Marlins Free Agent Target: Rickie Weeks

The Miami Marlins have been linked to a lot of players this off season as they look to add some much needed reinforcements. After locking up superstar Giancarlo Stanton to a long contract, the Marlins now need to focus on building a supporting cast around him. One of the team’s glaring weak points last season was second base and they will need to remedy that before the start of the 2015 campaign. While there isn’t an abundance of readily made second baseman available there is one player that could fit in nicely with Miami. That player is former Milwaukee Brewer Rickie Weeks.

Weeks, an All-Star back in 2011, has had a rough go of it in recent years. He lost his job as the Brewers’ starting second baseman to Scooter Gennett last season and hit just 8 home runs with only 29 RBI in 121 games in 2014. Weeks has not been himself since an injury shortened his 2011 season. His defense has fallen off a bit and at 32 years old, his best years are behind him. The Brewers decided to decline his option for the 2015 season and he is now a free agent. While Weeks is no longer a top second baseman he’s better than other options the Marlins currently have under contract.

After being cast out of Milwaukee his price tag will be relatively low and the Marlins could sign him to a low risk/high reward contract. This would allow them to sure up a huge hole in the roster and still leave enough room to invest elsewhere. Is Weeks a star? Not at all. Will he help the Marlins? Yes, he would. Weeks would be a stop gap until a more permanent option can be found at second base. He can still hit for a respectable average and his defense isn’t as good as it once way but he’s not a liability in the field.

The Marlins don’t have a ton of options at second base. Donovan Solano has never been an every day starter type of player, Derek Dietrich has yet to come into his own and he may never do that. With Casey McGehee at third base and Adeiny Hechavarria at shortstop, adding Weeks would give the Fish a solid infield provided they can upgrade at first. Weeks would bat in the lower third of the lineup and his bat is due for a comeback. The Marlins may decide Weeks is too risky given his recent history of injuries and struggles at the plate. Nonetheless, Weeks is someone who can surprise in 2015 and the Marlins should give him every opportunity to do so.