2B/3B Jose Castillo has signed a 1-year contract with the Florida Marlins. Castillo will likely be given a chance to win the starting job at 3B and he appears to be the teams best option right now. Castillo played in 87 games last season for the Pirates and he was 54 for 221 (.244 avg, .605 OPS) with 18 runs scored and 24 RBIs. Castillo has now played in 465 games in his major league career and he is 382 for 1,492 (.256 avg, .677 OPS) with 165 runs scored, 33 homers and 181 RBIs. Castillo can’t hit for power like most starting 3B in the majors but he will be way above average on defense.

The Florida Marlins have decided to let catcher Miguel Olivo walk as they did not tender him a contract for the 2008 season. Olivo played in 122 games last season for the Marlins and he was 107 of 452 (.237 avg, .667 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 16 homers and 60 RBIs. Olivo has now played in 556 games in his major league career and he is 427 for 1,786 (.239 avg, .680 OPS) with 210 runs scored, 61 homers, 224 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Olivo’s career as a starting catcher could be over but he will have no problem finding a job as a back-up.

The Marlins have traded Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers for outfielder Cameron Maybin, catcher Mike Rabelo and pitchers Andrew Miller, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop. This was basically a salary dump by the Marlins who shedded $18 million dollars in payroll for a cache of minor leaguers with potential. Cabrera played in 157 games last season for the Marlins and he was 188 for 588 (.320 avg, .966 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 34 homers and 119 RBIs. He finishes his Marlins career having played in 720 games in which he was 842 for 2,694 (.313 avg, .930 OPS) with 449 runs scored, 138 homers and 523 RBIs. The D-Train had an off year in 2007 as he started 36 games and he was 10-15 with a 5.17 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP. He finished his Marlins career starting 162 games in which he was 68-54 with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. He worked 1022.2 innings for the Marlins in his career and he allowed 1,046 hits, walked 344 batters and whiffed 757 batters.

Cameron Maybin will likely start in center field for the Marlins next season as long as he’s ready to handle it. The 20 year old righty swinging centerfielder was overmatched at the major league level as he played in 24 games for the Tigers last season and he was 7 for 49 (.143 avg, .473 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 2 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Maybin was a terror at three levels in the minors last season (rookie, A-Ball, AA-Ball) where he played in 91 games and he was 102 for 323 (.316 avg, .932 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 14 homers, 53 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Andrew Miller will likely replace Willis in the rotation and he has electric stuff. The 22-year old lefty started 13 games for the Tigers last season and he as 5-5 with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. He has now pitched in 21 games (13 starts) in his major league career and he is 5-6 with a 5.69 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. Mike Rabelo might win the starting job at catcher for the Marlins if he performs well in Spring Training. The 27-year old switch hitter was the Tigers backup catcher last season. He played in 51 games for the Tigers last season and he was 43 for 168 (.256 avg, .657 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 1 homer and 18 RBIs. Eulogio De La Cruz is a 23-year old righty reliever who could make the Marlins roster next season. He pitched in 6 games for the Tigers last season and he was 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP. In AA+AAA ball last season De La Cruz worked in 33 games (12 starts) and he as 7-5 with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He tossed 104.1 innings and he allowed 95 hits, walked 37 batters and whiffed 82. 22-year old righty starter Dallas Trahern might be close to ready to help out the Marlins. He started 27 games in AA+AAA last season and he was 13-6 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He worked 169 innings and he allowed 182 hits, walked 54 batters and whiffed 94. 24-year old righty Burke Badenhop started 26 games in A+AA ball last season and he was 12-6 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. He worked 154 innings and he allowed 138 hits, walked 37 batters and whiffed 90.

This trade will set the Marlins back big-time as it’s incredible that the Marlins had to dump a 24-year old and a 25-year old because they became too expensive. I wouldn’t rush out and buy any jersey with a name on the back if I were a Marlins fan because if they play too well…..they will be gone.