Hey, big spender: So the Marlins are about to spend $325 million?

Will Giancarlo Stanton become baseball's first $300 million player?

That was certainly stunning news this week when reports of this megacontract surfaced. By the way, the team making the reported offer of a 13-year, $325 million deal, the Miami Marlins, once cast off players in a fire sale.

This is coming from a Marlins team that had an opening day payroll of $50.5 million in 2013 and $45.8 million last year. This from a Marlins team that ranked last in the National League in attendance at 2014 at 1.73 million.

Seeing Stanton linked to that kind of money is less of a surprise to me than seeing the Marlins linked to offering that kind of money.

Do they see this as a franchise-defining move? Do they see this as the start of something big? Are they just crazy?

Perhaps seeing a player pass the $300 million threshold should not be shocking. We've already seen players like Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Clayton Kershaw and Robinson Cano get $200 million or more.

Just last year, the Seattle Mariners signed Cano to a 10-year deal worth $240 million. The Mariners, not the Yankees or the Dodgers.

In what universe do we live in where the Mariners and Marlins are the big spenders?

The Marlins, by the way, are not outbidding anyone for Stanton's services. He is under Miami's control through 2016. Stanton just turned 25, so at least they are not offering this deal to a player that is closing in on his mid-to-late 30s.

But a fair question to ask is after Stanton gets his is this: How much money is left to sign anyone else? You still need to bat nine players, right?

Another fair question to ask is about how Stanton's 2014 season ended. He was hit in the face with a pitch on Sept. 11 and hasn't played since. Is he over that beaning? Will there be any lasting effects? The Marlins apparently don't have to wait for those answers, but I would sure want to know them before offering any deal like this one.

The sport of baseball sure must be healthy. The Mariners and Marlins will soon be on the hook for a combined $565 million in contracts.

Raise your hand if you saw that coming.