Marlins Hope Jorge Cantu Brings High Reward

The Marlins have holes to fill after trading Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. One of those holes could be filled by a guy who had his best season while playing in the state of Florida. Jorge Cantu, who once had 28 HR's and 117 RBI while a Tampa Bay Devil Ray in 2005, could be looking to recapture that Florida magic.

The Marlins now are moving closer to signing Cantu as a free-agent candidate to compete for the starting job.

"Things have been moving along pretty well," agent Steve Canter, who represents Cantu, said on Thursday morning. "There is a strong possibility that things are going to work out over there."

Cantu, who turns 26 on Jan. 30, finished up the 2007 season with the Reds, where he batted .298 in 27 games.

If he signs, which is expected, Cantu will be vying with Jose Castillo, who signed as a free agent on Dec. 24. Castillo joins the Marlins after spending four seasons with the Pirates.

Cantu has fallen so far off the map in terms of quality run producers in baseball (at least from where he was) that this signing will probably amount to no more than one of those "low risk, high reward" back-up plans. But that's a way of life in Miami until they get a new stadium deal, so why not?