I think we have to accept that you are going to overpay on the free agent market or in re-signing a veteran. Most of those contracts lead to regrets. But you do it to fill the gaps where you farm system has not generated the talent you need. When Uggla was acquired we need the "big right-handed bat" and had a hole in left field. Melky Cabrera and Garret Anderson had played left the two years before Uggla arrived. We had to do something. So we traded for and signed Uggla to an extension. There was no one on the farm who we could have slotted into the lineup to give us that kind of power.
Similarly there was no plausible internal solution to play center when we signed BJ. So we overpayed a bit. I think ultimately BJ will rebound to the form he has shown in recent years. But still there always risks with these contracts. If we re-sign McCann, we'll be taking a similar risk. As good as our farm system has been, it hasn't been capable of generating players to cover all positions. So on a selective basis we have to overpay and take some risks on bigger contracts. I don't think it can be avoided. But you hope to do as well as possible with those signings.
