Moneyball Era Ends. It’s Back to Monopoly Money and Overspending.
Uncategorized December 6th. 2006, 6:55pm
Last night, while exchanging a flurry of instant messages (TheBigLead, if you ever want to chat) with a baseball-writer friend currently south for the Winter, we struggled to keep up with all the frenzied free agent activity, which was anything but baseball-paced: JD Drew to the Red Sox for insane money, the Yankees feeling sentimental and throwing far too much coin at Andy Pettitte, the Red Sox setting free agency back a decade by shelling out $36 million for Julio Lugo, Greg Maddux going to San Diego for $10 million, and Barry Zito contemplating a Monopoly-money offer of around $106 million from the Texas Rangers.
Yup, seems like the Moneyball era is over. That piece pretty much nails it – GMs are spending money like it’s going out of style, though in some cases, they aren’t dipping into their own pockets, but using the increased dough from revenue sharing (who’s ready for a salary cap!).
Quick thoughts on the madness:
* Although Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt have yet to be signed, the clear-cut offseason winners to date are the Boston Red Sox. (And the good news keeps coming for the missed-the-playoffs BoSox – pitcher Jon Lester is healthy and cancer free. Plus, it doesn’t appear as if Manny Ramirez is going anywhere.)
* Theo is a douche, part I – Jose Reyes is probably an angry man this morning, and possibly agent-shopping. Reyes, perhaps the best shortstop in the game, signed for 4 years, $23.25 million last season. Lugo is getting 4 years, $36 million. That’s laughable.
* Theo is a douche, part II: The Red Sox refused to give 4 years and $50 million to a cornerstone of the franchise who was beloved by fans – Johnny Damon – last year, citing age and his weak arm. So naturally, the Red Sox throw 5 years and $70 million at JD Drew. In Damon’s four years in Boston, he missed a total of 51 games; in Drew’s last four seasons, he’s missed 185 games. Good luck with that, Theo.
* If the Yanks really want Pettitte, there should definitely be clauses in his deal about how many games he pitches. Because we’d be stunned if he started more than 20 games with that creaky elbow.
* Congrats are in order for the San Diego Padres, your 2007 NL West Champions. The Dodgers may just be the biggest joke in baseball, the Giants are certainly the oldest team in baseball, and the Rockies will forever suck. Peavy and Maddux hardly need an offense to win that putrid division.
Free Agency Follies (Slate)
$106 Freakin’ Million for What? (Boston Red Sox Thoughts)
2 Responses to “Moneyball Era Ends. It’s Back to Monopoly Money and Overspending.”
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December 6th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
Dude, Jose Reyes isn’t even arbitration eligible for 2 more years…if he was in league long enough to be a FA he would get triple what Lugo got. Comparing Reyes’ and Lugo’s contract makes about as much sense as the Lugo and Drew contract’s themselves, which is to say: none. Reyes gave up 2 years of freedom and a little money (in his theoretical first 2 years after FA, he will make 16 MM, not bad) for some security…that is what you do when you are a superstar in major city with lots of endorsement potential, grew up poor and have a family to support…nobody got shafter
December 7th, 2006 at 6:38 am
In this market’s Drew’s practically a steal for $14 million a year.