Well this sucks. As first reported by CBS' John Heyman Giancarlo Stanton, the Miami Marlins slugger who has long been the dreamiest of all Texas Rangers dream acquisitions, has agreed to a 13-year $325 million contract with the Marlins that will make him the highest paid player in American professional sports. The contract is also said to include a no-trade clause, breaking with a longstanding Marlins policy.
The Stanton-to-Texas rumors have been around seemingly forever but first popped up in earnest in 2012. The Rangers were considered one of the few teams with enough depth on the farm to tempt the Marlins and the payroll flexibility to lock up Stanton long-term. Plugging him into made-up lineups became one of the favored pastimes on Rangers' message boards like Lone Star Ball.
As a player, Stanton is like Joey Gallo, if Gallo hits his ceiling and becomes an above-average defensive right fielder. Stanton has perhaps the most raw power of any big league regular, gets on base and is still only 25 years old. Heading into only his fifth full season, Stanton has hit 154 home runs and has a .271/.364/.540 career slash. He was the Rangers dream addition for a reason. He would have been the bedrock of the team's lineup for as long as they could have afforded him.
With the deal, the Marlins have signaled that they intend to be more than a means for Jeffrey Loria to collect revenue-sharing money from MLB. Stanton, who suffered multiple gnarly fractures after being hit in the face with a pitch, ensures his financial future (and his descendants' financial future).
Now, as the Rangers head into an offseason where they need to find a corner bat with power in addition to a starting pitcher, a backup catcher and about half of a bullpen, the team's fans need to find new trade target to fetishize.
