Even though most of Alex Rodriguez's 2014 salary will be wiped out by his season-long PED suspension, the controversial slugger's contract is still ranked as the worst in baseball by Grantland's Jonah Keri. Of Keri's list of the 15 worst contracts in the sport, the Dodgers have four, the Yankees, Angels and Braves each have two and the Reds, Rangers, Phillies, Blue Jays and White Sox have one each.
Here are some items from around the baseball world…
- The Reds and Homer Bailey are "still talking" about a multiyear contract, GM Walt Jocketty tells MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "There has not been a lot of progress, but good conversations anyhow," Jocketty said. Bailey's arbitration hearing is scheduled for February 20 and there is a $2.9MM gap ($11.6MM to $8.7MM) between his demands and the Reds' offer for a 2014 contract. This is Bailey's last season under contract with Cincinnati and the two sides are reportedly far apart on a long-term deal. Sheldon suggests that the Reds will be watching the Indians' case with Justin Masterson, as he and Bailey have posted comparable numbers over the last three years and Masterson is also scheduled to be a free agent next offseason.
- The Pirates offered A.J. Burnett a $12MM contract for 2014, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). This obviously fell short of the $16MM Burnett received from the Phillies earlier today.
- The Twins aren't one of the teams interested in Emilio Bonifacio, 1500 ESPN's Darren Wolfson reports (via Twitter). Bonifacio cleared release waivers and became a free agent earlier today. The Orioles are known to be one of at least nine teams interested in the speedy utilityman.
- Also from Wolfson, a Twins official said that the club "had extensive talks" about Erisbel Arruebarruena but he was judged to be too expensive. The Cuban shortstop agreed to a deal with the Dodgers today that could be worth as much as $25MM.
- The Cubs can afford to be patient in trading Jeff Samardzija, Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan argues, as teams may be more willing to meet Chicago's large asking price once the free agent pitching market thins out and teams get more desperate once the season begins.
- Right-hander Josh Roenicke is drawing interest from a "handful of teams" and could be signed soon, a source tells MLB Daily Dish's Chris Cotillo (Twitter link). Roenicke posted a 4.35 ERA, 6.5 K/9 and 1.25 K/BB rate in 62 relief innings with the Twins in 2013 before being outrighted off Minnesota's roster in November.
- Also from Cotillo, right-hander Blake Hawksworth has retired. Hawksworth posted a 4.07 ERA and 1.85 K/BB over 124 games (eight as a starter) with the Cardinals and Dodgers from 2009-11 before elbow and shoulder injuries derailed his career. Hawksworth has taken a job with the Boras Corporation, his former agency.
- Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill discussed the club's recent signing of Carlos Marmol with Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
- Luis Ayala chose to sign a minor league deal with the Nationals since they (as the Expos) were the franchise that originally signed him and he still has many friends in the organization, the veteran reliever tells Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. Several teams were linked to Ayala this offseason but the bidding came down to the Nats, Tigers and Phillies.
There’s a sucker born every day and it just so happens today is the Dodger’s day … Just because Arruebarruena is from Cuba doesn’t mean he’s great … He has slow feet and a slow bat.
Homer Bailey: 5 years: $50MM w/ $2.5MM buyout on $16MM option
2014: $5MM
2015: $8MM
2016: $10MM
2017: $12MM
2018: $15MM
2019: $16MM option w/$2.5MM buyout.
Effectively giving him a 4 year/$47.5MM FA contract that is potentially worth 5 years/$61MM. I honestly don’t see him doing much better on the FA market, but it’d still be fair.
Wow.
He is going to do way better than that. His arb middle ground is $10.3M, so that is effectively a $40M/4 year of free agency. 2nd year in row 200 ip, and put in a 3.49 era this year.
That wouldn’t be fair at all. He’s asking for 400k less than what you have projected as his 3rd year of FA salary.
Bailey will ask for double that on the open market. His 2014 performance will determine whether or not that’s taken seriously, but unless he needs Tommy John or puts up truly terrible numbers, he’ll get much more than that on the market anyway. It doesn’t matter whether or not you think he’s worth it, that’s what the market commands.
If you cut off your first year, and go 8/10/12/15 you’re closer, but still light. He’s probably looking a Garza like extension at worst (4 yr $52M). He’s probably asking for $75M / 5.
Bailey has shown consistency over the past two seasons, but to the tune of 5.7 WAR combined in 2012 / 2013. That kind of production doesn’t get $100M contracts.
Maybe he’d get $100M if he’d post 5.7 WAR this season, but I understand why he and the Reds are so far apart in arbitration and in the discussion of an extension.
I could see him matching Lackey’s Red Sox contract/Jered Weaver’s extension. The price of FA pitching is expensive and if he puts in another good season, he carry far less risk than any of this year’s crop.
Kemp, Ethier, and Beckett deserve higher rankings than Gonzalez or Billingsley.
[Please leave Ned]
Hypothetically speaking, lets just say Shark goes 10-3 with a 3.4ERA in the first half of the year. What do you think would happen? Give him the contract he seems to be living up to? Or trade him and get the maximum value? Thoughts?
The Cubs are offering 11 million per, Samardzija wants 18. The difference is too much, he’ll be traded.
If Bailey becomes a FA, I’d want the Twins to go after him. Hopefully he could be obtained for something like 5/60 or 5/75 range.
Here is the deal I feel is realistic for both the Reds and for Bailey to take.
2014 $ 10.5 MM
2015 $ 11.5 MM
2016 $ 15 MM
2017 $ 16.5 MM
2018 $ 17 MM
2019 $ 15 MM Team option 3 MM buyout
Total 5 years 70.5 million or
6 years 85.5 MM
Reds get a little bit of a discount the first 2 years and then it jumps up to be what Homer is worth. The lower option year is to help out the Reds a little on salary relief.
Honestly as a former college pitcher who never went into baseball after school I would have been happy with 10 million a season if I had decent stats. If I had gotten more I would end up donating some to good causes and helping our friends in need.
Pretty reasonable, though I think the Reds will front load a deal (if they get it done.) The Reds do have a little money to spend this year (they were still considering Choo and never spent any money.) Perhaps like this:
5 years / 70M ($5M signing, $2M buyout)
2014: $10M (+$5M signing)
2015: $12M
2016: $12M
2017: $14M
2018: $15M
2019: $15M option ($2M buyout)
I would have liked to see Ayala in Philly.
$12 million? And u guys say the Pirates aren’t willing to spend money. I guess A.J. s wife was really giving him a hard time thus how come he had to move even closer to his family.