Post by Fish Troll on Feb 28, 2007 23:10:20 GMT -5
JUPITER, Fla. -- With some of their lobbyists in Tallahassee pushing for state assistance in financing a new stadium, Miami-Dade County officials unveiled specifics of a $490 million retractable-roof building for the Marlins in downtown Miami.
The ballpark would encompass nine acres and would seat 37,000, while having 60 suites. The proposed site would be a few blocks southwest of the Miami Arena, east of Interstate 95.
The Marlins, according to reports, would contribute $207 million, including $45 million up front and the rest in future rent payments to the county, which will issue the bonds. The team also would pay off cost overruns.
Miami-Dade County would contribute $145 million in county hotel bed and sports facilities taxes. The city, meanwhile, is in for $108 million in tourist development taxes and hotel bed taxes freed up when Miami Arena was sold in 2004.
The state legislature is deciding whether to approve $60 million in a sales tax rebate that would be paid at $2 million over 30 years. There are positive signs that, after years of being rejected, the state will finally approve the sales tax rebate.
The Marlins are not commenting publicly on the stadium efforts.
Since their inaugural 1993 season, the Marlins have played at Dolphin Stadium, sharing the building with the Miami Dolphins. The team's series of leases at Dolphin Stadium expires after the 2010 season.
It appears the earliest the Marlins could move into a new facility is 2011. Major League Baseball is heavily involved in the negotiations, and the league remains committed to keeping the Marlins in South Florida.
Pitcher Dontrelle Willis says a new stadium would energize baseball in South Florida.
"They have it for football, they have it for basketball," Willis said. "There is a lot of pride and anticipation for a stadium. In the last five years I've been on the team, that's all it's been. There has been more discussion about the stadium than there has been about the team. If they have a stadium, I do believe people will come."
Going with 12 pitchers: Unless there is a change in plans, the Marlins will go with 12 pitchers when the season opens. A year ago, the club kept 12 pitchers on the roster the entire season.
"I think it will be 12," manager Fredi Gonzalez said, "with all the young pitchers we have."
News and features:
• Marlins notes: Stadium specifics announced
• Marlins open spring games Wednesday
• Marlins notes: Three candidates for center
• Marlins overwhelm Hurricanes in camp
• Marlins notes: Jacobs focuses on lefties
• Marlins' Hernandez learning from camp
Multimedia:
• Dir. of player development Brian Chattin
Spring Training info:
• MLB.com coverage | Schedule | Ballpark | Tickets
In the past, the team has gone with 11 pitchers and 14 position players. With so many young pitchers, there is a feeling that an extra arm is necessary, meaning the club would go with 13 position players.
Josh Johnson is expected to open the season on the disabled list, and the rotation is shaping up to be Willis followed by Anibal Sanchez, Scott Olsen and Ricky Nolasco, with the search on for a fifth starter.
Gonzalez noted that because of an April 5 off-day, the Marlins could use a four-man rotation until April 11. At that point, a fifth starter would be needed.
Sergio Mitre, Yusmeiro Petit, Jose Garcia, Wes Obermueller and Chris George are candidates for that spot.
First impressions: In defeat, Olsen and Nolasco found comfort.
The Marlins lost, 6-3, to the Cardinals in their Grapefruit League opener Wednesday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium.
Olsen threw 37 pitches in 1 2/3 innings, giving up one run. Nolasco entered in the third and tossed two scoreless innings.
The left-handed Olsen will come back on short rest, throwing again on Sunday. Nolasco, meanwhile, is going to start on Monday.
Olsen's bread-and-butter pitch, his slider, is still a work in progress.
"Right now, it hasn't come yet," Olsen said. "My changeup and my fastball location have usually been good in bullpen sessions. But my slider hasn't come yet. It won't come for another three weeks. As long as I can spin some up there and use it as a showcase, I'm pretty happy right now."
Nolasco showed some nice breaking balls, but right now is just getting back into the groove.
"It's good to get out there to see where I'm at and what adjustments I have to make," Nolasco said.
Sanchez ready and aching: Sanchez makes his first Grapefruit League start on Saturday against the Cardinals. The right-hander says his shoulder and arm are feeling great.
What's nagging him a bit is shin splints in both legs.
"My arm is OK right now," Sanchez said. "My legs -- this is hurting me more; I got shin splints from running."
In January, Sanchez had an MRI on his throwing shoulder after experiencing some discomfort. He says his arm is feeling good, and he's throwing all of his pitches off the mound.
"I have to work on my command," he said. "The most important thing is my arm is feeling good, I'm throwing breaking balls and everything. I'm getting ready for Saturday."
Sanchez is expected to throw about 35 pitches (or two innings) in his first spring outing.
Gregg in focus: For the first time this spring, reliever Kevin Gregg sported a pair of Oakley glasses on the field. The right-hander hadn't worn them in live pitching drills, but now that the games started, he wanted to test them out.
Gregg wore the glasses, which are protective and tinted but aren't sunglasses, last year while he was with the Angels. These Oakley glasses are designed to cut down the glare in both day and night games.
"They are the same ones as I wore last year. They are clear," he said. "They cut down glare at night. It helps me see the signs a little bit. They're a little protective. I have different vision in each eye. It's not correctable by a lens. If I got hit with the ball, it would protect my eyes."
The glasses are made of titanium, so the lens is designed not to break.
Gregg said he likely won't wear them all the time in Spring Training. When he first got the glasses, it was recommended he use them while pitching and playing golf. Initially, he felt it was a bit odd to wear them on the golf course. But one time, they came in handy.
He said on one of his shots off the tee, the tee sprang up and struck the lens.
Pinto a father: Reliever Renyel Pinto is getting a break for a few days to be with his family to celebrate the birth of his child.
The lefty from Venezuela got some work in Wednesday morning, throwing a simulated game before catching a plane to Arizona.
Pinto will return to Jupiter on Friday and be ready to pitch on Saturday. Out of options, Pinto is expected to make the club as another lefty reliever. Taylor Tankersley, the primary late-inning lefty, is in the hunt to close.
The ballpark would encompass nine acres and would seat 37,000, while having 60 suites. The proposed site would be a few blocks southwest of the Miami Arena, east of Interstate 95.
The Marlins, according to reports, would contribute $207 million, including $45 million up front and the rest in future rent payments to the county, which will issue the bonds. The team also would pay off cost overruns.
Miami-Dade County would contribute $145 million in county hotel bed and sports facilities taxes. The city, meanwhile, is in for $108 million in tourist development taxes and hotel bed taxes freed up when Miami Arena was sold in 2004.
The state legislature is deciding whether to approve $60 million in a sales tax rebate that would be paid at $2 million over 30 years. There are positive signs that, after years of being rejected, the state will finally approve the sales tax rebate.
The Marlins are not commenting publicly on the stadium efforts.
Since their inaugural 1993 season, the Marlins have played at Dolphin Stadium, sharing the building with the Miami Dolphins. The team's series of leases at Dolphin Stadium expires after the 2010 season.
It appears the earliest the Marlins could move into a new facility is 2011. Major League Baseball is heavily involved in the negotiations, and the league remains committed to keeping the Marlins in South Florida.
Pitcher Dontrelle Willis says a new stadium would energize baseball in South Florida.
"They have it for football, they have it for basketball," Willis said. "There is a lot of pride and anticipation for a stadium. In the last five years I've been on the team, that's all it's been. There has been more discussion about the stadium than there has been about the team. If they have a stadium, I do believe people will come."
Going with 12 pitchers: Unless there is a change in plans, the Marlins will go with 12 pitchers when the season opens. A year ago, the club kept 12 pitchers on the roster the entire season.
"I think it will be 12," manager Fredi Gonzalez said, "with all the young pitchers we have."
News and features:
• Marlins notes: Stadium specifics announced
• Marlins open spring games Wednesday
• Marlins notes: Three candidates for center
• Marlins overwhelm Hurricanes in camp
• Marlins notes: Jacobs focuses on lefties
• Marlins' Hernandez learning from camp
Multimedia:
• Dir. of player development Brian Chattin
Spring Training info:
• MLB.com coverage | Schedule | Ballpark | Tickets
In the past, the team has gone with 11 pitchers and 14 position players. With so many young pitchers, there is a feeling that an extra arm is necessary, meaning the club would go with 13 position players.
Josh Johnson is expected to open the season on the disabled list, and the rotation is shaping up to be Willis followed by Anibal Sanchez, Scott Olsen and Ricky Nolasco, with the search on for a fifth starter.
Gonzalez noted that because of an April 5 off-day, the Marlins could use a four-man rotation until April 11. At that point, a fifth starter would be needed.
Sergio Mitre, Yusmeiro Petit, Jose Garcia, Wes Obermueller and Chris George are candidates for that spot.
First impressions: In defeat, Olsen and Nolasco found comfort.
The Marlins lost, 6-3, to the Cardinals in their Grapefruit League opener Wednesday afternoon at Roger Dean Stadium.
Olsen threw 37 pitches in 1 2/3 innings, giving up one run. Nolasco entered in the third and tossed two scoreless innings.
The left-handed Olsen will come back on short rest, throwing again on Sunday. Nolasco, meanwhile, is going to start on Monday.
Olsen's bread-and-butter pitch, his slider, is still a work in progress.
"Right now, it hasn't come yet," Olsen said. "My changeup and my fastball location have usually been good in bullpen sessions. But my slider hasn't come yet. It won't come for another three weeks. As long as I can spin some up there and use it as a showcase, I'm pretty happy right now."
Nolasco showed some nice breaking balls, but right now is just getting back into the groove.
"It's good to get out there to see where I'm at and what adjustments I have to make," Nolasco said.
Sanchez ready and aching: Sanchez makes his first Grapefruit League start on Saturday against the Cardinals. The right-hander says his shoulder and arm are feeling great.
What's nagging him a bit is shin splints in both legs.
"My arm is OK right now," Sanchez said. "My legs -- this is hurting me more; I got shin splints from running."
In January, Sanchez had an MRI on his throwing shoulder after experiencing some discomfort. He says his arm is feeling good, and he's throwing all of his pitches off the mound.
"I have to work on my command," he said. "The most important thing is my arm is feeling good, I'm throwing breaking balls and everything. I'm getting ready for Saturday."
Sanchez is expected to throw about 35 pitches (or two innings) in his first spring outing.
Gregg in focus: For the first time this spring, reliever Kevin Gregg sported a pair of Oakley glasses on the field. The right-hander hadn't worn them in live pitching drills, but now that the games started, he wanted to test them out.
Gregg wore the glasses, which are protective and tinted but aren't sunglasses, last year while he was with the Angels. These Oakley glasses are designed to cut down the glare in both day and night games.
"They are the same ones as I wore last year. They are clear," he said. "They cut down glare at night. It helps me see the signs a little bit. They're a little protective. I have different vision in each eye. It's not correctable by a lens. If I got hit with the ball, it would protect my eyes."
The glasses are made of titanium, so the lens is designed not to break.
Gregg said he likely won't wear them all the time in Spring Training. When he first got the glasses, it was recommended he use them while pitching and playing golf. Initially, he felt it was a bit odd to wear them on the golf course. But one time, they came in handy.
He said on one of his shots off the tee, the tee sprang up and struck the lens.
Pinto a father: Reliever Renyel Pinto is getting a break for a few days to be with his family to celebrate the birth of his child.
The lefty from Venezuela got some work in Wednesday morning, throwing a simulated game before catching a plane to Arizona.
Pinto will return to Jupiter on Friday and be ready to pitch on Saturday. Out of options, Pinto is expected to make the club as another lefty reliever. Taylor Tankersley, the primary late-inning lefty, is in the hunt to close.
