Mike Berardino

Marlins wanted Soriano
Source: 3-way deal halted by O's ownerPublished August 7, 2005


No one knows for sure how serious the Rangers were about moving Alfonso Soriano, but two sources with knowledge of the talks insist the Marlins made a strong push for him the weekend before the deadline.

According to one source, the Marlins "were a contender" and the deal "definitely could have happened," but only if they had been able to spin off pitcher Sidney Ponson in a three-way deal with the Orioles. The Marlins and Orioles would have eaten the bulk of Ponson's $10 million salary next season, but Baltimore owner Peter Angelos quashed the plan.

The problem? The Orioles weren't willing to accept A.J. Burnett and Mike Lowell in a deal unless they could get Burnett signed long-term and dump Ponson at the same time.

Soriano, making $7.5 million this year and looking at an arbitration-fed raise into the $11 million range this winter, would have played left for the Marlins. Under one version discussed, they would have put second baseman Luis Castillo and a couple of prospects into the deal and gone with prospective free agent Damion Easley as the starter at second for the final two months.

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