Let's take a look at the latest on the best arm left on the market, starter Ervin Santana.
- Seemingly contradicting Alou, Dionisio Soldevila of ESPNDeportes.com reports (Twitter links) that Santana has fired Stringfellow. Santana does not have plans to hire a replacement, and could negotiate his own deal, according to Soldevila.
- Another of Santana's reps at Proformance, Jay Alou, tweets that there has been "no change" in Santana's representation. "Ervin Santana is still represented by the same person that he first signed with 15 years ago," wrote Alou.
Earlier Updates
- Santana is now considering a change of representation, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Santana is currently represented by Proformance. We heard from Proformance managing director Bean Stringfellow recently, as he spoke in strong terms about his determination to land Santana a contract befitting his talent, and said they had discussed the possibility of waiting to sign until after the June amateur draft (to shed the draft pick compensation tied to Santana).
- The Blue Jays are still unlikely even to make Santana an offer, reports Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. Though GM Alex Anthopoulos said that he has still had some contact with the representatives of some free agents, he added that "I don't think we have anything active."
- Updating the market situation of Santana, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes that teams still in touch with Santana include the Mariners, Orioles, Rockies, Rangers, and aforementioned Blue Jays. Stringfellow weighed in to say that Santana was dealing well with the wait. "He's concentrating on his workout," he said. "Obviously, he'd rather be in camp, as he's always in camp at this time. But he understands the process, and the business aspect of it. He's doing well."
- Though the Orioles would have no problem sacrificing a third-round pick to add Santana, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, the team has not engaged in "real dialogue" over the past few days. As with the team's previous signing of compensation free agents, Baltimore is looking to achieve value in any deal.
I think changing agents is probably a wise move on his part. Sounds like Mr. Stringfellow is a bit on the stubborn side.
While I don’t disagree with you, each decision is ultimately up to the player. I would venture to guess Santana is a bit egotistical, which is partially the reason why he’s in this position in the first place.
Maybe. Or it could be the agent has too much of his ego tied up in getting the deal he wants, and the player doesn’t have the self-confidence to remind him who works for whom.
Or the guy knows his value and is forced to wait until draft pick compensation becomes a non-issue. Why sign for less than you’re worth?
Because maybe you’re not worth what you think you’re worth.
I agree.. But the real issue is that clubs have overpaid for talent in the past (and a couple contracts this off season). I think we are seeing a real shift.
Or teams have decided to keep a large chunk of revenues that have skyrocketed with the new TV deals. Any shift would seem to be away from player salaries to increased profits for management. One issue is whether overall payroll increases have kept pace with revenue increases.
Because signing in June would cost Irvin money, as he will not get a full year’s salary. I doubt he would get a multi year deal mid way through the season.
Ervin should just sign a one year deal the day after opening day then he can hit the FA market next year with no QO and more realistic expectations. I have no doubt that had Santana been looking for a 4/50 type deal at the outset of the offseason he would have found it.
A multi-year deal with an opt-out if he is traded mid-season is also a possibility.
I get the sense Irvin care more about how much he gets paid than where he plays so an opt-out if traded doesn’t make much sense.
LOL BEAN STRINGFELLOW
There was a time when people used to pick on my last name. Then, Ryan Sandberg came along. Now, I can brag about it, saying “I share the same last name as a HOFer”.
*Ryne
This is where I don’t understand what is happening in Seattle. What is the starting 5? Felix, Paxton….. Scott Baker, Randy Wolf, Erasmo Ramirez? Why sign Cano…. Seriously.
Iwakuma, Walker..?
Injured?
Indeed, but it’s not as if they’re lost causes. Iwakuma is expected to miss a month, and Walker hasn’t even been diagnosed with anything terribly threatening.. That’s about as optimistic as I’ll get, because that being said, I’m pretty damn worried.
He restarted his program today, so I doubt it’s serious.
Noesi, Beavan?!?!?!?!?!
Nooooooooooooooo!!!!!
The M’s have the money to overpay Santana for 1 year with say 2 option years that are guaranteed if he’s traded. But seriously, I’m not interested in Santana for 4 or 5 years.
Looks like you conveniently chose to ignore the recent injuries to Iwakuma and Walker who were each likely (Iwakuma, without doubt) going to be apart of the starting rotation.
For some reason MLBTR didn’t include The Mariners in the list of teams mentioned in Heyman’s story but they are there.
Quote: “The Mariners, Rockies, Rangers and Jays are among other teams to remain in contact with Santana, who’s been described by personal friends as “cool, calm and collected” by nature.”
My oversight … I tagged the M’s, but left them off the list. Edited.
Six Mariner pitchers have combined to start Seattle’s nine Spring Training games thus far, posting an aggregate ERA of 1.14 despite the absence of Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker. The early spring starts have been of the 2- and 3-inning variety, but no starter has surrendered more than one run this spring. The 7-2 Mariners should have some depth with the return of Iwakuma and Walker.
It’s spring training, dude.
It’s simple. Because the M’s don’t want to be saddle bagged to a guy for 4 years when they’re high on younger players in the system. You bite on a Santana deal and you’ve limited those youngsters with significantly lower dollar signs attached.
Why someone hasn’t signed him with the intent of trading him mid-season is a little mysterious to me. Someone who doesn’t have a 1st rounder at risk. Unless the guy’s arm falls off, you’re going to get far more in a mid-season trade than you can expect from a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick.
If a team signs Santana to the 4/50 type deal he is asking for and he performs like 2012, 2010, 2009 or 2007 Santana he will be untradeable. Sign and trade mid-season guys are normally brought in on low salary 1 year deals.
Hence the opt out if he’s traded.
I just feel like waiting until June is a trap. Come June, the teams that need/want him now may have some unknown-sleeper-rookie step into a starter role and emerge as a front of the rotation type-guy. At that point, most teams will only want to sign him for the stretch run, putting him in the same situation next offseason.
I wonder if Mr. Stringfellow or Santana burned some bridges in prior years or earlier in this offseason, to the point that GMs would rather go with inferior pitching options rather than help those two obtain a market value contract. I’d imagine GM’s can be just as stubborn as agents or players….
Question… Are teams able to work out a deal with Santana saying that we will sign you for such and such amount if you just wait til June to avoid losing the pick?
Considering that handshake agreements to not offer the QO are banned, I think it’s safe to say that this would be too if word got out.
Handshake deals to not offer the QO are “banned” like 4th of July fireworks are “banned” in many places. It’s literally impossible to enforce, as both sides have every incentive to claim it never took place. I bet they happen frequently. AJ Burnett almost certainly got one of these promises from the Pirates.
Handshake deals to not offer the QO are “banned” like 4th of July fireworks are “banned” in many places. It’s literally impossible to enforce, as both sides have every incentive to claim it never took place. I bet they happen frequently. AJ Burnett almost certainly got one of these promises from the Pirates.
Hopefully Ervin is looking at what Nelson Cruz turned down in qualifying offer, turned down in multi-year offers only to settle for a one year deal far below what he turned down…
Santana, despite having several slightly above average seasons and one pretty good one, has had two awful years as well. Trying to ask for 4 years at around $12 million per season is a lot of cash for a guy with his track record. History dictates at least 1 terrible year, probably another below average and maybe, if the team is lucky two above average. It just doesn’t make sense.
Give me a pitcher who doesn’t have a bad year from time to time, and I’ll give you a pitcher who is gonna make $100m in free agency. Everyone has bad years, and he’s only had one in the past four, a period in which he’s changed his repertoire and gotten many more GB’s. What Santana doesn’t give you is time on the DL, and for that as well he’s quite valuable.
You might be right but if I were a GM in the AL East (O’s, Jays) I wouldn’t sign him because I think he would post a year more like 2012 than 2014. He is durable but so is Bronson Arroyo, a guy who has won at least 12 games in 5 of the last 6 years pitching in a park that is a launching pad (National League of course, which makes things a bit easier). Perhaps GMs are making some comparisons with Arroyo and are reluctant to pay as much as Santana and Bean Stringfellow desire.
If I were a GM that was interested, I’d offer him 2/20 with an affordable club option and say take it or leave it. Switching agents reeks desperations that waiting until June won’t fix.
It would be nice if Tribe brought in another arm (provided they sign Masterson first). Santana pitched a no-no at Progressive Field…
It would be nice if Tribe brought in another arm (provided they sign Masterson first). Santana pitched a no-no at Progressive Field…
I think the lineup he faced has more to do with it than the location.
I think the lineup he faced has more to do with it than the location.
Anthopoulous and Rogers need to take their heads out of their hind quarters; they cannot/will not win with AAA pitchers in the 4 and 5 spots.
Anthopoulous and Rogers need to take their heads out of their hind quarters; they cannot/will not win with AAA pitchers in the 4 and 5 spots.