As Ramirez enters the batter’s box this weekend against his former team,  I expect a relatively mixed reaction from fans. After winning rookie of the year and a battle title with the Marlins as well as posting MVP caliber numbers from 2006 to 2010, I expect a positive reaction from many in attendance. However, his last two seasons with the team were marked by injury and disappointment. This team was built around him and due to his underperformance he may be undeservingly viewed as the long term scapegoat for the failures of this year’s Marlins team. This will earn him a hostile reaction from a significant number of fans. As such I expect a chorus of boos and cheers as the former face of the franchise is welcomed back to his old stomping grounds.

Based off of his success in the minors it appears that Coghlan has regained his Rookie of the Year form. Yet, he was kept in New Orleans in favor of Bryan Peterson, Gorkys Hernandez and Austin Kearns. While these three outfielders have potential to have a role as the 4^th outfielder on a major league roster, neither of them have shown any indication of being a long-term solution. In the past Coghlan has served as the Marlin’s primary offensive catalyst and leadoff hitter. He has experienced a high level of success, as a former rookie of the year, unmatched by these other players at the respective stages of their careers. Being that Coghlan has been limited by injuries over the course of multiple seasons and seems healthy, it would appear appropriate that he be given priority at bats at the Major League Level over Peterson, Hernandez and Kearns. Being under control for multiple years into the future, it would make sense to give Coghlan every opportunity to earn a starting job for next season. Outfielders such as Kearns have no service to the team for the long term .With the team going nowhere this season, it would benefit the Marlins the most to provide Chris Coghlan a starting job for the remainder of the season to determine his future role in the Marlins organization.

While this merely speculation oddly enough Chris Coghlan, now earning the Major League minimum salary, is arbitration eligible for the first time next season. This means that if he would accrue enough Major League service time, he would be due for a significant raise. While it remains to seen whether Coghlan has enough service time to actually qualify it is no secret that he has spent a critical amount of time in the Minors over the past two seasons. As such by not being called up, it is possible that he would not be eligible for arbitration. There is a chance Miami is not giving him a legitimate opportunity to pay him the minimum for next season, as well as to keep him under control for an additional year.  It is also possible that the Marlins, having dealt a significant amount of salary, are planning to reinvest it in the free agent market this winter to address the outfield. Melky Cabrera, Shane Victorino, Michael Bourn and the inconsistent BJ Upton are potential targets. Yet this should not be a threat to Coghlan playing for the remainder of this season. Chris Coghlan, who is cheap and controllable for several more seasons, has demonstrated his talent as Rookie of the Year and has reemerged in New Orleans. While this may be a moot point with the return of Stanton and Ruggiano, Coghlan has the potential to be a long term answer in the outfield. Yet it appears that he is not on the Major League roster for financial reasons. If this truly is the case I, among many other fans will be most disappointed that the team is truly shooting itself in the foot by refusing to give Coghlan a chance.

Potential trade partners such as the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox scrutinized Johnson over his poor health history, career low Earned Run Average and diminishing stuff. While there is no doubt that Josh Johnson has incredible ace like potential, he has not regained this form . The Marlins when negotiating with other teams valued and priced him as a legitimate ace, something Johnson has not been this year. As such, Miami sought several high impact and Major League Ready prospects in return. Ultimately, due to their concerns over Johnson’s health and diminished velocity Texas refused to include power hitting Third Basemen Mike Olt or any top prospect in exchange.

Realizing that they would not receive the high impact prospects it sought, the Marlins reevaluated their own stance and concluded that Johnson’s presence anchoring the rotation is much too valuable. Miami is banking on Johnson returning to his past form to carry next year’s Marlins team. Obviously the clear contrast in perception of the starter’s value inhibited  a potential  deal from occurring. The Marlins valued Johnson as an ace while other teams viewed him as having ace like stuff but simultaneously being a question mark. No team was willing to pull the trigger and offer the Major League ready and high impact prospects necessary to consummate a deal. As such, Miami will happily pencil Johnson in to anchor the rotation for another season.

Ramirez, the former batting champion and MVP Candidate, was  considered among the best players in baseball. He has served as a distinct symbol for the Marlin’s failures this season as the club according to Ozzie Guillen was “Hanley’s team.” Having an obvious and distinct failure to adjust to pitching, Ramirez has declined offensively over the course of the past three seasons. Despite being viewed as “a son” by owner Jeffrey Loria, the straw that broke the camel’s back most recently was him missing games after cutting his hand after punching a fan out of frustration and later forgetting to take his antibiotics. These antics perfectly reflect Hanley’s recent struggles with the Marlins. Having obvious talent, his undoing has been his mental approach to the game. Being easily frustrated, Ramirez’s actions have undermined his teammates and his own organization. As Manager Ozzie Guillen has said, “good hitters don’t do that. Good hitters battle back and try to get better.” While once the face of the franchise, among the best in the game, it is obvious that Hanley is not a good player right now.

However, Hanley still has potential to regain his form and be a solid player again. It can be argued that Ramirez needed a change of scenery. Los Angeles, under the winning culture of Magic Johnson’s ownership group and Don Mattingly’s leadership, may provide the necessary environment for Hanley to regain his form. The Dodgers will pay the entire sum remaining on Hanley’s contract totaling 37.3 million dollars for the conclusion of this season, 2013 and 2014.

Despite declining in value for years the, the Marlins sold Hanley for less than an equal return when considering just the talent going to Miami. When trading the former face of the franchise it is essential to acquire impact talent in return. It remains to be seen whether this was accomplished in this deal. E0valdi, ranked by Baseball America as the 96th ranked overall prospect in all of baseball was 1-6 this year with a 4.15 ERA. According to scouts, Eovaldi has an excellent frame yet possesses a 94 mile per hour fastball without movement and needs refinement on his off speed pitches. He is expected to start Saturday and may be a long-term presence in the rotation. McGough has primarily served as a reliever in Single A. It seems that Miami, despite the presence of the revenue laden Marlins Park, chose salary relief instead of top value in exchange for their face of the franchise Hanley Ramirez.

With a top heavy but weak overall minor league system, the Marlins had little depth to supplement their roster. Turner, ranked number 9  by MLB among all of baseball’s top 100 prospects, was acquired as a future top of the rotation starter. With relatively little service time, he will be controllable through 2018. Despite having a 98 mile per hour fastball and being previously labeled as “untouchable,” Turner does not come without concern; he previously suffered a shoulder injury in spring training and it seems he does not have dominant strikeout ability, considering he only struck out 40 in 62.2 innings at Triple A Toledo.

Rob Brantly is a 23 year old Major League-ready catcher. While not having legitimate power numbers in the minors, he has historically hit for a high average. The Marlins organization has had a dire need for catching in light of John Buck‘s struggles and Kyle Skipworth‘s status as a first round bust.

This trade makes sense as  the Marlins had not begun to approach Anibal Sanchez regarding an extension. It looked unlikely that he would have returned next season.

We can assume that Anibal will do well in free agency, and it would have been difficult for  the Marlins  to meet or top generous offers on the open market. Free agency, being the most inefficient means of player acquisition, leads to many starting pitchers to being overpaid and signed for years longer than what most teams are comfortable with. With that being said, if the Marlins wanted Sanchez to return, they would have made a legitimate effort to extend him by now. As such, it made the most sense to package him for a high upside prospect such as Jacob Turner.

Detroit, having just regained first place in the American League Central, is going all in this season. Thus, it was willing to deal a pitcher rated as highly as Turner.  With the exception of Justin Verlander, the Tigers rotation has generally struggled. As such, it made sense to add a quality pitcher such as Sanchez even if he is three months away from free agency. Detroit’s second base platoon has struggled this season, and Infante provides a quality bat and Gold Glove caliber defense in addition to being signed for only $4 million next year. As such, the Tigers greatly improved their team for its push into October.

Jacob Turner was widely considered Detroit's top prospect .

A quality starter, Anibal is a valuable piece to any starting rotation. Middle to top of the rotation innings eaters are difficult to come by and keep at a low cost. While Infante arguably was the Marlins most consistent player and was signed for next season, it most likely was his inclusion in the deal that awarded Miami such a highly ranked prospect. Without his inclusion in the deal, when considering a team’s unwillingness to part with top prospects, Miami only would have received B and C ranked players in return for Anibal.

At this point, this deal should be considered a success for both teams as Detroit improved its chances for a playoff run and Miami added a young, controllable top prospect to its ranks in addition to 2 quality prospects in Brantly and Flynn, who meet an organizational need.