Sports

Marlins deal former Mets SS Reyes to Blue Jays as part of mega-deal

BIG TRADE: The Marlins yesterday agreed to ship Jose Reyes (left), Josh Johnson (inset left), and Mark Buehrle (inset center) to the Blue Jays, and Toronto sends Yunel Escobar (inset right) to Miami. (
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The Marlins have hung up the “Gone Fishin’ ” sign. Again.

One year after spending like tipsy spring-breakers on South Beach as they prepared to enter their new taxpayer-financed stadium, the Marlins and owner Jeffrey Loria began to dismantle everything but the ballpark itself last night with a multi-player trade that would send their highest-priced players, including Jose Reyes, to the Blue Jays.

The two teams reportedly have agreed to the deal, which would see the Marlins slice nearly $164 million in future salary from their books. But the roster gutting still needs to be approved by Major League Baseball.

The Marlins do not allow no-trade clauses in their contracts so free agents who sign with them do so at their own peril, as a few of them learned the hard way last night.

In addition to the ex-Mets shortstop, Miami would send starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, catcher John Buck and utility man Emilio Bonifacio north of the border. In return, the Marlins would receive shortstop Yunel Escobar, pitcher Henderson Alvarez, infielder Adeiny Hechavarria and catcher Jeff Mathis. They also would get minor-league pitchers Justin Nicolino, and Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Jacob Marisnick.

If the trade is allowed, the Marlins would have just over $16 million in contractual commitments for next season, including $9 million for pitcher Ricky Nolasco and $5 million for Escobar. Miami started last season with a payroll of $111 million.

“Alright, I’m pissed off!!! Plain & Simple,” tweeted outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, one of the few recognizable names remaining on the Miami roster if the deal is allowed to stand.

“It’s a good day to be bluejay!” tweeted Toronto slugger Jose Bautista.

Reyes and Buehrle, along with reliever Heath Bell and manager Ozzie Guillen, were the Marlins’ marquee acquisitions last winter when the team dropped $191 million on the three free agents.

But things did not go as planned.

The team got off to a slow start and never really recovered. Miami began selling off parts in midseason when it sent third baseman Hanley Ramirez to the Dodgers and infielder Omar Infante and pitcher Anibal Sanchez to Detroit.

The Marlins, who drew 2.2 million fans after projecting attendance of 3 million in their state-of-the-art ballpark, finished 69-93 and in last place in the NL East, 29 games behind the division-leading Nationals and five games behind the fourth-place Mets. Bell, who flopped as the team’s closer, was traded to the Diamondbacks shortly after the season. Three days later, Guillen was fired.

He was replaced by Mike Redmond, a catcher on the Marlins’ 2003 world championship team. The highly regarded Redmond managed Toronto’s Class-A Dunedin team last season so he likely is familiar with the young players headed to Miami.

Reyes, who has $96 million remaining on a deal that extends through 2018, batted .287 with 40 steals in his first season after leaving the Mets. Buehrle (13-13, 3.74 ERA) is coming off his 12th straight season of at least 200 innings pitched. He and Johnson (8-14, 3.81) join a Blue Jays staff which used 12 different starting pitchers last season. Buehrle still has $52 million coming to him on a deal that runs through 2015.

It’s not the first time the Marlins have pulled such a stunt.

Following their World Series victory in 1997, then-owner Wayne Huizenga conducted a fire sale, trading away Al Leiter, Moises Alou, Gary Sheffield, Kevin Brown, and Bobby Bonilla among others in various deals. They also cleaned house somewhat after winning it all in 2003.

The 73-89 Jays, who finished 22 games behind the Yankees in the AL East, remain without a manager after letting John Farrell leave last month to take over the Red Sox. But, thanks to last night’s Fish fry, the Toronto job just got much more attractive.