Marlins Sign Jose Reyes: 10 Bold Predictions for Miami Marlins and Reyes in 2012

It was announced late yesterday that the Marlins have signed free agent shortstop Jose Reyes to a six-year, $106 million contract.

This move comes after the team already inked All-Star closer Heath Bell to a three-year, $27 million contract, and that might not be the end, as the team is still looking at Albert Pujols, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson.

So here are 10 bold predictions about Jose Reyes and the Marlins in general for the rest of the offseason and what should be an exciting regular season in Miami to come.

Jose Reyes Will Remain Healthy, Play in 150-Plus Games

There is little question that the top shortstop and lead-off hitter on the market was Reyes, but teams like the Brewers and Braves weren't willing to pay the money that the Marlins did for the simple fact that Reyes is injury prone.

He has appeared in 36, 133 and 126 games the past three seasons, with hamstring injuries being the culprit that causes him to miss time more often than not. However, 2012 will be the year that he remains healthy, and that is not inconceivable, as he averaged 158 games per season in the four years prior to his recent string of injuries.

Hanley Ramirez Will Commit 20-Plus Errors at Third Base

With the signing of Reyes, that will mean a move to third base for incumbent shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who, at 6'3" and 230 pounds, does not have the same range that Reyes does.

Ramirez is by no means a Gold Glove shortstop as it is, and while he should eventually settle in at the hot corner, it could be a learning experience in his first season there considering he has played a total of three games there in his pro career and none at the big league level.

In comparison, Alex Rodriguez (13 errors, 0.2 dWAR) and Cal Ripken Jr. (22 errors, -0.3 dWAR) were both also superstar shortstops who made the transition to third base with varied success. I expect Ramirez to land closer to Ripken than A-Rod in his first season following the move.

Jose Reyes Will Be NL Starting Shortstop in All-Star Game

Reyes has made four All-Star appearances in his nine-year career, starting the game in 2007 and was voted to start last season, but was unable to play in the game.

His stiffest competition at this point is from Rockies slugger Troy Tulowitzki and Cubs up-and-coming superstar Starlin Castro, but I expect the fanfare surrounding the newly competitive Marlins to be enough to put Reyes in the starting lineup of the Midsummer Classic.

Jose Reyes Will Hit 20-Plus Triples

The biggest asset Reyes brings to a team is his disruptive speed atop the lineup, and he has an affinity for legging out triples, as he has reached the double-digit mark six times in his career on his way to 99 career three-baggers.

With the spacious dimensions of the new Marlins Stadium (340-384-416-392-335), home runs may be down for the team, but that is all the more room for Reyes to hit one into the gap and utilize his speed. Look for him to be the first player with 20 triples since Curtis Granderson, and just the fifth since 1979.

Jose Reyes' Will See His Average Drop 30 Points, Still Hit .300+

Reyes is coming off of a career year at the plate in which he hit .337 to capture the NL batting title, and while you can expect a significant drop from that if for no other reason than it was a career-year, I still see him hitting above his career average of .292 and topping the .300 mark for the third time in his career.

Some point to the fact that it was a contract year as the reason for Reyes' career-best numbers, and there is already talk of Reyes being a waste of money and overpaid, but he will be more than motivated to prove those doubters wrong and post another solid season in 2012.

Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez Will Clash; Ozzie Guillen Will Laugh It off

Hanley Ramirez has clashed with coaches and teammates alike in the past, and with Reyes coming into town and stealing some of his spotlight, not to mention his position, I would not be the least bit surprised if the two superstars get into a much scrutinized dugout argument at some point early in the season.

After hours of over-analyzing by SportsCenter, new Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen will shrug it off as two players being super competitive and applaud them for their intensity, and that will be the last anyone says of it.

Jose Reyes/Heath Bell Make Marlins 10 Wins Better, Still Not Good Enough

Coming off of a 72-90 season, the Marlins are clearly already a new ball club heading into the 2012 season, having added two stars in Reyes and All-Star closer Heath Bell.

Still, the starting pitching is lacking and injury prone. As is, the team should be on the right side of .500 this coming season and much more fun to watch, but they are not yet able to make a run at the Braves and Phillies.

However, I don't think they're done...

Jose Reyes Is Not the End of the Spending, Marlins Add Albert Pujols

The Marlins have made waves already this offseason, but the signing of Reyes makes them a much more attractive free agent destination for some of the other top names on the market, and the team has already offered a contract to Albert Pujols.

With Reyes in tow, the Marlins will up their offer to Pujols enough that he can't say no, and the team will add the game's top slugger to the middle of their already impressive lineup.

That could mean a league-leading runs scored total for Reyes, as perhaps the best table setter and best run producer in baseball would be part of the same lineup. This would push the Marlins firmly into playoff contention and make the NL East a thrilling three horse race.

Adding a top starting pitcher would push them over the top, though...

Gaby Sanchez/Matt Dominguez Package Lands Gio Gonzalez

With Albert Pujols at first base and Hanley Ramirez sliding over to third base, that would make 2011 All-Star 1B Gaby Sanchez and top prospect 3B Matt Dominguez expendable, and a package built around those two could be enough to land starter Gio Gonzalez from the offense-starved Athletics.

That would bolster the Marlins biggest weakness in their rotation, and if Josh Johnson could stay healthy, he and Gonzalez would form an impressive 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

New Look Marlins Make the Postseason, Become NL Favorites for Years to Come

With the domino effect of signing Pujols and acquiring Gonzalez set up by the signing of Reyes, the Marlins go from also-rans to NL favorites, and the offseason activity is enough to propel them to a postseason berth, with the Phillies and Marlins both making the postseason out of the NL East.

From there, it is anyone's ballgame, and the success of the Marlins moving forward in the postseason would depend heavily on their starting pitching, but just to make the postseason would be a huge step for a team that would be built to win for years to come.