The Indians and starting pitcher Justin Masterson will soon discuss a multiyear deal, Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer reports. We project Masterson will make $9.7MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility this offseason, after which he is eligible for free agency.
GM Chris Antonetti said last month he would like sign Masterson for the long term. Hoynes notes that Masterson's agent, Randy Rowley, indicated at the time that he wanted to see how the market for free-agent pitching developed. With Masahiro Tanaka's situation stalling pitching signings, Rowley may not have gotten the information he hoped to receive, but Masterson and the Indians are set to exchange arbitration figures next Friday. Hoynes notes that the Indians have not undergone an arbitration hearing with a player since 1991.
MLBTR's Tim Dierkes suggests that a five-year deal for Masterson might cost the Indians somewhere between $65MM and $85MM. With a salary near $10MM all but set for 2014 and Masterson being eligible for free agency as a 29-year-old after that, such a deal would likely be in line with his market value. Masterson posted a 3.45 ERA with 9.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 193 innings last season.
This is what the Tribe needs to focus on.. Locking him down. He’s far better than any of the mediocre to worse names have seen tied to them lately. 93-07FB, natural sink, lots of ground balls..
The cost of VMart was awful expensive several years back. Cleveland needs to focus on this guy 1st and junk back end starters next.
It was a pretty fair trade. VMart gave the Sox a year and a half of great baseball and Masterson has had a few good years for the Indians. Given that he was in the bullpen at the time of the trade and has been inconsistent at times as a starter, it’s pretty hard to project what he would’ve done with the Red Sox.
As a Red Sox fan, I definitely didn’t see this coming from Masterson. He was a valued and flexible reliever and spot starter with a rubber arm and great mound presence. But I thought his trouble with LH hitters at the time would limit his role. I’m happy to see his growth as a pitcher. It would be nice to see him stick in Cleveland.
He still has trouble against LHP and carries a career 4.87 ERA, 4.28 FIP on the road. He’s done very well with the Indians but I think people are starting to over look some key problems that would effect him in say Yankee Stadium or Fenway as a home player.
Agreed. It’s his windup, though if you change it.. What happens to his naturally sinking FB and sinker that are his best pitches? Bob Stanley was like this and had the splits, then that was another era, though Masterson has about 8-10 more MPH of gas on his heater.
You can’t really hold him back vs powerful LH lineups, like Boston. Take the good with the bad. Masterson has good enough stuff to equal it all out.
My point was I don’t think he’s a top of the rotation pitcher for a team like the Yankees or Red Sox. I hope he gets paid but he should realize he’s better off in Cleveland and not try to push negotiations too hard.
Depends on the price really though , he still has plenty of rough spots. 7.60 K/9, 4.28 BB/9, 4.11 FIP vs LHB in 2013 and 3.86 ERA, 3.86 FIP on the road in 2013. He’s very valuable to the Indians but he is weak against LHP and carries pretty extreme home/road splits, both of which are career not simply one year problems.
Not only is Justin a top-of-the-line pitcher, he’s also a great human being. I just love all the charity work he does in the name of the Lord. God bless you, Justin.
Come on, Tribe. Sign him long term.
Do not be shocked if Masterson agent decides to play hard ball and the indians deal Masterson to a team like Mariners or Diamondbacks who have a couple of stub major league ready top prospects in D-Backs Archie Bradley and Jake Barrett plus 3rd base prospect Jake Lamb The Mariners Walker or Hultzen along with a Paxton and DJ Peterson would get a deal done IMO.
As a fan of the Indians no fan want to be faced with this but with the way the price for quality pitchers have gone up I do not see any world where the indians get Masterson signed for anything less than 12 to 13 mil per year on a long term deal Ubaldo is seeking 14 mil per and Masterson is three times the pitcher he is.
Hultzen may never pitch again, he tore his rotator cuff… Besides that point there’s no way Masterson is worth that much.
So what you are saying that Masterson is not better than Norlasco who the Twins signed for 12 mil per through 2017 and 13 mil for 2018 this is what the indians are faced with i forgot about Hultzen injury but one of the teams that lose out to Tanaka or a free agent like Garza or a trade for Price will be calling the indians about masterson it will happen and since the indians have never paid big monies for a Starter I look for Masterson to be gone sooner than later for it is the Indians Front office way to do biz.