Should the Marlins and Yankees talk deal for J.T. Realmuto?

Of all the contenders out there seeking All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, would a deal between the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins make the most sense?

I know this is going to sound crazy, but here it goes. I have been a staunch proponent of never seeing a deal between the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins made again. I am a firm believer that helping the rich get richer in this game of baseball does nothing but create hate and discontent for the Marlins fan base. It does nothing to change the direction of this organization in the present while it helps the “Evil Empire” win 100 games and reach the playoffs.

Now, for whatever reason, I am reading stories on the Internet, researching what other writers, far more knowledgeable about the team up north than I am, have to say. And after seeing there are plenty of suitors for catcher J.T. Realmuto, some in the same division as my beloved team from Miami, I believe a deal involving Gary Sanchez might be best for both teams moving forward.

Let me stop for a minute and catch my breath. I am sure my friend Evan Shear is reading this with either a perplexed look on his face or he is grinning like a Cheshire cat.

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"As Bill Madden of nydailynews.com wrote, “Derek Jeter is going to have no shortage of bidders for Realmuto, especially within his own division where, besides the Mets, the Braves (where Kurt Suzuki is a free agent), the Nationals (who were disenchanted with Matt Wieters in his two-year deal with them), and the Phillies (who seem disinclined to re-sign 31-year old Wilson Ramos), are all in the market for a front-line receiver.”"

It doesn’t make sense to me to see the Marlins “give away” their most marketable chess piece only to have him beat them on a consistent basis over the course of the 2019 season. The Dallas Cowboys do not make trades with the Washington Redskins. The Los Angeles Lakers don’t work deals with the Golden State Warriors. Most certainly, the Yankees and Brian Cashman won’t call on the Boston Red Sox and act like they are friends.

The Marlins and Jeter should take a hard stance on avoiding the Nationals altogether in this situation unless Washington’s top five prospects are attached in a trade offer. Both Madden and I concur that a deal straight up I-95 would help both franchises and keep the relationship between Jeter and his old team open.

"“For starters, the Yankees still have the best pool of prospect talent to land any All-Star caliber player to unexpectedly come on the trade market,” Madden adds. “But, in Sanchez, they could also offer Jeter a young, controllable, front-line catcher (who was incidentally developed by Gary Denbo, Jeter’s VP of Player development, when he was in the same job with the Yankees).”"

Sometimes, being in the know pays off. Jeter has been criticized the past year for moves he has made and deals he has left on the table. There is more to this “blueprint” than building a farm system and reducing payroll. It’s about making baseball in South Florida a landing spot, not a place to jump off a cliff. The trend-setting shortstop with the million-dollar smile and rockstar looks wants this franchise to be the anthesis of what the Jeffrey Loria-era of Marlins baseball used to be.

In other words, he’s trying to clean up mistakes one brick at a time. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros have also been discussed as potential destinations for Realmuto. I keep coming back to the Big Apple and while being ashamed for my thought process, think this is where he belongs if a deal cannot be worked out with Realmuto’s agent and the organization.

Joel Sherman of newyorkpost.com writes he also believes a deal like this could get done and makes sense for both teams. Because there is plenty of intrigue in the Marlins losing yet another one of the “core” players from their 2017 roster, finding a dance partner who can give the team what it needs is crucial.

"“Realmuto is 27 and the game’s best overall catcher at a time when there is a dearth of quality at that position,” he stated. “That could make him more desirable to teams than even big free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Will the Marlins trade him with two years until free agency?”"

Right now, Realmuto is the biggest name floating out there before the Hot Stove season. It stands to reason he will continue to draw interest from many teams seeking his services. The Marlins should play it “safe” and trade with the Yankees to get the maximum amount of value for their player’s talent. Anything short will be a loss for the Marlins, in more way than one.