March 16: ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports that Gonzalez is actually guaranteed just $5MM on his deal with the Rox, though he can earn $3MM of incentives quite easily (Twitter link). Per Crasnick, Gonzalez will earn a $1MM bonus for accruing 125, 150 and 175 days of Major League service time this season. In other words, as long as he’s on an active roster or disabled list (be it the Rockies’ or another team) for that number of days, he’ll receive those bonuses. In effect, he’ll get that $3MM so long as he isn’t released.
March 12: The club has announced the signing.
March 9, 12:23pm: Gonzalez will be guaranteed $8MM on his deal with the Rockies, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter link).
9:44am: The Rockies are reportedly set to bring right fielder Carlos Gonzalez back to Denver. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the two sides are merely working through the final language details of the contract, and MLB.com’s Jon Morosi adds that there’s an agreement “in principle” on a one-year pact. Heyman reported last night that the two sides were close to an agreement on a one-year deal. Gonzalez is represented by the Boras Corporation.
A reunion between the two sides has been reported to be a possibility for much of the offseason, but CarGo remained on the market well into Spring Training as he explored all opportunities. He’ll now return to the team with which he broke out as a star-caliber player back in 2010 and the team which he has thrice represented at the All-Star Game over the past nine seasons.
Gonzalez, 32, picked a poor time to struggle through one of the worst seasons of his big league career. The slugger posted a .262/.339/.423 slash and 14 home runs in 2017 — his lowest total in a full season at any point in his career. While he rebounded in the season’s second half and finished out his 2017 campaign with a torrid .327/.401/.553 batting line in his final 227 plate appearances of the season, that apparently didn’t prove convincing enough to garner a multi-year deal on the open market. (Gonzalez did sport a ridiculous .401 BABIP during that turnaround.)
He’ll now look to carry as much of that production as possible into a full season and rebuild his stock in an effort to land a longer-term pact next winter. Bryce Harper, of course, headlines the 2018-19 crop of free-agent outfielders, and CarGo will also face competition in the form of Andrew McCutchen, Adam Jones and longtime teammate Charlie Blackmon.
Gonzalez was one of baseball’s most feared hitters from 2010-13, when he batted .311/.370/.556 in nearly 2200 plate appearances with the Rockies. Since that time, he’s been more good than great, posting a collective .272/.332/.484 line, which translates to a 103 OPS+ after adjusting for Coors Field. To be fair, he’s turned in two fairly strong seasons — including a 40-homer 2015 campaign — against two weak seasons in that time, and his 2014 season was ruined by a knee injury that has not sent him back to the disabled list since.
As far as 2018 goes, Gonzalez will likely supplant Gerardo Parra as the primary right fielder. His return will present Rockies brass with a similar outfield quandary to the one they faced last spring, as the team will now have Blackmon and Gonzalez as outfield regulars with Parra, Ian Desmond, Raimel Tapia and a (hopefully) healthier David Dahl all in the mix for the remaining outfield at-bats. It’s possible that Gonzalez could be platooned to an extent, and there’s previously been talk of him eventually getting some occasional looks at first base, where Desmond also has experience. Extra time at first base for Desmond could take some time away from top prospect Ryan McMahon, but McMahon also has experience at second base and third base, giving skipper Bud Black plenty of opportunities to get creative with his lineup.
Regardless of how the team divides the playing time, the added depth should serve as a boon to the on-field product, and CarGo’s return should also go over well in the clubhouse. Rockies superstar Nolan Arenado recently lauded his longtime teammate in an interview with the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders, and the Post’s Nick Groke tweeted this morning that the clubhouse seems energized by the news, with Blackmon stating that he “would love to have CarGo back.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Let me be the first to welcome you back, CarGo!!
I seriously wanted him in Baltimore but nope. Instead we sign some POS Rasmus he left his team last year and doesn’t even know how long he wants to play…. Real winner he is. Hope CarGo bounces back.
You bro mad?
Uh…wut
Colby Rasmus offers Defense:
+4 DRS, +3 UZR, +17.2 UZR/150 in 231.1 Inn, in 2017
+20 DRS, +14.9 UZR in 869 OF Inn, in 2016
Power: (9 HR in only 121 AB, last year before going on Restricted List)
He was worth +1.1 WAR with the Rays in limited PT, and was never worth negative WAR in his career.
He’s had 4 Assists in 2017, and 13 Assists two years ago. He’s had at least 1 OF Assist, every year of his career (45.total) He’s only 31. Rasmus is massively underrated, and still has talent left. I just wish he shaves off the beard.
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=9893&posit…
Rasmus is a good defender in the outfield, but outfield assists aren’t a very useful stat – runners tend to take more chances advancing on guys with bad arms so occasionally outfielders who aren’t good throwers rack up assists. Rickey Henderson, famous for his rag arm, racked up 17 assists one year and had several other double-digit assist seasons.
Just the opposite. Runners tend to not try to take the extra base on guys with good arms. It’s a great place to start looking. Then see what the percentage of extra bases attempted against that player compared to other players that play the same position. If he has assists and a low attempt rate then its a sure sign that his arm is effective both in gunning down runners and preventing them from even making the attempt. Rasmus is a plus on both counts. What he may not have is the heart to play.
I’m in. You guys do all the research and then let me know when your all finished.
When Rasmus was with the Jays, he always looked like he was semi-depressed .And his quality of play suffered a bit. He definitely has all the potential in the world to be a regular all star.
Come on man, bmore fans have some class
He left the team to be with his wife and child….last I checked that was more important than baseball.
FYI, cargo doesn’t bounce back.
This could be a steal (in before actual $ amount), still on 32 and 1 year removed from solid production. Not reason other teams didn’t go after him and hits from the left side.
Steal for cargo call a cop Rockies got fleeced!!!Way to much since they were bidding against themselves . Look what royals gave moose and he’s 10 time better than cargo and younger
He’s a .252 hitter with limited power and an awful strikeout percentage away from Coors. The rest of the league figured him out and stayed away.
I would take him over Valbuana any day.
Valbuana is a fair fielding 3B who can even handle 2B if needed. CarGo is basically a DH forced into RF duty because he plays in the NL
There is a slight difference there in what they bring to the team.
He also doesn’t hit lefties particularly well (.261 with a .733 OPS), and his BA on the road against the NL West is .249 over 904 ABs. Seems like a big overpay to me for a so-so defender.
Assuming the money isn’t crazy or anything this seems to be a pretty solid signing for the Rockies. It’ll be interesting to see the money, based on the Moose and Morrison deals some of these teams are going to be getting real steals on some of these players.
Fantasy killer. Downgrade Tapia, McMahon, and Dahl. For the Rockies? Probably a good move
He will take at bats away from Tapia.
I do not like the move.
Say it aint so JB.
Didn’t CarGo hace some massive(at the time extension) he signed with the Rockies? Maybe like 2012 he signed a 8 year extension about the same time as Tulo.
It was a huge 7 year $80MM extension he signed before the 2011 season. It was the biggest for a 2-year player ever.
wasnt cargo sent to colorado from okland in the matt holliday deal?
He got twice as much as Gomez.
Good signing for the Rockies
Lots of sentimental signings lately. NL West teams probably like this signing. Might retard the development of Tapia with Cargo stealing time. You would think that he will face RHP only and you will see more of the same from last season and he will cost the Rox a game here or there. But you know darn well that Bud Black wants to put him out there as much as possible.
Agree. As a Giant’s fan this does not upset me at all.
I don’t think Tapia is an ideal starter just yet. David Dahl needs to play this year though. They still have Desmond and Parra on hand too. I imagine Tapia is playing in AAA most of this season. If anything, I think this hurts McMahon the most since Desmond will be taking up ABs at 1B
I’m surprised by the amount. Hopefully there is a very team friendly option for 2019 (maybe 3M?).
The key at this point is limiting him to a platoon role. CarGo can still mash RH pitching, and he isn’t yet a liability in RF. I’m optimistic the Rockies are aware of this and will start the season with a full time platoon between CarGo/Parra and Desmond/Cuevas. Noel Cuevas is having a great ST after a great 2017 in PCL–he deserves a shot.
The acquisition may even allow the Rockies to start McMahon in AAA to get an extra year of control.
8mm dollar platoon??? That’s a nice contract for him. Imagine what Walker is thinking. Or even Moose?
The Chicago Cubs have a $184,000,000 platoon player.
That’s not fair! Heyward sucks against both lefties and righties!
“The Chicago Cubs have a $184,000,000
platoon playerdefensive replacement .”…fixed it for him?
Flags fly forever
Platooning two bad lh hitters vs same side arms isn’t really a productive platoon. Parra’s more of a 4thish OF that’s just a bit better than league average vs RH.
Not only platoon CarGo, but leave him at home during road trips. His Home/Road splits are terrible.
Im sorry but how did Cargo essentially get more money than Moustakas?
He has a better agent. **snicker**
Well I would say “the few teams who needed 3B moved on because of extreme demands leaving Moose without a musical chair when the music stopped, where many teams can always use a fair-OBP power-hitting OFer” …but then we have the issue of the Rockies not needing an OFer
So I must conclude both teams are merely doing their old guys a favor with the Royals also pricing in the cost of a DP Moose cost them
It would be more accurate to say “a fair-OBP power-hitting OFer” when he’s at Coors. A .308 OBP, and a .427 SLG for his career on the road is sub-par.
I’m shocked that Cargo got $8 million for one season. Even before Moustakas’ re-signing at such a cheap rate I’d thought that Gonzalez wouldn’t have gotten even $5 million on a one year deal.
8 is a great get, I’d have thought less than moose for sure. Lost in their 2 contracts is epic fail by Borass at the expense of his clients. I’d hire new agency and get a fresh start next year and without loss of draft choice tied to them would help that new start
Cargo had one of those years… Time to move on and prepare for a new season c’mon…
If he doesmt bounce back who would sign nect year…he needs a big season or all he will get are minor league contract offers next season.
Big overpay. I don’t understand…
If I would’ve told you that cargo was gonna get a better contract than moose 4 months ago, would you have believed me?
Not me.
No shot. It was a pretty popular opinion around the comment section that 5/85 for Moose would be an absolute disaster though. I’m not so sure how it just became accepted that Moose would sign for more than double what a guy like Todd Frazier would. Idk
Borass goes crawling on his belly back to 2 of his clients teams on pillow contracts , quietly I may add. I’m not shocked since snakes know how to crawl on their bellies
I’m sure Boras, Moustakas and Cargo will all sleep okay tonight. They are all very wealthy people who enjoy their work.
Moustakas lost $12 million dollars listening to Boras. I do not think he is sleeping well.
Boras has egg on his face and should be embarrassed. He is not sleeping well. How many clients or potential client will he lose. Millions
Millions of dollars
He’s probably not the happiest man in the world. The man isn’t hurting for money. Next season will be huge for him going forward though.
Moustakas probably will not be sleeping so well. He just signed back with a rebuilding club that lost their two best players and their protection in the lineup. He’s got an expensive option that certainly won’t be picked up by the royals unless he’s traded to another team or has a huge breakthrough season. No way I see the royals picking up a 15m option for Moose even if he plays like he did last year.
Disagree…losing that much money no matter how rich you are hurts for a lifetime.
The Tigers should acquire Reimel Tapia.. The Rockies are going to let him waste away on their bench.
Claiming Ezequiel Carrera off waivers (they passed) would have been easier and perhaps a better idea. I’m still trying to figure out the Leonys Martin thing, myself.
I dont think Martin is the answer, but I understand the why. They want someone in CF that has range and can catch the ball. He is not the answer in the leadoff spot, and is better suited to a 4th OF role. If they play him, they need to bat him last.
So cargo is making more than moose and he’ll be benched 2 months into the season…wow
Wow, I was really expecting him to retire, he doesn’t seem like he’s got much of anything left in the tank.
He got twice as much as Walker?
Is this one of those face saving deals like the Jays giving Jose $18 million last year where they have to overpay him to not pout?
Comeback player of the year
now that the dust is starting to settle and we’re starting to see how playing time for Dahl, Tapia, and McMahon will be stunted, this move is looking worse by the day
$5M and if he stinks, he’s gone. 125 Days is 2/3 of a season.
In all fairness, Rusney Castillo is making more than Moose or Cargo to roam the outfield at McCoy Stadium.
What does Rusney Castilo have to do with this bad contract? Moose and Cargo are at least somewhat comparable because they signed in the same offseason.
People in these comment sections constantly try to use the examples of bad contracts as some sort of argument against another contract being bad. That worse situations exist does not change that this deal is very questionable.
I was hoping the Rockies would come out of nowhere and sign JD Martinez because he would have challenged HR records playing in Coors.