The Rays have reached agreement on a one-year, $14MM deal with ace David Price to avoid arbitration, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. Price, who is represented by Bo McKinnis, will qualify for arbitration one more time before hitting free agency in 2016.
Price's deal represents a nearly $4MM raise over his 2013 salary. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected him to earn $13.1MM, though Swartz explained that Price had a somewhat higher ceiling to aim for. As FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal notes on Twitter, the southpaw stands to constitute about twenty percent of the club's approximately $70MM payroll for the coming year. $14MM also makes for the highest single-season salary in club history, though Tampa has already promised higher paydays over the 2019-22 portion of Evan Longoria's extension.
The agreement should not have a substantial impact on the possibility of Price being dealt. While salary certainty knocks out one minor variable, Price's rights are enormously valuable either way. Of course, the latest chatter has suggested that Price is increasingly likely to pitch for the Rays in 2014 anyway, at least to start the year.
Cant beat that Price
So now everybody else knows what to budget for him.
A little more then the projected model here on MLBTR of $13.1MM but still not a bad deal for either party.
$14M & maybe $20M seem much more tolerable after digesting $30M+ yesterday.
We will see what happens on the open market.
As much as I love Price, they’re going to have to trade him this year to get maximum value – $14m is a steal for the Rays (though reasonable based on how arbitration prices increase) and increases his trade value for this season.
Why not try and win it all this year or next and then let him go and get the draft pick. I would rather try then just dealing him for propects who may or may not work out.
You are a rays fan with an amazing GM who won’t make a bad deal, he made a great trade last offseason and will only get a better package for price
I guess it only takes one GM to give up six years of Wil Myers for two of James Shields, but not sure any team ponies up a top shelf prospect like Price.
Jeff, as a big Rays fan, I agree with you 100%. The Rays, with their current rotation and resigning Loney are just a legit DH away from going deep into the Post Season.
After the announcement of Kershaw’s signing yesterday any team that hoped to sign Price BEFORE he hit FA whether it would be the Rays or some team they may trade him to before 2016 can forget it. Baring some sort of set back in Price’s performance he’s definitely going to be a FA. There is way to much money out there to be made by a CY Young Award winning lefty.
Yes and No… Yes, because it’s going to take the right team (Rays can’t afford the min. $145/5 years it will take–post arb. years). No, because 2 years is a long time to wait if you are a pitcher (a lot can happen to decrease the value) baring he is moved to a team with financial flexibility.
That’s why I said “baring some sort of set back in Price’s performance…” in my previous comment.
And yet Kershaw was never a FA. Never say never.
True, and if the Rays had or have the financial where with all I would agree with that comment. But since the Rays are shell we say frugal for the most part because of their financial situation I think in this one case it’s a safe bet to say “never”.
I should have clarified — I was referring to a team that may trade for him. Certainly not the Rays.
The Dodgers I believe will not trade for Price if it cost them most of their prime players in their farm system. They are trying to rebuild it. Price has said that he will not sign an extension with Seattle so they have to try and change his mind. Will the Rays trade with division Rivals? So that leaves Texas with prospects and money. I don’t think the market for Price has taken shape yet. My guess he stays a Ray this season unless a team is really desperate for him. Your thoughts?
I don’t think that is true. We have a pretty good idea of what Price is worth now. King Felix and Verlander both signed extensions last year with 2 years remaining for 7/175 and 7/180. Kershaw now signed with 1 year left for 7/215. I would imagine a Price extension right now looks something like 7/185 or so.
So you think that Price is worth more than Verlander or Felix Hernandez? Looking at the stats I just can’t see it. Price seems a tad overrated to me. I could see him signing for around CC’s 7/161.
I don’t necessarily think that Price is better than Felix and Verlander, but he is their contemporary and one of the few true aces in MLB. Looking at their ages and numbers at the time of their extensions and they are similar.
Last year, Hernandez was going into his age 27 season and had a FIP of 3.00 and xFIP of 3.16 from 2010-2012. Verlander was entering his age 30 season and had a FIP of 2.97 and xFIP 3.31. This year, Price is going into his age 28 season and has a FIP of 3.14 and xFIP of 3.23 from 2011-2013.
His production, combined with the escalation of salaries this offseason and I could see him getting something slightly more. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he signed for 7/175 either, but I would think that to be his floor.
They are fairly similar pitchers, but I think Price is pretty clearly a small step below them. They’re all aces, but there are different levels of aces.
In the three years prior to their extension (or til now for Price), here are their stat lines (IP ERA/FIP/xFIP K/9 BB/9 ERA-/FIP-/xFIP- fWAR RA9-WAR):
Verlander: 713.2 2.79/2.97/3.31 8.9 2.4 67/71/80 20.3 21.9
Hernandez: 715.1 2.92/3.00/3.16 8.5 2.4 76/78/77 16.1 16.1
Price: 622.0 3.13/3.14/3.23 8.3 2.2 81/81/80 13.4 14.1
Clearly all great pitchers, but Price is just a little lacking compared to those other two.
I guess I’m just tryna say I don’t think the Price is right.
I agree that there are different level of aces and there is a slight difference between these pitchers. However once you consider the facts that Price is left handed, has 600-650 less IP on his arm, pitches in the ALE and is significantly younger than Verlander, I think the 0.13-0.17 difference in their FIPs won’t be that huge of a factor.
If I’m Tampa I’m on the phone right now trying to convince Texas they need Price (since Holland is out for at least half the season). If Texas isn’t biting then I’m calling every team linked to Tanaka who doesn’t sign him. Gotta strike while the iron is hot!
They’re not getting Price without giving up Profar, which creates a hole at 2B. Considering how cheap Profar will be for a few years, they’d be smart to avoid Price.
I think the key to any possible TB/TEX deal would be tied to Sardinas and/or Odor, not Profar. If either of the two prospects are close to major league ready, trading Profar becomes much easier. That being said, I am not sure either of the two (Sardinas/Odor), are or can be ready during 2014. But if the Rangers feel like one of the two can provide help in June/July, Texas has a serious decision to make.
Smells to me like Odor is more of a 2015 guy given he’s 19 and just reached AA. Sardinas I don’t see as that close to being ready.
Just a thought, but what if the Rays traded Escobar as well? Escobar could slip into 2nd and you have Profar and Zobrist manning the middle for Tampa.
Obviously more would need to be included, but that’s something that
Is worth considering.
That’s a solution to no second basemen, but that’s also 19 million in salary. I don’t think Texas can really afford that. Holland’s loss is bad, but it won’t destroy their season. They need a guy who can keep them in games for 3 months.
if he’s a free agent in 2015, ill bet he’ll go the yankees, forget the beard, this generation of baseball players only care about money….. hence cano leaving the yankees for only 50m more, he didn’t even care about being a yankee for life which is rare.
“only 50m more”?
something around that
Cano got greater than 35% more guaranteed $ than the Yankees offered…I can’t say I blame him.
Right. This is obviously the first generation to ever care about money. I mean c’mon Robbie, it’s just a mere $50MM, no big deal.
ONLY 50 million? Wow this has to be a joke.
How many 50 million dollar stacks of money do you have just laying around?