According to a report by Dan Hayes of the North County Times, Adrian Gonzalez would accept deferred money in a contract offer from the Padres, as long as the offer was at market value.
However, that is a confusing bit of information. Market value is likely starting with Mark Teixeira and his eight-year, $180MM contract. So would San Diego merely have to reach this number, but some could be deferred? Or would the Padres need to exceed this to make up for the deferred money?
More to the point, it is far from clear that San Diego can afford Teixeira-type money, even if the money is deferred. But it is worth remembering, especially if talks start to heat up, the Padres might have a little extra cushion there.
Ferrariman
a better comparison is todd helton’s 9year 141 million deal. i put the chances at Agonz getting teixeria money at about 25% seeing as the competition he would have to deal with in the 2011-2012 first baseman class.
Guest 2437
Makes sense, but I think all four of the Premier 1st Baseman will get their money. Their are 30 teams in Major League Baseball and by that time there will be at least 10 looking for a 1st Baseman. I do agree with you about Todd Helton’s contract though except Adrian is still getting better. He hits for power in a pitcher friendly ballpark and hits for average as well. I’d start the market for him at 8/150MM dollars.
Ferrariman
eh todd helton was quite the hitting machine back in his haydays. He has yet to record an OBP lower than .380 and only had a .400 OBP or lower twice. Plus he use to be a big power hitter when he got his contract. both play(ed) similar gold glove defense. maybe Coors field inflated the number some, but that contract makes more sense to me than teixeria’s. Again, purely an opinion.
Guest 2438
Well I’ll tell ya, If the Padres can lock Adrian up to that Todd Helton contract it would be great.
I just think the Padres wont even shell out money close to that. So assuming Adrian hits the market, I think he will have every right to take advantage of Mark Teixeira and his contract. Yeah, you were right about Todd Helton’s power numbers (I messed up on that) but players are worth more now and Adrian also plays good defense (not that Todd Helton doesn’t). For me, I think Adrian Gonzalez will get his money. I hope it’s with the Padres, but he will get his money no doubt about it.
Ferrariman
but teixeria’s agent is boras which plays a pretty big factor into things. And i know im gonna beat this to death, but helton was also a gold glove defender when he got his contract.
Guest 2439
Yeah but that doesn’t mean he wont get a big paycheck. I mean think about it, whichever team makes the first offer, it has to be something like 8/$140MM right?
Guest 2436
I really think this is a good sign for the Padres and Adrian, but I can’t see the Padres spending a ton of money either way. Obviously, he is a player that any team would want to have, and he loves San Diego and the Padres. I hope he will be a Padre for life but he does deserve a pay day. A defered contract for Adrian Gonzalez sounds like 18MM anually. Are the Padres really going to give him 18MM a year? I hope so but I don’t think so.
aat17068
That’s his way of saying pay up or I’m moving on, all the while maintaining a connection with the San Diego fans…both of them. AGon is gone in 2010, no doubt about it.
Steve_in_MA
I don’t think deferrals or Helton comparisons make a hill of beans to the Pads. They have a small market salary and revenue base. Its tough for them to make money if payroll exceeds $50MM. I see them looking at Agonz as an opportunity to bring in a haul of young, cheap talent from somewhere; and not necessarily just the BoSox.
Guest 2440
Especially not from the Red Sox. By mid-summer, there will be unexpected teams in need of a 1B.
ELPinchy
I’d like to think you meant to say “especially not JUST the Redsox”.
Guest 2441
No. There is no way the Red Sox pull a deal off.
ELPinchy
your hate for the redsox is getting a bit old.
ReverendBlack
“Adrian Gonzalez Would Accept Deferred Money” Subtext:
Dear mid-market teams
You too may actually be able to afford Gonzalez long-term. Please send us your very best prospect packages. We would like this bidding war to include approximately 20 teams.
Regards
Jed
foxtown
Jed Hoyer has no control over whether Adrian takes deferred money or not. What are you talking about? He only controls Adrian’s dirt cheap contract until free agency. This new revelation may help more teams pursue Agonz if they think that they can lock him up long-term but this was not Jed’s decision to make.
ReverendBlack
ohhhhhhhh…
i miss brendan ryan's mustache
That only works if he’s willing to take deferred money from another team. Him willing to take some sort of hometown “deal” doesn’t help mid market teams at all.
markjsunz
Home town deal is a myth like Big foot, or the Loch ness monster. I love the fans, I love the orginization, I love living in the community. Oh and bye the way I said all that, it is true but I have to worry about my family so I will see you later but I enjoyed my time with the orginization. I am sure Gonzalez will be available to the team who can provide big league ready talent whose contract can be controlled for several years.It remains to be seen what Peavy has left but it would not suprise me as time goes on if it does not turn out to be a good trade for the Padres.
i miss brendan ryan's mustache
If you don’t think a guy like Mauer will take less money than he could get from the yanks to stay home you are drunk. Pujols and St. Louis will be another.. Some guys take lesser deals to stay in a situation they are comfortable in. It happens every offseason.
That also has nothing to do with this article or my post. The article said he would be willing to accept deffered money from the Padres.. That doesn’t mean a mid market team will get that option, especially while bidding against the sox, or mets, or a team with that sort of payroll, and present day money.
markjsunz
I hope your hero does not break your heart, and leave for more money.
Yankees420
While I do believe that when most players say something about a discount it’s usually BS it doesn’t mean that it’s a complete myth or never happens, players take less money on multiple occasions to stay with the current club or to try to win a championship.
Cade White
Hometown deal is not a myth!! In 2007, ARod’s starting asking price was 350mm and he cut his lawyer and took pennies on the dollar to sign for 10/275. Myth? ARod was a benchmark for the hometown discount if you ask me my friend
markjsunz
Prehaps, or most likely there was no team out there who was going to pay him $35 million a year. He sat down without his agent the Steinbrenner family said this is what we will pay take it or leave it. Arod is not a dummy. Look at what happened this year to LaRoche and Damon, they both got greedy.Of course over the next few years you will see Puljos and Howard and Mauer become free agents
all three have said the same things they want to stay with the team etc. etc. etc. time will tell.
Cade White
Sarcasm mark, sarcasm
markjsunz
Sarcasm prehaps. But I would bet my bottom dollar this is how this will play out.
ReverendBlack
It doesn’t help them, no. So I’m glad I didn’t say it did.
It does encourage them, though, which makes Hoyer’s job a lot easier. The Padres are not going to extend Adrian Gonzalez.
Trious
I could be wrong but I would think many players would WANT deferred money as it ensures them income in future years.
Considering the money they are getting now is already a LOT, money being guaranteed in future years seems to be a positive for athletes who cant seem to save their money
ReverendBlack
Time value of money. jfgi
foxtown
I agree. Unless that deferred money comes with a high interest rate it is not worth taking
Rich_in_NJ
At least theoretically, it could be tied to the CPI.
jrollpatrol08
go ask lenny dykstra if its worth taking…..
Ricky Bones
Deferred money really only benefits the organisation as money will always be worth less in the future.
ptnj
When you’re getting a 180M contract, you already have money in future years. It’s called interest and dividends.
Cade White
wrong. economics.
drumzalicious
So for the Padres to fit him in their budget with money deferred it would have to be 6mil for 30 years . . .
Triteon
That’s not without precedent. See: Bruce Sutter.
jrollpatrol08
and bobby bonilla. the mets still owe him money until bobbybo is 72 years old, or for another 12 years or so…check it out
Triteon
I didn’t know that one. That’s fantastic!
I don’t know why so many commentors seem to think that the big contracts sets these guys for life. Many pro athletes have their talents going for them and nothing else, including a college education (especially in baseball). Guys like Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield made hundreds of millions of dollars and went bankrupt anyway. Scottie Pippen, Kenny Anderson, Deuce McAllister, Michael Vick…all have lost vast sums of money due to poor investments and legal problems. Plus, consider the stories of lottery winners who lost it all quickly.
These long-term annuities in sports are a terrific idea that benefit both the team and the average athlete (though the athlete does lose a bit due to inflation.) Most players have 35-40 years to live following their playing days, and not all of them can coach/manage or go to the broadcast booth. How many of them would be opposed to getting a $500k-$1MM check every year for the better part of the rest of their lives?
Cade White
Uhm… MC Hammer?
Side note: Just because they file bankruptcy does not mean that they are broke.
darin617
Adrian Gonzalez Would Accept Deferred Money, too bad the Padres are too cheap to make this happen. Boston will give him the money anyway he wants it, now or later. Not to be a Padre hater, but get with it even the Marlins are finally spending money.
darin617
Adrian Gonzalez Would Accept Deferred Money, too bad the Padres are too cheap to give him what he deserves. It’s pretty sad when a player wants to stay for a team that does not want to take care of him properly. Come on no Adrian Gonzalez promotions this season. Just end the pain for the few Padre fans and deal him to Boston already. Even the Marlins are spending money finally. This team should have been moved or contracted when Tony Gywnn retired. Another great player to be loyal to a team for his whole career and never rewarded the World Series championship who deserved.
Triteon
Two comments, both douche-y. What is your favorite team? Because at some point in their history they weren’t spending enough to be competitive. Maybe they should have been contracted or moved…eh?
darin617
Who uses such a pathetic word like douchey. Get a life.
bjsguess
I think everyone is missing the point. The question isn’t whether Adrian Gonzalez would take deferred money from the Pads. The real question is whether the Pads should even consider such a move. And the answer to that is NO.
The Padres need two things – more young talent and financial flexibility. Signing Gonzalez achieves neither, regardless of how much money is deferred. The Pads need to build from a core of minor league talent. Something that don’t have a lot of right now. Moving Gonzalez would solve that problem over night.
coup
Actually the Padres have plenty of very good minor league talent. I don’t see the Padres giving up an accomplished stud to acquire more minor leaguers as the answer. The parent team is also very young and inexperienced. What they need are more seasoned All-Stars like Adrian Gonzalez.
ReverendBlack
The Florida Marlins would like a word.
coup
Yeah, the Marlins should trade Hanley Ramirez for plenty of young talent so they’ll get more salary relief.
ReverendBlack
Yeah, silly me. Like Hanley, Gonzalez will only cost ’em like 6 years/$70M, right? What’s the diff?
bjsguess
We’ll just agree to disagree.
The question isn’t whether a team needs more talent. Of course, they do. Every team does. The question is how do you get that talent. You only have 3 options. The minors, FA and trades.
The minor league system has a couple above average guys in the upper minors. The rest of their talent is high ceiling guys toiling away in A ball. They are years and years away from contributing.
You can’t make FA moves today. How is that going to change (especially to bring in All-Star level talent) once Gonzalez is signed to a huge pay increase? It doesn’t matter how much money he defers. He is still going to make more money per year on his next contract.
Finally, there is nothing to trade. Your two most valuable chips – the ones that will potentially bring back All-Star level talent are Gonzalez and Bell. Everyone else you need to keep (Headley/Banks) or is basically worthless.
coup
I don’t know that the Padres need whatever Gonzalez can get them in the real world. The real world meaning what’s likely and not necessarily his true worth. In other words, I don’t know whatever talent a trade would provide would be any better than what the Padres currently have as an organization. And that’s considering experience level, age, minor league level, etc…
Cade White
It would spare them paying AGonz 20mm a year, that, they need.
I see your point though.
NomarGarciaparra
Gonzalez is probably going to the Sox sooner or later. If not him, then another big name first basemen and move Youk to third…that way, long term solutions are the corners.
The Padres aren’t going to pay him market value, so they might as well trade him before he reaches FA.
fnpadre
Of COURSE Adrian would take deferred money from the Pads…I’m sure he’d love to be getting paid well into the 2030-seasons, and maybe under better financial days, that’d actually be something the Padres org would be open to doing…seriously, they’re usually hanging onto guys WAY longer than they should be.
But I don’t know if Jed and Jeff could really pass up the opportunity to give the club another big jolt of prospects, and change the complexion of the next 5-10 years worth of Padres clubs practically overnight…AND if Jed really plays his cards right and moves a combo of Bell/Young/Correia at some point…it will be with complete financial flexibility going forward.
Moving the moveable parts on this Padres team (and there seem to be at least 2-3 above average trade candidates) could possibly put them near the forefront of the youth movement that’s going on in the NL West.
Ricky Bones
He’s not coming back to the Padres. End of story, let’s move on with our lives.
coup
He’s already there!
Just_MLB
hmmm…interesting…if the padres play their cards right, they could be in a great position when this is all said and done…the thing is…trading gonzalez for prospects is antiquated thinking, especially from a business perspective, u can do much better investing in the international latin america market and building your team from there…
coup
The Padres have done that too. Why do I get the feeling no one outside of San Diego knows anything about the Padres and their minor league system (along with their Dominican players). I get that sense loud and clear. It’s not so bad in the bigger scheme of things but not factually accurate.
Just_MLB
i guess i havent heard of any of their prospects as of yet…
I know the mets have
Flores – SS
F-Mart – CF
Mejia – SP
Tejada – SS
Familia – RP
Marte – 3B
ReverendBlack
No. Adrian Gonzalez’s production is not nearly as valuable to an out-of-contention team like the Padres. His value to them is his TRADE value, because his production is so valuable to teams IN contention.
Likewise, the fact that he’s inexpensive is valuable to OTHER teams. To the Padres, it just means they might get tricked into keeping him because they can.
coup
The Padres had the best Minor league team within their organization last year. The Ft Wayne TinCaps won more games than any other team in all of the minor leagues. The Tin Caps won the Midwest Low Single-A Championship. The Padres Single-A team (Lake Elsinore) made it to the playoffs again. So did their double-AA team (San Antonio). That was two straight years for both the Single-A Lake Elsinore and double-AA San Antonio teams qualifying for the playoffs. San Antonio (double-AA) won the Texas League championship in 2008. You usually have to have some talent to do all of that winning.
Here’s a link about some international players the Padres signed a while ago…
sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=3…
Some of the international guys the Padres like are Adys Portillo (P), Rymer Liriano (OF), Edinson Rincon (3B), Simon Castro (P), Alvaro Aristy (SS), and Yefri Carvajal (OF). I believe all these guys came up or are still in, the Padres Dominican system. But there are some Venezuelans here.
bleedDODGERblue
I think this is good news for the Dodger’s. “Deferred money” is one of McCourt’s and Colletti’s favorite phrases in their vocabulary when it comes to contract nagotiations and LA is a stones throw away from AGon’s hometown of San Diego. Lets get it done Dodger’s