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At the end of the 2009 season it would have been hard to find many people who would have envisioned Dan Uggla returning to the Marlins. However there’s been little in the way of him not being on the team thus far.

Despite early trade rumors of Uggla going to Atlanta or Baltimore to transition to the outfield nothing has been on the horizon for weeks now. The team offered him arbitration instead of giving him up for nothing and today it was announced that the two sides had agreed on a contract worth $7.8 million for the upcoming season.

While his defense has been suspect at times, Uggla has been one of the more reliable hitters in the league the last four seasons. The naysayers will point to strike out numbers that have topped 150 each of the last three years and a career batting average of .257 but Uggla has also hit 27 or more homers each season, driven in 88 plus and scored 84 or more each season. In addition his OPS has topped .800  and his walk totals have gone up.

The biggest number mentioned above is of course the $7.8 million Uggla will be paid this season. The Florida Marlins were recently read the riot act about not spending enough money after the front office suggested they would field a team with a payroll of $40 million this season.

Since then the Marlins have come to terms on a contract with ace Josh Johnson worth $39 million over four years.

It’s possible, if not probable that the Marlins will start the season with Uggla at second base and by the time the trade deadline comes around send him somewhere else. They were unable to find a taker this winter with much of the talk centering around the team simply trying to unload his contract.

The Marlins could choose to pay Uggla for the first half of the year then trade him to a contender who will be willing to pay the remaining sum of his salary as well as send a mid-level prospect or two to Florida. That way the Marlins get something in return for him. Either way it’s hard to imagine Uggla plays all of 2010 in Florida and if he does so healthy he’s almost impossible to see the Marlins offer him arbitration next season where his salary would f

igure to rise again.

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The answer to the above question could very well be nothing by this time tomorrow.

Every winter there is more reports then the last. The advancement of blogging has created a glut of reports. At first “respected” newspaper writers blamed fans with blogs, now they have joined them in reporting fleeting thought that has been mentioned by anyone. The bloggers blog on these tweets or blogs from these writers and make other crazy ideas.

For example Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports this on his twitter today.

#Marlins have an interest in Jamey Carroll, but aren’t as aggressive yet as some other teams, according to Carroll’s agent, Jonathan Maurer.

Ok sure maybe the Marlins do have genuine interest, but mind you Carroll made $2.5 million last season and the Marlins are again looking to cut payroll.

Truth is we live in a society that thrives on what is happening now, what is going on, what are you doing? We post every detail no matter how important or improbable it is. Anyone see an Edgardo Alfonzo news story in the New York papers in the last week?

It’s about web hits and reader base both of which translate to paychecks.

Perhaps this tweet is to make us believe the Marlins are in the process of trading Dan Uggla? Perhaps utility players who hit .276/.355/.340 with two homers, 26 RBI and 53 runs scored in 93 games with the Indians in 2009 are all the rave leading up to the winter meetings?

Maybe the Marlins are trying to find ways to keep their fans interested, after all you can’t expect that fans of the Oakland A’s are too thrilled after hearing their GM mention the team doesn’t figure to sign anyone via free agency this winter.

Carroll has always been viewed as a quality role player and while the Marlins will miss the cast of players they had in 2009 off the bench there doesn’t figure to be a shortage of players who can fit in with the club looking for jobs this winter.

Truth is these type of rumors can start from something as simple as a beat reporter asking someone on the Marlins if they would be interested in bringing in a player like Carroll. Heck, ask the guy if he’d be interested in John Lackey wouldn’t expect to hear a no. Though both could be followed by a “if we could afford it” or “if the numbers were right” but hey that’s what Friday’s tweet or blog post is for. The fact that this comes from the players agent even makes it lesser of a story as it’s more then likely he’s trying to play up the market for Carroll who could very well be used as the primary second basemen on the Marlins (if signed) when Dan Uggla is traded.

Not really sure where this was intended to go. I don’t know Jamey Carroll at all other then a few minutes prior to a Nationals game a few years back when he pretty much just said hi and how you doing. He’s a solid support in holding down a bench, a guy you don’t want to collect too many at-bats, and a player who is adequate enough with the glove to be useful late in games or for short periods of time across the infield.

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