Harper and Machado

[Bellhorn04]

Moustakas - still unsigned. How much does he hate free agency?

 

Seriously. I think according to MLBTR the poor guy should be heading into the second year of his 4 year, 60 million deal right now...

[dgalehouse]

Looks like things have changed the last couple of years . So many teams are just not looking to spend. They are content to put a halfway decent team on the field and hope for the best . They can always call it " rebuilding " or " taking a step back ". Plus , many are now influenced by analytics. Why pay this guy 100 million and upwards when he is only worth two or three more wins than some minimum wage jabroni ? Maybe not the best time to be a free agent. They may have to settle for less than they would like and go to a team they really would not prefer.

[moonslav59]

Maybe owners are frightened of a massive recession. Many indicators are pointing to one.

 

Maybe Henry and DD were prepared to spend more, if the Yanks had signed Machado or Harper, but now they don't feel the pressure to make a high risk signing.

[notin]

Looks like things have changed the last couple of years . So many teams are just not looking to spend. They are content to put a halfway decent team on the field and hope for the best . They can always call it " rebuilding " or " taking a step back ". Plus , many are now influenced by analytics. Why pay this guy 100 million and upwards when he is only worth two or three more wins than some minimum wage jabroni ? Maybe not the best time to be a free agent. They may have to settle for less than they would like and go to a team they really would not prefer.

 

 

I think many have realized that long term mega contracts always go bad at some point and are, at best, a risky investment...

[BillyWilliams]

Maybe owners are frightened of a massive recession. Many indicators are pointing to one.

 

Maybe Henry and DD were prepared to spend more, if the Yanks had signed Machado or Harper, but now they don't feel the pressure to make a high risk signing.

 

Exactly what are those indicators?

[notin]

February 1. Still unsigned.

 

Think Philly got that offer in yet?

[Kimmi]

February 1. Still unsigned.

 

Think Philly got that offer in yet?

 

Jayson Stark‏Verified account @jaysonst 49m49 minutes ago

 

It's Feb. 1, less than 2 weeks to pitchers & catchers. Here's the new normal in free agency: 16 teams haven't signed any free agent to a multi-year contract. 23 teams haven't signed any free agent to a deal longer than 2 years. The discipline by clubs this winter #unprecedented

[Bellhorn04]

Jayson Stark‏Verified account @jaysonst 49m49 minutes ago

 

It's Feb. 1, less than 2 weeks to pitchers & catchers. Here's the new normal in free agency: 16 teams haven't signed any free agent to a multi-year contract. 23 teams haven't signed any free agent to a deal longer than 2 years. The discipline by clubs this winter #unprecedented

 

Discipline is a very interesting choice of words.

[Kimmi]

Discipline is a very interesting choice of words.

 

Yes, it is.

 

I like to think that it *is* discipline, and that owners have wised up to the risks of long term contracts. But just when I start becoming hopeful, some owner comes along and shoots me down.

[Northern Star]

I'm loving that Harper and Machado haven't been signed yet. Collusion, my ass. The candy store is closed.

[Northern Star]

But however will they survive on just $225 million?

[notin]

Jayson Stark‏Verified account @jaysonst 49m49 minutes ago

 

It's Feb. 1, less than 2 weeks to pitchers & catchers. Here's the new normal in free agency: 16 teams haven't signed any free agent to a multi-year contract. 23 teams haven't signed any free agent to a deal longer than 2 years. The discipline by clubs this winter #unprecedented

 

 

Actually 9 teams have signed a free agent for longer than 2 years, per the MLBTR free agent tracker. So his count is off as that leaves 21 teams that haven’t...

[Bellhorn04]

Yes, it is.

 

I like to think that it *is* discipline, and that owners have wised up to the risks of long term contracts.

 

Yay owners. We really need another strike. It's been 25 years since the last one.

[dgalehouse]

Actually 9 teams have signed a free agent for longer than 2 years, per the MLBTR free agent tracker. So his count is off as that leaves 21 teams that haven’t...

 

Jayson Stark is not immune from the corrective blue pencil of " The Editor " .

Edited February 2, 2019 by dgalehouse

[notin]

Jayson Stark is not immune from the corrective blue pencil of " The Editor " .

 

 

As he is a professional he should be more accurate...

[Jack Flap]

Hard to know what the full story is here without a full accounting of the offers both have received already...same goes for Kimbrel and the rest who are still unsigned. Presumably the top guys all have offers sitting on the table, just not the ones they were hoping for. All of the blame seems to be falling on the teams for not being willing to spend unlimited sums on these guys, but it takes two to come to an agreement.

[Kimmi]

Yay owners. We really need another strike. It's been 25 years since the last one.

 

It's sounding more and more like one may be coming our way.

 

From a personal standpoint, I really hope there isn't one.

[Kimmi]

Hard to know what the full story is here without a full accounting of the offers both have received already...same goes for Kimbrel and the rest who are still unsigned. Presumably the top guys all have offers sitting on the table, just not the ones they were hoping for. All of the blame seems to be falling on the teams for not being willing to spend unlimited sums on these guys, but it takes two to come to an agreement.

 

I can see both sides of the argument. If I were an owner, I would not be willing to pay out the large contracts that some free agents are demanding. And while I think that owners have the right to try to maximize their profits, within reason, I don't think it's for them to pocket so much money with little consideration of putting a quality product on the field.

 

IMO, it's the fans that should go on strike.

[Northern Star]

I thought at the time that the Marlins crossing the $300 mil threshold was stupidity. I don't care how good Stanton is, there's no reason to give a player that much of a commitment for that long. I'm still surprised Loria signed off on it, even though it was obvious they had no intention of honoring it.

[Northern Star]

 

IMO, it's the fans that should go on strike.

 

They are, if 2018's attendance is any indication.

[Kimmi]

I thought at the time that the Marlins crossing the $300 mil threshold was stupidity. I don't care how good Stanton is, there's no reason to give a player that much of a commitment for that long. I'm still surprised Loria signed off on it, even though it was obvious they had no intention of honoring it.

 

Loria gave that contract with every intention of taking Stanton's 'cheap' years, then passing that contract off to another team.

 

I am just happy that the Red Sox did not trade for him.

[Bellhorn04]

They are, if 2018's attendance is any indication.

 

The question is whether that decline in attendance is offset by the money pumped in by all the stay-at-home fans watching on their team's network, Extra Innings and MLB.TV.

[notin]

Loria gave that contract with every intention of taking Stanton's 'cheap' years, then passing that contract off to another team.

 

I am just happy that the Red Sox did not trade for him.

 

 

The Marlins did the same thing with Carlis Delgado, but his expensive years were $12-15mill.

 

If the plan was to dump him before the expensive years, it was a serious gamble. I mean, what if no one wanted him at that price? Or if an injury hurts him?

 

If they didn’t want to pay him, wouldn’t it have made sense to trade him when he was still cheap?

[Bellhorn04]

The Marlins did the same thing with Carlis Delgado, but his expensive years were $12-15mill.

 

If the plan was to dump him before the expensive years, it was a serious gamble. I mean, what if no one wanted him at that price? Or if an injury hurts him?

 

If they didn’t want to pay him, wouldn’t it have made sense to trade him when he was still cheap?

 

Well, Jeff Loria's real plan was to sell the team and leave the Stanton issue for someone else.

[notin]

Well, Jeff Loria's real plan was to sell the team and leave the Stanton issue for someone else.

 

 

Which makes it even more confusing that he structured Stanton’s contract for a trade...

[sk7326]

I can see both sides of the argument. If I were an owner, I would not be willing to pay out the large contracts that some free agents are demanding. And while I think that owners have the right to try to maximize their profits, within reason, I don't think it's for them to pocket so much money with little consideration of putting a quality product on the field.

 

IMO, it's the fans that should go on strike.

 

Joe Sheehan put it well. It was a huh-yoooge mistake by the players association in the last CBA negotiations not to lock in a revenue guarantee. It's what you get when an ex-player is leading them - they were bought off by a couple of roster spots. They only have themselves to blame that the owners - who are ALL clearing $100M before selling a single ticket, are all collectively turning into scrooges.

 

Owners are acting rationally - but it's within a system which does not tie financial success to on field success, where it is basically impossible to not be profitable. Players goals are much more aligned with fans goals - which of course make it perfectly sensible that fans identify with owners much more.

[Bellhorn04]

Which makes it even more confusing that he structured Stanton’s contract for a trade...

 

Why so?

[notin]

Why so?

 

 

Why add the expenditure if you plan to sell anyway?

[Bellhorn04]

Why add the expenditure if you plan to sell anyway?

 

The deal kept Stanton around for a couple of years at a relatively cheap price before the sale took place.

 

I thought it was actually kind of smart, in a sleazy way.

[Station 13]

Loria gave that contract with every intention of taking Stanton's 'cheap' years, then passing that contract off to another team.

 

I am just happy that the Red Sox did not trade for him.

 

He pulled off the same bait and switch with Mark Beurle, Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes.