In an interesting bit of free-agent news, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweets that veteran reliever David Robertson plans to represent himself in free agency this offseason.
The move comes as a surprise for the still-excellent hurler, who is wrapping up a four-year, $46MM contract. At the time, only Jonathan Papelbon and B.J. Ryan had secured larger guarantees as relievers. Even in the four years that have followed, only Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon and Wade Davis have landed larger total guarantees.
There’s little in terms of recent precedent for players representing themselves in major negotiations. Huston Street was self-represented when he negotiated his final contract with the Angels, signing for two years and $18MM. Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, meanwhile, reportedly may have negotiated the bulk of his extension with Pittsburgh himself; Vazquez switched representation on multiple occasions in the year preceding that deal, with one player rep telling MLBTR at the time that Vazquez had been with as many as four or five different agencies in the calendar year leading up to his extension.
Digression aside, the 33-year-old Robertson (34 next April) will head into free agency with yet another strong case for a multi-year deal. While he won’t reach the $46MM heights of his most recent contract given his age, Robertson is still fresh off a quality 3.23 ERA with 11.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate in 69 2/3 innings. He kept his ERA south of 3.50 and averaged at least 10.8 punchouts per nine innings in all four seasons of his expiring four-year pact, and his 2017 season — 1.84 ERA, 12.9 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 2.57 FIP, 2.76 xFIP — was nothing short of outstanding.
Robertson’s 92.6 mph average fastball in 2018 was actually a slight bit better than it’s been in recent seasons, though he saw his opponents’ swinging-strike rate, chase rate and hard-contact rate all trend in the wrong direction. Even with those dips, though, there’s little reason to expect anything less than a two-year deal for Robertson at a time when relievers figure to be more coveted than ever before. And given Robertson’s uncanny durability — no fewer than 60 games and 60 2/3 innings pitched in a season since 2010 — teams may well view him as a less-volatile option than several of his peers.
No doubt the agents are going to be closely monitoring this. Whatever contract he gets, will be 10x magnified for scrutiny.
Ha… Schilling was negotiating his own contracts from at least 2004 on and the 3y deal he got over the winter of ’03 covering 04-06 was worth 40m.
I hope the Yankees find a way to bring him back. Robertson has been nothing but consistent throughout his career
He’s an effective RP with 137 career saves. Clutch in the playoffs too. One has to worry about being 33, but think barring a “hometown discount”, won’t be coming back. Imagine if Yanks re-sign Britton AND DRob? Even by the Yanks pockets’ this seems like another leaving for greener pastures to sign w/ closer-needy team situation. Can’t help but think this move going agent-less (kuddos) increases the Yanks’ chances, if not slightly, however.
2 X $10.5m?
That’s what I was thinking. I feel like the Morrow contract is a good aiming point
Third year vesting option based on games finished?
Win-win. If you don’t need him close, it doesnt vest
At this stage of his career he’ll probably not be concerned with a vesting option. My guess is he retires a Yankee.
I think this announcement almost assures a return.
I also wouldn’t be surprised if he just goes with a series of one year deals from here on out.
He can bet on his health and get more per year while maintaining year to year flexibility.
Too many innings…..
He’s a career 2.88 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 2.90 xFIP (657.0IP)
Less than 1 HR / 9 every year of his career… wow
Who’s worried? Only thing concerns me is age (33)
33 isnt really that old for a pitcher. Its probably the beginning of the end but theres surely a few more quality seasons. It isnt like he’s a singles hitting centerfielder than needs speed to produce value to his game. Plenty of pitchers go until they’re 40.
Career numbers go out the window at his age.
I think he probably wants it done sooner, than later. Too many hung out there too long the last couple of years and several complained that they felt the agents misinterpreted the market, or maybe didn’t communicate clearly to both sides (Jason Werth comes to mind).
In Robertson’s mind, as he is a player rep, he probably wants to be the only one speaking.
Great point about these reps not always working out for the players. I’d personally have a rep but only to help understand a contract, not to gage the market.
It prolly be cheaper for the Evil Empire all n all. Too many have greedy Boris anyways.
Two year deal max
Lol. Criminal, if Bryan Shaw gets more yrs than DRob, even accounting for “Coors Field tax”
Age is a huge factor in contract length now that ped’s aren’t boosting performance for guys in their late 30’s
Are you giving Nelson Cruz the benefit of the doubt with his history? He could be using drugs that MLB doesn’t test for.
I will wait to see the proof
Why stop at Cruz? Anyone playing productive baseball over the age of 37 must be on something. Guilty until proven innocent!
You live in dreamland or don’t pay attention to say something like that… Of course players (of all ages) still use. MLB can’t and doesn’t want to maintain up to date inventory of all PED’s available.. Some players just slip through the cracks.
And the proof? I’ll wait.
berteuthis….PED’s that produce muscle mass do so through artificially raising testosterone. Pre-Biogenesis testing relied on a 4-1 Testosterone to Epitestosterone ratio. Normal ratio is 1-1 although some can go higher. That meant a player with a 1-1 ratio could cheat and raise their ratio to the 4-1 range and not get busted like the Biogenesis clients. Bosch had his guys use testosterone lozenges and well timed injections of HGH. HGH doesn’t build muscle but it does (as studies as far back as 2010 in Australia) artificially lower T:E ratios. That was then…this is now.
The old 4-1 is out the door and has been since the embarrassment of Biogenisis. The MLBPA finally caved and allowed WADA style testing. Now all players have a longitudinal profile meaning every test is logged and a T:E baseline is established. If there is an abnormal fluctuation that is cause for a failed test. The sample is then put through IRMS (Isotope ratio mass spectrometry ) to pinpoint the drug used. Drugs that clear the urine sample, in earlier testing, can be detected by IRMS 6 months later…the bio markers are still there.
Unless you know of a drug that creates muscle mass without altering testosterone you claim is without merit.
BTW…I’m pretty sure the WADA certfied lab, Laboratoire de Controle du Dopage, in Montreal where all MLB testing is done has a pretty up to date listing.
mlbplayers.com/pdf9/5450924.pdf
Ya’ll just been scienced.
Good chance for the braves to go get him for cheap. Lol … big money… let the professionals handle that while u continue to get paid to play a game
Braves will probably be more in the market for Ottavino and Britton. O’Day is signed for next year, Dayton will be coming of the DL, and they have a bunch of pitching prospects who could wind up in the pen.
There’s no way he’s leaving the Yankees, he’s not even gonna hire anyone. They probably already offered him a contract.
8Two things to keep in mind. 1) he’s already made over 50 million dollars in his career, its not like he needs every penny to make sure his kids, if he has any, have food on the table. 2) does it really matter if he ends up signing a deal for 5-10 percent less than what he would have signed if he had an agent negotiating for him because that 5-10 percent would go to the agent anyway. Its not like he’s going to take a two year 8 million deal just because he doesn’t have an agent.
I think he might actually take a slight hometown discount. And by not having to give a 10% cut to an agency he can recoup some of it.
Really hope the Yankees bring him back. He’s a great reliever that can be used in different spots and he’s NY proven. And no thanks on Britton. For that money, bring back Miller.
Chapman, Bettances, Robertson AND Miller? Hell yes.
Britton was better than Miller this year, Robby is a no brainer for the Yanks.
Roberson and Miller signs with the Mets. U heard it here first
Hey 24-through be told, you heard it from the new Mets VP Baseball Operations. It was based upon his use of analytics that showed Robbie was a good piece for their pen.
Oh, they haven’t hired one yet. And they are not going to find one whom relies upon analytics.
So 24 this is what your heard it here right now. Mets Chief Flunky “TC” tells Fred that he can get a deal on Andrew Miller. He leaves out the details about Andrew’s lack of durability and focuses on buying him in the cheap so Mutt goes for it.
Why would any good free agent sign with the Mets?
And somehow the Mets still lose 90? He doesn’t fix their can’t hit for ($***) problem.
If he has anyone knock on his door late at night he probably shouldn’t answer it
Out of yankes pending free agents I hope Robertson is the one that comes back
Allow myself to self-represent my….self…..
It’s not my bag, baby… = )