On this date two years ago, the Red Sox signed then-reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia to a six-year contract worth $40.5MM. The deal bought out all of his arbitration eligible years plus two free agent years with a club option for a third. Given the contract just signed by another middle infielder at a similar age (Troy Tulowitzki), it sure looks like Boston saved themselves a boatload of money with Pedroia's deal.
Here are this week's links, which aren't looking for a long-term contract…
- Speaking of Tulo's deal, Red Reporter wants to know if you'd give Joey Votto a ten-year contract.
- The Captain's Blog, meanwhile, evaluated baseball's longest and most lucrative contracts.
- SPANdemonium interviewed Phillies' prospect Jiwan James.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness talks about the Dodgers' catching situation in the wake of Russell Martin being non-tendered.
- The Process Report believes the Rays should give the non-tendered Bobby Jenks a call.
- U.S.S. Mariner explains why it would be okay for Seattle to trade top pitching prospect Michael Pineda.
- Baseball Time In Arlington wonders how much Cliff Lee will be worth.
- Red Sox Beacon is concerned about Boston's fall-back options.
- The Nats Blog wants the Nationals to sign Lance Berkman.
- The Friarhood thinks it's time to blow up the Padres.
- Wahoo Blues says goodbye to Andy Marte, the Indians' best pitcher.
- 1 Blue Jays Way wonders if J.P. Arencibia is being overvalued.
- Amazin' Avenue looks at Terry Collins' managerial tendencies.
- Meanwhile, Flushing Faithful writes about the small market Mets.
- Rooftop View wants to see the Cubs pursue Brandon Webb.
- Crashburn Alley comes up with some baseball one-liners, CSI: Miami style.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
I wouldn’t give Votto ten years, but that’s mostly because I’d be hard pressed to give anyone ten years. They’d have to have shown multiple really strong years at a young age, but that’s just me
Agreed, especially Tulo whose had an injury history. Pujols should get one, thats about it.
I’d still be a little concerned seeing as he’d be getting on in years at the end of the contract, but he’s been too good for too long you have to give ten years.
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That Flushing Faithful article represents everything that is wrong with Mets fans. I felt physically ill reading that piece. What a moron.
It looked like an entire page from a distance, but once I looked closer, all it read was “wah wah wah, we don’t spend any money!”.
You should probably go see a doctor if all it takes is a poorly-written baseball article to make you physically ill.
I’m really unhealthy.
Just want to throw this out there, Ron Santo passed away last night, RIP Ron you were a great player and a great broadcaster for the Cubs.
im surprise there wasnt an artical with his lifes work and baseball carrer
me too.
I’m not totally sure i’m buying Arenciba being overvalued? I really don’t think anyone is calling him the next Mauer or Posey, but I do think he can be a good catcher in this league. He might not be an elite guy or someone the Blue Jays need forever, but I think he is going to be pretty good.
Agreed. I don’t think many people are expecting him to be a superstar or anything, but it’s not exactly like you need to be the greatest hitter in the league in order to be a quality starting catcher either. I hate how some people act as though he should be traded away for lacking the upside of other prospects who are at least years away from the bigs, if they ever make it at all, as if there’s no value in a solid everyday catcher making the league minimum. How many teams trade away major league ready prospects just because they don’t have superstar upside? The entire concept is ridiculous.
I think it’s tough because JPA has had a bit of a roller coaster of a minor league career…top prospect then a bust, then a top prospect again, then he sat on the bench for the Jays while he was up. It’s easy to look at his young career and get confused about what to expect
That Crashburn Alley piece was a classic. Funny stuff. Haha
Seconded. I want more.
I think Jenks and the Rays make a lot of sense, as long as he’s willing to sign for around $5 million. The Rays then could try and fill out the rest of their bullpen with their surplus of starting pitching and trading or signing a couple guys on the cheap.
yeah i agreed with that piece, Jenks makes a lot of sense for the Rays (as well as 15 other teams). But the point Is Jenks very well could be this year’s Matt Capps
Red Sox on paper compared to the on field product are 2 VERY different things.
Only thing dumber than Jeter contract situation, is when Met fans call Mets small market. I wouldn’t that morons article if you paid me. Face it, out lst management team and Madoff killed us with $$$ and now we need to grin and bear 2011
Dear Mike Axisa. The Red Sox saved just as much money with Pedroia as Tulo, because both of their original deals bought out their arbitration years, and the Rockies aren’t paying Tulo much of anything for the next 3 years. The contract really sets in at 2015, which is coincidentally the year both would’ve been free agents had the Rockies not signed Tulo. The extension Tulo signed only affects 2015-2020, not the next 4 years. So no, Pedroia’s deal doesn’t look as good as Tulos now, especially since the Rockies will A) never worry about Tulo being a free agent until he’s in Jeter years and B) He would’ve gotten paid more on the open. Thank you, have a nice day.
open market, excuse me**
BOTH THESE GUYS ARE GETTING LESS THAN WERTH????
Of course Tulo is a much better SS. Incase you are not aware Pedroia was shifted to 2nd a while ago.
I don’t think anyone will argue the Tulo is better than Pedroia. The emphasis is rather on the huge difference of the contract extensions they signed.
My bad…but i think you know what I mean. Tulo is better than Pedroia irrespective of whatever position they are playing
It’s tough to argue. Tulo is a much better power hitter, yes, and a much better RBI guy. Pedroia brings leadership, heart, soul and ability to hit. Power or not he’s a good hitter. Defensively they are both very very good. It’s a tough call for me.
Statistically Tulo≈Pedroia. Pedroia has put a 17.9 WAR and Tulo a 17.8 in almost exactly the same number of career games (2 more games for Pedoia). Tulo hits more HR’s and strikes out at about twice the rate of Pedroia while Pedey hits for a higher average. The one thing Tulo has on Pedey is he does it at a slightly more premium position. The only other thing you could say is that Pedroia isn’t THE big name player who brings fans to the park for the Sox, while I think Tulo (along with Jimenez) is for the Rockies, maybe I’m wrong about that though.
Yea, he got a HUGE pay raise – but for the ROX he is much more important and a bigger draw then Pedroia is for the BOSOX
Both are leaders for their respective teams. I am not a ROX fan, but I am huge Tulo fan. Besides Helton who else does ROX have as a leader along with Tulo? At least with BOSOX there is Veritek, Youkilis, Wakefield and even Beckett to help carry the leadership load. Not saying Pedroia is not valuable, just not comparable on their respective teams.
Yeah, I have a bit of bias being a die hard Sox fan and I’ve loved Pedeys make up since day one, lol. But its a 50/50 split for me.
Honestly, Pedroia and Tulo’s talent isn’t even on the same level. Pedroia is good, but Tulo is a top talent at an elite position. Tulo>>>>>>>>Pedi. Even a Red Sox fan should know that.
I wasn’t talking talent wise. I was talking about what they bring to the team as a whole, not just the talent.
Are there any stats to back that up or are you just going on opinion and what you want to be the truth?
Jimenez is every 5th day…but I agree with you. I don’t get all wrapped up into the Sabermetrics I just look at the impact a player has on a team.
Yeah that much I definitely wouldn’t argue with, Tulo has a much greater impact on the Rockies than Pedroia does on the Sox.
Well, Tulo’s year this year was better than any year Pedroia has ever put up, even his MVP year. Though Pedroia’s MVP year was at a 6.6 WAR, Tulo’s year this year was 6.4 WAR even playing 35 games less than Pedroia had that year. Tulo also has a much higher ceiling as a player and it seems (if he can stay healthy) as if he is starting to play at that elite level.
Secondly, Shortstop is a much more Elite position than Second. There are three ELITE hitting positions – CF, SS, and Catcher. Pedroia just couldn’t cut it at short so he was moved to Second (that happens to a lot of players)
Third, Pedroia’s numbers seem to be regressing slightly as it seems pitchers are starting to figure his swing out. I’m actually from Boston and watch most Red Sox games and will say that what Pedi lacks in talent, he definitely makes up for in heart but I don’t think 1 gm in baseball would take him over Tulo.
And to top it off, Tulo is over 1 year younger.
I’ll definitely give you that Tulo plays at a premium position making him more valuable to a team, but that doesn’t translate into him being on a completely different level talent wise as you suggested. In almost exactly the same number of career games they are .1 WAR apart. As I said to another poster on here Tulo hits more HR’s while striking out at more than twice the rate of Pedroia and Pedroia hits for a higher average and they both get on base at close to the same rate. And as you acknowledged Tulo has a bit of an injury history.
I’m in no way trying to diminish Tulo’s talent, and all things equal you take the production from the SS every time, so I will concede that Tulo is more valuable (which was never my argument anyway) but I just think you are incorrect to say that their talent isn’t even on the same level when to this point in their careers it has been nearly identical.
Thanks man. I appreciate it and hope your right.