While I don't have the best past knowledge of Major League Baseball, I don't feel like I need any to understand how crazy this off season has been so far. The winter meetings are over, we are half way into December, and it feels like everything to be done is already done. The big three free agents have just been swept away by their new respective teams being Jayson Werth to the Nationals, Carl Crawford to Red Sox, and Cliff Lee to Phillies. ("The big three" seems to be a fixture in professional sports this year). Add the first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (Red Sox) to the mix and it becomes one of the most expensive and prolific off seasons in history. Almost as a chain reaction, one signing set off another, each more surprising than the last. With over 2 months left till spring training and many trades and/or transactions to still be had, the deals that have been made thus far, put a tag on this off season. And that demands much discussion and debate.
Jayson Werth - Washington Nationals - 7 year/$126 Million
An analogy for this deal would be a detonator for a bomb and most of the explosion. Not only did this deal set up the off season, it had a major influence on the amount at which the other major named free agents would be paid. First the good thing from this deal. It helped spread talent to a less talented club. The Nationals have never had a winning season, ever (granted they've only been established since 2005). Thinking of them being contenders over the last decade was extremely wishful. But, there is hope. Hope comes in the name of Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. With the addition of Jayson Werth, the emergence of Ryan Zimmerman, and an upcoming pitching staff, this club has new hope and potential to be contenders. Now for the bad. It's just so much freakin money. Werth is a great outfielder and a great power hitter, but in no way is he worth $18 Million a year. And In no way is this Werth's fault. It's pretty agreeable that anyone would love to be extremely overpaid. All in all, the Nationals were aggressive, and congratulations to them, but because of this signing, congratulations are in order to the next two free agents as well.
Adrian Gonzalez - Boston Red Sox - 7 year extension/$154 Million
Boston should be having another tea party after this one, if they can afford it. Gonzalez will make $22 million a year. Another record setting contract for a first basemen. While Gonzalez is a better overall player than Werth, this doesn't exclude the fact that he is being paid a ridiculous amount of money. Being the face of the Padres most of his career, Gonzalez won't have a problem getting paid and succeeding in a lineup that is already greatly stacked. Gonzalez was nearing his end in San Diego and was demanding a high salary but it wouldn't be skeptical to believe that Werth's deal drove up Gonzalez's a few more mil than he deserves. While this deal is yet to be finalized because of Completitive Balance Tax, it still is imminent. Even with this thunder in the Boston lineup, there still needs to be a lightning.
Carl Crawford - Boston Red Sox - 7 year/$142 Million
Just in case Boston doesn't have enough offensive players, here is another. And yet again, at a high price. Crawford might be the epitome of a 5-tool player, meaning his speed, power, average, throwing, and fielding abilities are all exceptional. Coming off a great 2010 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, it's not surprising that Crawford was demanding this much money. To be competitive and grab this young and talented player, ball clubs knew they had to offer a multi-year, $120 million plus deal. Being that the Red Sox have the second highest payroll in all of baseball ($162,747,333 last season), Crawford was a perfect fit to general manager Theo Epstein. Because Boston signed these two deals that are almost worth $300 million, they become labeled with the thought of "buying" a championship, much like the label put on the 2009 Yankees.
Cliff Lee - Philadelphia Phillies - 5 year/$120 Million
The biggest face on the free agent market this year was the biggest surprise, making Cliff Lee the third highest paid pitcher ever behind CC Sabathia and Barry Zito. Many had already chiseled Lee in to be a Yankee because of New York's declining rotation. But Philadelphia came from the depths and swooped up Lee in a heartbeat, crushing the hopes for New York and Texas. Some writers, columnists, fans will argue that Lee was noble by not taking a boat load of cash that New York was offering. This deal is far from noble. While Lee will only make $11 million in 2011, in 2012 he will make $21.5 million, and $25 million in the remaining years of the contract. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that Philadelphia has a potentially wicked starting rotation and Lee knows it. Lee weighed his options and offers - all which would make him extremely rich - thus deciding to skip on some money (if this sentence were a text message, I would laugh out loud) and choose the club where he could see himself more successful.
These 4 players alone will be making a staggering combined amount of $542 million within the next 7 years. While it wouldn't be crazy to assume that 2012 will yield a Philadelphia, Boston world series, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Like everyone saw last year, The San Francisco Giants surprised everyone and were highly considered the underdogs the entire post season. So to the aggression of Washington, to the "monster" lineup in Boston (no pun intended), and the big 4 in Philadelphia, here's to a great off season. Have a safe and happy holidays.
Notable signings to date: (1/5/2011)
Hideki Matsui - Oakland A's - 1 year/$4.25 Million
Bobby Jenks - Boston Red Sox - 2 year/$12 Million
Zack Greinke - Milwaukee Brewers - trade for shortstop Alcides Escobar, center fielder Lorenzo Cain. and two prospects
Brandon Webb - Texas Rangers - 1 year/$8 Million
Adrian Beltre - Texas Rangers - 6 year/$96 Million
Lance Berkman - St. Louis Cardinals - 1 year/$8 Million
Ty Wigginton - Colorado Rockies - 2 year/$7.5 Million
Adam Dunn - Chicago White Sox - 4 year/$56 Million
Miguel Tejada - San Francisco Giants - 1 year/$6.5 Million
Victor Martinez - Detroit Lions - 4 year/$50 Million
