The biggest number revealed this off season: $17.2 million.
That is the estimated qualifying offer number.
It is a $1.4 million increase from last off-season.
Within five days of the World Series conclusion, teams must make a qualifying offer to their pending free agents in order to secure a potential first round pick if their players declines it.
Player agents hate the qualifying offer rules. It actually limits the market for free agents with that tag as most teams do not want to give up a first round pick to sign a high price veteran.
But this may be the last year for the qualifying offer as the current collective bargaining agreement expires on December 2, 2016.
But then again, no free agent actually accepted a qualifying offer until last season. It seems that the number has grow so high that it tends to be market value, even though it is for a one year deal, of a normal free agent. But free agents are more concerned today with the years on the contract (the guaranteed money) as a hedge against injury. It is expected that the qualifying offer rules will be a sticking point in the next union contract.
The procedure was put in place to help small market teams who would develop star players only to have them leave after 6 years for free agency. The small market team got nothing in return for developing the games best players. So, the league decided to compensate any team for a loss of a free agent with a draft pick. But at the same time, it also penalized a team for taking the player by losing a draft pick. The idea was to forge some kind of competitive balance between the clubs.
But with the large national television deals and new revenue sources, most small market teams such as Kansas City have found ways to keep their home grown talent. The Royals have been competitive. The Royals have a championship. But just as KC has found a way to work within the system, there are other teams like the Brewers who continue to tread water.
Showing posts with label offer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label offer. Show all posts
October 14, 2016
February 6, 2016
THE PROBLEM
Adam Eaton was the White Sox starting center fielder. For most White Sox fans, Eaton has been a terrible liability since the Sox acquired him from Arizona.
He is a Jekyll and Hyde player. His stats look good on the surface, but fans of daily games saw Eaton running into outs, playing bad defense, missing cut-offs and showing a low situational baseball IQ.
Eaton hit .287, 14 HR, 56 RBI with a 3.9 WAR. That looks pretty good for a lead off hitter.
But that WAR includes a negative 1.1 dWAR.
Clearly, the White Sox are looking to upgrade their outfield and defense talent.
That is why Dexter Fowler has been mentioned as a possible free agent signing.
But Fowler poses two problems. One, it takes Eaton, 27, to the bench. He won't be happy about that.
Two, Fowler signing would cost the White Sox the No. 28 pick in the June draft. The Sox No. 10 pick is protected so this is the Samardzija compensation selection.
The White Sox have enough young pitching in the pipeline to really go after the two best available college hitters in the draft and push them along to the majors like the Cubs did with Bryant and Schwarber. The No. 28 pick may have more value than Fowler's asking price for a long term deal.
He is a Jekyll and Hyde player. His stats look good on the surface, but fans of daily games saw Eaton running into outs, playing bad defense, missing cut-offs and showing a low situational baseball IQ.
Eaton hit .287, 14 HR, 56 RBI with a 3.9 WAR. That looks pretty good for a lead off hitter.
But that WAR includes a negative 1.1 dWAR.
Clearly, the White Sox are looking to upgrade their outfield and defense talent.
That is why Dexter Fowler has been mentioned as a possible free agent signing.
But Fowler poses two problems. One, it takes Eaton, 27, to the bench. He won't be happy about that.
Two, Fowler signing would cost the White Sox the No. 28 pick in the June draft. The Sox No. 10 pick is protected so this is the Samardzija compensation selection.
The White Sox have enough young pitching in the pipeline to really go after the two best available college hitters in the draft and push them along to the majors like the Cubs did with Bryant and Schwarber. The No. 28 pick may have more value than Fowler's asking price for a long term deal.
January 28, 2016
FOWLER
Dexter Fowler was a competent center fielder for the 2015 Cubs.
Fowler, 29, hit .250, 17 HR, 46 RBI, 20 SB, 2.2 WAR. He made $9.5 million in 2015. He turned down a qualifying offer of $15.3 million. So any team besides the Cubs who sign him have to give up a first round draft pick as compensation.
Currently, two teams have been rumored to have interest in Fowler: the Cubs and White Sox. That would seem redundant since the Sox have Adam Eaton in center, and the Cubs stated that Jason Heyward would play center in 2016.
There is also a question of compensation. Fowler thinks he is worth more than the $15.3 million one year offer. He is at the point of getting one good long term deal in his back pocket. But last year's WAR by some accounts put his value more at $12.5 million than $15 million. The Cubs made that offer because the team had not vaulted into the free agent market.
Teams do want to keep their high draft picks because those players can be cheaply controlled for six years. Prime example, Kris Bryant.
Is Fowler worth losing a chance at the next Kris Bryant? That is what keeps GMs up at night.
But if the Cubs re-sign Fowler to play center, it moves Heyward back to his natural position of right field. That makes the Cubs collective outfield defense better than a Schwarber-Heyward-Soler triad.
It would also put Soler on the bench or part of a major trade package (with prospects like Vogelbach, Villaneuva or Szczur) for more starting pitching.
Fowler is a nice player but not worth a 4 year/$65 million contract.
Fowler, 29, hit .250, 17 HR, 46 RBI, 20 SB, 2.2 WAR. He made $9.5 million in 2015. He turned down a qualifying offer of $15.3 million. So any team besides the Cubs who sign him have to give up a first round draft pick as compensation.
Currently, two teams have been rumored to have interest in Fowler: the Cubs and White Sox. That would seem redundant since the Sox have Adam Eaton in center, and the Cubs stated that Jason Heyward would play center in 2016.
There is also a question of compensation. Fowler thinks he is worth more than the $15.3 million one year offer. He is at the point of getting one good long term deal in his back pocket. But last year's WAR by some accounts put his value more at $12.5 million than $15 million. The Cubs made that offer because the team had not vaulted into the free agent market.
Teams do want to keep their high draft picks because those players can be cheaply controlled for six years. Prime example, Kris Bryant.
Is Fowler worth losing a chance at the next Kris Bryant? That is what keeps GMs up at night.
But if the Cubs re-sign Fowler to play center, it moves Heyward back to his natural position of right field. That makes the Cubs collective outfield defense better than a Schwarber-Heyward-Soler triad.
It would also put Soler on the bench or part of a major trade package (with prospects like Vogelbach, Villaneuva or Szczur) for more starting pitching.
Fowler is a nice player but not worth a 4 year/$65 million contract.
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