The free agent market officially opens for business at 12:01am ET tonight, so the hot stove is about to kick into full gear. Big name free agents like Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford figure to receive massive contract offers from several teams, and chances are it'll take them a few weeks to decide on their next team. Adrian Beltre and Jayson Werth will enjoy the same experience.
On the eve of free agency, it's only natural to wonder which big domino will be the first to fall. Time for the poll…
Which big name free agent will be the first to sign?
Click here to vote, and here to see the results.
Lee. I just don’t see anyone playing around on that one. The yanks give their offer, Rangers give their offer, other teams give offers. Lee focuses on one, details on perks get hammered out. Done deal.
Seriously though, and I am really not trying to make a joke at all. I went to 20+ games at Yankee Stadium. 3/4’s of those games I was wearing other teams gear. So maybe 18 games. I was ridiculed, pelted with peanuts, pelted with other things like beer, cursed at, pushed, and plenty of other things…People are mean to you there if you aren’t wearing Yankee colors and stuff so I understand how bad his wife felt and could really understand how much she has persuaded him to go elsewhere and thats I think a huge reason why he is going to stay in Texas, even if his wife saw 150MM in her husbands pocket.
I’m pretty lucky in that I travel for my job (well, maybe all the traveling is not so lucky!), but I have been to evey park save two in the majors, and pretty much multiple times to the parks I’ve been at. Never ever had a single issue at Yankee Stadium (old or new) in more than twenty years, although I have had a couple of negative experiences at other parks, with the worst being in Minnesota. Frankly, at Yankee Stadium now, the seats are so expensive that everyone sitting around you makes over 100K, even in the cheap seats. Stay away from the bleachers, though, unless you’re up for the fun, since that is a “special” section. Reports on the incident pretty much targeted it as starting from Ranger fans in the section, and that’s generally how most problems start at all stadiums.
I think Lee will stay with the Rangers since they want him, they know each other, it’s closer to his home, and they have the money to pay him. Yet the Yankees might blow him away. Lee, btw, when he was with the Indians used to take the subway into Yankee Stadium and interact with the fans going to the game. Not a lot of players do that, on the Yankees or visiting teams. He seems pretty comfortable in NY and the Lee’s are supposedly good friends with the Sabathia’s. So who knows.
Well I agree with you but I sit next to the bullpen, which everyone is the bleachers can see you and make fun of you from there!
i say Cliff Lee will be one of the last to sign because of all the offers he’s gonna get, maybe Werth is the first to sign.
Even though every team in MLB would like him to be on their team, there may not be a ton of offers, especially if the Yankees are going to make an offer in the next few days as some are saying. That will likely price most teams out of the bidding right away.
I think Werth will be the last big name. He’s not going to be offered what he wants, so it will take a while for a team to get desperate. ie, Manny… but that was Boras, so you might be right.
no way it’s lee … he said he will sign with the team that offers him the most money. I say he waits until he’s sure of that
where did he say this?
His agent quoted Lee as saying such last month I think.
Teammates also came out and said Lee would sign with a team in China if they offered the most.
where did he say this?
yeah, no way it’s lee … he said he will sign with the team that offers him the most money. I say he waits until he’s sure of that
I know Beltre and Werth are Boras clients so they’ll likely hold out… not sure about Lee and Crawford though and Lee doesn’t seem like he is any rush to sign quickly and will wait for the biggest offer and hold out until the very end.
I’ll go with Crawford.
this is what i was thinking
Crawford. I don’t think he’ll be greedy like Lee and Boras.
Heaven forbid someone tries to make as much money as possible. It’s not being greedy, it’s just business.
Baseball shouldn’t be all about money. It should be also about having fun.
Well, nobody should blame the players for trying to set themselves up financially for life as well as for their children and grandchildren and so on, so there never has to be any worry. These are tough times with the horrible economic state, so anybody would go after the most money.
No person should need $20+ million a year for the next 5+ years to be financially set for their life. It’s not like they can’t get another job after they retire. Some people might say teams need a salary cap, but in my opinion, players are the ones that need a salary cap. I wouldn’t have a problem with them getting that much money, but majority of them don’t do anything constructive with it. There’s 10+ million people without jobs, while these athletes make millions of dollars playing a game for 3 hours a day, and they get half the year off. They can give it to someone that needs it, or a charity. And, that’s why I call most baseball players, greedy.
That is such a simplistic and disingenuous statement that it hurts. I’m sure if you had the same opportunity to make that type of salary,you would perform all those deeds that you mentioned and keep just enough to live on. Yeah right!!
I agree that no performer or athlete should make that much money, but that’s the way of the world and market place. I’m judging by your statment that you’re willing to refuse a raise at work or wait… that doesn’t apply to you because you’re not a millionaire, never mind.
What’s not fun about making lots of money? haha
What’s not fun about making lots of money? haha
Baseball is fun. But BaseBall 10mill richer is more fun.
…and players can have a lot more fun with a lot more money.
Baseball shouldn’t be all about money. It should be also about having fun.
Heaven forbid someone tries to make as much money as possible. It’s not being greedy, it’s just business.
Crawford. I don’t think he’ll be greedy like Lee and Boras.
My birthday is tomorrow!!!!!!! WOW
Mine too dude…Born @ 5 something in the morning lol.
Little bit over 8 hours left, and that is EST.
Why isn’t Adam Dunn considered a big name free agent? I think he signs first.
Well, he is a Type-B guy.
Who ever thought up the ellis ranking should be shot if he is.
I thought he ended up being type A after all.
In order…
Dunn signs with Baltimore for four years, $48M.
Crawford signs with Anaheim for five years, $70M.
Werth signs with San Francisco for four years $50M.
Lee signs with Texas for five years, $105M.
Beltre signs with the Yankees for four years $55M, because they let Jeter walk and moved A-Rod back to short.
If all these predictions come true I’ll quit my job and move to wherever you live and be your butler for a year, free of charge.
That’s another way of saying Jeter isn’t leaving the Yankees, ARod isn’t moving back to short, Werth isn’t going to “settle” on $12.5 million per in this weak free agent class, Crawford is going to get more than $70 million and the Yankees aren’t going to sign Beltre. Really the only shot you have here is Dunn and Lee and neither of those two are very likely to happen.
Dunn’s may happen.
For Lee to sign for 5/$105M he would have to have left like $30M of the Yankees money on the table. For better or worse, I don’t think they would hesitate to give him 6/$150 if that is what it took.
Dunn’s may happen.
For Lee to sign for 5/$105M he would have to have left like $30M of the Yankees money on the table. For better or worse, I don’t think they would hesitate to give him 6/$150 if that is what it took.
Stirring the pot is fun though, isn’t it?
Yeah who knows, you may get a free butler out of the deal.
Stirring the pot is fun though, isn’t it?
I think Werth and Crawford both make more. Torii Hunter got 5 yr 90 mill a few years ago. I think Crawford may make that.
MLB speculated Giants sign Crawford 7 yr 145 mil..lol I hope not that much, but I do with we could get him.
I’d love to see Crawford in orange and black. I think the park would really add to his skill set also but I don’t think 7 years is wise…
crawford is an absolute perfect fit in left field at at&t park. sabean is wetting himself with the possibility of signing him to a rowand-like contract. and it would be worth it. if it takes a 6 year deal to get him in orange and black, then sabean should do it.
i’d stay away from werth, he’s a 3rd or 4th cog on a very good team but can’t hang as the man.
Please don’t drink and drive or drink and post!
A-Rod back to short? That’s a good one. The last time the man played short was seven years ago in Texas, he age 27 season. He is now 35, has bulked up more, and had hip surgery a year ago that has substantially reduced his range at third, let along short. No. A-Rod will be the Yankees full-time DH in 2012. Now, if they didn’t have Posada for one more year with plans to DH him next year, you might have been right. They’d sign Beltre and move A-Rod to DH this year.
I’m going with Beltre. Werth is obviously going to hold out for the most money he can get, his agent is a bit of a drama queen when it comes to signing (to say the least) and he’s going to want to milk this one for the best deal. Crawford is going to have a lot of suitors so he’s going to have some tough decisions to make, and Lee, whoever he signs with, is going to be a complicated deal, so both those guys may get held up by the process. Given the way Beltre played the market decisively last year, showing fortitude by taking a one year deal in a good place to hit shows me he’s got a plan and knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to make a decision. Maybe that’s simplifying the process for him a bit but even though Boras is his agent as well I can see him making up his mind and getting things done quickly. I just feel like that as soon as he gets an offer he likes at a place he wants to play he’s not going to play around in negotiations, he’s going to get it done and move on. You can’t say that for Werth given how he’s clearly been looking to maximize his next contract and both Lee and Crawford have different, more complicated situations they’re going to have to deal with. Just my $.02.
Not to mention that Lee clearly has two suitors that we know of that he’ll be able to play off each other and use as leverage in negotiations against one another, that will add time to the negotiations. Werth is likely to be the last to sign because he’s viewed as the consolation prize to Crawford, so he’s probably going to wait until Crawford signs before he does. Crawford, as mentioned by Olney (God I can’t believe I’m using Buster as a reference) is going to have a bunch of suitors, maybe 6 as opposed to say, 3-4, so he’s going to have a lot to sort through. Beltre may have a few suitors two but I get the sense that he knows what he’s looking for moreso than any of the others outside of Lee. Lee might go first just because he’s the only really good pitcher so he won’t be bunched up with the other hitters but I think his deal, being very large, is going to be complicated and I don’t think Texas is just going to give up on him when the Yankees flash the cash, so it could drag out.
If that’s the case then i would guess he’d go to the red sox.
I’m going with Beltre. Werth is obviously going to hold out for the most money he can get, his agent is a bit of a drama queen when it comes to signing (to say the least) and he’s going to want to milk this one for the best deal. Crawford is going to have a lot of suitors so he’s going to have some tough decisions to make, and Lee, whoever he signs with, is going to be a complicated deal, so both those guys may get held up by the process. Given the way Beltre played the market decisively last year, showing fortitude by taking a one year deal in a good place to hit shows me he’s got a plan and knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to make a decision. Maybe that’s simplifying the process for him a bit but even though Boras is his agent as well I can see him making up his mind and getting things done quickly. I just feel like that as soon as he gets an offer he likes at a place he wants to play he’s not going to play around in negotiations, he’s going to get it done and move on. You can’t say that for Werth given how he’s clearly been looking to maximize his next contract and both Lee and Crawford have different, more complicated situations they’re going to have to deal with. Just my $.02.
i think Cliff Lee will be offered first. I think The Angels, Yankees, Rangers and Nationals will make runs at Lee. I think he’ll be signed by December 1st by the highest bidder and after that I think the rest of the dominos will fall by Christmas.
My Predictions:
Lee (Yankees)
Crawford (Angels)
Werth (Red Sox)
Pavano (Rangers)
Dunn (Tigers)
Berkman (Nationals)
Soriano( Angels)
Choate (Yankees)
I’m not gonna guess where the rest are going
If the Yanks go HUGE with Cliff Lee, I am sure he will be done quite quickly
If the Yanks go HUGE with Cliff Lee, I am sure he will be done quite quickly
For the love of god, Yankees better not give Lee 6 years. 5 Years, with an option, the same money CC earns yearly, and a signing bonus. BTW I signed Carl Crawford to my Braves franchise in MLB 10 The Show. I really want him to go there but, he’ll go after the most money.
Someone will offer Lee five years for $100M (e.g., Texas), so I fully expect the Yankees to offer him eight years for $180M. What better way to show the fanbase how committed you are to winning than lighting money on fire? It worked during the A-Rod and Sabathia “negotiations.”
For the love of god, Yankees better not give Lee 6 years. 5 Years, with an option, the same money CC earns yearly, and a signing bonus. BTW I signed Carl Crawford to my Braves franchise in MLB 10 The Show. I really want him to go there but, he’ll go after the most money.
Yanks could offer Lee from 5/115- to 6/135. I think the Rangers go as high as 5/110.
Any Scott Boras client will not sign first. He likes to drag the process out to try and bring more teams in, and the only way that can happen is to reduce the number of players available, so he waits for others to sign.
Even though the Cliff Lee market maybe limited because of the dollar size of his contract, that doesn’t mean a number of teams won’t join in. It’ll be to his advantage to wait the process out, so he won’t be signing first.
I think Crawford is the first to sign.