Starting Pitcher Contracts And New Money
Seven years, $180MM! The largest contract ever signed by a pitcher! I'm no accountant, but I was slightly annoyed to read the common descriptions of Justin Verlander's new deal with the Tigers. Shouldn't we just be looking at the new, guaranteed money he received, when determining the contract's value? In what's becoming a common trend, the remaining two years and $40MM from Verlander's old contract were tacked onto the front of his new deal. I understand why it's done — the $180MM total allowed his agency to claim the largest contract ever signed by a pitcher, topping a $175MM Felix Hernandez deal that involved the same accounting trick.
So to counter that, I've tallied up the ten biggest contracts for starting pitchers, involving only new money and years:
- C.C. Sabathia, Yankees, December 2008: seven years, $161MM. Sabathia signed as a free agent more than five years ago, and while Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee later topped his average annual value, no one has beat his guarantee. Further illustrating the impressiveness of that contract, it included an opt out after the third season. So, the deal effectively was seven years and $161MM only if Sabathia felt he couldn't do better on the open market after three years.
- Zack Greinke, Dodgers, December 2012: six years, $147MM. This deal has the highest AAV for any open market, full season free agent contract. But Greinke received only $3MM more than Hamels, despite Hamels' deal not being negotiated on the open market.
- Cole Hamels, Phillies, July 2012: six years, $144MM.
- Justin Verlander, Tigers, March 2013: five years, $140MM.
- Felix Hernandez, Mariners, February 2013: five years, $135.5MM.
- Barry Zito, Giants, December 2006: seven years, $126MM.
- Johan Santana, Mets, February 2008: five years, $124.25MM.
- Mike Hampton, Rockies, December 2000: eight years, $121MM.
- Cliff Lee, Phillies, December 2010: five years, $120MM.
- Matt Cain, Giants, April, 2012: five years, $112.5MM.
Using my method, there was only one other pitcher to receive $100MM+ in new money, and it's the first: Kevin Brown in December of '98. Who's next in the $100MM club? Clayton Kershaw comes to mind, especially since he'll only be 27 in the first year of his next contract. Two strong years plus the open market would give Kershaw that elusive, true $200MM in new money, but the Dodgers probably won't let him get to free agency. Is there a $100MM pitcher in the upcoming offseason? Josh Johnson has a shot, with a Cy Young-caliber year. After 2014, aside from Kershaw, the Tigers' Max Scherzer is a candidate.
The average annual value pitcher contract rankings differ greatly from the total value ones:
- C.C. Sabathia, Yankees, October 2011: one year, $30MM. Only Sabathia has reached a $30MM AAV. Since he did not technically opt out of his previous Yankees contract, I consider his latest deal to be one year, $30MM in new, guaranteed money.
- Roger Clemens, Astros, May 2007: one year, $28,000,022. This is deceptive, since Clemens signed in May and his contract was pro-rated. He wasn't actually paid that full amount. If a pitcher signed on September 1st for $5MM, would you consider him a $30MM pitcher?
- Justin Verlander, Tigers, March 2013: $28MM AAV. Verlander snagged the largest ever AAV on a multiyear deal. It was the second time he bested Felix slightly, one month after Hernandez signed.
- Felix Hernandez, Mariners, February 2013: $27.1MM AAV.
- Johan Santana, Mets, February 2008: $24.85MM AAV.
- Zack Greinke, Dodgers, December 2012: $24.5MM AAV.
- Cole Hamels, Phillies, July 2012: $24MM AAV.
- Cliff Lee, Phillies, December 2010: $24MM AAV.
- C.C. Sabathia, Yankees, December 2008: $23MM AAV.
- Matt Cain, Giants, April 2012: $22.5MM AAV.
Clemens topped $22MM in '06 on his first pro-rated deal, and Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay also have $20MM+ AAVs.
Why I Chose My Agency: Shaun Marcum
Shaun Marcum’s one-year, $4MM deal with the Mets this past offseason was negotiated by his agents at Turner-Gary Sports, Inc. Marcum spoke with B.J. Rains for MLBTR about his agents Rex Gary and Jimmy Turner.
When did you first come in contact with Rex Gary and Jimmy Turner?
It would have been Spring Training 2004. At the time they had Ryan Howard as a client and I knew Ryan from college so he introduced us and within a few days, Rex and Jim Turner were representing me and we’ve been together ever since. Looking back on it too, they didn’t have my cell phone number in college and they called my parents' house and my parents never told me leading up to the draft so I never knew. When I got drafted I went with the one person I knew, the one person that called me, because he was the only agent to contact me before the draft and I needed somebody to represent me and then after my first short season that’s when I met Rex and Jim and my parents then told me that they did call the house, but I didn’t give my cell phone number out so when I met them that’s when I made the switch and I’ve been with them ever since.”
What made them the right fit for you?
Tony LaCava with the Blue Jays was one of the guys that looked at me and drafted me back in 2003 and Tony had known Rex for a while and mentioned my name to Rex when I was in the Cape Cod League in 2002 so Rex had seen me then and he knew a little bit about me. I thought that was important because he wasn’t just somebody that was trying to make a quick buck. He knew quite a bit about me and my family and with Jimmy being from Missouri, he knew my college coaches and had a relationship with those guys so it just seemed like a good fit.
Just talking to them, they are very family oriented and they keep in touch and keep in contact with my wife and they’ve seen my kids from birth on and to this day, I feel like they are family. If they were ever in a bind or if I ever needed anything or them, I know either one of us would be there to help each other out.
What makes them good agents?
I know Rex is well respected by the Players Association and well respected throughout the game by a lot of the general managers. And arbitration, obviously it’s a big deal in baseball, and other agencies hire him to do their arbitration cases for them. He’s very respected throughout the game as far as arbitration. Also just his clients and what he can do for them in free agency. He and Jimmy had Joe Carter, Ryne Sandberg who signed a big contract, Brad Lidge, a lot of guys. Just his background and being an attorney and all of that and having that as an agent, he looks at all the details and makes sure everything is correct.
I’ve heard from other agents throughout my career, some random agents wanting to get a hold me and talk to me and I tell them I’m happy where I’m at and I don’t plan on making a change. I appreciate their interest but I’m happy with Jimmy and Rex.
It seems like they have plenty of big-name clients but are still able to give you personal attention?
I think that’s important, coming through the minor leagues and getting to the big leagues, to this day, they don’t forget about me. I still get texts and phone calls after every single start. I get them before starts. They will stay up and watch the games, if we’re on the west coast and they will be on the east coast but they will stay up and watch and I hear from them that night or the next morning. They don’t take anything for granted. They will do whatever they can do to help their clients out and I’m very fortunate enough to have them.
My wife would tell you the same thing, she loves them. She treats them as family. They are somebody that we will always have a relationship with even when I’m done with baseball. They’ve been there through everything with me as far as my baseball career is concerned, Tommy John, arbitration, free agency, my family, the birth of my kids, they’ve been there. They are like family. If you can find agents like I did that are going to be there with you through the ups and downs, good times and bad times, that’s the guy you need to get.
Check out our other interviews in the Why I Chose My Agency series with Mark DeRosa, Ted Lilly, Ryan Ludwick, Cody Ross, Aramis Ramirez, Adam Wainwright, Jeremy Affeldt, David Wright, Jay Bruce, Matt Holliday, Jamey Carroll and Jake Odorizzi.
Offseason In Review: St. Louis Cardinals
by MLBTR's Steve Adams
The Cardinals didn't make any significant changes, but spent big to retain their own players following a season in which they were one game from a return to the World Series.
Major League Signings
- Ronny Cedeno, IF: one year, $1.15MM (has since been released).
- Ty Wigginton, UT: two years, $5MM.
- Randy Choate, RP: three years, $7.5MM.
- Total Spend: $13.65MM.
International Signings
- Alex Reyes, P: $950K.
- Henry Alvarado, P: $150K.
Notable Minor League Signings
Trades and Claims
- Acquired IF Jake Lammerman from Dodgers for UT Skip Schumaker.
Extensions
- Allen Craig, UT: five years, $31MM. $13MM Club option for 2018.
- Adam Wainwright, SP: five years, $97.5MM.
Notable Losses
Needs Addressed
The Cardinals finished the 2012 season with 88 wins, a wild card playoff berth and a trip to the National League Championship Series. That was a strong enough showing for rookie manager Mike Matheny to cause the team to pick up his option for the 2014 season in February. 
Rather than investing money and/or prospects in order to pursue middle infield upgrades, the team elected to spend money down the line with extensions for Adam Wainwright and Allen Craig. General manager John Mozeliak was able to secure Wainwright for under $100MM, which many pundits thought would be difficult to do.
Mozeliak correctly determined that Kyle Lohse would turn down a qualifying offer in search of a hefty free agent payday (more on that later). Following the news of Chris Carpenter's season-ending (and career-threatening) injury, Lance Lynn and top prospect Shelby Miller are slated to round out manager Mike Matheny's rotation.
The Cardinals added a second left-hander to his bullpen to complement Marc Rzepczynski by adding Randy Choate on a three-year deal. Three years and $7.5MM for Choate was surprising, but it's hard to deny his dominance over left-handed hitters; in the past four seasons he's held opposing lefties to a .163/.230/.237 batting line.
Ty Wigginton was signed to add some right-handed pop off the bench. The 35-year-old is capable of handling both infield and outfield duty. He appeared at third base, first base and left field for the Phillies in 2012 and has a career .270/.354/.456 line against southpaws. He'll give the team a solid, albeit unspectacular bat off the bench.
Two long-time Cardinals were sent packing this offseason, as Kyle McClellan was non-tendered (he would go on to sign with the Rangers) and Skip Schumaker was dealt to the Dodgers. The two moves saved roughly $3.9MM, as McClellan had projected to earn about $2.4MM as a third-time arbitration-eligible player.
Ronny Cedeno was brough in to compete for infield playing time, but even after the news that Rafael Furcal would miss the entire season with Tommy John surgery, the Cardinals elected to release him and go with Pete Kozma as the starting shortstop. Cedeno has since signed with the Astros to be the team's everyday shortstop.
Questions Remaining
The Cardinals made a significant investment in Craig despite the fact that he's played just 238 career games at age 28 and has never topped 112 games in a season thanks to injuries. He'll need to prove that he's able to stay on the field and maintain his impressive level of production from 2011-12 (.309/.357/.532) over the course of a full Major League season.
The Cardinals are set to enter the season with a middle infield consisting of Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso, following the Furcal injury and Schumaker trade. Middle infield was already a potential weak spot for St. Louis entering the season, but this tandem now looks even more exposed in light of Furcal's injury. Top prospect Kolten Wong is nearly ready for the Majors, but if that trio falters Mozeliak could be in the market for a middle infielder this July.
Lynn and Miller have yet to prove themselves over a full season of starting at the Major League level, but the team has players like Trevor Rosenthal and Joe Kelly as insurance in the event of an injury or poor performance.
Deal of Note
Even after the news of Carpenter's injury, the Cardinals still decided to go with internal rotation options rather than approach Kyle Lohse about a reunion. In a show of tremendous faith in its young pitching, the team decided it valued a draft pick and the resulting boost to its draft bonus pool that would come when Lohse signed elsewhere.
St. Louis watched a division rival — the Brewers — sacrifice value in this year's draft in order to strengthen its team and make a run at the division title or a wild card spot. Should Lohse thrive while this year's Cardinals rotation underperforms, there will be no shortage of people who look back to the month of March and wonder if signing Lohse would have altered the course of events.
Overview
Despite question marks in the middle infield, St. Louis has a deep lineup and enough pitching depth to make a run at a third consecutive trip to the NLCS. They may need to search for a shortstop and/or second baseman come July, but an NL Central Division title isn't out of question for a team that figures to be among the most well-rounded clubs in baseball.
Marlins Agree To Terms With Miguel Olivo
8:07pm: Olivo's deal with the Marlins is worth $800K, reports Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (on Twitter). The Marlins can release him within 45 days without owing him the rest of that amount, however.
4:59pm: The Marlins have agreed to terms with catcher Miguel Olivo, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman writes (on Twitter).
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro had previously reported that Olivo was "a strong candidate to return" to the Marlins. Frisaro also said "there are indictations [Olivo] will wind up" with his former team.
After deciding to use Devin Mesoraco as Ryan Hanigan's backup, the Reds offered the mandated $100K retention bonus for Olivo to head to Triple-A. Olivo declined and became a free agent. As Frisaro notes, Jeff Mathis' broken collarbone leaves the Marlins without an experienced catcher, aside from Koyie Hill.
Olivo, 34, hit .222/.239/.381 in 323 plate appearances for the Mariners last year. He was with the Marlins from 2006-07, hitting 32 home runs in 249 games. Olivo ranks fourth among active catchers with 141 career home runs.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.
Yankees Release Juan Rivera
The Yankees released first baseman/outfielder Juan Rivera, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
Rivera, 34, hit .244/.286/.375 in 339 plate appearances for the Dodgers last year, though he did slug .433 against lefties. He signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in January, and despite injuries to Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira, did not make the Opening Day roster. Rivera did receive a $100K retention bonus on Tuesday's deadline, notes MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
The Yankees added Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay this week. Wells, Overbay, and Ben Francisco are making the team, Rivera was told, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch and others. Outfielder Brennan Boesch will also make the club, GM Brian Cashman said (Joel Sherman of the New York Post reporting).
Midseason Trade Candidates
The regular season is about to begin, and before you know it, fans of struggling clubs will be combing rosters for players their team can acquire from even worse clubs come July. With apologies for being a wet blanket, things look particularly dire this year for the Astros, Twins, Marlins, Mets, and Cubs. They comprise our very early list of potential midseason sellers, which will surely grow in the coming months. What can other teams scavenge from them?
Astros
The Astros are in complete teardown mode. Their highest-paid player is starter Bud Norris, at $3MM. He's under team control through 2015 and will appeal to anyone looking for more than a rental. He'll just have to show some consistency first. Lucas Harrell, meanwhile, is under team control through 2017, but I still think GM Jeff Luhnow will listen. Wesley Wright is a credible left-handed reliever. Otherwise, we're down to newly-signed veterans like Carlos Pena, Jose Veras, and Erik Bedard.
Twins
With first baseman Justin Morneau entering a contract year, he's a good candidate to be dealt this summer. The 2006 MVP is only 31 years old, and enters the season free of health concerns. Josh Willingham may be a popular target, though he's signed through next season and the Twins weren't willing to deal him last summer. Veterans such as Jamey Carroll and Ryan Doumit could draw some interest. I'm not sure the Twins would be willing to trade from their rotation, but Kevin Correia and Mike Pelfrey are not long-term pieces.
Marlins
Teams will be clamoring for Giancarlo Stanton, but he's the only reason to see the Marlins right now and he's under team control through 2016. Expect plenty of rumors. The Marlins will get more for starter Ricky Nolasco if they assume some of the $11.5MM owed to him, not that I expect that. Then we're mostly down to veteran pickups like Placido Polanco, Juan Pierre, Jeff Mathis, and Jon Rauch.
Mets
Johan Santana's shoulder will cause him to start the season on the DL. If he looks decent in May and June, and the Mets pick up most of his $31MM tab, and he waives his no-trade clause, maybe they can get a prospect back. Other players in the last year of contracts or on one-year deals such as John Buck, Frank Francisco, and Brandon Lyon should be available. Ike Davis and Jon Niese will draw interest, but seem like building blocks for the Mets.
Cubs
This might be the year the Cubs finally move Alfonso Soriano, who has two years and $36MM left on his deal, plus a full no-trade clause. The Vernon Wells trade has to give the Cubs hope toward the idea of picking up less than half the tab. Matt Garza is entering his contract year, and could be one of the better starters available if he's healthy and the Cubs prefer not to extend him. The Cubs also have starters Scott Feldman and Scott Baker on one-year deals. Closer Carlos Marmol, earning $9.8MM, will be difficult to unload given his control issues. David DeJesus, who has a club option for 2014, could be a useful piece for someone.
Best hitter available: Justin Morneau
Best starting pitcher available: Matt Garza
Best reliever available: Rafael Betancourt
Follow @CloserNews On Twitter
Do you like playing fantasy baseball, and perhaps even winning your league? In many leagues, as tradition dictates, saves are one of the stats you must accumulate to win. Many of those same leagues allow unlimited, instant free agent pickups. The upshot: if you're not quick to the draw to grab the latest newly-minted closers, you won't win saves. That's why I created @CloserNews on Twitter a few years back. The sole purpose of this account is to inform you of closer-related news the instant it becomes available, so that you can be the first to your waiver wire. So give it a follow today and pull your fantasy team out of the gutter!
East Notes: Happ, Romero, Mets, Nationals
The Yankees will finish in last place, predicts Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Predicting the AL East is no easy task, that's for sure. The latest from baseball's eastern division teams:
- The Yankees need another Aaron Small-type hidden gem this year, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The team is facing some derision for recent veteran pickups like Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay, but Sherman feels the front office has earned the benefit of the doubt given its success with these types of additions.
- The Blue Jays and starter J.A. Happ first discussed an extension in the offseason when they were doing his arbitration case, GM Alex Anthopoulos told Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star. The agreement was reached before Happ found out he'd made the Opening Day rotation, said the pitcher. The Jays guaranteed Happ's final arbitration year in 2014 and also snagged a club option for '15.
- Happ beat out Ricky Romero for the Jays' fifth starter job, even though Romero is owed $7.5MM this year. Romero, who was optioned to High-A, told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, "I don’t belong here to be honest with you. This is not for me."
- The Mets are not yet convinced Ruben Tejada is their shortstop of the future, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Gavin Cecchini is Baseball America's top-rated shortstop in the Mets' farm system, but he was drafted out of high school last summer.
- The Nationals are a scouting-first organization, but GM Mike Rizzo is open-minded to suggestions from their two top analytics people, Adam Cromie and Samuel Mondry-Cohen, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post. The team has its own formula to evaluate defense and its own version of wins above replacement.
Marlins To Explore Trading Gorkys Hernandez
The Marlins will explore trade options for outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, reports MLB.com's Joe Frisaro. Hernandez is out of options, and has been told he did not make the Opening Day roster. If a trade partner cannot be found, Hernandez will be released.
Hernandez, 25, struggled in his 173-plate appearance big league debut in 2012 with the Pirates and Marlins. He hit .257/.353/.346 in 281 Triple-A plate appearances, playing mostly left field. Prior to the 2012 season, Baseball America ranked Hernandez 20th among Pirates prospects, praising his center field defense but questioning his offense. Signed by the Tigers out of Venezuela in 2005, Hernandez joined Jair Jurrjens in the 2007 deal with the Braves that brought Edgar Renteria to Detroit. In June 2009 he went to Pittsburgh with Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton for Nate McLouth. Finally, the Bucs traded him to Miami at last year's trade deadline with a draft pick for Gaby Sanchez and Kyle Kaminska.
Why I Chose My Agency: Mark DeRosa
Blue Jays utility man Mark DeRosa is renowned for his clubhouse presence. He's played 500+ career innings at third base, second base, shorstop, right field, and left field, and has a pair of 20 home run seasons on his resume. The longtime CSE client spoke with MLBTR this week about his relationship with agents Lonnie Cooper and Keith Grunewald.
On his first agency:
I actually was with the Hendricks brothers before I switched to CSE. The reason for the switch, I don't know the whole ins and outs of it, but at some point in 2003 I think it was, SFX, I don't know if they bought out the Hendricks brothers or bought their company to become part of SFX, and for those two or three years I was still dealing with this new guy I had dealt with at the Hendricks brothers up until that point, and then the Hendricks brothers decided to leave and go back and be on their own again. But the guys that I had dealt with coming up through the minors were going to stay at SFX. So it kind of got to a situation of, who do I choose? Do I stay with SFX and the guys I dealt with on a daily basis, or do I go back with Alan and Randy, which at the time when I signed with them, they were the reason I signed because of what they had done in the game and how they had represented people up until that point.
So I had a window to sit down with my wife and decide, well, if we can't choose between either of them, this is an opportunity to at least interview with some other people. I had talked to John Smoltz, who I trust and I really looked up to as a teammate, and he said, "Before you do anything, you need to sit down with Lonnie Cooper at CSE." So I met with Lonnie and Keith and all the people up there and it was kind of a no-brainer for me, walking out of the office. I turned to my wife and she felt comfortable too, and I ended up signing with them.
On his decision to go with CSE:
I was at a crossroads in my career, I was getting ready to go into a season where I was going to arbitration eligible for the first time. After I talked with Lonnie and Keith, them being right there in Atlanta where I was playing at the time, and I felt comfortable with them. They weren't a huge agency at the time. Lonnie represented a lot of NBA basketball coaches and he had John [Smoltz] and a few other big leaguers at the time. I really felt like I could get the personal attention I needed and also it was nice for me to have my agent in my backyard where I lived.
On Lonnie and Keith:
I'm a straight shooter, I'm an honest guy, I'm not a needy client. I'm sure they'll tell you I'm the easiest client they probably ever had. I just want an honest opinion, I wanted to know everything about what was being said to me during free agency, good, bad, and different, from every team, but at the same time totally trusting them to push me in the right direction. Going back to 2006, the Rangers actually came to me in about August and wanted to sign me to an extension, and I hadn't made so-called "big league money" up until that point, and was really humbled by the offer, and honored, and excited. I called Lonnie and Keith and they steered me in the right direction. They were like, "No, you've gone this far, might as well play out the last two months and see what's on the free agent market." I ended up signing a three-year deal with the Cubs, so everything worked out.
For me it was just about feeling good about who I was represented by. I felt like they were a direct reflection of me, they have to be straight shooters, have to be honest, and have to surround themselves with good people. I figured if Smoltzie was with them then I needed to sit down with them.
On the free agency process:
I wanted to know everything. I wanted to know day-to-day stuff, which teams were calling, what they thought I could and couldn't do, what the monetary figures were. I had an idea for who I was as a player and as a person. That stuff never bothered me, I like to be honest. I learned a lot of that from Bobby Cox. A lot of managers say they have an open door policy, but Bobby lived it. I could go in and talk to him about anything, and I didn't necessarily like everything he told me throughout my tenure with the Atlanta Braves, but I never walked got in my car that night wondering where I stood in the organization. I wanted to be represented by people like that: tell me what they're saying, what they feel my strengths and weaknesses are, because that's going to play a big part in my decision.
On his decision to sign with the Rangers:
[My agents] played a huge role in that decision with me signing with Texas. Blowing out my knee at the end of '04 and getting non-tendered [by the Braves], here I am in the offseason rehabbing a torn ACL and everything that goes with that, and to have no job. I was definitely nervous at the time. I still felt I was going to come back and be a productive player, but what camp was I going to get into, how was I going to approach that. Lonnie and Keith steered me in the direction of, "Where can you get with the best hitting coach? Where can you find ABs but at the same time work on your craft and be a part of a team that has a chance to win?" Me and Keith ended up flying down to Texas and meeting with Rudy [Jaramillo] and Buck Showalter, and I just felt like it was a good fit. They had Mikey Young, and Soriano, and Blalock, and Teixeira. They had their infield pretty well set, so I knew I wasn't going to get much playing time, but it offered me such an opportunity to just every day work with Rudy Jaramillo and completely overhaul my swing.
On his reasons for jumping on the Cubs' offer quickly:
The fact that it was a guaranteed position. I was a utility player in Texas, I had moved around, played right, second, third, short, the whole deal. An opportunity to play in Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs I did not take lightly. What an opportunity, what a historic place to play. That all factored in. But I was going to play second base, barring injury. I ended up moving around due to other guys being banged up, but I always had a home at second. I felt that was huge for me. And, to be honest with you, it was my first time hitting free agency, and I only had up until that point one full season of playing every day. Didn't know how the market was going to play out, and wanted to kind of set it.
On his last couple of contracts with the Nationals and Blue Jays:
I have two young kids, I'm 38 years old. I feel it's got to be worth my while to grind it out, to put the effort in that needs to be put in for 162 games. Not only that, I'm fully cognizant of why teams bring me in. Not only to be a sounding board for their younger players, but to be a clubhouse guy. I still feel like I'm a viable option playing and can be productive playing. I feel like the last couple deals, the one with Washington, the one with Toronto, Lonnie and Keith…they know me, they know what I'm about. They gave me a chance to sign with a team that has a chance to win. I'm all about helping the young guys, passing down knowledge, because I was never a can't-miss guy. I picked the brains of all the great players I've played with and I've tried to incorporate their thought processes and what they do into my game, to keep me around as long as I can. I love talking the game with the younger players, but at the same time, I wasn't just just going to hang around to help young players. I want an opportunity to win a World Series.
On whether a small agency offers an advantage over the big ones:
To each his own, to be honest with you. It works for me. I like being able to call Lonnie and get him on the phone whenever I need him. I like to be able to pick his brain, because not only is he a great agent, he's also a great businessman. Not all of our talks revolve around baseball. He cares about how my family is doing, he's completely involved in what I'm going to do after the game. That stuff matters to me. Is he willing to pick up the phone and sit with me for an hour whenever I need to talk to him. And then there's Keith, who has become more than my agent, he's become my buddy. We play golf in the offseason, just someone I can confide in, knows probably my darkest secrets. He's become a great friend over the years.
Check out our other interviews in the Why I Chose My Agency series with Ted Lilly, Ryan Ludwick, Cody Ross, Aramis Ramirez, Adam Wainwright, Jeremy Affeldt, David Wright, Jay Bruce, Matt Holliday, Jamey Carroll and Jake Odorizzi.