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Feeling they would be unable to sign second baseman Dan Uggla to a long-term deal, the Florida Marlins traded Uggla to the Atlanta Braves. In return for Uggla, the Marlins received utility man Omar Infante and pitcher Mike Dunn.

The deal, completed on Tuesday, is the first of the Winter Meetings. Uggla made just $7.8 million last season and is arbitration eligible. He is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2011 World Series.

To their credit, the Marlins did offer Uggla a long-term deal. Their initial offer of a three-year, $24 million extension was turned down, and Uggla countered with a five-year, $71 million proposal, according to reports. The Marlins also reportedly upped their offer to $48 million, which was again turned down by Uggla.

Uggla, 30, has 154 career home runs in five seasons with the Florida Marlins. Only Albert Pujols has more home runs from a right-handed batter since 2006 (207).

In dealing Uggla, the Marlins have left a huge void in their lineup. Uggla is a lock for 30 home runs and 90-plus RBI every season, something not so easily replaced. The Marlins have repeatedly shown a lack of interest in putting a quality product on the field, and trading Uggla is just another example.

To be fair, Infante is a solid player. He was a first time All-Star last season, hitting .321 with eight homers and 47 RBI, but he cannot come anywhere near Uggla’s production. Dunn pitched only 19 innings last season to the tune of a 1.89 ERA and could provide the Marlins with a solid arm to bolster their weak bullpen.

In order to keep the payroll stable, the Marlins love to trade their best players before their contracts grow too large. They did it with Miguel Cabrera, Scott Olsen and Josh Willingham. The Cabrera deal is probably the worst trade in Marlin’s history, as they have since traded away the players they got back from the Detroit Tigers, Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller, but I digress.

For the Braves, Uggla will provide a big right-handed bat in the middle of their lineup and some flexibility for their roster. Braves general manager Frank Wren says Uggla will play second, which gives them the ability to use Martin Prado at third to give the aging Chipper Jones a rest and also spend some time at first base and in left field.

The Marlins got decent players in return for Uggla, but the it’s the Braves who came out on top in this deal. Once again, the Marlins showed their fans that they aren’t willing to pay their players. They have been reaping the benefits of Uggla’s bat since he entered the league in 2006 as one of the best bargains in baseball.

Now the time comes to sign him to a long-term deal and they send him packing.

Now the Marlins find themselves without a real power threat in their lineup, not to mention no second baseman. Emilio Bonafacio is listed as No.2 on their depth chart, but he’s also listed under all three outfield positions and shortstop—he can’t be everywhere at once.

The Marlins are just one of those teams, much like the Pittsburg Pirates, who just can’t seem to hold onto their best players, preferring instead to wring every dollar they can out of their ballclub.

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The Florida Marlins traded Dan Uggla on November 16 to their divisional rivals, the Atlanta Braves.  In the trade Atlanta sent over left handed reliever Mike Dunn and the versatile infielder Omar Infante, who had his big breakout season in 2010.  Early on, the trade has been labeled as disappointing return for the Fish.

Many people around baseball were shocked by this deal, Dan Uggla was perceived to have much greater value than a, until 2010, very pedestrian utility man like Infante, and a 26 year old southpaw who has trouble sticking at the major league level despite a fastball that has a career average velocity of 94.3 MPH. 

I assumed before the deal that Florida would take back some highly ranked valuable prospects in a deal for a lifetime .263/.349/.488 second baseman like Uggla. 

No second basemen have hit 30 home runs four years in a row like Dan Uggla, ever.  Dan Uggla is truly a unique offensive force, and one that more than makes up for a mediocre glove.  Despite consistently costing his team runs on the defensive side, Uggla made it to the majors on his bat alone at a primarily defensive position historically. 

So, why would Florida pass up on prospects for Omar Infante and Mike Dunn?

Public relations.  We all know that the Marlins do not have the most avid fan following in the MLB.  Frankly, any prospects they got for Uggla would have been forgotten by the casual Marlins fans by mid season, and they would be saying, “I wish we hadn’t traded Dan Uggla for nothing!” 

Now, the Marlins fans will see Infante in the everyday lineup playing the spot that Uggla vacated.  If Infante can reproduce his 2010 season some fans would even consider it a great trade. 

In 2010, Infante was an All-Star and hit .321/.359/.416, while his slugging was far from Ugglas’, he was still an impact bat especially at second base.  Infante also brings a better glove to the table than Uggla and is more than competent at not only second, but third base and short stop. 

Mike Dunn also will probably stick with the big league club and throw around 40 innings of mostly lefty on lefty duty, thus if he has any success he will be also used to call the Dan Uggla trade a win. With Dunn we probably have seen the last of a bevy of moves to improve what was a bad bullpen in 2010.

By taking the safe move the Marlins showed us that they are clearly looking to make the fans as happy as possible with the ball club before they open their new stadium in 2012.  This trade will pay off for them in the short run by keeping everyone’s mind off Dan Uggla with Omar Infante and Mike Dunn dressing up in the Fish pin stripes for 2011. 

In my opinion, it was a savvy move for a team that is consistently content to let big names leave and play it the safe way.  Also this move is kind of out of character for Florida since this was not the cheapest option available since Minor League players cost nothing and Infante will make about $2.5 million in 2011.

I actually like the move; I wish more teams would follow this model and take proven MLB players over a few decent low level prospects.  

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The Florida Marlins have just traded power hitting second baseman Dan Uggla to the rival Atlanta Braves for versatile infielder Omar Infante and reliever Micheal Dunn.

The Marlins have been making strides in their transition to the pitching & defense formula that got them a World Series trophy in 2003. They have made three trades in less than a week and has gotten at least one reliever in return. With four relievers coming from some of the top bullpens in baseball, it looks like the Marlins’ bullpen is repaired.

Former ROY winner Chris Coghlan will move back to second base, giving the Marlins an improved glove. Omar Infante has hit .321 in 2010 and the addition will solidify the hot corner. Originally Coghlan was going to move to third base but with Infante’s ability to play utility, that option is still possible if needed.

Veteran Catcher John Buck should be an asset for the Fish with his power bat and his command of the pitching staff. His presence was a benefit to the Toronto pitching staff during his lone year north of the border.

Right now the Marlins have a balanced lineup, but they are now done yet.

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The Atlanta Braves acquired All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins in a trade for utilityman Omar Infante and pitcher Mike Dunn. 

The trade reunited Dan Uggla with his former skipper Fredi Gonzalez who was fired in June after the Marlins underperformed. 

Uggla, 30, was in negotiations with the Marlins on a long-term deal but he rejected a four year contract offer valued at $48 million because he wanted a fifth year added to the offer.

Uggla leaves the Marlins as the all time leader in home runs with 154 home runs in five seasons with Florida and takes his talents to Atlanta, bringing a much-needed power bat to a Braves lineup that has lost it in recent years with injuries and departures of Mark Teixeria and Andruw Jones. 

Uggla is currently in his final year of team control, and will be a free agent after the season unless the Braves sign him to a contract extension. 

On the Marlins end, this deal fulfills team needs rather than acquiring the best available blue-chip prospect for the slugger. All-star Omar Infante is all but likely to be the teams starting second baseman, brining a much better glove at the position than Dan Uggla. If not second, the utlitityman Infante is likely to find a landing spot at third base or centerfield.  

Offensively, Infante was one of the better hitters in the National League, hitting .321 (ranked third) to go along with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 134 games played. 

Mike Dunn, on the other hand, fulfills the Marlins need for a left-handed reliever who can be an effective arm and strikeout machine. Dunn was 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA, striking out 27 batters in 19 innings pitched. 

Dunn could find himself in the mix for the eight inning job or a specialist role rather than a closer considering the Marlins are thin with lefties. 

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According to reports and sources, the Florida Marlins are close to finalizing a three-year deal with free-agent catcher John Buck that can be worth up to $18M.

Buck is a veteran catcher who had a career year in Toronto hitting .281 with 20HR and 66RBI. He will help out the Marlins pitching staff and provide some pop in the lineup.

Most importantly, it fills the need for a catcher. Now if the Marlins want to trade Dan Uggla, they focus on trying to get a top arm or top third baseman rather than a package with a catcher. If the Marlins get a third baseman, Chris Coghlan could go back to his natural position at second.

It will be interesting to see where the Marlins go from here.

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According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins are making the first big free agent signing this offseason by closing in on a three-year deal with All-Star catcher John Buck. The contract is believed to worth anywhere between $15 million and $20 million. 

Buck, 30, had his best season offensively in 2010 with the Toronto Blue Jays, hitting .281 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 118 games. 

Defensively, Buck ranked 5th in the American League with a .994 fielding percentage and caught 28 percent of base runners in 2010. He has also named to his first All-Star game after an injury paved the way for him to play. 

Buck would fill the need for the Marlins who have John Baker who underwent Tommy John surgery and he may not be at full strength come Opening Day. The Marlins went with an array of catchers after Baker’s injury and Ronny Paulino’s suspension for performance enhancing drugs.

It is also worth noting the signing of Buck makes him the Florida Marlins’ first major free agent signing since the Carlos Delgado signing of 2005 when he signed for four years and $52 million.  

If indeed the John Buck deal is wrapped up, it would take away the Marlins need for a catcher in a potential Dan Uggla trade. 

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I would think that if a team was going to trade the best offensive player in franchise history, they would be at least somewhat patient with the players they received in return. Apparently, the Florida Marlins don’t believe in patience.

On Friday, the Marlins traded LHP Andrew Miller to the Boston Red Sox and on Saturday, they traded CF Cameron Maybin to the San Diego Padres. The two key pieces in the Miguel Cabrera trade were traded in a span of 24 hours and now the Marlins don’t have anything to show for trading one of the top-two or three offensive players in baseball.

That’s a kick to the solar plexus.

The Marlins traded Maybin to the Padres for relievers Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica. I think this is one heck of a trade for the Padres and am not surprised that the Marlins let Maybin go.

Here is what I wrote about Maybin when he was recalled from Triple-A back in August.

“The next 30 games or so will be very big for Maybin’s career. If he fails again, he might not get another chance in a Marlins uniform.”

Maybin played in 31 games and had 120 PA’s from August 24–September 28 and in those 120 PA’s, Maybin hit .250/.325/.398 with three HR’s, three doubles and two triples. Maybin still had a hard time making adjustments at the plate as he struck out 35 times during that span.

In 144 career games in a Marlins uniform, Maybin hit .257/.323/.391 with 12 HR’s, 14 SB’s and five triples. Maybin is 23 and barely played one full season for the Marlins, so I guess they felt he was expendable.

I am not surprised they traded him, but I wonder why they would just wave goodbye to him so quickly.

Maybin should get his chance in San Diego. He is an instant upgrade over Tony Gwynn Jr. in centerfield and should bat down in the order, which will alleviate some of the pressure on him.

In return for Maybin, the Marlins get two serviceable relievers in Webb and Mujica.

Webb is the bigger piece of this trade for the Marlins. Webb is a 24-year-old righty, who had a 2.90 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 6.7 K’s/9 in 59 innings.

While his 6.7 K’s/9 isn’t that impressive, his 63 percent groundball percentage is, ranked fourth amongst all National League relievers in 2010.

I would believe the plan for Webb is to be the prime bridge to closer Leo Nunez.

Mujica is another young pitcher, who didn’t find himself until he got to San Diego. Mujica had a 3.62 ERA, an impressive 0.93 WHIP and 12 K’s/9 in 69.2 innings in 2010.

Mujica throws around 92 mph and has a plus split-fingered fastball. One thing I would be concerned with in regards to Mujica is that he had an almost one-to-one groundball to flyball ratio in 2010. That might work in San Diego, but I am not sure how well that is going to turn out in Florida.

I can see why the Marlins made this trade from a needs perspective. Their bullpen ranked 17th in baseball in ERA and 21st in WHIP. They desperately needed to get some bullpen help this winter.

I just wouldn’t have traded Maybin to do it.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Is the window starting to close for Tigers former top prospect Cameron Maybin?  Nearly three years ago, Maybin was the top player sent by the Tigers to the Florida Marlins in the deal that brought Miguel Cabrera to Detroit.  Maybin has been a disappointment in Southern Florida and as a result, he was shipped to the Padres for a pair of relief pitchers.

In his three years with the Marlins, hit .257 with 12 homers in 144 games.  He continued to struggled with his patience at the plate, fanning way far too often and not getting on base often enough.  He had a brief cameo in the bigs with the Tigers back in 2007 and with the Marlins in 2008.  He got his longest look at the Major Leagues last season when he got a career-high 291 at-bats.

It’s not all gloom and doom for Maybin.  He is only 23 (24 in April) and still possesses great speed and athleticism.  His speed on the bases and in the outfield should serve him well in spacious Petco Park in San Diego.  It’s likely that Maybin will earn the starting center field job in San Diego and should get at least one more shot at proving himself as a full-timer in the big leagues.

The other key piece of the Cabrera deal was Andrew Miller.  Miller, like Maybin, was seen as a future star.  Miller was a lefty pitcher who ripped through the minors quickly with the Tigers.  It may have been a bit too quickly as Miller has never really figured it out at the big league level.

Since joining the Marlins, Miller has a 10-20 record with an ERA of 5.89, a WHIP north of 1.70, and an ERA+ of just 73.  He has been nothing short of a disaster.  While there is still hope for Maybin, I don’t think there is as much hope for Miller.  Miller has not really even shown glimpses of his potential over the past few years.  He has struggled with his control and with injuries from day one.

Miller, who will be 26 in May, is now with the Boston Red Sox.  As much as I don’t like the Red Sox, I would like to see them figure Miller out and get him back on the right track.  Even though guys like Maybin and Miller are no long with the Tigers, I still find myself pulling for them.

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Talks for a long term engagement with newly minted Silver Slugger Dan Uggla are at a impasse and the Marlins, who have recently traded two former Top 10 picks (Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller), key pieces of the disastrous Miguel Cabrera deal, have suddenly become trigger happy in the trade market.

Those deals have helped shore up the bullpen with three arms but have left a hole in centerfield and there still remains a need a catcher.

According to FOXSports, the Marlins have had discussions with the Detroit Tigers regarding the power-hitting second baseman.

The Florida Marlins are not confident they will sign Uggla because of his insistence to add a fifth year to the contract. Uggla recently turned down a four-year, $48 million offer. Uggla made $7.8 million this year and is eligible for salary arbitration for a final time before qualifying for free agency after the 2011 season.

If the Marlins seriously pursue a Dan Uggla trade, they will look to shore up at the bullpen, catcher and/or centerfield If Uggla is indeed traded, Chris Coghlan is likely to slide to second base with former first-round draft pick Matt Dominguez getting a long look a third base in Spring Training. Emilio Bonfacio is another candidate to start at second or third if Dominguez isn’t ready.

Here are five beneficial trades the Marlins could potentially pull off that will help shore up their weak spots:

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The Florida Marlins‘ haul when they traded away Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera was questionable at the time.  Now, in the past two days, the two key components that they received have been sent packing in separate deals.

Yesterday the team traded left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Dustin Richardson, according to mlb.com (click here for the article).

Miller has never lived up to expectations, going 15-26 with a 5.84 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over 294.1 career Major League innings.  His control has always been the major issue, with a walk rate of 5.3.  However, the sixth overall selection in the 2006 draft has a ton of potential.  He stands at 6′7″, and taller pitchers tend to take a little bit longer to figure things out.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him mature in Boston, though his upside in 2011 is minimal, at best.

Richardson was a fifth-round selection in the 2006 draft and has only pitched 16.1 Major League innings.  He has a career minor league K/9 of 10.0 to go with a 3.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.  He certainly has potential, but has been working strictly as a bullpen arm since 2009.  He’s likely going to be a middle reliever in Florida, meaning he’s a name we can ignore for now.

Now, onto today’s trade, where the Marlins shipped Cameron Maybin to the San Diego Padres, according to Tom Krasovic via Twitter.  In return, the Marlins will receive relief pitchers Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica.

From a fantasy perspective, neither will have much value unless they develop into a closer (the Marlins job is certainly wide open at this point).  Still, you have to like the strides the Marlins are taking to solidify their middle relief corps.  If they can find a way to cover those last few innings successfully, their elite starting pitchers like Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco will look significantly more attractive.

As for Maybin, he has been a perennial disappointment.  He has hit .246 with 13 HR and 19 SB in 548 AB over parts of four seasons.  His defense is what most likely appeals to the Padres, but the wide expanses of Petco Park could help Maybin maximize his speed.

Don’t look for power, but if he can put the ball into the gaps and out of the air (he actually has a career flyball rate of 31.2 percent), there is reason to believe that he can utilize his speed and improve his outlook.  I’ll take a much more detailed look at him in the near future, but he certainly should be viewed as a high-upside sleeper in deeper formats at this point.

In Other News

The A’s claimed Edwin Encarnacion off waivers, all but ending Kevin Kouzmanoff’s tenure in Oakland.  Unfortunately for Encarnacion owners, he goes to a park that is extremely tough on power hitters, so don’t anticipate his power surge from 2010 to be replicated.

What are your thoughts on these moves?  Who is the big winner?  Who is the big loser?

Make sure to check out our early 2011 rankings:

Top 15 Catchers

Top 15 First Basemen

Top 15 Second Basemen

Top 15 Third Basemen

2011 Fantasy Draft First-Round Breakdown

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