Six players will be extended qualifying offers this winter, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Those players are:
- Trevor Bauer, Reds RHP
- Kevin Gausman, Giants RHP (story)
- DJ LeMahieu, Yankees 2B
- J.T. Realmuto, Phillies C
- George Springer, Astros OF
- Marcus Stroman, Mets RHP (story)
None of the players issued the QO comes as a particular surprise. Bauer, LeMahieu, Realmuto and Springer were all easy calls for their respective teams. Each of that group will certainly reject the offer. Stroman and Gausman might’ve been tougher calls but had been reported previously.
More notable are the series of players who were not issued a QO. Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will hit the market unencumbered, as he did when he became a free agent two years ago. Oakland didn’t issue a QO to either of Marcus Semien or Liam Hendriks, while the Phillies and Angels decided against an offer for Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, respectively. The six players issued a qualifying offer is down from last offseason’s ten, which isn’t much of a surprise since this winter is expected to be particularly tough for players in the wake of teams’ pandemic-driven revenue losses.
The players issued the qualifying offer will now have ten days to weigh their options. Players who reject the offer and become free agents will cost their signing teams draft compensation (or the right to recoup draft compensation if they sign with their current team). Here is a full run-down of the qualifying offer rules this offseason.
a bit suprised Semian didnt get one, but in a saturated market for SS its not too surprising. he could have taken it and OAK can otherwise pick from the field this year and next.
Oakland can’t afford that AAV before COVID, let alone now.
as a A’s fan i am not surprised since he did not have a good year last year. He hit only .223 with low OBA but his power was there. He did nothing very special last year. Even his defense was down a little in range. A’s are guessing that he will sign for less to stay in Oakland. No team is going to give him close to $20 million a year so its a good gamble with so many SS available this year on the market.
He is the epitome if a 1 year wonder. Not worth anything close to 18 million.
If the A’s couldn’t afford the risk of Marcus Semien accepting an $18.9M QO in the next 10 days they certainly won’t be in the bidding for any of the better free agent shortstops hitting the market this offseason or the elite ones next winter.
Nobody is expecting the A’s to sign a elite SS. They have a elite defensive prospect in AAA next year. If his bat progress in AAA he will be up late in the season in 21. Semien I would not call elite SS in the league. if you throw out 2019 he is a average player every year.
Next years class would be hard for him too. Lindor and Story are both shopping next year.
Don’t forget Seager, Baez & Correa
Plus, Arenado could opt out and become a free agent 3B
Arenado should stay right where he is. I don’t think in this market he gets a contract to match what he’s already owed.
Opting out and signing a one-year get me over deal for next years market is still a better option than staying put.
If I’m OAK, I’m calling the Mets about making a trade for Rosario or Giménez.
I didn’t even think about that trade, That’d blow my mind tbh
Heck Oakland may have been scared he would have accepted. They can’t afford a near $19 million 1 year deal.
Oakland can afford it, their ownership just chooses not to pay.
Oakland may try to work out a long term deal with him, but he probably would have taken the QO and an 18M player in OAK is like a Unicorn & Bigfoot having a picnic.
Didi not getting one is an absolute joke
Ned failed to Rice to the occasion. Not making a QO for Didi makes him, in my book, a dodo.
Aye, you got that right captain, what a complete dodo.
Yup. To me this is a sign of things to come. Phillies are not spending this season.
if they brought back that would mean JT would be gone. they weren’t bringing back both.
I don’t think they’ll be bringing back either.
i dont know about that. what i mean though is saving money from not signing one gives you more leeway to sign the other. and again, im really.not getting myself too down about empty words from owners and FO members, because they dont always do what they say.
These are all fair points. I have very little optimism left in terms of the FO, but time will tell.
Phillies should have given Didi a QO. Given the SS competition next year vs. the modest group this year, he would have assuredly rejected it opting for a shot at a multi-year deal this off-season. Looks like this new guy (Rice) doesn’t have any more between the ears than Klentak.
The both obviously have between the ears than you do!
And you say that because you had time to kill between Mensa meetings!
Yep. Agree. And even if he accepted, you have a starting SS on perhaps a slight overpay. He also becomes a trade asset if the Phillies prove to be the 4th best team in the division, as sad a statement as that may be.
Correct. Phils paid him, what, $14.5 million last year? So what’s another few million, especially since some other contracts (Arrieta, Hunter, Robertson, Bruce et al) are now off the books.
If they didn’t QO Didi because they wanted to save the money for Realmuto, I think they are kidding themselves. I believe the Mets, who released their two catchers, Ramos and Chirinos, are gonna be all-in on Realmuto. And Cohen has more billions to spend than Cigar Guy.
Forgot about the possibility of trading Didi. Just one more reason they should have given him the QO. Certainly not the end of the world if he accepted.
I think he got on last year, and cannot get a 2nd one.
(I could be wrong)
Didi? No. The Yankees didn’t offer him one because he would have taken it and they didn’t want to invest the money as they had both DJLM and Gleyber up the middle.
I agree. Better for Didi as he can now sign without draft pick Comp hanging over his head.
Better for him so he can sign LT deal in encumbered
Not if the Phillies are going after Lindor. They can also still do a long term deal with him. He is probably a guy who wouldn’t want the QO because it hurts his signing opportunities, some teaMS value their draft picks to the point that they won’t sign a player who rec’d a QO
Every single one should accept. Take the guaranteed money. This off-season is going to be very unkind to free agents.
Not for those six. They are all getting long term guaranteed deals.
If Bauer is interested in one-year deals maximizing his value, and if he liked Cincy, I could see him taking the QO. He’d get more than $18m and change on a one year deal in a normal year, but maybe not in this offseason. He could get a long-term deal, but teams might want to back-load it because of the 2021 uncertainty. If he takes the QO, he banks $18+ million and can still get the multi-year deal next off-season.
Cincy would pay Bauer more than $18.9m on a one year deal. Yes even in the current market.
Bauer and his agent have to know that for sure if he’s going to decline the QO.
Bauer will get a monster 1 year deal no risk!
So you think Bauer is leaving 7-up to 15M on the table, but still taking just a one year contract? Off his best season he may ever have? Doubtful
Lol… Zero chance he takes 19mil when he will get 25mil
He’s talked about taking one year deals before. I’m sure nobody else would leave a 7 year deal on the table, but Bauer might.
He also said he’d consider Japan. Bauer says things just to say them. He’s not taking a 30 mil one year deal when he’ll be offered a 7 year for $200+ guaranteed.
True Bauer should take the QO with Cincy and ride 2021 out, $18m might not be Reds final offer
If there’s one truth this offseason, it’s that Trevor Bauer is NOT going to accept the QO from Cincinnati. That is beyond obvious. As you saw with the Mookie extension, top players are still going to get paid top dollar and Bauer proved to be a top player this year. If Bauer opts to sign a one year deal this offseason, the offer must start with a “3”. He’s looking at $30M+ for a one year deal even in this COVID market. At least 5 teams will offer him this much, if not more.
I know he has. My point is if he takes a one year deal he is setting a record for AAV… like 40M+. He probably was far more likely to take a one year deal if he would’ve just had an OK season.
Basically he was waiting for a season like this to cash in. He knows players get paid most when they have a great platform year. He got it perfect timing, first try. I think he signs as big a deal he can, or aims hard for topping Cole’s aav
He has way too big of an ego to not
If Bauer takes a 1 year deal this year, it will be for about 30M (probably more).
Am I the only one who doesn’t get why Gausman is in this group? Sure he had a nice bounce back campaign but he’s definitely not worth 18.9
Agreed. Plus with the new change of only getting it once, provided their output is good, their price next offseason grows even more.
its only ever been just one QO
Not true. Nelson Cruz received two qualifying offers (2013/Rangers, 2014/Orioles) and rejected both before MLB and the MLBPA agreed to the one QO restriction later.
Incorrect. I remember a few years back when they changed the rule. Big win for the players…..
Different times, and different rules.
Per last CBA only once.
I doubt that changes in the new CBA.
any of these guys would get more then 1/19 if you remove the pick compensation, and at least 4 will get it anyway
bauer’s getting 27+ if he takes a 1 year deal
If it was 2022 (or a normal off-season). He could get a good multi-year deal, but is anyone going to pay him $27m in 2021 with uncertain revenue?
yes, they probably will. the market for the real top guys wolnt be as effected as you think.
*he
Yep BBP, then they will cry poor for other 24 spots. But someone will pay the top
If I recall they removed the compensation for QO this year.
Only a bonus the team making the offer.
No penalty for the signing team.
Agree with Trendy. Waaaay too much uncertainty by teams so players can’t maximize long-term contracts. Guys like Gausman especially. Some precedent with the slow market the last few years, this could be worse.
I believe Gausman will accept and possibly Stroman.
All six of them will get more *guaranteed* money on the open market. Remember, guaranteed money isn’t just about 2020. It’s guaranteed money in subsequent years too. They’re all going for, and will receive, multi-year deals. Maybe Bauer will go for a huge single year deal, but that will be for way more than $18.9M. I also don’t believe Bauer. He’s signing for a multi-year deal.
Actually, I’ll amend this. Gausman absolutely should accept. Doesn’t have the track record for a high-cost, multi-year deal. Take the money and price 2020 wasn’t a fluke. If he does, he’ll get that long-term deal. All the rest will reject.
The Brewers need to sign him to a 4 year contract to be the third baseman
Gausman a surprise. Is he really worth a one year for that much?
He had a good year but I probably wouldn’t give it to him as well.
as a Giants fan, I don’t know that I agree with it either. Good year, but probably not that good
Subsequently, I believe Gausy is the only one to sign the QO.
@Gwynning him and Stroman.
Stroman’s agent is on the phones right now to determine what he should do.
If there is enough interest, he might decline, if not, sign it.
Stroman hasn’t been worth $18.9 million in any of his recent AL seasons, and not much changed, at least numbers wise, in 2019 after his trade to the Mets. JMHO, but he should take the money. fact is, most pitchers should. All, even the best of the best, are just one pitch away from injury or TJS.
Actually, you’re making the argument why most pitchers should reject the QO and go for a multi-year deal. Take the guaranteed money on the multi-year deal over the guaranteed money of a single-year deal.
No money is guaranteed.
Until it is.
I wouldn’t have expected him to receive one. Out of the six, I expect him to accept the QO.
The way I see it, it’s basically the same salary they have been paying the Shark for the last 5 years. Gausman was as effective last year as Shark was at his best over the life of the contract. I’m fine with the offer. They need to be in on Bauer as well.
Gausman is probably the 2nd or 3rd best SP on the market after Bauer. He might pitch more middle of the rotation for any team willing to spend on a veteran. Which doesn’t say much for the depth of the FA starting pitcher
I am absolutely shocked that the Giants gave Gausman a QO.
That’s what I’ve been saying lmao.. a 3.07 FIP is impressive but in my opinion, only worth about 2 years 24 mil.
Man I feel like some of you just started watching baseball this season and even then I think you’re looking at 2010 salaries. Gausman put up impressive numbers in those area that all the stat folks look at (SOs, velocity). The question will of course be, is this a #4 overall pick in the draft that finally figured it out or was he pitching all out on a one year contract to get that big deal?
Either way, he succeeded, he is going into an offseason as a FA as one of the top pitching targets available, guess what that makes you, a rich man. Giants gave that QO because if he takes it they get him for a year at probably what he would have gotten annually, he can then prove 2020 wasn’t just a one time deal and cash in bigger in 21 or he regresses and the Giants don’t get stuck in another Samardzija contract. Win win for the Giants. If he has a good 21′ they can offer him a 3 or 4 year deal taking him to about 35 years old and then let him go.
Just for the sake of a thought exercise, accepting the $18.9M offer would give DJL and the Yankees a 3 year/$42.9M pact, or $14.3M AAV. I kinda secretly would prefer this to be what happens. I’m all for paying guys what they deserve. I also understand the risk and the hamstringing that can go with extending or signing a guy to a huge multi-year deal in his 30’s.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: I hope the Yankees and DJL come to a 3 year/$81M pact with $10M as a signing bonus, $1M as a buy out and a 4th year vesting/player/club option worth between $20-25M, bringing the total around $100-105M value. That all but guarantees it gets picked up if DJL is remotely close to how he’s played the past couple seasons.
The Yankees NEED DJL, given their line up deficiencies and the number of guys on the club who are purely power hitters and not much else and don’t stay healthy or consistent.
That said, Gary Sanchez is apparently playing winter ball and trying to re-train himself to get back to form, so here’s to hoping he does just that and whatever reason it was that Gleyber was so awful last season had to do with mental blocks over what’s going on in the world and a 162 game campaign will turn things around so he’s back to a .250-ish hitter with 25+ HR power- maybe he shouldn’t play video games so much… I follow him on IG and it’s all Gleyber does. He’s got a room in his place set up to play and he’s clearly obsessed with Call of Duty, etc. Makes me wonder where his head and efforts are at, even as I understand it’s a perfectly fine way to relax and doesn’t exactly hurt his hand eye coordination.
“so here’s to hoping he does just that and whatever reason it was that Gleyber was so awful last season had to do with mental blocks over what’s going on in the world and a 162 game campaign will turn things around so he’s back to a .250-ish hitter with 25+ HR power- maybe he shouldn’t play video games so much… I follow him on IG and it’s all Gleyber does. He’s got a room in his place set up to play and he’s clearly obsessed with Call of Duty, etc.”
I think a weird 60 game season doesn’t necessarily tell a complete story about who Gleyber is as a ballplayer. Just like one post doesn’t tell the full story about whether you have any idea how to use punctuation or not.
But three years does tell a pretty complete story about who Gary Sanchez is as a ballplayer. The occasional long HRs don’t make up for otherwise woeful offensive and defensive performance. It wasn’t just this year as those trying to protect the guy would claim. 64 SO’s and 6 GIDPs vs. 23 hits. Worst catcher in the league, slow, slow, slow..
Okay pjc1966, you 51 year old whiner: I’ll bite.
Comment sections on baseball news sites are clearly the preeminent form for the accurate display of written English expression. Deigning to use a comma or a period…. ellipses or paragraphs, is of the utmost importance.
I’m a professional writer with an English and Literature degree. I tend to get paid to edit others’ grammatical issues into smooth and succinct drafts with correct punctuation. I’m in lock down like everybody else. I am speculating on why a guy who displayed 30 HR power dropped to 12 HR power. I’m typing quickly off the top of my head while I scan youtube and netflix and play with my cat and so on. I’m not sitting here editing my comments with intention. Yes, I was cheeky about Gleyber’s drop off in production during a stressful and shortened season. Heavily implying that he’s obsessed with video games to the detriment of his playing skills was obviously a great exaggeration on my part. Obviously he works hard at baseball training and video games have nothing to do with it. And all of his IG stories are not actually related to video games.
Have a drink, smoke a doobie and go watch some Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In, or maybe a Sean Connery or Roger Moore era Bond film, Gen X’er.
I’m here to talk casually about baseball, not give people crap about their grammar or get into it with folks like you, but here were are.
I made sure this response was entirely grammatically correct. I hope you are relieved.
Go away troll.
Hahaha TTO. That was awesome
Technically your post is not “entirely grammatically correct “. An ellipse has only 3 dots, not 4 as you have it in the 2nd paragraph. Also, the company names of YouTube and Netflix should be capitalized because that is the way those companies have branded and copyrighted their corporate names. Other than that, your post was well written and I enjoyed it thoroughly!
Points for proper usage of “deigning”…
I guess I had that one coming. I usually don’t comment on people’s grammar, but that was one helluva run on sentence he had there, and it made me laugh out loud (I only quoted half of it).
DJL is not getting 27 million a year for 3 years.
Even in a normal economic climate…..
He might get $81MM for 4 years.
No way the Yankees give DJL $27M over the next three years. I’d offer $65M/3 tops and fourth year option. I’m not a gamer myself but nothing wrong with gaming as long as it isn’t an obsession. It’s no different than watching TV or being online.
Kind of amazing that Gausman, who was taken off the waiver wire just 14 months ago and has a career ERA+ of 100, is on this list, and others are not. And kind of amazing that it’s not a bad bet for the Giants.
It’s kind of a sketchy bet because if takes it, which he should, then they spent $18.9M on one year of him and that’s for a year in which they’re probably not going to be able to compete (barring additional major upgrades to pitching).
Unless he’s just lights out next year, at that price he’s also probably going to have minimal value at the deadline too. If he accepts, it looks like a pretty bad situation for SF, they would be better off spreading that $18.9M across multiple pitchers.
Why? They don’t have a #1 as Cueto probably isnt as bad as his 20 season but likely never will be what they got in 16 from him. The rest of the SPs are youngsters that the Giants aren’t sure what they have and Anderson. Zaidi has said he plans to keep the team competitive, you need good starting pitching to be competitive. If we are all lucky and things begin to open up again at least to 75% by spring then the Giants will be making enough money to cover the 1 year QO which basically is what they overpaid for Samardzija. The Giants really don’t lose in this scenario unless Gausman gets hurt and doesn’t pitch. If he pitches well and they’re out of it, he’s a trade piece, if he pitches well and they’re in it well that’s obvious, and if doesn’t pitch well it is one season and they move on in 2022.
I’m surprised Brantley didn’t get offered the QO
Me, too. He earned $16 million each of the past two years. It would be a bit of an overpay but worth it if they can’t resign Springer.
I would’ve offered Brantley a QO a week ago (figuring HOU would be willing to pay Ozuna/Marte$$ anyway), but it’s to MLB’s/Owner’s advantage to play the gloomy 2021 card long as possible in negotiating to keep salaries down. No matter what you believe politically, tho the election could change the outlook right quick before these guys have to decide on the QO in 10 days. In Astros case, there are prospects to platoon, and will probably only need one OF (Grossman?) since Tucker Straw McCormick (Diaz) Leon will be Spring frontrunners.
I think the Astros really want to re-sign Springer, and they’re saving money by not offering the QO to Brantley. They may also think they can re-sign Brantley at a lower AAV. He’s probably not going to get $18.9M per on a multi-year deal from any team.
Gausman and Stroman – those two are a surprise and I’d be surprised if they didn’t accept.
I agree on both.
Stroman’s ego might make him decline but I wouldn’t mind him returning to the Mets for 1 yr at that price.
Fans keep mentioning his ego. Well, if the market sucks now and he truly believes in himself, then his ego would say give me the $18.9M guaranteed now and I’ll re-enter the better market next year and make even more money.
Gausman and Stroman accept. Everyone else declines and does just fine in FA this offseason.
Semien and Gregorius should have received QO’s.
How did didi deserve one??? You could only give one and realmuto is better
You’re dead wrong bub! A team can extend qualifying offers to any and all of their free agents, provided that the free agent in question was with the team all season and hasn’t received one before. It’s not just JTR or just Gregorius.
Semien had a bad year. Take a look at his stats and his range was even down. That is a big gamble on a small market team if he doesn’t hit like 2019. 2020 stats is not even a $5 million a year SS.
@arc89 if you take his average the last two seasons that is probably worth $18.9 on a one year deal.
Stroman is a smart man when he faked an injury long enough to troll Mets fans into saying he can’t wait to pitch only to opt out. He’s on that Chris Jericho 2012 level right now.
What’s the penalty for teams signing players who turned down QOs? I believe it’s the loss of a 2nd rounder for one player, but what happens if a team signs two or three? Just curious, as I think it’s highly unlikely teams will spend all that big this year anyway.
They just lose the next pick, so the 3rd highest pick etc. happened to the Braves last season when they signed Smith and Ozuna
They give up a draft pick but which one varies according to circumstances. If a team signs more than one the move to the next pick.
More draft picks are surrendered plus international dollars but depends what economic class the team is in. Read the rules via the link in the story. They are kind of complex…..
If I recall, do to covid, there is no penalty for signing teams this year.
Another contradictory possibility–the Yankees don’t bid up on DJLM. They will stay in the game, make a legitimate offer for him, but allow themselves to be outbid. He’s a fine player, but he’s going to want a 4th year, and the Yankees are going to have a lot of expensive contracts for older players 4 years from now. I’m not predicting this will happen, but I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility.
Go ahead and predict it. If you are right you can gloat. If you are wrong you can come back and delete the comment and no one will remember. 😉
Funny, but I don’t think you can delete after that much time. So, I guess I just have to stand out there and accept it stays. Could have said it better.
i mean, yeah, i theory. a lot of things are possible.
A bit surprised an offer didn’t go out to Tanaka, who’s been making $23MM and 32 today..
Given the market and status of the Yankee rotation, I agree.
Yankees should just re-sign him on a multi year deal with a lower AAV.
Tanaka might have wanted to stay at $18.9M for one year. They can prob get him for like 3Y/$40-45M, maybe 2Y/$30M if the market is really bad. Makes him a little cheaper in 2021
i had not thought of that previously but the idea did just occur to me as well.
Yankees want to get under the CBT threshold. They can’t pay Tanaka $18.9M and do that (and everything else). They probably want to retain him though, and they can still do that at less than what the QO would cost them.
I know the Yankees indicate they want to get under the CBT, but their actions in taking Britton’s option do not indicate they plan to be frugal.
The option the Yankees picked up on Britton was for 2022 and not 2021. Had they not picked it up, Britton could have voided the last year of his deal (2021 @ $13M) and tested free agency but I doubt he would have done so in this market. The Yankees picking up the option has more to do with the Yankees anticipating 2022 getting back to ‘normal’ than signaling they are all in for 2021.
I’m in the minority here but the White Sox should have offered a QO to James McCann even with Yasmani Grandal signed to a multi-year contract. The worst thing that could have happened is McCann agreeing to the $18.9M contract guaranteeing him one more season in Chicago while giving the White Sox a pair of All-Star catchers and the best backstop duo in MLB. It also would have guaranteed TOR Lucas Giolito his personal catcher for one more year.
Chances were much better that McCann would have rejected the QO being the best FA catcher available after J.T. Realmuto. Any contender in need of an All-Star quality catcher wouldn’t think twice about the QO but a rebuilding team like the division rival Tigers would have reservation surrendering a draft pick next July. The Tigers have a very strong young core of pitchers including a couple who made their MLB debuts last season. McCann is the type of catcher who would appeal to such a team, just like he appealed to the rebuilding White Sox when the Tigers non-tendered him prior to the 2019 season. Additionally, the White Sox front office passed on FA Yasmani Grandal that offseason because he was offered a QO. They waited a year later to sign him to a multi-year contract when he was ineligible for a second QO and the team was poised to contend which was proved true this past season.
Imo, the White Sox made a mistake in letting McCann walk for nothing when they could have at least received a compensatory 2nd round pick this July or had McCann return for one more season in 2021 in the unlikely event he would have accepted the QO. Offering the QO by today’s deadline was a win-win proposition for the White Sox and instead they lost with the odds of McCann returning now in an unrestricted market slim to none.
$37m for catchers is insane, the average teams spends about $5m on catchers a year. McCann is a guy who has made $9m in his career, he would take the $18.9 in a heart beat this year. There’s a chance he doesn’t get that on a multi year deal the way this off season is going to go.
We’ll all find out soon enough just how much James McCann will command this offseason. As the clear #2 catcher in the free agent market who played at an All-Star caliber level for the White Sox in 2019 AND 2020 I expect McCann to get a number of multi-year offers.
The bidding for J.T. Realmuto should be minimally affected by COVID-19 this winter and the losers will turn to McCann. Many expect new Mets owner Steve Cohen to go all out for Realmuto in trying to steal him from the division rival Phillies. When the dust settles with Realmuto, one of those two teams along with many others in need of a quality starting catcher will find McCann worthy of a multi-year deal with an AAV perhaps approaching $15M.
McCann has optimized his ability as a solid offensive and defensive backstop while still in his prime at 30-years old. He is 1-1/2 younger than White Sox starter Yasmani Grandal and actually outplayed him last season. I also don’t want to hear from all the nerds about his stats like they bemoaned those of Jose Abreu last winter as a temporary free agent before re-signing with the White Sox. Both offer contributions to the White Sox above and beyond statistics, the kind that cannot be measured.
McCann as a catcher is especially appealing with the knowledge and work he does with young pitchers that can’t be quantified by any statistic unless you can derive a formula to divvy up how much of Lucas Giolito’s success was directly derived from his personal catcher. How do you quantify leadership, mentoring or even the art of calling a game behind the plate. Giolito trusted McCann to the point where he seldom ever shook off a pitch. Giolito was a just another highly rated struggling prospect until McCann joined the White Sox in 2019 and took him under his wing. Imagine what McCann might do in New York replacing catcher Wilson Ramos who got all kinds of heat from many of the Mets pitchers.
McCann would fit in great with any number of contending teams and without a QO could now be a target of a rebuilding team like the Tigers who feature some extraordinarily talented young arms. You best believe that there will be many angry White Sox fans should McCann sign a multi-year deal with the division rival Tigers and help elevate some of their young arms to TOR’s quicker than they might have otherwise. Many White Sox fans are already miffed that Detroit landed manager A.J. Hinch while the White Sox settled for elder statesman Tony La Russa. Those same fans will scream bloody murder if McCann rejoins the Tigers this offseason when he likely wouldn’t be in play for Detroit with a QO attached to him.
Btw: James McCann was scheduled to earn $5.4MM last season in his final year of arbitration before COVID-19 struck. As good as McCann was in 2019 he was even better in 2020. He not only upped his offensive numbers but also improved an already strong defensive profile by improving the one negative stat hanging over him, pitch-framing.
Nobody knows for sure just how impacting the pandemic and the financial fallout will impact free agency this offseason. In a normal offseason and as the clear #2 catching option in his prime, McCann should have easily doubled and probably tripled his $5.4M arb salary from last season when trying to figure his AAV going forward. It’s difficult to gauge his FA contract amidst the pandemic but without a QO and in a market with a dearth of great catching options after Realmuto I would assume McCann will do just fine with so many teams in need of a #1 backstop. I don’t see a contending big market team low-balling at a prime position, especially for a player who has the all-around pedigree of McCann.
If his agents need any help this offseason, I hereby authorize them to use my posts in their negotiations. lol
The industry does not view McCann as a strong defender.
Why is $37M for catchers insane, especially when you are talking about 2 All-Star caliber ones with primary starter Yasmani Grandal turning 32 later this week? Most teams are carrying 3 catchers now with the active rosters expanded to 26 players, a number that might go up to 27 or 28 again with COVID-19 potentially still impacting the 2021 season. The White Sox will be carrying 3 catchers in 2021 with or without McCann. It was the primary reason they picked up the 2021 contract option on Leury Garcia who affords them that luxury because he could play 6 different other positions on the diamond.
It should also be noted that the $37M figure for Grandal and McCann isn’t strictly for two catchers. Both players spent considerable time in the White Sox 2020 batting order together with Grandal also starting games at DH and 1B This could be even more important in 2021 with Edwin Encarnacion’s 2021 contract option already declined.
Last season the White Sox invested their most positional dollars at 1B/DH with the return of Jose Abreu and FA Encarnacion penciled in those spots most of the time. The hope is that Andrew Vaughn will be ready for prime time at some point in 2021 when he can do a time share with Abreu at 1B/DH. Even if that materializes the financial cost to the White Sox will be almost exclusively with Abreu’s salary.
Even at 32, Grandal will need to be in the White Sox lineup for most games because as we post only he and fellow switch-hitter Yoan Moncada provide needed left-handed bats in the their batting order. The White Sox went 15-0 versus southpaw starters in 2021 but struggled mightily against RHP. No White Sox fan wants to see Grandal catch more than 90-100 games but relish his high OBP power bat in their lineup for 130+ contests. Those same fans would rather see McCann splitting those catching duties rather defensively challenged options like Zack Collins or Yermin Mercedes, with one of them still figuring to stick on the roster with their bats.
Last year Grandal started 32 of the 60 White Sox games behind the plate while McCann started 27. McCann was Lucas Giolito’s personal catcher for a second consecutive season while Grandal did virtually the same with veteran SP Dallas Keuchel who joined him as a White Sox in free agency last offseason. McCann also spent a little more time behind the dish with Dylan Cease who he had familiarity with in 2019 when the latter made his MLB debut. When all was said and done, Cease fared better on the mound with McCann catching him than Grandal. All told, Grandal appeared in 46 games and started 45 split between C/DH/1B while McCann appeared in 31 games and started 27. A similar split could have been beneficial in 2021 for the White Sox pitching staff and lineup.
Dude McCann is probably going to sign a multi-year deal that’s worth less than $18.9M total. There is a zero percent chance he would reject a QO.
Fangraphs projects him to sign for 2Y/$14M and their crowdsourced projections show 2Y/$12M. That’s not even close to a guy you would offer a QO to.
Unless there is blatant owner collusion this offseason, those projections are total b.s. They also don’t surprise me coming from a stat oriented site that discounts the all-around ability of an excellent player at baseballs most important position.
I’d be shocked if McCann has to settle for those Fangraph projections or for a multi-year deal worth less than the value of this year’s QO. If that happens to an All-Star caliber catcher in his prime like McCann then it will surely happen to the majority of FA’s this offseason and will ultimately lead to contentious CBA negotiations next winter and a likely work stoppage in the form of a players strike or owner lockout. MLB and the MLBPA cannot afford this on the heals of COVID-19 so hopefully reason will prevail over the course of the next 15 months.
Oh come on
18.9 would be the 3rd highest AAV ever given to a Catcher (behind then part-time Catcher, part-time 1B Joe Mauer from 2011-2018, and Yadier Molina from 2018-2020)
The White Sox also are rostering the 4th highest paid Catcher in history, Yasmani Grandal, who is making 18.25
So if they offered McCann 18.9, zero doubt he takes it, and the team would have a catching tandem making 37.2 million (2 guys who would then be the 3rd and 5th highest AAV Catchers of all time. On the same roster. Splitting the job)
To put that in perspective, the 3rd thru 6th highest paid catchers currently under contract for 2021 (Perez, d’Arnaud, Vazquez and Contreras) are set to make a combined 34.45 million. They would be paying about 3 million more for 2 catchers than 4 of the other next highest paid AS(/AS-level) catchers will make
37.2 million for a Catcher platoon would also be the single highest AAV at any position on the field for any team in baseball – beating out Cole making 36 Million for the Yankees 1SP spot, Trout making 35.5 at CF for the Angels, Strasburg pulling in 35 to be the Nats 1SP, and so on
The idea that the White Sox would have the single most expensive position in baseball, and it would be for a Catcher platoon, of all spots, is just silly to the max.
So no, there was zero chance Chicago offered, as he would have taken in without blinking an eye. And they would have then been paying more for their Catcher position than any other team pays for any other spot in the field.
Justin Turner should be suspended for life plus ten years after that ridiculous stunt
Or make him shave off that ridiculous soupcatcher off his face
Either way, I hope to never see him again, and that’s a fact, buster
So turner gets suspended for life for taking a picture with guys who already needed testing. But the Astros play on, with Hinch and Cora getting new jobs this offseason?
Ok buddy
stay crazy, Pinkerton. you really liven up these comment sections.
No one cares what you think.
Gausman gets a QO? Not bad for a pitcher that sucks as bad as he does.
I know eh? Gausman for a QO? Crazy.
What if for example: Gausman declines the QO, but accepts a contract extension after, does that mean SF still has to lose a draft pick or does it not count since he was already with the team?
Doesn’t count because he was already with the team
SF must know something about Gausman the rest of the league doesn’t. To me he’s not worth that price and clearly his trade market was suspect, at a much lower price
Liam Hendricks, welcome to the Dodgers
or it was just a bad idea. not every move that make sense is simply a product of FO genius. some are just that – nonsensical.
My personal theory here is that Farhan is overconfident because when he gave Will Smith a surprising QO it ended up working out in his favor. He probably just feels like players will take multi-year deals even at lower AAVs.
This looks like a really bad QO to me considering the market, but I’m not a GM so what do I know?
farhan is hoping to flip him for a prospect next year at the trading deadline.if he pitches well. Giants know it will be tough signing FA since their team is not a playoff team next year.
I meant it sarcastically dude
I think SF doesn’t know any more about Gausman that the rest of league does, which contributed to their decision to offer the QO. I also think SF knows something about Gausman, that most of the people posting comments about him, don’t.
All six would probably be wise to accept the offers
No way Bauer, Realmuto, LeMahieu, and Springer don’t do better financially by rejecting the QO.
I agree wholeheartedly. Bauer is an interesting case, though. Career-year and teams are hungry for starters. But in this market, the number of teams willing to offer megabucks will be limited. Who is left in the likelihood that the Dodgers and Yankees pass on him? There are Mets fans who think Cohen will go hog wild and pursue all four among Bauer, Realmuto, Springer, and LeMahieu. But the Mets will already be out $18,9 million to Stroman should he accept the QO. And if the others accept as you suggest, then Cohen is out of luck. And who’s to say he would want to make that kind of splash with all the uncertainty surrounding the 2021 season?
Getting back to Bauer, in a normal market his value would never be higher. If he accepts the QO and comes back down to earth in 2021, he will be entering his age-31 season in 2022 having blown his big chance to cash in. And the market will still be shaky due to labor negotiations. His agent has quite a task at hand. Find out who the serious bidders might be and whether they’re willing to offer THAT kind of contract. The offers might get better if they drag it past January. Or they might get worse if the prognosis for the 2021 season darkens. A tough situation regarding the FA who was expected to set the market.
The other thing to watch is whether Cleveland accepts a lowball offer to move Lindor. If so, that might remove another potential suitor for Bauer. In any event, fans need to stop thinking their team will fix their bullpen woes by doling out millions to FA relievers because that is not going to happen. Rookie pitchers at league-minimum figures to be a huge trend in 2021.
Players value security. If Bauer, Realmuto, LeMahieu, and Springer think they can land multi-year contracts, they will reject the QO. They’re all healthy now. But if they accept the QO, wind up injured, or regress, it costs them negotiating power.
They all had good seasons, their negotiating power is high now, and they all seem like guys willing to bet on themselves. I don’t think there’s anything guaranteed to them, except one year of a high AAV, by accepting. By rejecting they stand a chance to get themselves a reasonably high AAV for multiple years. I think there’s no way they accept, nor should they.
tad2b13, Who’s gonna pay them? These guys are all entering their age 30-season or better. And we don’t know what that season will be like; just that there’s a strong possibility that it won’t be normal. I would venture to say that it absolutely will not be normal. Teams looking to ink players to multi-year deals will be practically non-existent. As for security, you can buy a lot of it for $18.9 million. Those are four really good players. It’s just hard to see any of them signing for an AAV of better than $18.9 because revenue will again be in the toilet. The Yankees can only sign so many players. The Dodgers just won a championship and will not be in on any of those four. The Angels already have $116 million tied to four players. Mets fans who think Cohen will spend irresponsibly with his own money are engaging in wishful thinking. The Cubs were crying poverty before the pandemic. The Phillies will be backpedaling and have an unsettled front office. The Red Sox have a GM who’s philosophy is grounded in small-market principle. Who will be the big spenders if not those seven? Where are the teams that will help establish a huge market for these players? Teams are looking to shed payroll, not add to it. Some are riding out bad contracts they regret. A player has zero negotiating power if there’s no one to negotiate with.
“Who’s gonna pay them?”
That is the part few ever consider when projecting salaries like this.
Saying “so&so is easily worth yadayada” is very easy, but finding a team who has the hole to fill at the position, and can afford it both short, and more importantly long term, is usually near impossible.
Even on good years you have guys like Harper settling for the 24th highest AAV ever, not a top-5 as was expected. This year is lined up to be anything but a good year though. Guys will get paid, and money will be spent, but…
Here’s a partial list of teams who will be willing to pay Bauer $30M+ for one year: Dodgers, Yankees, Angels, Phillies, Red Sox, Padres, Twins, Houston & SF. He obviously won’t sign with Houston and most likely not the Yankees either, but he’ll have plenty of other options to cash in bid this offseason.
The fact you included the Angels alone shows you’re just throwing out random names with no thought behind it
The Angels already have the 2nd and 3rd highest AAV in the history of the game in Trout and Rendon. Then add in Pujols and Upton, who are top 25 and top 60, respectively. The 4 combine for 116 million in 2021 salary alone (both hard cost and taxable)
The idea they will add another top 10 AAV in the game, pushing the total for just 5 guys to around 150 million, is rather silly and would be beyond shortsighted.
They need to field a full roster, and they will stay around their continual 180-190 million taxable salary. Last year bumped it up to a taxable 193 already. It’s not going to go much, if at all, higher. But to stay within that point, you can’t have an opening day salary above around 160-170. That prices them out of Bauer at anywhere near 30 million a year. They’d need to fill more than 20 other spots with less than 10-20 million to do it. And even if they increase salary further to say 200 million taxable, it is an impossible task if Bauer was signed for anything close to that
The Angels might sign a couple 10-15 million range guys, but will likely yet again go cheap otherwise. They have painted themselves into too bad a corner to do much else
Just wondering. Can a player accept a QO and then mutually decide with their team to scrap it in favor of a multi year deal?
Probably, since parties can mutually agree to tear up a contract, but not sure why a player would be willing to do that if the AAV of the multi-year deal was less than the QO. That would be the player leaving money on the table. And clearly, by offering the QO, the team had to have been prepared to pay the value of it. The only way that would happen, I think, is if the AAV approached the value of the QO.
Gonna be fascinating. The expanded playoffs would ideally give more teams an incentive to spend and improve so they can increase late-season attendance, make the playoffs, and possibly do damage in October. But given all the unknowns, how many teams will commit to doing that? Length of season. The return of live fans. So much is unknown and figures to remain that way for a while longer. To hear the powers-that-be tell it, a 60-game season was a financial catastrophe. How does that change if the conditions remain the same for an unknown amount of time? Mukti-year contracts?
As for the six QO guys, all will be entering their age-30 or older season in 2021. As they get older, productivity will decline. That makes 2021`the most important year of the deal. It is the year when they are expected to help their owners make money. But if 2021 winds up resembling 2020, then owners theoretically lose out on potential first-year revenue that would have helped balance the player’s inevitable decline later on.
I think so. Jose Abreu did something like that with the White Sox last winter.
I believe that once a player accepts the QO, his salary is locked in for the next season at that dollar figure. The two sides can do an extension later on if they like, but any extension would not kick in until the following season. And a player is certainly not going to take less $ on the future years just because they already overpaid him for the first year.
Jose Abreu did it last year. From the MLBTR write up, looks like the QO was ripped up
—-
The White Sox announced that they’ve agreed to a three-year, $50MM contract with first baseman Jose Abreu. The 32-year-old slugger had previously accepted a one-year, $17.8MM qualifying offer, effectively making this a two-year, $32.2MM extension.
Under the new contract, Abreu will receive a $5MM signing bonus and an $11MM salary in 2020 before being paid $16MM in 2021 and $18MM in 2022. Four million dollars of that 2022 salary will be deferred, according to the team. Abreu is represented by ISE Baseball.“”
So he became a 16.6M hit on the luxury tax instead of 17.8. Fangraphs confirms
fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/white-sox?se…
Gausman and Stroman better accept because if not they wont get signed until after the 2021 draft like what happened to Keuchel and Kimbrel in 2019.
They were somewhat atypical, as both priced themselves out of the market. Given the current situation with so much revenue lost it’s doubtful we’ll see something like that again this year.
And with the dearth of SPs on the market? No way. Even if Gausman and Stroman reject the QO, and every other team shies away from signing them, they can, and probably will, return to their current team at a lower price. But whatever happens, it’s guaranteed, barring injury, that both will be pitching long before the 2021 draft.
So after all that the Red Sox lose JBJ for nothing.
Over the last 3 or 4 years, I can’t think of another player who had more trade rumors surrounding him and was never moved.
Didi not receiving a QO is a head scratcher. He probably wasn’t going to accept in all likelihood.
That’s what I was thinking too.But considering the ss market will also have Semien and Simmons without draft pick compensation attached to them,he just might’ve.
I hear you. But at the same time I would think, and maybe this is me, Didi is the leader of the three to garner the strongest deal. Without the QO he’s definitely the SS to get (in my mind).
Another possibility is Philly wants Segura back at SS and having Didi return jams them.
Wasn’t he QO’d last year? Only can get 1
Hey, you guys ever hear about brevity? Some of the posts in this discussion rival “War and Peace” in length. Besides, I never took those Evelyn Wood speed reading classes. In a nut shell (Another name for brevity.), Gausman and Stroman should take the money. The rest will get long term deals for big cheese.
We have to ink DJ or the drought will continue! Can’t let the best hitter in baseball walk!
How in the world is Gausman getting to steal more money like this?
Steal? Giants are forcing his hand.
Do you think DD would take a deal to play second base? Asking for a Red Sox friend
DeSclafani seems a bit too high. Any reason for him being in the top 50?
I think Gausman accepts the offer. I think Stroman will as well, and then sign a longer deal w/ Mets. I think DJ Lemeheiu will sign with SF for 5/100M. JT Realmuto will either sign back with PHI for 5/125-6/150 unless NYM/NYY offer him a bigger deal -or TEX signs him for approximately the same (some rumor he wants to play closer to home, OKL). Marcus Semien I can see going back to OAK for 4-60M as the SS market is going to be tough for the next 2 years. Trevor Bauer is an absolute wild card, but I’m going to guess he signs w/LAD, LAA, or SD for anywhere from 1/37M just to beat Cole’s AAP of 36M to 4 years 125M.