M's fan will be miffed when Millwood signs
It will be interesting to see where Kevin Millwood signs... the reported 5 year $60 million price tag Boras is seeking seems unlikely at this point. (At least with Damon he has the only decent CF this off season. With pitching, you have a few more options, and Millwood, while good, is not that irreplaceable.)
With both NY and Boston fairly happy with their pitching, who is going to suddenly emerge to put up scary money on a pitcher? Baltimore has money to burn... the Mets are seemingly printing it... but it is hard to see who will give him 5 years. Texas?
When Millwood does sign, I guarantee you M's fans will not be happy. For not much more money than Washburn, someone is getting quite a bit more on the mound (more victories, more starts, more innings, more strikeouts... count on it).
The FO has eaten some humble pie the last several years. After refusing to give Garcia a contract, and generally being royal pricks when he had the nerve to seek market value during arbitration, the fact they are paying more (Washburn) for less (Washburn < Garcia) can't go unnoticed. Is there any team in baseball that would take Washburn over Garcia, contracts being equal?
No.
The M's went into this offseason thinking they could buy a house today, only at 1995 prices. They want to pocket the money from XM Radio, take the money from the Nationals, and continue to hold the line on payroll. (Where is that extra money going? We all know the answer...)
Attendance in baseball is at record highs. Values of franchises is at record highs. The M's want to win like it was 1995, and want to spend like it to.
The Washburn contract is a knee-jerk reaction to a micalculation over the past years on the market. The M's FO just gave a #4 starter the highest salary ever paid to an M's starter.
The same group that fears Meche's arbitration number... that worries Franklin might make $3 million next year... just gave their peer $37.5 million.
No explanation can justify this signing. No analysis, no spin, no bullshit.
This contract just plain sucks.
It will be interesting to see where Kevin Millwood signs... the reported 5 year $60 million price tag Boras is seeking seems unlikely at this point. (At least with Damon he has the only decent CF this off season. With pitching, you have a few more options, and Millwood, while good, is not that irreplaceable.)
With both NY and Boston fairly happy with their pitching, who is going to suddenly emerge to put up scary money on a pitcher? Baltimore has money to burn... the Mets are seemingly printing it... but it is hard to see who will give him 5 years. Texas?
When Millwood does sign, I guarantee you M's fans will not be happy. For not much more money than Washburn, someone is getting quite a bit more on the mound (more victories, more starts, more innings, more strikeouts... count on it).
The FO has eaten some humble pie the last several years. After refusing to give Garcia a contract, and generally being royal pricks when he had the nerve to seek market value during arbitration, the fact they are paying more (Washburn) for less (Washburn < Garcia) can't go unnoticed. Is there any team in baseball that would take Washburn over Garcia, contracts being equal?
No.
The M's went into this offseason thinking they could buy a house today, only at 1995 prices. They want to pocket the money from XM Radio, take the money from the Nationals, and continue to hold the line on payroll. (Where is that extra money going? We all know the answer...)
Attendance in baseball is at record highs. Values of franchises is at record highs. The M's want to win like it was 1995, and want to spend like it to.
The Washburn contract is a knee-jerk reaction to a micalculation over the past years on the market. The M's FO just gave a #4 starter the highest salary ever paid to an M's starter.
The same group that fears Meche's arbitration number... that worries Franklin might make $3 million next year... just gave their peer $37.5 million.
No explanation can justify this signing. No analysis, no spin, no bullshit.
This contract just plain sucks.
posted by Tom at
2:04 PM
