Marlins have no use for Carpenter – they have Prado at 3rd, Gordon at 2nd and Bour at 1st (making $500k)…If you want to give them back a bad contract, it would have to be Fowler…though that will up the prospect cost you have to give up as well…Perhaps if they trade Gordon they can use Carpenter at 2B, but Gordon is much better defensively and they are about the same money wise…
The first thing is probably to study where the need is, by position –
C – Molina – fine
1B – Carpenter – fine
2B – Wong – fine
SS – DeJong – could be fine
3B – Gyorko – fine
LF – Pham – fine
CF – Fowler – stuck with him
RF – Piscotty – weakest link (at least right now)
Rotation – fine
Bullpen – need reliable back end (8th or 9th) shut down flame thrower.
So the short term most pressing need is a big bat outfield guy who can hit for both average and power, and another bullpen arm?
I think you just pointed out the issue. Fine is good to have but the “fine” players need to be surrounded by a couple Superstars or true all stars which we don’t have.
I’m in the camp of keeping Carpenter though. I’d rather trade Gyorko, yes I know he is more valuable with his contract, but that is why I want to trade him now. I think we could get a top prospect or 2 for him, probably along the lines if not more than what the white soxs got for Eaton.