Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton is pretty much having the best season of any other player in the National League (and probably all of baseball). As a result, the Marlins are shockingly in the hunt for a Wildcard spot.
As any Marlins fan can attest to, this is a rare thing indeed. But Stanton has made it clear that, just because this has so far been a fun season with the team playing meaningful baseball going into September doesn't mean he hasn't forgotten that the Marlins higher-ups run the team like a banana stand.
See also: Top Ten Giancarlo Stanton Home Runs of All Time
Stanton has been vocal in the past over how the team continues to dismantle its roster to save money, leaving him the lone talent on a team filled with minor leaguers and guys who will end up being traded away down the line should they show the slightest bit of talent and promise.
But Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown asked Stanton if all the recent winning and good vibes have maybe changed his mind about possibly sticking around and continuing his superstar career as a Marlin.
Apparently, no. No, it has not.
From Yahoo! Sports:
The question was whether the events of this season had altered his top-down view of the organization. He'd raised his eyes, thinking."Five months," he said, "doesn't change five years."
Stanton, who is just 24 years old and is coveted by pretty much every team in baseball, will be a free agent in just two seasons and will command big dollars that big clubs like the Red Sox, Yankees, and Dodgers will be all too ready to give him.
Meanwhile, the Marlins have the lowest payroll in baseball and are still owned by Jeffrey Loria. Fans have been apathetic because of Loria and the fact that there's really no point in investing in a star player since that star player will only either bolt for another team or be dealt away.
Stanton's words sting. But here's the thing: He's absolutely right.
For now, Stanton is looking toward making the playoffs and basically taking it from there:
"We've definitely done better than anyone thought we would do," Stanton said. "At the same time, we're still not where we need to be to keep playing beyond the designed schedule... I want to be the only game on TV at the end of the day."We're definitely in a positive direction. But we have a month to go to make the playoffs."
Stanton will command a contract worthy of his talent just as he's entering his prime. The Marlins have said they're interested in signing him long term, but will they? Probably not. And if they do, the rest of the team is going to continue to look like the Springfield Isotopes.
Stanton doesn't just want a big contract; he wants to play for an owner who gives a damn and will do what it takes to build a winner.
The Marlins can offer exactly none of those things.
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