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jimiu Good points, but I believe even with those points Boras has you exactly where he wants you. He has forced you to compare his guy to the two best players you can think of. So even though you are cutting into his opening volley, you are still looking at the players and doing the comparison he wants to you do. He knows Manny does not deserve the compensation of A-Rod/Bonds, but by opening with this he has the GMs looking at a tier just below them. -
David in Toledo Tell Boras there's a recession/depression going on, that stock traders and bank presidents are taking big pay cuts and will be unable to afford their luxury boxes, that ordinary guys are losing their jobs and will be unable to pay the cable bill, and as a consequence baseball players should be willing to go back to the scale of the 1970's, when stars were paid only ten times as much as the POTUS.
(Of course the owners would have to be willing to cut ticket prices. The owners make out like the robber barons they are in the skyrocketing value of their franchises; they don't have to rake in a huge cash profit every year as well.)
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OneEye78 I think you have pretty much missed the point of why people are paid till the age of 42. They are paid because there is a return on investment. In this case, it is because 1)it is believed that they will produce till that age, 2) the player will be approaching a historic benchmark that will provide an attendence boost, or 3)It is really deferred compensation for the early years of the contract.
The real argument against the 42 year-old number is history. Baseball players see a very noticeable drop off after 40. When Bonds was 42, he was a totally one-dimensional ballplayer as well. He couldn't steal a base, he was a liability in left, and couldn't play every day. His numbers dropped off significantly (coincidentally they started steroid testing), and he was at least as big a liability in the clubhouse as Manny. In fact, nobody has played in 300 games and batted .300 (combined) after turning 40 since Luke Appling. Carlton Fisk holds the record for home runs at 40 or above with 73 (though he never hit more than 19 in a season).
If I were the GM sitting across from Boras, the argument would be simple. Show me a position player who produced at an all-star level at 42 and I will sign Manny for all-star dollars through age 42.
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WBB On the other hand, to my knowledge, nobody has ever suggested that Manny's numbers were chemically enhanced, which would undercut your comparison with B*nds. I agree the six-year deal is excessive, but four would be a good risk for the Dodgers. -
rbrattain Why oh why are you focusing on Manny's home runs or stolen bases or mvp's. Look at the ribbies and see where 5 more average years will take him. If he averages 100 rbis a year all of a sudden he has 2225. That puts him close to what I felt would be an unattainable record...Aaron's 2297. Give the man his due!! He will get paid according to his talent and what he brings to the table, not according to what he cannot do.
Odds and Ends: Burrell, Atkins, Ohmura
MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com —
... Links for Monday...
Yahoo's Jeff Passan ranks all the free agents, from C.C. Sabathia at #1 to Vance Wilson at #183.
The Giants seem likely to hit the free agent market for a reliever.
Pat Burrell hasn't heard from the Phillies yet.
John Brattain battles Scott Boras on his Manny Ramirez claims.
Aaron Gleeman suggests the Twins would be better off platooning Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris at ...
