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This would be a pretty great way for Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to start reinvesting some of the money his franchise saved in that November 2012 firesale.

According to MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, the Fish have had scouts in the Dominican Republic all weekend watching free agent first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu, who defected from his native Cuba one month ago and established residency in Haiti while waiting to be cleared to negotiate with major league teams.

He still hasn’t been given that clearance and is not expected to settle with a big league club until right around the December MLB Winter Meetings. The 26-year-old slugger is thought to be seeking over $50 million in guaranteed money.

Abreu batted .394/.542/.837 with 75 walks, 35 home runs, 71 runs scored and 99 RBI in 87 games for Cienfuegos, a Cuban Serie Nacional team, in 2011-2012. He hit .382/.535/.735 with 13 homers, 37 runs scored, 36 RBI and 37 walks in 42 games during a shortened 2012-2013 campaign.

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