I'm interested to hear your thoughts and opinions on our hypothetically contract extensions so far. So if you would, please take a look at the players we've highlighted and chime in the comments section. More to come!
*Over the next couple of weeks, Jorge Says No! will take an in depth look at some of the worst contracts in baseball. We'll evaluate why the player was signed, what went wrong, and future implications of the contract. Behind every bone head decision, there has to be a reason for it...right?*"We've very thrilled to reach this agreement," president/CEO/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "He's one of our core players who has done so much for us, not only on the field but off the field. We're very pleased to have done this."What Went Wrong: Injuries, injuries, injuries. Guillen was actually a very productive player for the Tigers in 2007, but his 2008 and 2009 seasons have been cut short by injuries and he has failed to be the consistent, middle of the order hitter the Tigers needed.
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"We're very pleased to get this done," Dombrowski said. "It's something both sides have worked hard to get done. There's been a lot of compromises on both sides, for Carlos to stay part of the organization and for us to get him to remain. So we're absolutely thrilled."
The Mariners and Jack Wilson finally came to terms on a new contract yesterday:The 31-year-old defensive whiz signed a $10 million, two-year contract with the Mariners. According to terms obtained by The Associated Press, Wilson gets $5 million in each of the next two seasons and can earn $250,000 a year in performance bonuses: $50,000 for 450 plate appearances, and $100,000 each for 500 and 550 plate appearances.Overall, it's hard not to like this move for the Mariners even though $5 million annually is a little steep for my blood right now. It remains to be seen just how much Wilson can make an impact with the bat, but where it counts for the Mariners is with the glove. If he can provide the Mariners with top notch defense at short, then there is no question he will be worth $5 million annually. It depends on how good Wilson's defense is over the next two seasons, how productive he is with the bat, and most importantly, Wilson's health.
Seattle had an $8.4 million option with a $600,000 buyout under the contract Wilson had agreed to with the Pirates before the 2006 season.
The Mariners had inherited that contract from Pittsburgh on July 29, when they traded for the 31-year-old Wilson plus pitcher Ian Snell, for infielder Ronny Cedeno, catcher Jeff Clement and three minor league pitchers.
"I'm really, really excited to be back in Seattle. It's such a great chance to win and compete," Wilson said, remembering his 8 1/2 losing seasons with the Pirates.
Just a few months after acquiring Scott Rolen and the $11 million owed to him in 2010, the Reds are looking to cut costs and move some of their high priced talent.However, herein lies the big problem for the Reds: the high priced players they'd be looking to deal will have a tough time generating serious interest on the trade market. Case in point:"The Reds are not cutting payroll, but they are looking to free up dollars and create flexibility for other moves.
Thus, everyone on their roster is available except first baseman Joey Votto, outfielder Jay Bruce and third baseman Scott Rolen, according to one source with knowledge of the club's thinking.
The team's highest-priced players — closer Francisco Cordero, second baseman Brandon Phillips and right-handers Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo — all are in play."
*Over the next couple of weeks, Jorge Says No! will take an in depth look at some of the worst contracts in baseball. We'll evaluate why the player was signed, what went wrong, and future implications of the contract. Behind every bone head decision, there has to be a reason for it...right?*"One of our objectives during this off-season was to improve ourselves in center field," said Stoneman. "We believe Gary is a great fit for this ballclub. In addition to his outstanding play in center field, he has the versatility to leadoff or hit deeper in the batting order."What Went Wrong: This signing seemed doomed from the start. During his first spring training with the Angels, Matthews was linked in a HGH sting that led to Matthews Jr. being named in the Mitchell Report. During his first season with the Angels, Matthews played a solid center field (3.6 UZR) and hit for some power (19 home runs), but was generally viewed as a disappointment because the rest of his offensive numbers dipped. The Angels were not satisfied with Matthews production so the following offseason, the Angels went out and signed all star Torii Hunter to a 5 year/$90 million dollar contract even though Matthews Jr. was still under contract for the next 4 years.
After the Pirates traded Nate McLouth last spring, I figured the Pirates would be building around Ryan Doumit and his team friendly contract. Well, maybe not:"Pirates switch hitter Ryan Doumit drew interest from several teams during this week's general managers' meetings in Chicago, multiple Major League sources said Thursday.Tough call for the Pirates here.
The sources believe Pittsburgh would not hesitate to move Doumit, 28, in the right deal. The Pirates have dealt a number of veteran players since Neal Huntington took over as general manager at the end of the 2007 season.
Doumit batted .250 with 10 home runs and 38 RBIs in an injury-shortened 2009 season. But his appeal is twofold: Doumit has the potential to hit for power, as evidenced by his .858 OPS in 2008, and he has big-league experience as a catcher, first baseman and right fielder.
There is a range of opinion within the industry as to which position suits him best. While he's not considered a superb defender anywhere on the diamond, his versatility could appeal to teams that need to add a power bat — but aren't entirely sure where."
I meant to touch on this nugget last week, but for some reason I forgot about it. In this chat on WEEI, former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette is asked a (somewhat) simple question and gives a rather startling response:12:19 [Comment From JeremyJeremy: ]Does that logic make any sense at all? Outside of Jason Bay's agent, it's accepted throughout the baseball community that Matt Holliday is the superior player and in turn, the best free agent on the free agent market.
Who would value more, Jason Bay or Matt Holliday?
(My interpretation: As a GM, who would you value more, Jason Bay or Matt Holliday?
Dan Duquette:
Jason Bay performed in both the NL and AL, and Matt Holliday has only established that he can perform in the NL. With those two going into the market probably Bay will do a little bit better than Holliday because he performed in both leagues.
