MIAMI — A year ago, the Miami Marlins went on a shopping spree at the winter meetings and came home with three All-Stars.
Next week in Nashville, Tenn., they’ll be in the market for bench help.
The Marlins’ brief era as big spenders ended when the team with the biggest payroll in franchise history flopped. That prompted the Marlins’ latest dismantling, which included a blockbuster sell-off trade with Toronto two weeks ago.
The trade left Miami with a projected payroll of about $43 million, which meets owner Jeffrey Loria’s budget for 2013. So the team is unlikely to swing any big deals at the meetings that begin Monday.
“We’d like to do some more things," president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said Thursday. “We’re going to explore some things in Nashville. If something makes sense, we’ll move ahead. But are we talking about huge free agents? I’m not sure that’s the mode we’re in right now."
The Marlins made a big splash at the meetings in Dallas a year ago, when they signed shortstop Jose Reyes, left-hander Mark Buehrle and closer Heath Bell to deals totaling $191 million. All three players have since been traded.
