Rob Manfred will make a fine commissioner, notes Peter Gammons of Gammonsdaily.com. Among the many reasons are his familiarity with the issues of the game. Those include upcoming PED news, growing dissent between small and large market clubs, and the upcoming legal battle between the Orioles and Nationals over MASN revenues. Gammons concludes that the game would benefit most if the owners put some effort into helping Manfred settle into the job.
- The Marlins have a seriously bad reputation when it comes to dealing away their stars in fire sales. According to Gammons, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria knows that a big brand can go a long way to improving attendance. With Lebron James back in Cleveland, Giancarlo Stanton is the top name in Miami sports. This is the reason why the Marlins have rebuffed all offers for Stanton.
- The Rockies are on the hook for a combined $167MM between Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez. This trade deadline included rumors that the club would consider dealing one or both of their stars, but their season ending injuries will probably prevent any offseason deals. Gammons notes that the rarefied air in Colorado can make recovery difficult.
- One talent evaluator compares Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo to a center field capable Ron Gant. The Yankees are among the biggest players for Castillo, but they have to contend with a hefty luxury tax penalty. Because Alex Rodriguez will be back on the books, the Yankees will pay a tax in the range of 40% to 50% if they add Castillo. As Gammons notes, a $50MM contract would come with a $20MM to $25MM tax.
- The league is concerned about two things related to Cuban imports. The defection process is morally troubling, as it supports human trafficking. The other issue is the diet of Cuban players. The stress fractures that have sidelined Jorge Soler and Jose Iglesias could be related to calcium deficiency. According to one insider, his team will be monitoring the “bone structure and diet” of their Cuban acquisitions.
If the Marlins offer something around 8/160 this winter and Stanton declines nobody will blame them for trading him.
That’s kinda my guess. The Marlins will make an opening offer, hear Stanton’s counteroffer, and if they’re too far off in price then they’ll consider shopping Stanton or they’ll try to spend more to try to build around Stanton in hopes he’ll bring his price down to stay with a contender.
I will blame the Marlins, because they poisoned that well so bad. 8/160 on the Marlins just means that you play in Miami for two years until the heavily back-ended contract gets expensive and then you’re traded to a city of NOT your choosing (see: Reyes, Buerhle, Ramirez, etc.)
If I’m Stanton, I’m leaving or getting a NTC (which they won’t do, so I’m leaving).
They’ve traded way more people then Reyes, Buerhle, Ramirez over the years. I don’t think newer fans are aware they’ve traded everyone who’s ever had a contract above market value.
I don’t mean you by any means, but people who think the Marlins are going to resign Stanton and not trade him are very sorrily mistaken.
That is the PR game they are playing. Its been a lie that they will pay what it takes keep him even in arbitration. He is the highest paid player on the team at $6.5 million this year, will make $14-15 next year in arbitration according to MLBTR calculations and if he has a similar season next year he will make $24-25 million in his final year of arbitration. For a team that cant spend more than about $80 million before they start losing money, there is no way they can afford either of those. 8/160 is a lowball offer even though its alot of money to you and I. The last 3 seasons of Trouts 6 year deal are at $33.25 million and that is the type of money Stanton is going to want too. The Fish will make a lowball offer, he will decline and he will be traded in the offseason.
Players leaving a country of their own choice so that they can make millions by playiing a game is being equated with human trafficking? Really?? Someone needs to do a little homework on what human trafficking really is. Start with forced prostitution, child labor, and cheap agricultural laborers for a start.
While I agree that the word choice is rather strong as human trafficking, it does not mean that MLB isn’t on shaky ethical grounds. For some of these players it isn’t just about the money, it’s about risking it all so their families can be better off.
I don’t really see how that’s an ethical issue for the MLB. As far as we know, MLB isn’t pressuring any of these players to try and leave.
I think the point may be that Cuban players have or could place themselves in the hands of just such human traffickers in order to get out of Cuba. Sure, Castillo will probably get those millions but what happens to the kids who don’t make it big who get lured by some trafficker?
It is mostly done by drug cartels. So yeah, it’s not really something MLB wants to associate itself with, and it puts the players at the mercy of said elements in paying them back.
MLB really needs to lean on the American government to get rid of the dumb embargo.
Cuba would have to consent just as much. The US isn’t having any problems letting these guys in; it’s Cuba that isn’t letting them leave.
Thanks for the insightful comment.
I believe the embargo isn’t going anywhere as long as Castro is alive… I think there could be some movement one he goes
The piece in the article that says the tax for the Yankees on a Castillo deal could come to $20 or $25MM fails to mention that’s over an estimated 6 or 7 year deal, Which comes to about $3.5 to $4MM per year assuming no increase in the Tax threshold of $189MM when the CBA expires at the end of the 2016 season. I think we all realize that $4MM per year is hardly an obstacle for the Yankees.
that’s a good point, and I would add we don’t know what the Yankee’s payroll is going to be when some of these contracts, like CC, A-Rod, Tex, etc. roll off. In three years, they could look completely different. They will always spend, of course.
My friend what we do know is that for MLB Luxury Tax purposes:
A-Rod’s salary of $27.5MM comes off the books after the 2017 season
Tex’s salary of $22.5MM comes off the books after the 2016 season
CC’s salary of $24.4MM comes off the books after either the 2016 season OR 2017 if his vesting option vest.
Beltran’s salary of $15MM comes off the books after the 2016 season
Prada’s salary of $11MM comes off the books after the 2016 season.
Keep in mind those are all payroll numbers for MLB luxury tax purposes not necessarily what they are making each year. That’s a lot of money coming off the books in the next few seasons.
I agree with you that the Yankees will always spend on the brand. My best guess is the Yankees payroll for the foreseeable future will almost always be in the $200 to $225MM range +/-. There isn’t any reason nor should the Yankees operate like a small market team when it comes to their payroll.
if the primary opposition was from the smaller market teams and teams worried about spiraling costs, I think MLB would be best served by seriously taking a hard look at the myriad drafting gimmicks they have in place right now. I’d prefer to see a traditional draft, in reverse order, and the same for an international draft. The salary slots seem purely arbitrary, and seem to encourage gaming the system. High revenue teams that can’t get access to good younger players will be inclined to spend huge amounts on free agents. that drives prices up, and makes it harder for smaller market teams to compete.
Miami could deal Stanton and still have Jose Fernandez!
The statement about the Mets is 100% right.
Also the Coupons don’t wanna pay his contract
Supporting human traffic???? They just want to play baseball at the highest level and risk they life and leave all they family behind, most of the case they can’t go back then they have to spend several months sometimes years to be able to sing (most of them never sign cuz are not good enough or are too old or just got injury) it doesn’t get any harder than that
The issue is with having players indebted to the drug cartels that deal in the human trafficking process. Can you imagine what favor Al Capone might have asked if an MLB player owed him money?
Yeah they would blow the Yankees Staduim up I saw that movie lol
Does anyone see Red Sox or Yankees going after Tulowitzki in a trade this winter? With Jeter leaving and Bogaerts not doing as well as expected any chance either team makes a play for him?