Z CONTRACT: On Hold Due to Trib Sale

[C.C.]

Might as well ask it here, why do players so often not want to negotiate in the season. It wouldn't be much of a distractions; it's really just the agent doing the meetings. Is it as simple as wanting to have the leverage of a deadline?

 

Because baseball is a psychological game. The less distractions the better.

[C.C.]

Bold prediction: It's formally announced just before the game.

 

Not very bold, but I bet your right...

[Jon]

Might as well ask it here, why do players so often not want to negotiate in the season. It wouldn't be much of a distractions; it's really just the agent doing the meetings. Is it as simple as wanting to have the leverage of a deadline?

It's an easy way to set an arbitrary deadline to push management into getting it done. Of course, it's often not a deadline, but it seems like both sides have come to see it as a natural point to aim for.

[cjbucks]

Might as well ask it here, why do players so often not want to negotiate in the season. It wouldn't be much of a distractions; it's really just the agent doing the meetings. Is it as simple as wanting to have the leverage of a deadline?

 

I believe it is a leverage thing as Z has stated he has nothing to do with the negotiations so I can't see it as much of a distraction but that is just my opinion.

[shnsajax]

It sounds like the deal is very close to done, they just have to fine tune the contract.

[hawkcub]

Sounds to me like they are just dotting the I's and crossing the T's. This probably gets done like D Lee's deal did.

[E.J.]

Sounds to me like they are just dotting the I's and crossing the T's. This probably gets done like D Lee's deal did.

 

Let's hope so. Things seem pretty optimistic coming from both sides, but that can always change quickly. Hopefully something gets done today so Z can just worry about pitching tommorow.

[shnsajax]

Sounds to me like they are just dotting the I's and crossing the T's. This probably gets done like D Lee's deal did.

 

Let's hope so. Things seem pretty optimistic coming from both sides, but that can always change quickly. Hopefully something gets done today so Z can just worry about pitching tommorow.

 

They can but Hendry doesn't burn bridges or say anything stupid.

[frostwyrm]

I can't see any way this doesn't get done. Hendry's spending patterns show he is absolutely desperate to contend within the next 2 years. Letting Z walk would screw up the whole plan and cost Hendry his job. I am certain Hendry will throw however much money at this situation as it takes to get Z's signature on a dotted line.

[PrimeTime]

I predict it will happen tonight at the time of the Mets and Cards game.

[CheeseHead Cubs Fan]

The Cubs and Carlos Zamrbrano are closing in on a five-year contract worth more than $80 million, FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reports.

Zambrano is a healthy season away from getting something like $140-$150 million for eight years, but all indications are that he's going to sign now anyway. It would be the largest deal ever for a non-free agent pitcher.

[98navigator]

Chris De Luca / Suntimes

 

It's likely ace Carlos Zambrano will take the mound Monday on Opening Day in Cincinnati without a new five-year contract.

 

That doesn't mean a deal won't be completed beyond the deadline, sources stressed Saturday before the Cubs boarded their flight from Las Vegas to Cincinnati.

 

But sources say the sides have made significant progress, and it is believed they are extremely close... issues such as potential out clauses and bonuses remain unsettled.

 

Ken Rosenthal / FoxSports.com

 

The Cubs' chances of signing right-hander Carlos Zambrano to a new five-year contract look better than ever.

 

Zambrano has waived his Opening Day deadline for completing negotiations with the club, according to his agent, Barry Praver.

 

"Our discussions have progressed to the point where we're going to extend the deadline for an indefinite period of time," Praver told FOXSports.com on Sunday.

[dan.gold]

Even if you only have $4-$5 million, you could live (very comfortably) off of the interest alone. So basically most baseball players are dumb?

 

Tell that to all the boxers that are walking the streets. Tell that to Kareem Abdul Jabbar who was broke when his career ended.

 

A guy's arm could fall off tomorrow and his career will be over. You get what you can get when you can get it. Period.

 

I suppose these guys could live off the interest of their 4-5 million, but wouldn't they be giving up a significant portion of the lifestyle they had been living while they were still playing the game? Why give that up if you could live off the interest of even more than 4-5 million?

 

To ask the question another way.......

 

You're currently the manager of the McDonald's down the street. You make $13.00 an hour and get good benefits. You've been with McDonald's for 8 years now, and you're pretty pleased with how things have worked out for you. Are you so loyal to them that you would turn down $17.00 an hour to be the manager at Burger King with the same benefits? Is McDonald's treating you so well that you'd be willing to pass over $8,320 of increased annual income to keep grilling burgers?

 

Do you like that "hometown discount"? To me, I think that my current employer is raking me over the coals and tomorrow I'll be broiling burgers instead of grilling them.

 

Baseball isn't a job you can hold onto until you are age 65. Most players are out of the game before they reach 35. Some of these guys never got an education to speak of, and they will need to learn how to manage their money fast, or it will be gone as quickly as it came. And there is NO job that will pay them anywhere close to what they are getting now, so you get what you can get while you can.

 

If you were in Zambrano's shoes, you'd be asking for as much as you could squeeze out of the Cubs. And you aren't just negotiating by yourself. You have your agent, your family members and the players union all making sure you take what you have coming.

 

You might need this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility#The_.E2.80.9Claw.E2.80.9D_of_diminishing_marginal_utility

 

The situations are a little different.

[Soriano12]

Bold prediction: It's formally announced just before the game.

 

Not very bold, but I bet your right...

 

 

 

It's formally announced just before the game

 

That is more of a bold prediction.

[hawkcub]

Baseball tonight just said the Carlos negotiations is thiiiis close to be getting done.

[Bruno7481]

Rosenthal reporting this is very close to getting done...

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

[Bruno7481]

Rosenthal reporting that the deal could be very close...

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6632584

[BigbadB]

You might need this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility#The_.E2.80.9Claw.E2.80.9D_of_diminishing_marginal_utility

 

The situations are a little different.

 

Nope. Didn't need it. Diminishing marginal utility really doesn't relate to this discussion.

 

Let's say Zambrano has been informed by his agent that he could get $20m a year on his next contract with a team like the Yankees or Red Sox, and the Cubs are only offering 16m.

 

Is Zambrano giving anything up to pitch for some other team? No. His job title and responsibilities would be pretty much the same no matter what team signs him, just wearing a different colored uniform in different surroundings.

 

Not every team is going to offer up the same price for his services. So, it's up to Zambrano and his agent and any other significant person in his life that he trusts major decisions with to decide what amount of money will satisfy his needs and wants.

 

It would be foolish on his part to accept a lot less money to stay in Chicago (a big market team that has proven it will pay big market dollars (Aram/Soriano/Sosa) to it's stars) than what other big market teams will be willing to give him on the free agent market.

 

Besides that, Zambrano has been given one opportunity to see the playoffs in his career. While the fans in Chicago have always been great to the players, other organizations that consistently make the playoffs might be quite enticing to Zambrano.

 

You take what you can get when you can get it for as long as you can get it. It's pretty simple.

 

It makes me mad that I have to pay ridiculous prices to see a baseball game because of how much money these guys make, but you can't blame them for trying to get as much as they can from the owners of these baseball teams. It's not the baseball player's fault that contracts spiraled completely out of control.

[mg420]

You might need this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marginal_utility#The_.E2.80.9Claw.E2.80.9D_of_diminishing_marginal_utility

 

The situations are a little different.

 

Nope. Didn't need it. Diminishing marginal utility really doesn't relate to this discussion.

 

Let's say Zambrano has been informed by his agent that he could get $20m a year on his next contract with a team like the Yankees or Red Sox, and the Cubs are only offering 16m.

 

Is Zambrano giving anything up to pitch for some other team? No. His job title and responsibilities would be pretty much the same no matter what team signs him, just wearing a different colored uniform in different surroundings.

 

Not every team is going to offer up the same price for his services. So, it's up to Zambrano and his agent and any other significant person in his life that he trusts major decisions with to decide what amount of money will satisfy his needs and wants.

 

It would be foolish on his part to accept a lot less money to stay in Chicago (a big market team that has proven it will pay big market dollars (Aram/Soriano/Sosa) to it's stars) than what other big market teams will be willing to give him on the free agent market.

 

Besides that, Zambrano has been given one opportunity to see the playoffs in his career. While the fans in Chicago have always been great to the players, other organizations that consistently make the playoffs might be quite enticing to Zambrano.

 

You take what you can get when you can get it for as long as you can get it. It's pretty simple.

 

It makes me mad that I have to pay ridiculous prices to see a baseball game because of how much money these guys make, but you can't blame them for trying to get as much as they can from the owners of these baseball teams. It's not the baseball player's fault that contracts spiraled completely out of control.

 

you are assuming that the bottom line is the only factor involved. if that were true aram would have a 100 million+ contract and be wearing an angels uniform. believe it or not there are people who would rather enjoy where they are playing than chase more money elsewhere. i really wonder what griffey jr & arod would do if they could do things over again.

[BigbadB]

you are assuming that the bottom line is the only factor involved. if that were true aram would have a 100 million+ contract and be wearing an angels uniform. believe it or not there are people who would rather enjoy where they are playing than chase more money elsewhere. i really wonder what griffey jr & arod would do if they could do things over again.

 

And there is a small handful of players that are loyal to the teams they play on. I believe I mentioned that early on in this thread somewhere.

 

But, just because a few are willing to do that doesn't mean everyone else should follow their lead.

[mg420]

you are assuming that the bottom line is the only factor involved. if that were true aram would have a 100 million+ contract and be wearing an angels uniform. believe it or not there are people who would rather enjoy where they are playing than chase more money elsewhere. i really wonder what griffey jr & arod would do if they could do things over again.

 

And there is a small handful of players that are loyal to the teams they play on. I believe I mentioned that early on in this thread somewhere.

 

But, just because a few are willing to do that doesn't mean everyone else should follow their lead.

 

it also doesnt mean that the ones that do are foolish.

[BigbadB]

it also doesnt mean that the ones that do are foolish.

 

Note that I said A LOT less money in that statement. I didn't specify what was a lot less. Would you consider it foolish for him to except a 100K contract with Chicago if the Yankees are offering 100m? Yep. That would be pretty foolish.

 

Without defining "a lot less", you really can't make the claim that it is or isn't foolish to sign for a lot less.

[PrimeTime]

Looks like Z is about to sign..No worries anymore

[cubs121]

this reminds me of the Ramirez' contract, right before the start of the 05 season.. and somewhat of Lee's contract last year.. but i think itll be finalized in the last minute before the game, just like ramirez.

[A New Era]

Yeah, if Z signs for 5 (with THIS year one of them) years for around 80-85 mil then I think he is giving a bit of a discount seeing as he could get alot more on the open market. I would consider it somewhat of a hometown discount, for sure. .