I Could Have Sworn I Was Worth More Than That!!

March 13, 2018March 13, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

I don’t care if it’s half of what you wanted, just SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE!!

Said MLB owners everywhere.

With the weirdest, MLB free agency period ever in full swing, no one is receiving the contract they’d expected. But with the start of the season just 16 days away, players’ hands are being forced — literally. As usual, we made a handy dandy list of the latest market misreads (from best to worst):

4.) Lance Lynn

Lance Lynn barely made the list. Lynn has had a solid MLB career. With a career e.r.a. of 3.38 and a winning record in every season he’s been a starting pitcher, Lynn is a nice addition to any starting rotation. After signing a 1-year, $12 million deal with the Minnesota Twins, he’ll get right to work and try to improve a below average pitching staff. The only problem is, Lynn could have stayed in St. Louis, with the Cardinals, for a 1-year, qualifying offer of $17.4 million. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but $5.4 million is $5.4 million.

3.) Jake Arrieta

Rewind your clocks a little more than 2 months. Right around the New Year, Jake Arrieta publicly stated he would be seeking a new contract of approximately 6 years and $160 million. That’s $32 million per year. Yeah, not so much. After holding out as long as he could, Arrieta “settled” on a 3-year, $75 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal became official on Tuesday. $25 million per year isn’t bad for a 32-year old who’s best days are behind him. But by Arrieta’s estimation, he left an imaginary $85 million on the table.

2.) Carlos Gonzalez

Oh Carlos. What were you thinking?? Betting on yourself is a great concept. It exhibits a clear sense of confidence, and it often pays off. But sometimes, it backfires. Carlos Gonzalez was reportedly offered a 3-year, $45 million extension with the Colorado Rockies last Spring. Obviously Gonzalez didn’t foresee one of the worst seasons of his career, but I bet he wishes he had that contract now. Instead, he’ll have to re-prove himself on a 1-year, $8 million deal. Good luck!

1.) Mike Moustakas

Mr. Moustakas takes the cake. He accomplished it all this off-season. Mike Moustakas was reportedly seeking a long-term deal in line with his former teammate, Eric Hosmer (8-years, $144 million). HA! Moustakas and his super-agent, Scott Boras, were slightly off on this one, huh?! The worst part is, Moustakas turned down not one, but two deals significantly more than the 1-year, $6.5 million contract he signed with the Kansas City Royals.

First, he refused to sign the 1-year, $17.4 qualifying offer from the Royals. And then, he turned down a 3-year, $45 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Really solid decision making!! The real problem is, no one has ever had the huevos to tell Moustakas he’s just not that good. Scott Boras is like that parent who’s never had the courage to tell their kid they’re not good at something. And it cost Mike Moustakas $38.5 million.

Eh, it’s just money. Right??

Side Note: Neil Walker signed a 1-year, $5 million deal with the New York Yankees on Tuesday. And Ichiro Suzuki is coming back to the Seattle Mariners on a 1-year, $750,000 deal. Walker provides veteran stability in a young infield and is an absolute bargain. Ichiro can’t seem to hang ’em up, as he’s currently 44 years old. Good for you Ichiro!!

Who’s had the worst off-season so far?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports.

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

Well….That Didn’t Go As Planned

February 20, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

J.D. Martinez, come on down! You’re the next contestant on the Price Is Righ….

No no, the price is wrong. Yes, Martinez has a lot more money today than he did two days ago, but he accepted a deal significantly less than he was seeking. For months, J.D. Martinez and his agent, Satan (ahem), I mean Scott Boras, played hardball. They stood tall and said they wouldn’t take less than 7 years, $210 million. They claimed they’d be willing to sit out the season to garner a “fair” contract.

Someone should explain the meaning of a standoff to Boras and Martinez.

Martinez, who hit a career best 45 home runs with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona Diamondbacks last season, signed a 5-year, $110 million contract with the Boston Red Sox Monday afternoon.

One of these numbers is not like the other….

The deal is front-loaded, so Martinez will earn $50 million over the first two years. The deal also includes an opt-out clause for Martinez after two years. With a full outfield in Boston, Martinez will serve as the primary DH, granting an occasional day off for Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, or Jackie Bradley Jr.

On the exterior, I graciously doled out a golf clap for the Red Sox, while the Yankees’ fan in me considered smashing a vase against the wall. Martinez is a solid run producer. If he’s afforded an opportunity as the full-time DH, glaring at the “Green Monster”, he’ll duplicate his 40 home run season.

Speed Kills

Upon losing Martinez to free agency, the Diamondbacks wasted little time finding a new outfielder. Monday night, they signed Jarrod Dyson to a 2-year, $7.5 million deal. Despite never exceeding 350 at-bats in a season, Dyson has stolen at least 25 bases in 6 consecutive seasons. He’ll likely serve in a platoon with Yasmany Tomas in left field.

“The Freak” Is Back!!

Tim Lincecum, “The Freak”, is making a comeback!! After holding a pitching showcase for a handful of MLB teams (he hit 93 m.p.h. on the radar gun), Lincecum has reportedly received a guaranteed offer to return to the mound in 2018. No team has been named in the report, however, the San Francisco Giants reportedly aren’t the winners of the Lincecum sweepstakes.

Lincecum’s last stint in MLB didn’t go smoothly, as he sported a 9.16 e.r.a. in 9 starts in 2016. In fact, he hasn’t pitched a season with a sub 4.00 e.r.a. since 2011. At 33 years old, “The Freak” has his work cut out for him, but we want to wish he and his mystery team the best of luck.

What do you think of these free agent signings?? Post your opinion in the comment section below.

One Raindrop Can Open The Floodgates

February 16, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 2 Comments

This is a weird time for Major League Baseball.

With approximately 100 unsigned free agents, the majority of MLB teams have multiple holes to fill. If this were December 16th, it’d be a non-issue. However, MLB is entering unchartered territory. This nonsense is about to effect my fantasy baseball research!! Just three days before every team’s first spring training workout, many big name, free agents remain on the market:

J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, and Lance Lynn.

Maybe, just maybe, Thursday was the first raindrop that’ll open the floodgates. Three free agents signed on the dotted line:

Andrew Cashner (SP – Baltimore Orioles)

Jaime Garcia (SP – Toronto Blue Jays)

Eduardo Nunez (3B/OF – Boston Red Sox)

I know what you’re thinking. These aren’t household names!! What are you talking about?!

Listen, sometimes there’s an unsung hero behind a revolution. Everyone relax. I’m not comparing the American Revolution to the 2018 MLB free agency battle, but these low-level signings could be John Adams. It’s time for a history lesson I see….

John Adams was disliked in Congress. Despite having the ideas to bring the North and South together, he couldn’t be the face of the revolution. Instead, Thomas Jefferson became the face of the Declaration of Independence.

John Adams = Andrew Cashner

Thomas Jefferson = J.D. Martinez

Once all these big names have signed contracts for the 2018 season, no one will remember where, and when, Andrew Cashner signed. They will, however, remember J.D. Martinez.

I applaud those who made it through the history lesson without falling asleep on your keyboard.

Andrew Cashner

Andrew Cashner is a right-handed starting pitcher. Thursday, he signed a 2-year, $16 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. For those who don’t know me, I don’t often sugarcoat things. And I’m not about to start now.

Andrew Cashner sucks. Like, a lot. The fact that he’s about to get paid $16 million to throw baseballs (rarely for strikes) is absurd. Cashner is going to get ripped to shreds in the American League East.

Jaime Garcia

The fact that Jaime Garcia is set to make $10 million this season is sickening. Parents, listen up….

Have your baby do everything with their left hand. At the age of 2, put a baseball in their hand, and have them throw strikes every day until they reach the Major Leagues. Then, promptly retire.

Eduardo Nunez

Over the past 2 seasons, life in San Francisco and Boston afforded Eduardo Nunez full-time playing opportunities. He didn’t disappoint. Thursday, Nunez signed a 1-year deal with the Red Sox for an undisclosed amount. This deal is pending a physical, which after last year’s knee injury, isn’t a slam dunk. Stay tuned on this one.

Will Thursday’s free agent signings get the ball rolling?? Or will players remain in a stalemate with ownership?? Spill your guts in the comment section below.

Yu Is Worth A Lot More Than You!!

February 12, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

It’s finally here!!

Can you smell it??

No, not what the Rock is cookin’; BASEBALL!! It’s February 12th. It should smell like freshly cut grass and pine tar in your living room by now.

While pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training today (Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets), some of those lockers may remain empty for the foreseeable future. By my count, 107 free agents remain unsigned. Unprecedented and wild.

****We now take a break from your regularly scheduled program to make fun of the Mets: How is it that the Mets report their pitchers, catchers, and position players (February 17th) EARLIER than the rest of the league, yet still suck so badly????

With this year’s free agent market so unbalanced, the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Player’s Association) has decided to host a spring training camp for free agents. I guess teams should be pleased players will be staying in shape, but I can’t imagine heads around MLB are sleeping soundly on pillows every night….

What caused this problem??

There are many theories floating around in the ether. Union chief, Tony Clark, believes teams are “racing toward the bottom”. MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, thinks agents have “inaccurately assessed the market”. The bottom line is players want more money than they’re worth.

Worth is a funny thing. A player, like Carlos Santana, is worth $20 million per year in 2018. The same Carlos Santana may have been worth $22 million per year in 2017. Each year’s free agent market dictates a player’s worth. Regardless of the year, or market, one thing remains constant:

You are worth what someone is willing to pay you.

The Chicago Cubs decided Yu Darvish is worth $126 million (6 years). Contract incentives could push the deal as high as $150 million. Darvish’s new contract is the biggest of the offseason — so far. I, probably shouldn’t question Cubs’ president of baseball operations, Theo Esptein, but, ah, what the hell….

What is Theo Epstein thinking?!?! Yes, Yu Darvish is as talented a strikeout machine as anyone in MLB, but Yu can’t strike hitters out from the trainer’s room. Assuming 33 starts is a full season, Darvish has almost pitched 1 full season in his 5-year tenure in MLB (I know he pitched 31 games last year, but that doesn’t help prove my point). Darvish has started just 131 of a possible 165 games. Listen, not everyone’s Cal Ripken Jr., but I’d expect my 126 million dollar man to play more than 79% of the time.

And don’t forget his consecutive ‘blow-ups’ in the 2017 World Series. Both consisted of 4 earned runs in 1 and 2/3 innings, leaving a historically bad taste in ‘Dodger Nation’. Maybe Epstein thinks 1 World Series will override 6 injury plagued, inconsistent seasons.

I wish Yu luck.

Like, Love, or Hate Yu Darvish’s contract?? Tell me in the comment section below.

What Do You Mean ‘Double Check’ My Sources?!

January 12, 2018 ~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

The world has been waiting….

Waiting for the dominoes to start falling in Major League Baseball. Who knew that first domino would be a fake report?! Wednesday morning, multiple sources reported Gerrit Cole had been traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Houston Astros. By Wednesday afternoon, we had learned this report was as make believe as the Easter Bunny. Sorry parents. Apparently, some journalists prefer being 1st and wrong over being 2nd and right.

See, this is a fun time for MLB; the offseason. The time when rumors fly, money gets tossed around, and players potentially relocate. Until Wednesday, this offseason had been notoriously slow. Just 30 of the 160 potential free agents had signed with their respective teams. Over the past 2 days, free agency has built up speed. It turns out, all it needed was a little nudge from a fake report.

These new deals are 1-year contracts in order to avoid arbitration:

Cody Allen – $10.575 Million (Indians)
Khris Davis – $10.5 Million (Athletics)
Patrick Corbin – $7.5 Million (Diamondbacks)
Miguel Gonzalez – $4.75 Million (White Sox)
Mike Zunino – $2.975 Million (Mariners)
Randal Grichuk – $2.6 Million (Cardinals)
Zach McAllister – $2.45 Million (Indians)
Jake Marisnick – $1.9 Million (Astros)
Tommy Kahnle – $1.3125 Million (Yankees)

Arbitration is a legal process used when a player (prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent) and team can’t come to terms on a 1-year contract. Both the player and team submit their proposed salary contracts to a 3rd-party, neutral arbitrator. The arbitrator then determines a fair salary based on the player’s statistics. Despite retaining the rights to said player, arbitration isn’t generally the 1st step in a long-term, healthy relationship.

While everyone’s attention turned to 1-year contracts, and a fake report, the New York Mets swooped in and ACTUALLY signed a contract paying out more than $12 per year. On Wednesday, the Mets came to terms with Jay Bruce on a 3-year, $39 million contract. While Bruce isn’t a hop on my back and ride to the playoffs type of guy, he’s a solid offensive outfielder. On a team (as cheap as the Mets) lacking offense, I like this deal for the Mets.

Only 2 bigger contracts have been signed, so far, than Bruce; Carlos Santana and Wade Davis. Santana signed a 3-year, $60 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on December 20th. This makes the Bruce deal look even better. As for Davis, his 3-year, $52 million contract with the Colorado Rockies makes him the highest paid relief pitcher (per year) of all-time. We’ll see how he enjoys the “comfort” of pitching in Coors Field.

With just over a month until pitchers and catchers report, expect an avalanche of dominoes to fall in the near future. Here are the biggest, unsigned names:

J.D. Martinez, Jake Arrieta, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, and Yu Darvish.

MLB Free Agency, a time when wildly overpaying players has become America’s new pastime.

What do you think of the Jay Bruce contract?? Does Wade Davis deserve to be the highest paid reliever of all-time?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: