Marlins Sign Slugger Michael Morse
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Marlins continued their busy offseason on Tuesday, adding a veteran hitter to help bolster their lineup around slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
The Marlins signed free agent Michael Morse to a two-year deal according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Morse spent the 2014 season with the San Francisco Giants and was a main contributor during their run to the World Series title.
It's expected that Morse will play first base for Miami, though he has played mostly in the outfield over the past few seasons.
Last season Morse hit .279/.336/.475 in 131 games with the Giants, parking 16 home runs to go with 61 RBIs and an .811 OPS.
He is known as a great clubhouse guy who will help the Marlins both on and off the field.
Miami has now made several key additions over the past few weeks. Speedy second baseman Dee Gordon, strong starting pitchers Mat Latos and Dan Haren along with relievers Aaron Crow and Andre Rienzo.
Following the huge contract extension given to Stanton, the Marlins stated that they are ready to start contending for the postseason and would take the proper steps during the winter to further cement their status as a team to be reckoned with in the National League.
It certainly appears that Miami will be one of the more talented teams in the NL in 2015. Their young core of players such as Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez and of course Jose Fernandez, who is expected back from Tommy John surgery around the All Star break, will continue growing and improving as they gain more experience in the majors.
There are also a pair of young starting pitchers in Jarred Cosart and Nathan Eovaldi who are still developing their game.
Additionally, the Marlins feature several veterans who played key roles during their strong campaign last season as well. Casey McGehee and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were mainstays in the lineup while relief pitchers Bryan Morris, Mike Dunn and Steve Cishek provided some security in the bullpen.
Combine the youngsters and veterans with all the new players and it's easy to see why the Marlins could be picked by many as a dark horse in the 2015 pennant race.
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