The Mets expressed a willingness to discuss a multi-year deal with R.A. Dickey early last month, and it appears that the knuckleballer may be open to the possibility as well according to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin. The idea would be to trade long-term security for a lower base salary, giving the team some financial flexibility going forward.
Dickey, 36 at the end of the month, was a revelation for the Mets this year. He made 26 starts (and one relief appearance) after being called up in May, and pitched to a 2.84 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9. Arbitration-eligible after the season, Dickey earned just $600K in the big leagues this season. It was the fourth season in a row that he had to settle for a minor league contract.
Within the same piece, Rubin notes that backup catcher Henry Blanco intends to play next season, and that Elmer Dessens will do the same only if he gets a guaranteed big league deal somewhere. The 38-year-old Blanco hit .215/.271/.300 in 144 plate appearances this year while Dessens posted a shiny 2.30 ERA despite unimpressive peripheral stats (3.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9) in 47 innings of relief.
Giving RA Dickey a contract is a big mistake. The guy’s had one good year. This won’t last.
That’s why you give him a 1 year deal with a club option for 2012.
You would assume he could be had for about $2-3 million next year, which is cheap. I like 1-year with an option, but I’d make it a vesting option based on performance and a 2013 option as well. Knuckleballers develop late and can pitch for a while. I think he showed ultimate professionalism and consistency on an awful team.
I didn’t think a 3.1 K/9 was even possible.
5yrs–$115million should lock this kid up long term.
no trade clause?
On a slightly more serious note, if you’re psychic and like to root around in trash cans you could have had 3/5ths of a ML rotation this year for $2 million dollars in Dickey, Livan Hernandez and Bruce “freakin” Chen. I personally would like for Chen to learn the knuckleball so that he has a chance to pitch for all 30 ML teams.
Bruce Chen is such an awesome dude and really funny. I hope he’s around for a long time.
If I were a fluke like him i’d be up for any kind of multi-year deal.
To put some kind of thoughts in everyone minds perhaps.. Knuckleballer’s who have been able to be consistent from year to year are a rare bread and giving someone a long term contract, who has failed miserable for his entire career at it, save from May on in one is a huge mistake for a multi year deal.
Ones i can think of off hand who were successful over a multi year period would be the Niekro brothers, Wake and Charlie Hough over the last 35-40 years and before that, Hoyte Wilhelm and that’s it, with Hough not even being a true knuckleball pitcher, but a slurvy type knuckleball.
That is 5 counting 5 Wilhelm going back to the 50’s who were capable of putting together decent back to back effective seasons and so far Dickey hasn’t even put together one decent fuul season, yet his team is considering a multi year contract?
this is amazing.
2 year deal for a 35 year old? I thought they were getting rid of Manaya?
Multi-Year deal, no. A 1 year contract with an out clause for the team, and no money guaranteed, and a team option is probably a good idea if they think he can succeed again if options are thin.
To be honest that’s the mos he should get from any team, really. No offense to you, RA.
people r talking extensions and we dont even have a gm.one thing at a time
I love the use of the term “shiny” as a descriptor for ERA. It gives the implication that ERA’s main attribute is one of superficiality while being succinct enough to be peppered into random sentences.
Jesus why are people who haven’t really watched this guy all year commenting on something they obviously don’t know much about -_- . Seriously a 2 year deal is not a bad thing especially if its only for $2 or 3 mil per. RA has been absolutely outstanding this year and is absolute professional human being this is not like Oliver Perez (who is in it for himself and not about the team) all over again like people try to keep bringing up (and like said Knuckleballers develop late Tim Wakefield being a prime example of that).