When Rockies megastar Nolan Arenado inked a franchise-record $260MM contract extension in February, it was of course assumed that the opt-out clause in his contract was one of Arenado’s demands to increase his leverage. However, it’s since been revealed that it was Rockies GM Jeff Bridich, not Arenado, who pushed for the inclusion of an opt-out clause. At first blush, that’s a questionable negotiating tactic at best. If a team wanted to lock up its star player for the long-run, why would it give him the option to jump ship three years into the contract? The Athletic’s Nick Groke, who spoke to Bridich himself, can provide some insight into the GM’s thinking. It’s left to Rockies fans to decide if they’re satisfied with his justification, which draws on the organization’s history with big contracts for the likes of Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton. While Rockies brass aren’t yet concerning themselves with Arenado’s decision, they will have to if the next couple of years play out anything like 2019. With Arenado intent on winning and the franchise preparing for another uninspiring offseason, the outlook for 2020 and beyond may be hampered by apparent financial restrictions. For the time being, though, the possibility of an Arenado opt-out looms as the club embarks on the winter with hopes of returning to the postseason.
Here are the latest notes from the Senior Circuit…
- It was a forgettable first season in Flushing for Mets second baseman Robinson Canó, one of the team’s crown jewels from last winter. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reflects on the disappointing year for Canó while looking ahead to the future, which includes four more years of Canó, who turns 37 on Tuesday. While he seemed to find his stroke after the All-Star break, the overall numbers were still a far cry from the slugger that New Yorkers have come to know and love. Injuries no doubt played a considerable part in those struggles, with Canó landing on the injured list on three separate occasions, leading him to enter the offseason aiming to strengthen his legs. Still, the outlook for 37-year-old position players is not an especially promising one—and Canó won’t be given any breaks, given his hefty paycheck.
- With the Nationals having punched their ticket to the World Series, they have some decisions to make regarding the roster and strategy for the Fall Classic. And they’ve been given plenty of time to ruminate on their options. Mark Zuckerman of MASN has a thorough roundup on the questions the Nats will have to answer in the coming days. Of course, their AL opponent will have some influence on the particular choices, but general manager Mike Rizzo and company are preparing plans for either scenario. A couple of bullpen spots could be up in the air, though the starting rotation’s dominance has thus far rendered those choices seemingly unimportant. But with the year’s most important games on the horizon, those decisions will not be taken lightly.
DiPoto should win exec of the year on that Diaz Cano deal alone. To get out of that contract and to get 2 prospects with that pedigree was amazing.
Was it more him doing good or BVW doing bad? We will never know
Wasn’t he the one who gave Cano the contract in the first place
Yes and yes. Brody salesman got the contract from the dummy mariners management. Then Brody salesman blinked himself and got the sucker of the year award.
This will go down as Canos best season for the Mets. He’s been sliding and now the drops will be greater. Too bad Mets fans
Yep, that was a trade that either paid off immediately or would’ve been a crippling sunk cost. That risk/reward alone makes it a silly trade for the Mets.
No, that was Jacky Z.
Jack Z gave Cano the 10-year deal. Not DiPoto. No major signings from DiPoto beyond their new Japanese pitcher.
No. The last Mariners GM gave Canó that contract. Not Dipoto
The prospects were for Diaz, not Cano and he only got out of $66 million. He took on Bruce and Swarzak’s salaries AND kicked in $20 million.
Bruce and Swarzack were both movable. Cano is not.
They were moveable after the season started and the braves lost minter. There was no way anyone was trading for swarzak in the winter or even before the season began. Same w bruce we were stuck with him no one wanted him, of course once mccutchen went down the Phil’s had a need. Could u imagine the mets opening the year w swarzak and bruce on their roster? The fans wouldve burned citifield down. In hindsight and on paper the trade wasnt too bad u gave up 2 prospects for diaz well worth it at the time. Cano was the reason why diaz only cost 2 prospects. Then the $ back and bruce and swarzak going back to offset the $ portion. Bvw tried and it didnt work so we move forward.
Not sure what Met fans you are referring too. No one wanted Cano and no one felt trading your best prospect for a reliever made any sense. Yes a few idiots liked it but that’s about it. Guess who was proved right? Btw any dope coulda figured if Swarz came back healthy he could contribute and same with Bruce. Any dope but Brody. I will also add, the Muts will not sign anyone because of sitting with Cano. The includes tendering Wheels. Brody Van Dope.
Go on the Mariners Facebook page. Tons of people bashing Dipoto still. Most Mariners fans are complete idiots!
yea He Bamboozled Brodie Van Wagendickhead Good for DiPoto sometimes it’s a rough learning curve especially for idiots
Bridich insisting on an opt out for Arenado is questionable. If they are in a position where Bridich wants Arenado to opt out you can completely forget about him opting out.
I’m sure what he wants is Arenado to play well enough that they get him during more prime years and then he opts out so another team can pay him for his decline. I don’t know why you think he would want him to play poorly.
I remember loria thinking this would happen for Stanton. It should be motivation tho
Again, if he is hoping that Arenado opts out so that someone else can pay for his decline years, you can completely forget about Arenado opting out. If he opts out it means he is playing at a level that Bridich actively wants to be on the hook for the remainder of his contract. If no such level of play exists, then there also exists no such level of play at which Arenado opts out.
You are just wrong. If he plays well and opts out they won’t extend him. It will suck to lose him, but small and mid market teams can’t afford to pay players $25 mil a year into their mid and late 30s and remain competitive. The opt out is a good thing because it means they basically managed to get a guy like Arenado on a 3-4 year deal, in his prime, and not pay him for 3-5 bad years.
I’m not wrong. You are. If they hadn’t given him an opt out and he continued to play well, they could have kept him for his remaining prime years then traded him and the remaining money owed to him for a haul of prospects. But with the opt out they lose him for nothing. Trading a player for prospects will always beat losing him for nothing.
Oh, and if he isn’t playing at a level where the Rockies would be able to trade him, he isn’t going to opt out in the first place.
I rest my case. Opt outs are terrible for teams. People were saying the same crap you are saying two years ago about Giancarlo Stanton and guess what? There’s no way he’s opting out.
Opt outs are terrible for teams. People were saying the same crap you are saying two years ago about Giancarlo Stanton and guess what? There’s no way he’s opting out.
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You are making the case for why opt-outs aren’t bad for the owners. They are seldom used. CC, Kershaw & Upton I think got one year added to their contracts. The NYY were fine with CC, and Kershaw is still a positive for LAD.
If my math is right, Upton squeezed one more year worth about $16M. But even with that, Detroit wasn’t hurt by the opt-out. If I thought I was getting a good deal with a player, I wouldn’t mind throwing in an opt-out.
What I’m saying is the contract would have been better from the team’s perspective if it never included an opt out. If the player underperforms his contract the opt out doesn’t make a difference. If he overperforms it his team’s options are to either overpay him to stay or lose him for nothing. How is that good for the team?
If the actual GMs view Nolan and his contract the way Black Ace57 does, then there is absolutely zero chance of him actually opting out, regardless of how well he plays in the next 2 seasons.
The guys an idiot. Fire him now
Bridich is easily the goofiest GM in baseball, between the abysmal Wade Davis deal ($72MM) and giving the 1st or 2nd best 3rd baseman in Baseball a chance to jump ship.
I think he’s one of the many GMs that will be part of the GM purge in winter 2020 that Joel “Look at Me” Sherman was predicting from on high.
I can’t imagine any advantage to just giving him the opt-out for free. It is highly unlikely that he would opt out, since it is now a $164M/5 option, there is slight chance that the next CBA will be more generous to the players.
5/164 may be beatable if he’s playing at a high level. He’ll only be 30 years old. We’re talking about rendon getting a deal today that beats that. Obviously would have to see how the next 2 years go but it’s at least plausible.
I know Van Waganen gets killed for the Diaz/Cano deal…
While a year later is a fair amount of time to guage the results..here’s my opinion:
Yes..Cano was hurt..and Diaz had a horrible season…Kelenic broke out…Dunn was just ok…Bruce and Swarzak…mehh..
Cano…while pricey…can still play
I feel he should be limited to 4-450 ab’s
A .270 15-20hr 70-75rbi season wohld make me happy (along with health)
Diaz will revert back to the best closer in the league..and is still not even in his prime years…which is what the Mets truly paid for in the deal.
BVW does have his hands full this off-season..but he has proven to be a guy who goes out and gets what he feels the team needs (Bullpen CF and back up catcher comes to mind this off-season)
What do i do if im BVW???
1) trade for Ken Giles…
Gimenez,Humphreys and low A prospect should be close…
CF?? 2 blockbuster options…
1) Starling Marte to Mets for
Nimmo,Vientos,Dibrell and AA prospect
2) Mookie Betts to Mets for
Syndergaard,Nimmo,D.Smith,Gimenez and Wolf
Suzuki,Rivera,Lucroy or Weiters for secondary catcher…
These wont happen…but are the type of moves i expect from BVW..
You set the bar high Brodie..
Do it again
The fact that the Mariners were able to dump Cano at all was nothing short of a miracle. And to get back Kelenic in the same trade…
Kelenic is the prize. Dipoto got him. BVW gave him away. Winner is Dipoto
Even if Kelenic busts that Mariners still win that trade
Mariners need to keep working on sending out more of their overpriced players…they won’t be competitive in 2020 so might as well get some pieces for the future
Besides Gordon, they don’t have any.
Seager
Like who? It would have to be another Cano type trade in order to dump Gordon and Seager