SAN DIEGO - The Miami Marlins are serious about contending in the NL East. If signing slugger Giancarlo Stanton to a massive contract last month wasnt proof enough, a late flurry at the winter meetings sure made it clear.Miami acquired right-hander Mat Latos from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday morning for pitching prospect Anthony DeSclafani and minor league catcher Chad Wallach, just a short nap after landing All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon in a flashy seven-player trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers late Wednesday night.We want to build and we want to be competitive every year, and we want our team to play into October, said Mike Hill, Miamis president of baseball operations.The Reds traded away two arbitration-eligible starters in quick succession Thursday morning to help meet payroll restrictions. They also sent Alfredo Simon to the Detroit Tigers for two more youngsters, right-hander Jonathon Crawford and infielder Eugenio Suarez.This is it for now, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said after a busy final morning at the winter meetings. We got close to where we need to be — payroll-wise.The Marlins gave up their top pitching prospect, left-hander Andrew Heaney, in the deal for Gordon and right-hander Dan Haren.Haren has indicated he might retire rather than play for a team far from his family in Southern California, and Miami dealt its next-best pitching prospect in DeSclafani to add rotation depth.I think the Latos deal has really insulated us from that, so if anything happens in that direction, we still have a formidable rotation, Hill said. And if he stays, we have the player that we wanted.The 27-year-old Latos is coming off an injury-plagued season. He made only 16 starts because of knee and elbow problems, going 5-5 with a 3.25 ERA. He will help bolster a Miami rotation that will be without 2013 NL Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, who is recovering from May elbow-reconstruction surgery, until the middle of 2015.That was the one thing we really wanted to do, is to make sure our rotation didnt have a drop-off and we remain strong until the return of Jose, Hill said.The Reds had to decide which starters to trade and which to try to sign after the season with Simon, Latos, 20-game winner Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake all in line for significant raises. Latos made $7.25 million in the final year of a two-year deal last season and is eligible for arbitration — as is Simon.Latos and Simon both could become free agents after next season. Trading the pair gives the Reds — 12th with a $115 million payroll this year — at least a chance to sign Cueto long-term.Im not sure well be able to do something or not, but its something well explore, Jocketty said. Obviously.The Marlins are adding pieces around Stanton, given a record $325 million, 13-year contract last month.Gordon led the majors with 64 stolen bases last season and made his first All-Star team. He was surprised by the trade but is excited to play in Florida in front of family, including his father, former major leaguer Tom Gordon.Gordon is especially excited to make noise on the bases for Stanton, the NL home run champ. Gordon got to know him while in Double-A.He hit the farthest home run I think Ive ever seen in my life, Gordon said. Its going to be amazing to hit in front of him.Hill said the Marlins arent done yet: Theyre looking for a first baseman.DeSclafani, who will turn 25 in April, was a sixth-round pick by Toronto in the 2011 draft. He made 13 appearances, including five starts, for the Marlins this year, and went 2-2 with a 6.27 ERA.He impressed Jocketty enough that hell get a shot at starting for the Reds.We think that DeSclafani will be a guy who will probably fit in our rotation, he said. He made some great strides with them at the end of the year.Wallach is the son of former big leaguer Tim Wallach. The 23-year-old was the Marlins fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft.Also, the Marlins sent Dan Jennings, a 27-year-old left-handed reliever, to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday for 26-year-old right-hander Andre Rienzo.___AP Sports Writers Ronald Blum and Joe Kay contributed to this report. Mark Teixeira Jersey . -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the Masters from home for the first time in 17 years. Aaron Hicks Jersey . Modin, 36, tallied seven goals and three assists in 36 games with the Thrashers this season. 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A last-minute leveler ensured the two-time defending champion remained nine points ahead of Roma, which drew 0-0 at bitter rival Lazio in the capital derby.ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals extended the contract of general manager John Mozeliak for two years through the 2018 season. Mozeliak, 45, has been with the Cardinals organization for the last 19 seasons, the last six as GM. During Mozeliaks tenure, the Cardinals have been to the post-season four times, winning two National League pennants, and a World Series in 2011. The Cardinals have also been recognized twice by Baseball America as the organization of the year (2011 and 2013). "I think what weve been able to accomplish here is something we all take a lot of pride in, but we also know every year is a new year and every year has new challenges," Mozeliak said. "I think thats the exciting thing about working with this group. Its innovative, its creative and its not looking back. Its about looking forward." Mozeliak has negotiated contrracts to keep several key players under team control, including Matt Holliday, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright, Allen Craig and Matt Carpenter.dddddddddddd Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt said he thought the time was right to extend Mozeliak. "Given where we are and how the organizations doing, it was appropriate for us to do it," DeWitt said. "It was pretty hectic during spring training and the first part of the season, so we felt it was appropriate to do it now. "We really didnt have a lot of discussions. I met with him when we opened the season in Cincinnati. I talked to him about it at that time and we did it pretty quickly." That was just fine with Mozeliak. "I was obviously very excited. This is my home. Ive been with the Cardinals now going on 19 years. This is really what I know." ' ' '