Heyman: Fernandez talks down to a 'flicker'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Talks involving Marlins superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez were alternately described as “flickering” or “fading,” as word was getting around at the Winter Meetings that nothing is hot involving Fernandez.

The Marlins’ best chance for a deal may have come in talks with the Diamondbacks, but once Arizona landed Shelby Miller in a deal with the Braves, that put an end to those talks. Arizona people suggested, to no one’s surprise, that they would have been willing to give up more for Fernandez than they gave up for Miller, which by the reckoning of some was pretty substantial (shortstop Dansby Swanson, pitcher Aaron Blair and outfielder Ender Inciarte).

Some never believed the Marlins had any real intention to trade Fernandez, a 23-year-old wunderkind who is extremely popular in South Florida, and some Marlins officials did refer to him as “unavailable.” Some teams noted that the Marlins did make some proposals, so there was apparently some circumstance under which they would have dealt Fernandez. Even now, Marlins people aren’t privately ruling it out entirely, though perhaps they used the talks to gauge future interest.

The Marlins requested star outfielder A.J. Pollock and front-line starter Patrick Corbin in a large package from the Diamondbacks. Pollock was a player Arizona seemed to have no intention to move, though the teams did have a few more conversations.

The Dodgers and Giants also checked in on Fernadez but there was no evidence anything ever got close with those teams.

Jose Fernandez is expected to remain in Miami. (USATSI)

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.