The Major League Baseball Player’s Association has announced the official class of free agents for the upcoming offseason. Click here to find the complete list, along with an excellent foreword (featuring an interview with lefty Andrew Miller) that was penned by MLBTR’s own Tim Dierkes.
121 players will hit the open market, according to the MLBPA. Former teams will enjoy a five-day exclusive negotiating window before the newly-minted free agents will be eligible to sign with any club.
Of course, MLBTR will be all over the free agent news and rumors as they unfold over the coming months. Be sure to keep an eye on our list of current free agents, which will be updated as the market moves. And, of course, MLBTR’s Free Agent Tracker will keep you up to date on the deals that have been completed. Tim will unroll his top fifty free agent list in the coming days as well, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.
You know, the tropey “taking care of my family” line needs to stop. Baseball players just need to admit they want to be greedy at this point in their life. There’s nothing wrong with it, but nobody believes that you’re thinking of your family when you’re already making 400k/year (more than 99.5% of the country) and you’re in most cases already making multiple millions through arbitration. Millions. Your family is good unless you’re terrible at money. Most people never manage to make 2-3 million total for their entire lives.
Get your money. Get paid. Just stop lying to everyone about your motivations, which is to get a lot of money. We’re not dumb, players.
There’s nothing greedy about wanting fair market value for your services. Just because it’s likely to be more money than any of us see in our lives, doesn’t make it greed. He makes that money for the team he plays for. He’s entitled to it. Just as if you or I made millions of dollars for the companies we worked for we would also be entitled to it.
That’s not what he’s saying. He said pretty much the same thing as you, but that players need to quit saying “I need to make another million to be able to take care of my family” to thinly veil greed. I make far, far less than the MLB minimum and I support my family just fine.
He’s saying there’s nothing wrong with it, but attributing it to greed. That is where we disagree.
I disagree with you.
Sure, if you already have $60 mil in the bank, it’s hollow to discuss it in those terms. But $5-10MM in earnings, after taxes?
Yes, it is reasonably likely that it could go a long way and could even cover all reasonable expenses for your immediate family for the rest of your life, but investment is not without risks and — depending upon one’s goals — it is hardly an unimaginable fortune. And what if a player has extended family to consider? Major health or other costs for someone they love? How much padding is enough, really?
Most of these guys came from average enough upbringings that I think we can credit it as a reasonable reaction to the situation. You and I would probably think of things in the same terms were we the ones in that situation.
And you don’t even mention the commission each player’s agent is taking. Looking at Miller’s career earnings, his agent has banked around $435K of that, and he’s taxed heavily on the rest of it.
Obviously he’s made a comfortable sum, but I’m 100% on board with Jeff’s sentiments.
Plus, there’s something to be said for not only providing for this generation, but future generations within your family. If I had the opportunity to make sure that even my great grandchildren were taken care of, I’d certainly want to do so and would take great pride in the fact that I was able to do that.
In many cases, it’s not greed, because the players know they can’t possibly spend all this money on themselves. Daniel Murphy recently had a great quote about how he couldn’t possibly spend what he’d earn on a theoretical extension in his lifetime, but he still wants to earn it for his children, their children, etc.
Calling a player greedy for wanting to maximize his earnings doesn’t make any sense to me. All of us with standard working jobs want to be compensated fairly within our own market and earn as much as we can. That line of thinking shouldn’t apply to athletes because their earnings are greater than ours? I don’t buy that.
Especially since their earnings occur in such a tight time period and are so highly variable.
Also, it’s not just extended family, it’s future generations as well. If you could make enough money to put your grand- or great grandkids through college, I’d say that’s pretty cool and you should go for it.
I understand your reaction to the cliches, but if I could throw a baseball 97 miles an hour, or hit one 450 feet, why shouldn’t I be paid as much as the market would bear? We should reward and elevate talent, whatever it is, especially when it’s rare talent, and it’s not enduring. There just aren’t a lot of people out there who can do the types of things these players do. And they are always an inch away from a career threatening/altering/ending injury. Let them be paid. Certainly the sport can afford it.
That’s a rather cynical view, don’t you think?
In any market, we wish to be paid as well as those who are on an equal playing field with us, and more than those who are worse than us. It’s just the way it works.
Besides, who are you to determine the needs of each individual player? How much money is going to commission for agents, taxes, and even better, charity? Unless you know where the money is going, let’s not assume things.
Thanks for the link! I think you meant to say “foreword”, not “foreward.”
I can’t believe I wrote that. Thanks.
Good read on MLB.com
Free Agent Contest! Free Agent Contest!
Id like to see the Rangers In on Billy Butler. Also a Outfielder that can either compete for or take Alex Rios’ place. Maybe a back of the rotation starter and a nice proven veteran RP.
That be my Christmas list, Go!
The Rangers already have one no-field, all-hit 1B/DH type earning a lot of money. Nobody knows if Fielder can even play the field going forward, and Butler certainly can’t. If they go after a 1B/DH type I assume it’d be one who could man 1B in addition to DH.
I feel between Prince can still play first base. His neck injury was lingering back from 2013 w/ Detroit. Other than this, he hasn’t missed time. I do appreciate your point. I am largely enamored w/ Billy Butlers bat. I also like Daric Barton. Maybe some competition between him and Moreland for first.
The Rangers still have Mitch Moreland so theres some flex.
Well, the thin outfield market pretty much guarantees Melky leaves Toronto for greener (and probably natural grass) pastures. Nick Markakis is the guy I assume AA will be looking at. Perhaps Morse? What are we thinking Jays fans?
The 3B market seems pretty damn fruitful though, no one the Jays could afford or even get to play in Canada if they could. Pablo, Hanley and Chase. Three pretty good ball players and I have to basically guarantee that one of them ends up in Yankee pin stripes. The other two? Who knows.
I am really hoping the Jays make a move on Shields and one or more relievers, possibly Neshek and Motte? Lord knows they need to revamp the pen.
Arizona Diamondbacks?