It was on this day in 2009 that the Mets signed Jason Bay to a four-year, $66MM contract. The deal was almost immediately panned as one of the worst moves of the 2009-10 offseason and time has proven the critics right; Bay has hit just .251/.337/.386 in two injury-plagued years in New York.
Some news items as we head closer to 2012…
- Ryan Madson is "the loser of the offseason," writes Fangraphs' Eric Seidman. With no obvious teams still in need of a long-term closer, Seidman thinks Madson may have to settle for a one-year contract and try again for a multiyear deal next winter. 32.36% of MLBTR readers polled believe Madson will sign with the Angels, with just under 21% picking 'other' and 17.55% picking the Reds. Though LAA and Cincinnati have cheaper closing options in the fold already, they're also looking to win now. They'd both surely jump at Madson on a one-year deal and are probably Madson's only realistic suitors for a multiyear contract, though who knows what Scott Boras may yet pull out of his hat. (The 'other' voters clearly know all about Boras' relationship with the Mystery Team.)
- The Phillies aren't likely to bid on Yoenis Cespedes and Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that Jorge Soler (the other intriguing Cuban outfield prospect on the market the winter) is also too unproven and expensive for the potential $20MM+ contract he could receive from a team.
- Also from Brookover, he lists Jonny Gomes and Scott Hairston as potential targets for the Phillies as the team looks for a fifth outfielder. If the Phils want to spend more to fill the spot, Brookover suggests Cody Ross and Ryan Ludwick.
- The Rangers' January 18 deadline for signing Yu Darvish is also the day the "logjam will break" for Prince Fielder, opines Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post. If the Rangers can't sign Darvish, they "will be all over Fielder" to counter the Angels' signing of Albert Pujols.
- There are "roughly six teams that have shown consistent interest" in Wei-Yin Chen, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The Orioles are one, the Pirates presumably still another, and the other four are yet unknown.
- Also from Connolly's piece, he predicts Edwin Jackson will find at least a four-year contract on the free agent market and notes that while "Jackson's upside intrigues the Orioles," team management has shied away from that long a commitment to free agent pitchers in the past.
- Pirates closer (and MLBTR fan) Joel Hanrahan tells Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he doesn't expect to receive a long-term contract offer from the Bucs this winter. Hanrahan is projected to earn around $4MM this winter in his second trip through the arbitration process. He said the team hasn't made contact with him or his representatives yet about his 2012 contract, but this was also the case during his first taste of arbitration last year.
it doesn’t seem that long ago when ludwick hit 37 HRs … but it was 08. now relegated to the 5th OF role.
Of the 4 mentioned, which would you prefer to round out the bench?
Given those four, in order: Ludwick, Ross, Hairston, then Gomes. Honestly, I’d rather Podsednik than Gomes, especially since he’s already under contract and would make even less, giving us just that much more flexibility at the deadline.
The “Best and Worst Moves of the 09-10 Offseason” article is interesting. No one had a crystal ball at the time, but it’s funny to see that Chone Figgins to Seattle was considered a good move at one point.
Another goodie…
icedrake523: John Lackey should be on the worst list. The Red Sox gave 5 years to a guy who hasn’t left Spring Training healthy in 2 years. I’ll be surprised if it takes him 2 years to hit the DL.
“it’s funny to see that Chone Figgins to Seattle was considered a good move at one point.”
Not in the eyes of Angels fans….we all liked him but had no problem letting him go for that much $$$
Things have been so slow. January is usually a good month for signings and trades, come on 2012, get here already.
This is basically a review of everything we have read the last few days so I want to raise the question again. Why in the world would the Rays flip Rizzo if they get him? That’s their man, that is the young potential stud 1B they have wanted for a long time. It would be the same as them finally getting a C just to trade him. To the Cubs no less who best trade pieces are Matt Garza (yeah we’re sorta set in the rotation), McNutt (like I said, don’t need a pitcher) and Brett Jackson (probably unavailable and we need the 1B more than the OF anyway)
yeah… I’m kinda feelin the same way about that. The only reasons I could argue is that….. 1.) They have become very good about finding production on the cheap from a scrap heap of 1B that others have given up on……. and 2.) I would like to see them just go ahead and pounce on Carlos Pena since, once again, nobody else seems interested.
Still though, if somebody wants Rizzo, why not just trade for him. Do you really need a third party for this supposed deal?
Pena? Ugh…dude is done…nice guy, but the Rays need to move on from anything to do with him.
I’d like to see the O’s pick up either Jackson or Saunders, preferably Jackson because of the upside. We just need some depth right now, and Jackson could be a part of that that ends up being a solid starter for us down the road.
Seems strange that a team would sign Jackson hoping for upside…isn’t he pretty much a finished product at this point? His stuff has always been better than the results, why would that change now?
Jackson drove me nuts as a Ray but although he sometimes can lack consistency, he has become a very solid pitcher. He’s no ace, or even a 2 but he’s a strong 3 that almost all teams (all except the Phillies, Rays and Angels probably) can use in their rotation. Although in Philadelphia, Jackson would be an upgrade over Oswalt at this point, I think.
Madson has been a solid RP for years, and over the past two he’s been great. By default, I don’t think he can be the top loser of the off-season. Because if he is forced to sign a team-friendly pact, then Boston has to take that honor in my mind.
With injury prone starters and former relief pitchers up and down your rotation, I have to think that if you are a team with deep pockets….. and an embarrassing 2011 to erase….. you’d be better off spending more on Madson than Bailey, but having Reddick/Head/Alcantara still in your back pocket for when you almost certainly need to add to the rotation at the deadline.
I can’t believe Edwin Jackson hasn’t signed somewhere yet. The starting pitcher market is bone dry and he’s one of the only drops of water
The Boras clients will remain free agents until Fielder signs. I figured Jackson, Pena and Damon would of signed by now but it seems Fielder is holding everyone else up.
Its weird… I would have thought teams would look in to jackson then trade for SP as a plan b ..
While I agree that it seems like a lot of teams appear overly willing to go the trade route for SPs this year, I can see why this could be a drag ’em out, hittin below the belt, Boras Special. On one hand you have a guy who has proven he can handle both leagues and has the stuff and youth to command a second-tier big money deal. On the other, you have a guy who does get hit hard more often than he should and has never really shown the consistency that lesser arms have been able to ride to big salaries.
I am just gonna guess what the hold up is with Edwin. Early on he probably got some conservative multi year offers of like 8M a year over 3 years with solid player options. Then Boras probably came back to those guys with something like a 4 year 15M per minimum. He probably talked up his innings consistency (Not pointing out his game to game consistency) then made some ridiculous claim like “he is an elite #2 on any team”. Then held firm without allowing for negotiating (His go to move). Then the teams took their ear plugs out and said “We’ll get back to you when the season is close to starting and your forced to face reality”
agreed…..washington looked into jackson and jackson wanted 5yr 60mil…..rizzo went “the farm route” and got gonazalez, which is who he really coveted and the fact that gonzalez has a real friendly team contract made it better…i think the marlins should grab him to give them a nice #3….i just wouldn’t give him that type of contract he wants
I’d still rather overpay for someone like Latos/Gonzalez than give Edwin Jackson 3-4 years. I’d even go for Kuroda in a 1 year deal at $11-12M. Jackson would benefit the O’s/KC, but I really doubt much more than that.
Disagree on that one. For a team with a lot of rebuilding to do Edwin is just going to eat valuable salary. He needs to go to a team that knows they are close, or even favorites, for the postseason and don’t mind a guy who, at the end of the year, will have taken pressure off the pen and added a few dominant performances.
Did any reliable source ever truly confirm a $44M offer for Madson to the Phillies? Why in the hell would any team give a guy who had closed for less than a season a contract that ridiculous. I know i’m talking about the Phillies, the same people who gave Ryan Howard one of the worst contracts ever, but still…
No the idea was thrown out there to make papelbon’s contract easier to swallow. Everyone was like “44mm for an unproven closer ridiculous! 50mm for a proven closer, much better!”
It was mainly used as a tool to test the waters about a deal that size for a closer.
The Madson $44mil was floated by Boras. Phils wanted a 3 year deal. Amaro wanted the closer situation over so he went for the Pap deal. Howard’s deal is not a bad deal. Does anyone really think a 10 year deal for Pujols is good? The deal for Fileder will be bad. Not sure the AGon deal is that good.
What people don’t seem to realize is Arte is a Latin multi millionaire(verge of billionaire) marketing guy and he can market another latin player like Albert much more then a player like Prince….he is looking beyond and deeper then just the 10yr deal….he couldn’t do that w/ Prince….yes on a sole baseball performance level the 10yr deal at that amount for a guy his age isn’t good but when you add the rest of the marketing $$$ then it makes sense
Whatever happened with the Theo compensation? Is the comish doing that or what?
I wouldn’t be too up set if it was settled as part of a package for Garza. The Cubs take one less prospect or lower tier instead of middle tier prospect, something like that.
I thought it was something about not being able to hire boston people for 3 yrs…
If Fielder isn’t signed by the time Darvish is, the Rangers will probably shoot him a decent 4 or 5 year offer. I think Boras is waiting for that, but expecting something bigger. Hopefully he won’t get something that big, though.
I hate Scott Boras. He always gives the Angels a hard time. I still think Madson is going to end up in Anaheim because he is from Orange County. He’ll sig a two year deal with an option