Here’s the latest on a trio of clubs from the NL East:
- Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, who has proven to be one of the most valuable acquisitions of last offseason, suggested back in July that he’d be open to signing an extension with the club. While a deal hasn’t come together yet, it looks as if the team’s interested in locking up Realmuto for the long haul, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Lauber notes Realmuto could soon become the game’s latest nine-figure catcher, which would place him in company with the likes of the Giants’ Buster Posey and now-retired Twins icon Joe Mauer. Realmuto, a former Marlin, has been superb in 2019 – his age-28 campaign – and has continued to make a case for one of the richest paydays in the history of his position. With just one more season of control left after this one, the Phillies will have to act fast if they’re going to prevent Realmuto from leaving over the next year-plus. Having traded elite pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez for Realmuto over the winter, it stands to reason the Phillies will make a serious attempt to keep the two-time All-Star backstop in the fold.
- In an interview with Andre Fernandez of The Athletic (subscription required), Marlins manager Don Mattingly once again indicated he’d like to manage the club in 2020. But if a new agreement between Mattingly, whose contract is set to expire, and the Marlins doesn’t come together after the season, he’ll be willing to go elsewhere. Mattingly said it’s his “mindset” to manage someplace in 2020, whether it’s Miami or another MLB city. The 58-year-old is in his fourth season in Miami, and though the win-loss results haven’t been pretty, Mattingly’s respected enough to potentially end up on other teams’ radars if the Marlins don’t retain him.
- Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith and right-hander Robert Gsellman are still hoping to return this season, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Time is obviously running out on the injured pair, however. Smith hasn’t played since July 27 on account of a stress reaction in his left foot, but the 24-year-old was among the Mets’ most effective hitters of 2019 before then. Gsellman has been down for just under a month with a partial lat tear – an injury that cut off an unspectacular campaign for the 26-year-old reliever.
Jt is not worth a 9 figure contract, his numbers plays in line how mccan and Martin numbers were and he may get their type of contract.
Sorry, Fangraphs disagrees and sabermetrics are everything nowadays with a 100-to-1 exchange rate with opinions.
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=11739&posi…
Klentak give Realmuto 5-6 years 120-140 mill somewhere between that. They need to lock him up long term for what they gave up to get him.
“Lauber notes Realmuto could soon become the game’s latest nine-figure catcher, which would place him in company with the likes of the Giants’ Buster Posey and now-retired Twins icon Joe Mauer.” The question is how are either one of those deals working out for the teams in the 2nd half of those players contracts? Not good as best I can tell. Realmuto is under team control through the 2020 season. He would become a FA for the 2021 season at the age of 30. I think it would be a mistake to offer a long term deal plus a 9 figure salary to a “catcher” who’ll be 30 yrs old. Just my opinion.
The negative value at the back end of contracts is balanced out by the surplus value they provide up front. If a player is earning the full value in the final years, then they are likely being underpaid in the early years, and Agents know that when they are negotiating.
You have to look at the entire contract, not just the downside.
Well Posey signed his extension earlier in his career than JT. Had they given him that when he was JTs age it would have ended up being even worse than it already looks.
That may be so about Posey’s contract but it doesn’t change the point Cam is making. The entire body of the contract has to be weighed. Most large contracts have positivie and negative value built into them. Right now, Trout is worth every penny. In 8 years he might not be.
No it isnt.
I agree. He’s in his prime now. Keep thru 2020, make a run. Then extend a qualifying offer and let him walk. Unless he will agree to a 5 year deal which he surely will not. The Phils are already going to be dealing with one massive contract, likely to become an albatross in the future.
Interestingly, the Venn diagram of catchers who received nine figure contracts and bad contracts handed out to catchers is a perfect circle.
What you also have to realize is that in today’s market, 9 figures is not as difficult to reach, and can be done in fewer years.. One proposal heard was FIVE years, 112 million. Posey and Mauer were 8 years in length. Even if they go six years, 130 million is not out of line as Molina is already making 20 million, and the combination of JT’s arm and bat will warrant it. Realmuto should be next in line for the Phils, then Hoskins.
The MLBPA and players have every right to be upset with team’s overall lack of aggressiveness shown in free agency the past two seasons. And its there duty to cry foul if the players are getting the short end of the stick.
But while that’s been we’ll documented by the media, no one is asking these overpriced contracts to be paid back. It’s definitely a problem, but not one that’s as simple as “Owners are being cheap.”
Don Mattingly has been friends with Derek Jeter since Spring Training 1994 and was a mentor to the future Hall of Famer. I don’t think Jeter would want to fire him.
You’re right. The coward will have somebody else do it, like when they dismissed Jeff Conine, Andre Dawson, and Tony Perez.
Last time I checked MLB teams have GM’s to make those types of decisions about managers. If Jeter is a coward for not doing someone else’s job, than every CEO in baseball is a coward. Corporations have a chain of command. It is not usually the CEO’s job to hire and fire…even if they were part of the decision making.
You’re a child. Grow up and stop your incessant trolling.
Technically, Mattingly would not be fired. He would just not be offered another contract as his current deal is expiring. I think he gets another year or two to hold them together until they are ready to contend.
It’s a business at the end of the day. There are ways to go about firing a long-time friend. Jeter has other team investors/bosses to answer to as well. The writing is on the wall that Mattingly will be gone.
Miami ownership wants to save money on Mattingly’s contract. Will he work for less? Probably not…..
the great thing about JT is how uniquely athletic he is as a catcher, which not only improves his offensive ability and helps his catching D, but gives him a real chance of successfully moving to another position later in his career.