The Rockies and right-handed reliever Daniel Bard have avoided arbitration with a $2.925MM agreement for 2021, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Bard had been projected to earn anywhere from $1.2MM to $2.2MM in arbitration.
This is a nice payday for the 35-year-old Bard and one few would have expected he’d end up receiving when he signed a minor league contract with the Rox in February. At the time, Bard was coming off a long layoff from Major League Baseball, owing to struggles with injuries and performance. Bard began his career with a flourish in Boston from 2009-11, during which he looked as if he would be a long-term answer at the back of its bullpen. However, Bard severely tailed off after that three-year run, and he was out of the league within a couple of years.
Although he hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2013, Bard earned a spot on the Rockies’ roster and proceeded to enjoy a career renaissance last season. Across 24 2/3 innings, Bard recorded a 3.65 ERA/3.64 FIP with 9.85 K/9, 3.65 BB/9 and a 48.5 percent groundball rate, even recovering the 97 mph fastball velocity that abandoned him during his final two seasons with Boston. Thanks to his perseverance and solid production, Bard earned National League Comeback Player of the Year honors.
happy for this guy after everything he went through. good to see he’s back in the $$
Aren’t the Rockies a team that is in too much of a financial crunch to be handing out AT LEAST $725,000 that they don’t have to pay? They should have let it go to arbitration. The worst case scenario would be the Rockies save $725,000. Do they want to make a feel good story or do they want to try and win. It’s possible that taking Bard to arbitration would have saved them $1,725,000 alone. It’s virtually guaranteed it would have saved them $725,000 at least. Why do this? This unnecessary extra money could have been used to help add players to the team while they still kept Bard. Like I said, do the Rockies want to just make feel good stories or do they actually want to try and win? This contract does not make it seem like they are trying to win.
I’m not against keeping Bard by any stretch. I think he is great. All I’m saying is if the Rockies are willing to spend $725,000 that they know is completely unnecessary, it better be because that money doesn’t matter to them and they are going to go full boar in the free agent market and can win a world championship anyway. This team needs to be saving every penny they can to try to build a winner.
Normally by this time, you’d hit the open market and make way more. I think it’s fair he gets a payday hitting arbitration at a late age
Do Rockies fans want “fair” or do they want to win? This definitely does not help them win. It does the opposite.
@Bovine: part of winning
Is club culture. Yes, you make a solid argument based solely on the #s. But, your argument overlooks club culture, what other players on the team think of management, etc. For one thing, the Rockies aren’t
putting up a winning team any time soon, so in the meantime, there is more
To the game and the business than saving each and every penny.
Clearly whatever the Rockies “club culture” is doing… It’s not working. If you can’t win even when you spend a bunch of money on big players, the “club culture” is worthless.
Also remember his past issues. Did they want to risk hurting his ego? If he pitches well and the team is a surprise success, the money will be meaningless and if the team is out of it in July, he’ll be traded so the cost will partially be absorbed by another team.
Paying him the maximum estimated amount of what he would earn in arbitration at $2.2 million might “hurt his ego?” Don’t forget. $2.2 million was the maximum It’s entirely possible Bard would have only made $1.2 million in arbitration. That means at $2.2 million they would have paid him a million more than he could have gotten. That would “hurt his ego?”
I’m super happy for Bard and that Colorado valued him enough to overpay him for the upcoming season, but I still wonder how/why they decided to non-tender David Dahl when he was scheduled to earn the same amount of money that they paid to Bard. Dahl must have done something to upset the manager or ownership; that’s the only thing that makes sense.
If they want to go “full boar” into the free agent market, they have to sign Cespedes, correct?
Perhaps his agent told the team they were going to file for $3.5M and the Rockies didn’t want to fight them. Arbitration estimates are not always correct, and with last year’s shortened season a lot of assumptions are being made about arbitration raises being much smaller than usual but we won’t know until the first few cases are heard. It also sends a great message to other players that if you perform well, the Rockies will take care of you. It could lure other potential comeback players to Colorado vs. other clubs.
I just figured BovineCrab was just going full boar into the animal puns.
:”full bore” for future reference:
Gwynning – animal yes, but bovine is a cow, and boar is a pig…..lol
Bovine is “utterly” ranting….
Rockies aren’t winning, even if they saved 2 million. They’re going to save when/if Nolan opts out, and then they’ll be rebuilding again. Bard getting a little extra changes nothing
That’s funny
“ Paying him the maximum estimated amount of what he would earn in arbitration at $2.2 million might “hurt his ego?” Don’t forget. $2.2 million was the maximum ”
When you’re too stupid to understand the difference between prediction and reality. And then lose your damn mind over it
I don’t claim to know every arb case or even have read every single “arbitration avoided” headline. But the ones I have checked, guys seem to be settling above the estimate of the predictor this year.
Usually that model is spot on, but like you said, with 2020 going how it did, it’s impossible to know how the panel with settle until the cases start. I think MLBTR may have been a little too conservative with both arb+ free agent dollars. But we’re too early in the offseason to make any sweeping declarations yet
Why do you care so much about someone else’s money?
These owners are all wealthy: every single MLB could literally buy the top 25 free agents and pay double for what they signed for, and they wouldnt lose a dollar. And if they mess up the money, the govt loves to only bail out billionaires for some reason.
Youre acting big hurt about $725k? Grow up.
I don’t care about the money. I care about teams trying to win. If you are right and the Rockies are about to spend several hundred million dollars on the free agent market than I am okay with this. I don’t care what Bard makes. I care that the Rockies can’t add another good player to the team because of this.
I got news for you and it’s that it doesn’t matter anyways because that team won’t win anything in your lifetime so let the man just get paid and mind your business.
These are projections the numbers have not been submitted by the team or players yet, making your argument wrong.
So for one thing the arbitration estimate of $1.2 to $2.2M is just that… an estimate. Also if there was ever an aypical case for arbitration it’s Daniel Bard… the first 2+ seasons being considered for his arbitration case came almost 10 years ago whereas his ‘platform’ year is this past season. So to say the 1,2 to 2,2 is a rough estimate is an understatement if there ever was one. Secondly… we’re not talking about the different between $2M and $5M… it’s just $750K which is a pretty insignificant amount even for a team that’s trying to cut back their payroll. On top of all that… what Bard has done is truly amazing and if not for his almost decade long case of the yips… he’d have been a free agent 6+ years ago. So to give him an “extra” $750K at this point in his career isn’t going to break the bank for the Rockies and is a nice gesture by the team to keep a guy they obviously value and feel he’s well worth the money. Imagine if he hadn’t gotten the yips or whatever happened to him way back when… he’d have probably made close to $50M by now (9 years at $5+M)… the least the guy can make is 1 years worth of an actual good salary! Haha
Yeah. Because $2.2 million isn’t “an actual good salary.” Are you kidding me? I’m sure the Rockies kicked in the extra $725,000 because they thought he wouldn’t be able to take care of himself and his family with a meager $2.2 million.
Either $2.2 million isn’t “an actual good salary” or MLBTR arbitration projections are totally useless and should never be considered by anyone because they are “an estimate” especially on “atypical cases.” If they are so wrong on an “atypical case” why even bother? I’m pretty sure the fact that it was an “atypical case” should have been considered before the projection. So $2.2 million a year is NOT “an actual good salary” or MLBTR arbitration projections are useless in cases like Bard and should be thrown out the window because MLBTR is incompetent at actually projecting something like that. So $2.2 million is not a good salary or MLBTR is incompetent at projecting salaries. Which is it, Jeff?
Something tells me that Jeff Zanghi is going to stop commenting now because he doesn’t want to answer the question I just asked because he knows the answer makes his employer look bad. Stick with your guns Jeff. If MLBTR says $2.2 million MAX then defend that. You can’t have it both ways.
Holy crap dude. Did this guy sleep with your wife or something? The way you carry on. And on. And on. It sure seems like you got mistreated by somebody. Sheesh.
“ So $2.2 million is not a good salary or MLBTR is incompetent at projecting salaries. Which is it, Jeff?”
Or covid explains everything and you’re an ass who doesn’t understand the difference between projections and actually exchanged figures.. who’s complaining about a free website. Just ban him and move on
You realize model predictions are just that… a model. That figures weren’t exchanged. You have no idea what Bard was planning to file at
This is the kind of comeback story that makes baseball great.
totally agree, I can’t think of too many comback stories on a yearly basis for the other sports.
I’m glad to see that the abilities of (the) Bard are still recognized and acknowledged. Quite a tale!
What is love? Tis not hereafter. Present mirth hath present laughter. What’s to come is still unsure, in delay there lies not plenty. Then, come kiss me sweet and (35). Youth’s a stuff will not endure.
I counter your point with a point much more obvious and understandable to readers:
What is love? Baby don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me, no more.
Amazing story. Loved him in Boston. Pretty odd that a person who came up in 09 is still eligible for arbitration 11 years later.
he’s a steal at that price if he can repeat 2020 over a full season.
He’s not a steal at that price considering he is arbitration eligible. They could have kept him for $2.2 million or less. Why pay him the extra $725,000? They could have spent that money on players they desperately needed to improve the team and kept Bard all at the same time.
that’s like saying the Nats giving Soto an extra million for this year wouldnt be a steal simply because its not the absolute maximum value you can get. COL has historically had bullpen woes and Bard was one of its biggest stabilizing factors last year. look at what Trevor May is making. is May sereval times better then Bard?
Trevor May was a free agent. Bard is not. The Rockies needed to spend that money elsewhere to at least try and contend in a division with the Dodgers and Padres. Paying players that aren’t free agents as if they are is about the dumbest financial move a general manager can make. The only way it makes sense is if they want to keep Bard happy and they know they have enough money to spend that they will win a world series anyway.
@DarkSide830 is correct, @BovineCrab is wildly incorrect.
“The Rockies needed to spend that money elsewhere to at least try and contend in a division with the Dodgers and Padres.”
This is complete nonsense, adding Bard for under $5M is an absolute steal. Owners have been messing over players for decades and now one time it leans very slightly (that you WAY overstate) the players way, you can’t handle it?
$725k is absolutely nothing. You don’t have to waste time thinking about this, move on.
You tell me one thing I was “wildly incorrect” about. I basically made 4 statements:
1. Daniel Bard is not a free agent
2. The Rockies are considered to be a team that isn’t going to spend much money this offseason relative to other teams.
3. The Rockies are not in good shape and need to improve the team any way they can
4. They could have kept Bard and saved AT LEAST $725,000 to improve the team.
Adding any player for less than $5 million is never a steal when you could have easily added that same player for less than $2.3 million. You can’t be so stupid as to think it’s good for teams to treat all their players like free agents even when they aren’t??? Can you? If you think that you should never be in charge of the financial aspects of any business ever.
First off dude relax. Your initial argument is based on projections not the numbers that would have been submitted if they had gone to arbitration. No one has an idea until the team and agent submit them. Keep yelling at the sky if you must.
Well. #4. 725,000 will not get you any improvements
Trevor May got 8M a year. Bard got less than 3M
How are they comparable? If anything, it proves the arbitration system deflates salaries
Good for him!
This is really a great story that he has been able to not only make his way back to the majors but also be so effective in his return to the majors. And that he can still hit 97 MPH after so many years away from the game and at his age is VERY impressive! I remember (as a Red Sox fan) when he first came up with the Sox back in 2009 and how electric and exciting he was to watch. It was terrible to watch him fall apart 2+ years later (when they tried to make him into a SP) and then when he started walking more batters than he was getting out… it was just devastating to watch. So great for him that he’s figured things out and made it back not only for a cameo but now as a legitimate late-game reliever once again. Great story for sure!!
Bard had a streak of something like 26 or 28 straight scoreless innings with the Red Sox. He was one of the best relievers in the game for a short while.
The Sox didn’t try to make him a starter. It was Bard’s idea because he could make more money and they wanted to keep him happy.
What a crazy story that is. Not so much they let him try to start, yes more money for him but also more value for the team so both sides could have won.. but how it just blew up in their (and his) faces so epically
Been a lot of division on the boards again the last couple days.
Bard is such a fantastic story, man.
Great to see something that I’m pretty sure everyone here feels a similar way about. If you can’t root for a fella like this…well, I guess that’d make you some kind of soulless robot & who wants to know someone like that anyway.
Speaking of Division… the NL West lost 1 game to the NL Central in 2020.
I’ve always liked your style, @Gwynning.
Bovine – 14/35 comments…..you must care very, very, very deeply about that $750,000…….
I guess you could buy a lot of hay with the extra money….lol
I’m happy for Bard that he got a good deal from the Rox late in his career. I saw him pitch a few times this year. He looked eminently hittable, and he will get bombed this year. The Rockies bullpen is a mediocre group and Bard fits right in.
My head must have been in the sand, I could have swore he was still with the Red Sox and had been pitching for years. Miss that entire time off. Of course I don’t follow the Sox like other teams
Read a story about it it’s pretty crazy honestly
I wonder who his agent is. He dick a heck of a job signing a deal well above projection this early in the off-season. Nice story too… comeback player of the year and gets paid!
Good for him, been a tough road. It’s interesting that it doesn’t get mentioned that the wheels came off in Boston after a failed attempt to transition to the rotation. If I recall, similar thing happened to Joba Chamberlain and Neftali Feliz after attempts to become starters.