he is 36. Uggla committed a career-high 18 errors this season while having a career year with the bat, hitting .287 with 33 home runs and 105 RBIs.
Let’s take a look at what they will demand from each team based on what they have to give that appeals to the Marlins.