05/10/2008 -
MIAMI (AP) -With a new ballpark finally on the horizon, the Florida Marlins are beginning to loosen their purse strings.
Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez has agreed to the framework of a $70 million, six-year contract to remain with the Marlins, a person familiar with the negotiations said Saturday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the deal hadn't been completed. It's expected to be announced next weekend when the team returns home from a seven-game trip.
The deal was first reported by SI.com.
In February, the Marlins reached an agreement to build a long-sought, retractable-roof stadium near downtown, which is expected to substantially increase revenue for a franchise with a history of poor attendance and tight budgets.
Florida's 2008 payroll of $22 million is by far the smallest in the major leagues.
``As we get closer to the stadium, those things will change,'' owner Jeffrey Loria said in March.
Now it's likely Ramirez will still be with the Marlins when they move into the new ballpark in 2011. His deal would be the most lucrative in franchise history, topping the $61 million, six-year contract Gary Sheffield signed in 1997.
Marlins officials had no comment. Ramirez's agent, Andy Mota, didn't return calls seeking comment.
Ramirez's contract would average $11.7 million a year. The Marlins' best-paid player this season is closer Kevin Gregg at $2.5 million.
The 24-year-old Ramirez, who will make $439,000 in 2008, would be eligible for arbitration after this season. He was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2006 and had a breakout season in 2007, when he hit .332 with 29 home runs, 81 RBIs and 51 stolen bases.
He's off to a fine start again this year for first-place Florida, hitting .336 with eight homers, 21 RBIs and 13 stolen bases going into Saturday night's game at Washington.
``He's going to be a superstar in this league for a lot of years,'' Nationals manager Manny Acta said after Ramirez scored twice and drove in a run Friday at Washington. ``He can hit a home run. He can bunt and steal second and third and score on anything. He'll take a walk. He'll hit over .320, almost guaranteed. He can do everything he wants in the game.''
The Marlins traditionally have been reluctant to sign players to lengthy contracts. Last December they traded Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis rather than lock them up with long-term deals.
Ramirez came to Florida in another payroll-paring trade that sent Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to the Boston Red Sox in November 2005.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Novo leads Rangers to within one of Celtic
Glasgow, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nacho Novo scored twice as Rangers topped
Dundee United, 3-1, on Saturday in the Scottish Premier League to cut Celtic's
lead to one point.
Rangers, which plays Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup final
<< Wild coach Lemaire returning in 2008-09
St. Paul, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacques Lemaire announced Saturday that he
will return next season as head coach of the Minnesota Wild, which will be his
eighth with the club.
There had been some speculation after the second consecutive
<< Wolfsburg blasts 10-man Stuttgart
Wolfsburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Marcelinho scored in the 16th minute to
give Wolfsburg an early lead and, after Stuttgart went down a man in the 18th,
the hosts rolled to a 4-0 win in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.
Wolfsburg pulle
<< Report: D'Antoni accepts offer to coach Knicks
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike D'Antoni will reportedly bring his
run-and-gun coaching style to the "Big Apple" next season.
The Boston Globe reported on its website Saturday that D'Antoni, who was
granted permission by t
Pistons' Billups won't play in Game 4 against Magic >>
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups won't play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.Pistons coach Flip Saunders says Billups wouldn't be effective because of a sore hamstring. Th
San Jose defender Ayres has successful surgery >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Jose Earthquakes defender Jay Ayres had
successful surgery to repair a facial fracture on Thursday and is expected to
be sidelined for eight weeks, the club announced Friday night.
Ayres and defender R
Chivas defender Vaughn undergoes second surgery >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA defender Lawson Vaughn successfully
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Houston Dynamo on May 3, the club announced Friday night.
The surgery was deemed ne
Chivas USA acquires Talley from Real Salt Lake >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA acquired defender Carey Talley from
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Talley, an 11-year MLS veteran and 1999 MLS Cup champio
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Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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