Gary Matthews Jr. gets 5/50 from Angels

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to a Boston paper, the Angels are offering Gary Matthews Jr. a 5/55 contract.

 

Still another executive said the Angels are more focused on signing a center fielder, Gary Mathews, for a reported $55 million over five years. The Angels, who have a greater need for a center fielder than a corner outfielder, also have coveted Toronto outfielder Vernon Wells, who is eligible for free agency after the 2007 season.

 

 

Link

[JeffH]

"That's kooky talk." - Cosmo Kramer

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Wow, what an awful signing that would be....

 

I gotta give credit to JH in one very important regard--he has learned that the first mover advantage is worth plenty in the offseason. The Soriano deal is going to look less and less pricey when guys like Pierre and Little Sarge are getting 5 year deals for around $10MM per.

[soapy]

oh my God. i find that hard to believe.

[Andy]

Whoa!

 

Just like last year, Hendry sets the market. At least this time he did it with Soriano as opposed to overpaying middle relievers.

[10man]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

[frostwyrm]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

[10man]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

Yes we could have looked forward to next off-season's free agent class but with the WS drought threatening to reach the century mark, it's quite obvious that the Cubs are the most desperate of the desperate WIN NOW teams.

Edited November 21, 2006 by 10man

[sporrer17]

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

 

But these contracts are not "crippling" to the current ownership. We have money to play with, especially when we start getting a consistant winner on the field...we'll be able to play with up to 150 mil on a consistant basis, no doubt in my mind.

[UMFan83]

Hey guys, I am thinking about putting myself on the market this season. Anyone know any agents numbers? I haven't played ball since Freshman year of High School, but back then I had an OBP somewhere around .450 that year...and boy could I catch the ball and run. I am looking for somewhere around 4/$20 million.

[10man]

Hey guys, I am thinking about putting myself on the market this season. Anyone know any agents numbers? I haven't played ball since Freshman year of High School, but back then I had an OBP somewhere around .450 that year...and boy could I catch the ball and run. I am looking for somewhere around 4/$20 million.

Are you a hard worker too with a positive make-up that will be an inspiration to this team? Just say yes and we'll sign you to 6/$40M

[UMFan83]

Hey guys, I am thinking about putting myself on the market this season. Anyone know any agents numbers? I haven't played ball since Freshman year of High School, but back then I had an OBP somewhere around .450 that year...and boy could I catch the ball and run. I am looking for somewhere around 4/$20 million.

Are you a hard worker too with a positive make-up that will be an inspiration to this team? Just say yes and we'll sign you to 6/$40M

 

Sorry, not sure which team you are affiliated from, but since I posted this I've gotten offers for 7/$96 from the Angels and 13/$224 from the Yankees.

 

(and and I'm definitely from more of the 'clubhouse cancer' mold)

[imb]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

It's a nice thought, but this offseason was Hendry's last shot. He couldnt afford a 65-win retooling season.

[Elrhino]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

 

 

That's assuming that the 2008 spending will be any different, which it probably won't.

[goonys evil twin]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

 

 

That's assuming that the 2008 spending will be any different, which it probably won't.

 

When contracts went nutty in the 99/00/01 timeframe, everybody said it would jut keep going up. But it took a step back, and we still haven't surpassed those highs. There's no way of knowing if contracts will really make as big a leap in 2008 as they appeared to take from 2006 to 2007.

[UBlink]

Hey guys, I am thinking about putting myself on the market this season. Anyone know any agents numbers? I haven't played ball since Freshman year of High School, but back then I had an OBP somewhere around .450 that year...and boy could I catch the ball and run. I am looking for somewhere around 4/$20 million.

Are you a hard worker too with a positive make-up that will be an inspiration to this team? Just say yes and we'll sign you to 6/$40M

 

Sorry, not sure which team you are affiliated from, but since I posted this I've gotten offers for 7/$96 from the Angels and 13/$224 from the Yankees.

 

(and and I'm definitely from more of the 'clubhouse cancer' mold)

 

But how many positions can you allegedly play?

Edited November 22, 2006 by UBlink

[soccer10k]

I figured somebody would give him a crazy deal - and I hoped it wasn't the Cubs - but I didn't think it would be for this long and this much money.

[RynoRules]

I figured somebody would give him a crazy deal - and I hoped it wasn't the Cubs - but I didn't think it would be for this long and this much money.

 

I am in your camp - let someone else be won over by GMjr's 1 good year (out of 10) in the bigs.

[SouthSideRyan]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

 

That way we could saddle ourselves with crippling albatross contracts for 2008. The past 3 offseasons the prevailing wisdom among many is that their team should wait out the crazy contract demands for a weak FA class, and pay up in next offseason. The problem is this offseason where there's loads of FA talent at reasonable prices is never going to come.

[DiamondMind]

hahaha. just adds further proof that that's what the market values are for this off-season. put that 5/55 with Juan Pierre's 5/45 and now Soriano's deal is starting to look better and better especially since the Cubs managed to snag the best player available.

 

Another perspective is that forgetting about 2007 and reloading for 2008 is increasingly looking like it would have been the smart thing to do. We could have sat on the sidelines watching the desperate win-now teams saddle themselves with these crippling albatross contracts.

 

WE LAST WON IN 1908.

[Peoriaman]

I verified this info with a Angel's exec--he said they indeed made this offer but do not think it is enough to get him.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I verified this info with a Angel's exec--he said they indeed made this offer but do not think it is enough to get him.

 

:shock: HOLY SCHNICKEES!

[XZero771679666304]

I verified this info with a Angel's exec--he said they indeed made this offer but do not think it is enough to get him.

 

:shock: HOLY SCHNICKEES!

 

This market may be worse than the ARod market was.

[Peoriaman]

Angels guy called it the perfect storm. All MLB teams awash with cash and very few good FA's.

[CubColtPacer]

Angels guy called it the perfect storm. All MLB teams awash with cash and very few good FA's.

 

I heard somebody else speculating that the sale of the Nationals finally going through during this season has really helped teams get some of that extra cash (around 19 million per team). Does anybody think that could be part of the extra money flowing out of these teams?