Beltre
Congratulations to Bill Bavasi on making the best signing of the offseason to date. Getting, in my mind, the premier free agent in this class for our situation, to agree to a 5 year, $65 million contract in this market, is a stunning accomplishment. Toss in that Scott Boras was the agent in charge and it’s downright ridiculous that we got such a good deal.
The organization just signed a franchise player who is entering his prime, filling the biggest hole the club has on the major league roster. They’ve locked themselves into an all-star talent through his most productive years, and have done so at what appears to be a below market rate.
This is just a great move all the way around. For all the grief we’ve given the front office the past year, we’re certainly willing to applaud them when they make an intelligent deal that helps the organization. Big congratulations to the entire front office. Well done.
Beltre to M’s
IT’S TRUE IT’S TRUE IT’S TRUE
Details — appears to be 5y, $65m. Which is
a) a freaking bargain
b) freaking awesome
I haven’t been this happy to be an M’s fan since I saw Ichiro! break the hits record. I know that sounds kinda dumb, but… wow.
Update: Dave confirms. It’s true.
Optimism
The Beltre or Bust wagon is gaining steam.
they are thought to be close — or possibly already have reached agreement — on a deal worth $60 million or more to third baseman Adrian Beltre.
I’ll tell you right now that they haven’t reached an agreement, unfortunately. But Finnigan is right; they are close. It’s really Adrian Beltre’s call, at this point. If he decides that he just doesn’t want to leave LA, Boras will get something done with the Dodgers. If the ties to the Dodgers aren’t as strong as some think, though, we could have a deal very soon.
Long term track-o-tron
Mariners with contracts extending past 2004. $ in millions. Some contracts approximated from available data on average value. Does not include signing bonuses or performance incentives.
| Who | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Sexson | $4.5 | $11.5 | $14 | $14 |
| Beltre | $13 | $13 | $13 | $13 |
| Ichiro! | $11 | $11 | $11 | |
| Guardado | $4.3 | $4.3 | ||
| Ibanez | $4.3 | $4.3 | ||
| Winn | $4 | $4* | ||
| Spiezio | $3 | $3 |
* annoyingly complicated player-and-team option
Commenting
I figured this was all going to go down while I was in the air.
I really don’t want to turn this into another Sexson thread. We’ve had a ton of those lately. We made it clear two months ago that we weren’t in favor of signing Richie Sexson to more than a 1 year deal, so obviously, we’re not going to like this contract. Rather than discussing the merits of this deal, let me segue for a second.
I’m pretty disappointed in the quality of the comments, recently. We’re not going to start moderating for intelligence, however, I’d like to challenge everyone to raise their standards for posting a response. The signal to noise ratio has been growing rapidly lately. I’d love it for that trend to reverse.
So, let me just offer this up as a challenge; rather than posting a one line throwaway response without punctuation, ask what it adds to the discussion? Don’t insult other people. Don’t question their motives. If you have a response to the subject of the thread, make a valid point and try to support it.
If you just want to post mock line-ups and fire off witty one liners, there are a ton of message boards that would love to have you. Personally, I’d love to see the comments here look a lot more like The Market thread. Reasonable discourse. Rational responses. It really isn’t any slower to use punctuation and complete thoughts.
There is a logical argument to be made in favor of the Sexson signing. I was just a bit disappointed that I couldn’t find one in the mass of hundreds of replies on the topic. Even if someone tried, it would likely get lost in the sea of comments that add little to the discussion.
You don’t have to post everything as it comes to your mind. How about we raise the bar back up a bit, okay?
Okay, so I’ve had a beer
I’m a little more coherent now. Let’s deal with some of the big arguments.
The M’s had to do something
I won’t argue there was a strong drive to make some statement signings. I think there are better things to do.
The M’s finally sign someone and you’re whining — you’re no fan
If to look good and impress fans now the team is signing players who will cripple the budget in 3-4 years when the team comes around to contention, they’re doing harm to the franchise.
How can any fan be happy about moves that don’t substantially improve the team’s short or long-term future? You can disagree with people who don’t see the move as good, but to argue that people who are dismayed aren’t fans is nonsensical. Anyone who cares enough about the team to pay attention at least deserves a respectful argument.
What’re you so wigged out about?
It’s rich for the risk.
Or, as Dave put it
Spending $12 million per season on Richie Sexson simply continues that tradition. Even ignoring the risks surrounding his injury (which is fool hardy, but is another post all together), his expected performance from 30-33 will not put him in the superstar elite class. He’s going to be a good player making great player money, returning less marginal wins than should be expected from a player with his contract.
Or, even further back, Dave’s free agent writeup on Sexson.
He’s only had one injury ever
Okay, first, not true, second, would that be okay if it was (for instance) a stopped heart? We can reasonably be sure that the shoulder passed the physical, however, we can also be reasonably assured that as a pre-existing condition, that shoulder is uninsurable.
This improves the team, anyway
As Dave’s pointed out recently, it’s not about whether or not any move is an incremental upgrade, it’s about whether or not it’s the best use of resources.
Or, to put this another way: what would Beltre or Beltran have to sign for to make him not worth the difference between him and Sexson? A front-line pitcher? Or even interesting gamble pitchers with upside, like Odalis Perez?
Sexson signs, 4y $50m
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[ESPN][MLB.com has it as $48m]
“We have stated from the outset that our primary goal this offseason was to add offense,” general manager Bill Bavasi said. “Richie was one of the premier free agents available on the market.”
PAYING ME FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS WOULD NOT MAKE ME A PREMIER FREE AGENT ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHH
“Any time you add a hitter with numbers like Richie has produced over his career, it helps to legitimize your lineup,” Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said in a statement.
Helps to.. whaaaaaaaaaat??!! Does he come with a notary seal on his forehead?
HIRING FOR INTANGIBLES IS DOOMED TO FAILURE!!! SEE LAST YEAR’S GRIT DRIVE AND VETERAN LEADERSHIP HIRES!!!! WHYYYYY GOD WHYYYYYYYY??
Mariner contract status
Players with contracts
Last updated November 11, 2006 Name
Bonus
2007
2008
2009
2010
Adrian Beltre
$10m paid in 2005
$11.5m*
$11.5m*
$11.5m*
Willie Bloomquist
$.85m
Raul Ibanez
$2m*
$5.5m
$5.5m
Kenji Johjima
$1m
$5.2m
$5.2m
Richie Sexson
$6m paid in 2006*
$14m
$14m
Ichiro!
$6m*
$9.5m*
Jarrod Wasburn
*
$9.375*
$9.375*
$9.375*
Players under team control
Name
Bonus
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Scott Atchison
$323,000
Travis Blackley
$316,000
Greg Dobbs
$316,000
Jose Lopez
$316,000
Julio Mateo
$390,000
Mike Morse
$316,000
J.J. Putz
$360,000
Jeremy Reed
$325,000
Rafael Soriano
$340,000
George Sherill
$325,000
Chris Snelling
$316,000
Matt Thornton
$316,000
Players released or traded with the team picking up salary
Name
Bonus
2006
2007
2008
2009
Scott Spiezio
$3.1M
*
Notes on this table
These numbers came from published press accounts of contracts. Year figures are base salary and not salary + incentives, or salary + pro-rated signing bonus. This is why the totals don’t agree with the numbers the Mariners will use, as when they say “payroll of $x” they have (at least in the past) meant “all base salaries plus possible incentives and bonuses, plus sometimes pro-rated signing bonuses or not, plus other stuff.” In some cases, it does not agree with other published accounts (see ESPN.com’s salary page, for instance). Without knowing how these other sources calculate their numbers, there’s not much to be done about the differences. Players under team control are, as far as we can so far determine, not yet eligible for arbitration and must accept any valid contract the team gives them. Dollar amounts are estimated. Minimum MLB salary for 2005 is $316,000 and the M’s could give all of these players minimum contracts, though it is unlikely.
In most cases, the guys who are headed to arbitration will be offered and take compromise contracts before they actually get to arbitration.
The * section
Beltre: total value of the contract is $64m, -14m in 2005, so 50m/4 = 12.5m. The PI reported “the remaining four years each at $11 million to $12 million” but without a detailed estimate of the final years, I’m going with the easy division here.
Everett: club option for 2007 or $600,000 buyout. Seattle Times reported the option vested with modest triggers. It’s likely for about 2006’s salary.
Ibanez: likely paid in 2004
Lawton: Incentives could push this to $1.65m
Moyer: $1m in possible incentives for 2006
Pineiro: distribution of dollars, signing bonus unknown
Sexson: generally reported as “a signing bonus” but the PI reported it was payable in 2006. I’m going with the PI until it’s refuted.
Spiezio: team option for 2007. No, really.
Ichiro: payment schedule of signing bonus unknown, distribution of remaining contract value assumed here as even through life of contract
Jarrod Washburn: contract reported as 4y, $37.5m. No signing bonus or distribution information’s available.
Renteria to Sox
4y, $40m, in what right now appears to be one of the more rational contracts this off-season.
So there goes one alternate plan for the M’s if they don’t get Beltre (or land 14 more 1B/LF/DH types).
Odalis Perez
He’s still out there. I’m just sayin’.
Seriously, I like this guy. Left-handed, just 27, very low walk rates, and he’s been pretty durable the past three seasons since getting a full-time starter gig (32, 30 and 31 starts per year). His strikeout rate took a dip last year, but the rest of his numbers were still solid across the board. VORP pegged him as the 18th best pitcher in baseball last season; the only free agents ahead of him were Carl Pavano, Pedro Martinez and a guy named Clemens.
He’s younger than Pavano and has been a better pitcher longer. The only difference is that Pavano sports a nice 18-8 record from last season, while Perez was a mere 7-6; their other numbers were pretty darned similar. With Moyer a FA after next season — and perhaps done as pitcher, anyway — it’d sure be nice to have Perez under contract the next three or four years as the rotation’s southpaw.
You can choose how much you believe this or not, but ESPN.com’s rumors suggest he’ll be in the market for a three-year deal worth between $6-7M per season. That seems plenty fair to me.