Comments on: Seems like even Scott Boras was surprised at what Werth got

By: umrguy42

umrguy42 — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:22:19 +0000

Ted Lerner been getting Free Agency tips from Dan Snyder?

By: granted42

granted42 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:37:35 +0000

Maybe the Nats plan on ways of offsetting the cost of the contract. For example, maybe by signing Werth, they get an increase in season ticket sales. That should cover the first $1000. The balance of the contact may be covered by the commissions they receive from every player that uses this whacked-out contract to jack up his asking price. That alone could make this a profitable contract for Washington.

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:06:32 +0000

I disagree with your assertion that “Philly is a lonely place when you’re being booed.” That fraternity is getting bigger every year.

JDub and Boras do in a sense deserve kudos in getting the years and money they could out of somebody. I just hope one World Series ring is enough for him—’cause neither he nor his new employer are getting anywhere near that until at least after he’s a footnote. The Gnuts are morons.

By: apbaguy

apbaguy — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:13:16 +0000

Thanks for the Soriano correction. And also the observation that baseball as a whole isn’t damaged by these deals. The game thrives, not because of these particular deals, but because they aren’t widespread. Most teams have better sense.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:53:37 +0000

Wrong Soriano.

Also, this kinda proves Craig’s point that, just because one team wildly overpays for a guy, other teams aren’t automatically obliged to do the same. None of these contracts ruined baseball, Werth’s won’t either.

By: JBerardi

JBerardi — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:50:38 +0000

I don’t understand how Werth being overpaid somehow harms the sport of baseball. Who cares?

By: Charles Gates

Charles Gates — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:23:31 +0000

The Twins and Rangers are your examples of small market teams that can’t put a winning team on the field? I’m hoping I didn’t read that right.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:08:15 +0000

My “ahem logic” refers to the Crawford camp specifically, not teams. I never said every contract is a measuring stick either . What I’m saying is any team interested in Crawford this off season will be faced with what Werth was signed for, by Crawford and his agent. They will be told how much more valuable Crawford is than Werth, then they’ll have a decision to make. And since it was such an over the top contract I feel this will give the Crawford camp reason to hold out longer for more money than they otherwise would. And don’t think for a second that Crawford won’t use Werth’s contract to try to get a better contract. You can sit back and pretend Werth’s contract doesn’t effect negotiations in regards to Crawford at all, but I could pretend I own the Phillies too. Doesn’t make it so.

Crawford will get a contract just as long but for more $$ now. Just you watch.

By: apbaguy

apbaguy — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:32:31 +0000

Oops forgot the Zito contract (mental block after he was left of the WS squad?). Anyway, that puts the Werth contract in the same class of deals as:

Kevin Brown
A-Rod in Texas
Chan Ho Park in Texas
Vernon Wells
Mike Hampton
Barry Zito
Rafael Soriano

Those were all terrible deals for the teams involved. But those deals go back 15 years now. Which proves there is always one crazy GM/Owner and that Boras will find him. And much as the teams never seem to learn this lesson, players never learn that they have no chance of winning when they sign one of these deals, since the contract immediately becomes a boat anchor around the team’s financial neck.

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:23:56 +0000

Wow…how bad must Rosenthal be?

By: woodenulykteneau

woodenulykteneau — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:16:36 +0000

As usual, the philistines don’t grasp that last-place teams *have* to overpay for FAs. On the plus side, The Lerners Are Cheap faction just lost their one and only crutch.

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:06:25 +0000

Congratulations to JDub and Scott Boras. But it’s a damn good thing he got that pesky, elusive World Series ring out of the way, ’cause that sure as hell ain’t happenin’ down there—at least not before he’s a footnote.

By: marshmallowsnake

marshmallowsnake — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:01:09 +0000

Baseball needs a reality check. (no pun intended)

By: Utley's Hair

Utley's Hair — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:58:09 +0000

I see that as a veiled comment on where the Gnats will be hurtin’ in a few years. Well played, Gator.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:35:39 +0000

But it doesn’t matter what they want to use if for because any smart team will just ignore any such reference. By your, ehem, logic, every contract is a viable measuring stick, meaning that the worst contracts handed out impact all other contracts, which they do not. Otherwise, every mediocre pitcher and OF would get Zito and Wells money respectively…they don’t. There isn’t a single team that will be willing to consider Werth’s contract in negotiations. They are independent events no matter what the agent tries to drag into it.

By: basedrum777

basedrum777 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:27:20 +0000

If Washington DC can afford to pay talent than the owners of the Twins, Rangers, and Oakland have nothing to complain about. I believe each is much more wealthy than the new Washington owners. This truly shows that if more teams made it a point to put a winning product on the field than it would be the norm rather than the exception…

By: yankees1996

yankees1996 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:25:05 +0000

WOW!, what a contract, The Nationals are very good at making a splash. If Jason Werth got $126 million, Carl Crawford has got to be waiting in GREAT anticipation.

By: Rosenthals Speling Instrukter

Rosenthals Speling Instrukter — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:02:46 +0000

The system is about as fine as my grammar and typing.

By: Rosenthals Speling Instrukter

Rosenthals Speling Instrukter — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 15:02:19 +0000

They system is fine.

-The Werth Family

PS: The Hampton’s and Zito’s do not like your post either.

By: Ari Collins

Ari Collins — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:58:15 +0000

Isn’t this kind of proof that they don’t need a salary cap? The freakin’ NATIONALS can afford a top free agent, so I don’t see an argument that we need better parity.

By: xpensivewinos

xpensivewinos — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:51:21 +0000

I need another lecture from someone telling me again how baseball doesn’t need a salary cap and a major rehaul of its salary structure.

That gurgling you hear is the golden goose being strangled to death. Baseball is now to the point where it’s simply gotten too stupid to even watch.

By: Chipmaker

Chipmaker — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:34:28 +0000

I wanna think that “anals” was a typo, but this is an Old Gator comment, so the subversion may be deliberate.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:32:27 +0000

DC is not known for fiscal responsibility, the Nat’s are just trying to keep up the DC tradition of pissing away money. Here’s an interesting take which says he’s not all that overpaid actually. The one article that is known to exist anyway..

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/a-jayson-werth-article-without-a-pun-in-the-headline/

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:21:18 +0000

Well, the grotesque decor of the Mouseworld hotels will make a nice backdrop for the kind of fiscal idiocy that was demonstrated yesterday. Look at the structure in question: a mongrel architecture, rising on no known paradigm, brick the color of dried blood rising turreted and cupolaed and crazed into the heat of day form on form in demented accretion without precedent or counterpart in the anals of human habitation, however temporary or overpriced.

Craig, you’ve come home. The shades in limbo whisper “welcome.”

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:42:39 +0000

Don’t think for a second that Crawford and his agent aren’t going to use this signing as a measuring stick for what Crawford “deserves”. He won’t be happy signing for “Jayson Werth money”. Even though, last week, this was “Crawford money”, it’s now “Jayson Werth money” therefore Crawford will be forced to hold out for a more “Crawford like” payday. And yes, it probably will drag on longer than it has to.

By: phillygirl4

phillygirl4 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:42:05 +0000

So the Nationals are a laughing stock now, right? I mean, how do people respect this sort of lunacy? And what does this mean for baseball? I hope TPTB see this as the anomaly (a word Werth used to describe his poor hitting with RISP) it is and not the new norm.

As a Phillies fan, I wish Werth well. I don’t blame him at all but I must say the shine came off his diamond a bit for me. Good luck in Baseball Oblivion, Werth. But beware – Philly is a lonely place when you’re being booed.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:18:39 +0000

Crawford’s talent and past production mean he will get paid well. Werth’s contract means nothing in that regard.