@mlbbowman: Kimbrel received the largest guarantee and average annual value ever given to any first-year arbitration-eligible pitcher.
[ http://twitter.com/mlbbowman/status/435125448259809280 ]
@mlbbowman: Kimbrel received the largest guarantee and average annual value ever given to any first-year arbitration-eligible pitcher.
[ http://twitter.com/mlbbowman/status/435125448259809280 ]
I'm glad people are coming around to this off-season, but this is what a lot of us were saying was going to happen - Wren wanted to lock up some of our core guys long-term, and needed to plan accordingly.
Obviously he needed to test the waters when guys like David Price and Jeff Samardjiza are said to be in the block, because this team is talented enough to win next year, and adding a guy like Price would have helped immediately. But, I think it's clear that Wren weighed the options of what he would have had to sacrifice for those guys, and decided to hedge his bets and job on our young talent. I would not be shocked to see another 1-2 deals between now and the end of the year (do we negotiate mid-season?) to one of our young guys.
Can we just enjoy this news, instead of revisiting Lowe & Kawakami yet again?
FreemanFan (02-16-2014), mossy (02-16-2014)
I almost wonder if we're going to have to (and should) wait until next off-season to lock up Simmons. If the sides are truly that far apart on the offensive side of things, give him a season to show improvement there and we can see what we've got.
Folks we need to get Wren a new contract ASAP.
Wow, 4 years, 42 million with an option for 13 mil in 2018.
I LOVE this deal.
Everyone knows i've been saying trade him but thats because i figured he'd get 15-20 mil in 2 years as a FA.
Good job, Frank!!!!!!!
Well, with the new ballpark/inflation, they might be able to keep both.
All i'm saying is this deal means he's not going anywhere for the next 4-5 years, thats all.
I guess he COULD be traded but i would be very surprised.
If he was, it would be next offseason depending how the arb-hearing went.
Sorry for being a smartass.
Two, with this deal, i dont see them trading him now.
For a closer like him, this is very team-friendly given what he'd get on the FA market.
At most 5/58 for the best closer in baseball, a little over 11 mil a year, thats very good for us.
Thanks for the apology Now lets move on.
I disagree with you that 5/58 is a good deal for us. It is/would be a VERY good deal for a big payroll team but if it keeps us from making other improvements in extensions or areas of need, this IMO it is not a good deal. My thoughts are based soley on the premise that Kimbrel could possibly have won his arbitration this year, thereby making him virtually untradeable and unaffordable for us.
FWIW, back in December all the baseball insiders on Hot Stove and MLB Tonite (like em or not) repeatedly stated that GMs of other than high payroll were discounting value of closers.
Our payroll will CLEARLY go up in the next couple of years, that is clear.
How high, thats up for debate.
I've been a pro-trade Kimbrel but that was because i thought he'd hit FA or be too pricy once he got more expensice, say 15-20 mil in arb.
A max value of 5/58 if very good for us.
Yes, if he won his arb-hearing sure, but he didnt and we have him on a team-friendly deal. Question, how much would he sign for if he hit the market?
16-18 per year?
We have him under that.
I dont disagree closers are overvalued but Kimbrel isnt like most closers. His first 3 years are legendary. I just never thought this would happen.
jason27nc (02-16-2014)
I think you are a stupid ********, ******* for thinking this. Just kidding. I did that for fun because you went all Chuck Norris on Heyward. I do disagree with you but that is your opinion. You have to look what most closers are going for these days. Kimbrel is arguably the best of them all and we are getting him for way less than most of them are going for. Like it or not, the closer role in baseball is a very important role in today's baseball. We now know we have that part fixed for at least 5 years baring injury.
For the record, it does make him more tradeable.
But Uggla's deal will eventually be off the books by then.
They could still trade him if they want, but not anytime soon ie within the next 3 years at least.
I don't know how I feel about this. Obviously a huge fan of Kimbrel and he's the best in the game so you'd rather have the guy in his prime than not have him. But at the same time is it smart for a mid market team to ever give that much money to a closer?
thank you weso1!