Marlins Validate Stadium Critics" Fear Three years ago, officials of Miami and Miami-Dade County were persuaded to provide most of the money necessary to build a gleaming new stadium for the Miami Marlins. In turn, it was understood, the Marlins would financially commit themselves to fielding a competitive team for years to come. There were dissenters - not many, but loud ones - like Carlos Gimenez, then a county commissioner, who was skeptical of the intentions of the team's owner, Jeffrey Loria, and opposed a deal that seemed much too generous, particularly during a recession. Those dissenters now look prescient. On Tuesday, the Marlins, who finished the past season in last place, completed a stunning fire sale that left their roster depleted and their payroll relatively tiny and had many in Miami, Gimenez included, shaking their heads that all this happened after one season in the new park. "Many times, on the record, they made a commitment that once they had a stadium, they would have a competitive team," Gimenez said Wednesday of the Marlins" ownership. Instead, he said, "the team seems to have indicated that they won't do that now or in the future." Gimenez, who became the mayor of Miami-Dade County last year, said he did not feel vindicated by the developments, but it appeared that he had been. The stadium deal left the city of Miami and the county to pay three-quarters of the reported $645 million price of the stadium and surrounding parking lots, the team alone would take any revenue produced through ticket and suite sales, concessions, advertising and any future naming rights. This is not the first time Loria has dismantled the Marlins. In the seasons after their 2003 championship, the roster was similarly stripped down, although at that time, the Marlins could argue that they lacked a stadium of their own that would bring out more fans and generate more revenue. They shared a home with the N.F.L."s Dolphins in Miami Gardens. But now a baseball park is here, and nothing has changed. After aggressively stocking the team last off-season with high-priced free agents, the Marlins began to deal veterans away over the summer once it was clear the team would not have a good season. The decimation was completed Tuesday, when they agreed to send Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, John Buck and Emilio Bonifacio to the Toronto Blue Jays for shortstop Yunel Escobar and prospects. The trade, which is not yet official, has raised eyebrows inside the players union. Just a few years ago the union raised questions as to whether the Marlins, with their markedly low payrolls, were violating the collective bargaining agreement by not using revenue-sharing money on player development and salaries. That led the Marlins to agree to allow Major League Baseball and the union to monitor their finances through the 2012 season. But in 2013, the Marlins" payroll will most likely be extremely low and their chances of being competitive probably nonexistent. "We've already had preliminary contact with the commissioner's office about this transaction," Michael Weiner, the director of the players union, said Wednesday. And we expect to continue that dialogue once all the details about the transaction are known. A transaction of this sort raises potential concern. On Wednesday, Loria was at a regularly scheduled meeting of baseball owners in Chicago and seemed defiant when asked about the trade. "We finished in last place," Loria said, according to CBSSports.com. Figure it out. He denied having intentions of selling the team. In fairness to the Marlins, the players they received from the Blue Jays have merit. "It's not a bad haul," said Jim Callis, executive editor of Baseball America, who closely tracks prospects. But it wasn't a talent-for-talent trade, by any means. They were trying to get rid of salary, and they got some talent in return. If you're trying to win, you don't make that trade. However, as Gimenez sees it, the people of Miami will be worse off no matter what happens. "Whether the Marlins make money, whether they don't, whether the team's a success or not, Miami-Dade County is stuck," he said. Whether they make $2 or $200 million, we pay what we pay.