You'd think it would be a good thing to be identified as a premium player at your position, but Type A status is more of a curse than a blessing for some free agents. Teams have to give up a top pick to sign Type A free agents who turn down arbitration, and that scares some clubs away. GMs covet high draft picks since they can become cheap, young contributors within a couple years, so there's a league-wide reluctance to hand over top picks for Type A free agents who aren't elite players.
That's not an issue for Mark Teixeira types – teams will want to sign Hall of Fame caliber talent no matter what – but the Elias system doesn't rank players the way front offices do, so the market for some players is limited by their Type A status. Ask Juan Cruz and Orlando Hudson about the effect the Elias Rankings can have on a player's contract.
This year, however, those who declined arbitration don't have reason to regret their decisions. All the Type A free agents below had multiple suitors and all but Billy Wagner signed multi-year deals. This doesn't mean teams are willing to hand over top picks. Instead it's likely an indication that agents are only letting Type As decline arbitration offers if the players are sure to attract lots of interest on the market.
But players aren't necessarily handcuffed by the Elias rankings. Some, like Justin Duchscherer and Orlando Cabrera, have negotiated clauses into their contracts that forbid their teams from offering arbitration if they're designated Type A free agents.
Here's a complete look at the deals signed by the group of Type A free agents who turned down their teams' offers of arbitration this winter.
- Matt Holliday signed a seven-year $120MM deal.
- John Lackey signed a five-year $82.5MM deal.
- Jason Bay signed a four-year $66MM deal.
- Chone Figgins signed a four-year $36MM deal.
- Jose Valverde signed a two-year $14MM deal.
- Marco Scutaro signed a two-year $12.5MM deal.
- Mike Gonzalez signed a two-year $12MM deal.
- Billy Wagner signed a one-year $7MM deal.
Scott Boras deserves a raise…
As much as I hate the guy, he has to be the best in the business. He is why there will be a salary cap….eventually. The Big market teams cant play each other forever, the small markets are what make a league.
i can’t believe how much money valverde got… tigers overpaid
figgins and scutaro seem to be great deals
Hey B. Jenks got 7.5M
Those are some pretty good deals……
Red Sox got screwed with Bay….the Mets only gave up a 2nd rounder for him….since their 1st rounder was protected
What about last year with the Jays? Burnett was a Type A. All the Yanks gave up was a 3rd rounder.
It doesn’t really count because he wasn’t a free agent, but it was a “signing” nonetheless in this current economic landscape; Halladay 3/60 with a $20M option for a 4th year.
so what the blue jays got screwed by getting bostons 2nd pick for signing scutaro when the sox signed lackey
And the Brewers last year with CC.
Considering the 1st rounder the Sox got with Wagner along with the two comp picks they got for Wagner and Bay, they made out very well in terms of draft picks.
The system needs to be changed so that teams are penalized – not the players. Being a type A or type B should not have any impact on a players earning potential.
You don’t think players earn enough?
I know a Super Agent who claims they don’t.
I know a Super Agent who claims they don’t.
That’s not the point; the point is that inferior players who don’t make Type A status often get paid more in comparison to superior players who do. Example is Valverde/Soriano/Gonzalez vs. Rodney/Lyon. The clearly superior relievers got less than the mediocre ones who didn’t have Type A attached to them.
Or last year with Orlando Hudson, clearly inferior players got more money due to his Type A status.
And, a tiered compensation system greatly favors big market teams by incentivizing the signing of multiple Type As in one offseason by reducing the value the team has to give up.
How many picks did the Sox net since they also signed two Type A FA who were offered arbitration?
Lost: Wagner who brings in a 1st rnd and a comp pick.
Lost: Bay who brings a 2nd rnd pick and a comp pick since the Mets 1st rnd pick was protected.
Signed: Lackey and Scutaro so they lose a 1st and a 2nd round pick.
One 1st rnd, one 2nd rnd and two comps.
Minus
One 1st rnd and one 2nd round
= Net of two comp picks
Is that right or am I missing something?
You forget that both the Braves and the Mets picks were better than Boston’s. Boston’s picks basically got shifted up the draft.
You forget that both the Braves and the Mets picks were better than Boston’s. Boston’s picks basically got shifted up the draft.
They signed scutaro who is a type A
They signed scutaro who is a type A
The picks the Red Sox lose are only the picks that are originally slotted for the Red Sox. They signed two type As so they have to give up the Red Sox first and second round picks, they give up the Red Sox second round pick because the Red Sox first round pick is already being given up for the higher ranked type A signed.
Lost: Wagner who brings in a 1st rnd and a comp pick.
Lost: Bay who brings a 2nd rnd pick and a comp pick since the Mets 1st rnd pick was protected.
Signed: Lackey and Scutaro so they lose Red Sox 1st and Red Sox 2nd round pick.
Gained: Braves 1st rnd, Mets 2nd rnd and two comps.
Minus
Red Sox 1st rnd and Red Sox 2nd round
= Braves 1st rnd, Mets 2nd rnd and two comps.
The picks the Red Sox lose are only the picks that are originally slotted for the Red Sox. They signed two type As so they have to give up the Red Sox first and second round picks, they give up the Red Sox second round pick because the Red Sox first round pick is already being given up for the higher ranked type A signed.
Lost: Wagner who brings in a 1st rnd and a comp pick.
Lost: Bay who brings a 2nd rnd pick and a comp pick since the Mets 1st rnd pick was protected.
Signed: Lackey and Scutaro so they lose Red Sox 1st and Red Sox 2nd round pick.
Gained: Braves 1st rnd, Mets 2nd rnd and two comps.
Minus
Red Sox 1st rnd and Red Sox 2nd round
= Braves 1st rnd, Mets 2nd rnd and two comps.
more than that this is “an indication that agents are only letting Type As decline arbitration offers if the players are sure to attract lots of interest on the market” it seems to me an indication that teams are only offering arbitration to type A free agents whom they are convinced will receive better offers on the open market
more than that this is “an indication that agents are only letting Type As decline arbitration offers if the players are sure to attract lots of interest on the market” it seems to me an indication that teams are only offering arbitration to type A free agents whom they are convinced will receive better offers on the open market
As i am glad for the cardinals signing holliday, I do believe we were indeed bidding against ourselves. I understand being worried about a team randomly stepping in, like the yankees putting out a offer that can’t be declined, But now i’m worried about how were going to go about with Pujols and Holliday and other players ; Carpenter, Wainwright, Molina, Rasmus etc.
But back to the topic of how Type A free agents did, Holliday sure did a great job. Obviously…
As long as the Cardinals have Pujols the Cards will have never “overpayed” for Holliday. In fact with Pujols, Holliday turns into a different type of player hitting behind him. I like the move to lock up Holliday, and I believe the Cards will raise their payroll in the future to 120 Million.
As long as the Cardinals have Pujols the Cards will have never “overpayed” for Holliday. In fact with Pujols, Holliday turns into a different type of player hitting behind him. I like the move to lock up Holliday, and I believe the Cards will raise their payroll in the future to 120 Million.
As i am glad for the cardinals signing holliday, I do believe we were indeed bidding against ourselves. I understand being worried about a team randomly stepping in, like the yankees putting out a offer that can’t be declined, But now i’m worried about how were going to go about with Pujols and Holliday and other players ; Carpenter, Wainwright, Molina, Rasmus etc.
But back to the topic of how Type A free agents did, Holliday sure did a great job. Obviously…
All of these guys got too much money. I hate to say it, but baseball is going to explode within in the next few seasons due to high salaries, decreased attendance and a faltering economy. Baseball needs a cap now.
No, it won’t.
The business of baseball is still massively, massively profitable, even in this economy.
All of these guys got too much money. I hate to say it, but baseball is going to explode within in the next few seasons due to high salaries, decreased attendance and a faltering economy. Baseball needs a cap now.
Tigers did not overpay for Valverde. Rodney went for close to that much and lyon got 2 years. I’d pay more and take Valverde over both of them any day of the week.