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- Adam ParkerThe Miami Marlins are in business after signing shortstop Jose Reyes to a 6-year, $106 million contract, only one day after they added All-Star closer Heath Bell.
It's a new era in Marlins baseball. The name change from Florida to Miami not only changed the location of the stadium, it changed the entire culture of the Marlins' organization.
They are no longer interested in being the punch-line to all the jokes. They're done being the doormats of the National League East. To put it simply, Miami wants to win.
The reeling in of Jose Reyes gets the Marlins back in the playoff talks as early next season, and if they are able to land one more big fish to play alongside Reyes and Hanley Ramirez, (who will presumably move to third base with Reyes playing shortstop) we could be looking at one of the biggest turnarounds for a franchise in league history.
That big fish I'm referring to, of course, is the biggest on the free agent market - St. Louis Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols.
The Marlins appear to be wasting no time after inking Reyes, as baseball sources told ESPN the Magazine's Buster Olney on Tuesday that they have made a 10-year offer as bait to lure the St. Louis slugger to Miami.
If Pujols does end up in Miami, which in my opinion, is a very likely possibility at this point, new manager Ozzie Guillen's first year at the helm could prove to be a very successful one.
If they can get to the playoffs, it's a whole new ballgame from there, and with the addition of two more wild card teams beginning next season, that increases their odds that much more.
If it wasn't obvious enough already with all of my not so subtle fish references, I really like the Marlins to make some noise in the National League next season.
And if they continue making waves during MLB's annual Winter Meetings, I don't see why you shouldn't have a seat on their bandwagon alongside me.
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