Looks like D Backs are going the way of the Mariners. There are more players there as well including Greinke who could be a difference maker in a number of places but the contract could be a problem.
I’d take Greinke in a heartbeat, but I’d only give him a two year deal. Harper doesn’t want to play in St. Louis so he’s out of the picture in my opinion.
Dodger deal with Reds makes them look all in on Harper. Yanks and Machado look to be dancing. Big markets and big bucks on both look to be just over the horizon here.
luv baseball posted:Dodger deal with Reds makes them look all in on Harper. Yanks and Machado look to be dancing. Big markets and big bucks on both look to be just over the horizon here.
They will have to make another move to keep from being way over the tax threshold. But somebody's got to sign them, right?
I'd have lost money on the over/under of which would have happened first signing these guys or the Super Bowl.
Only about two weeks until camps start opening and not a lot of movement on these guys. Teams like the Padres are now in the mix. Is it possible that the era of 7-10 year mega deals is over? Teams just don't seem to want to put down bets like that.
The Mariners paid with the games best closer to escape the last 4 years of Cano's deal. Are teams only going out 4/5 years $100-$125MM like JD Martinez got last year? If the player performs for all 5 years great deal. But if you get 2/3 good years and then a drop off team only eats a couple of years of contract rather than 5 years.
Other side impact of this would be contracts might start to align more with current performance than past performance. In the long run that takes a ton of money out of the high end of the scale. Which in turn will impact arbitration where deGrom and Betts rang the bell this season.
All of this looks like one of two things....analytics bringing discipline to pay practices or from a bygone era collusion (real meaning of the word). Regardless of which of these is true it is hard to image players are very happy about these developments and could be setting the battle lines for two years out when MLBPA deal ends.
I'm absolutely loving this. Nobody signing either suits me fine. The market has spoken. As Luv Baseball states above, this is analytics bringing financial discipline to long term deals. Nobody is biting on current price and duration. Agents are going to be earning their scratch on these deals. Players are second guessing previous offers and their agents.
The next labor contract will be interesting. I hope they saved up as its going to be a war of attrition to change the terms of service time
MLB has a soft cap with their expenditure taxes and draft penalties. Even big spenders like the Red Sox, Yankees andDodgers have hit their limits. Aren’t year contract can lock a team into a bad situation for years. Ask the Angels.
If I’m management or ownership in my ideal world I never go ten years for anyone. Long term contracts (5-7 years) don’t go past age 35.
The key is developing and securing your own talent. A few years ago the Red Sox refused to give Lester 5yr/125M. It cost them 7/210M to replace him with Price. Plus they let a leader with a bulldog attitude leave and brought in a drama queen.
The Red Sox need a closer. I completely get what they’re doing. If Kimbrel doesn’t panic and resign on their terms they will find a rental next July.
When the next CBA comes up if I’m the players I want the taxes and penalties to teams eliminated. If I’m the owners I respond with no contracts over five years or the ability to released players from contracts like the NFL.
Whatever happens anything that benefits the players and their salaries makes mid and small sized markets less competitive.