Baseball Beat: Hendry meets with agents of Sheets,Byrd,more

[jersey cubs fan]

ankiel, pods and putz? ](*,)

 

Nothing wrong with talking to their agents.

 

Sure, assuming they were talking about somebody else and they just happaned to have the same agent as the unknown worthy players.

[CubColtPacer]

I fully expect Hendry to offer Cameron a multi-year deal that will end up being way higher than market value once we see what Bay/Holliday make (see: Ryan Dempster deal)

 

Dempster's deal wasn't way above market value though so I'm not sure what comparison you're trying to make there. If anything, it was maybe a little under market value.

[Derwood]

I fully expect Hendry to offer Cameron a multi-year deal that will end up being way higher than market value once we see what Bay/Holliday make (see: Ryan Dempster deal)

 

Dempster's deal wasn't way above market value though so I'm not sure what comparison you're trying to make there. If anything, it was maybe a little under market value.

 

I remember it being the perception at the time, but I don't have a full list of the 2008 off season contracts to verify

[SouthSideRyan]

The scariest part is I haven't really read any reports, that I actually believe, that have keeping Bradley as an option.

It clearly isn't, which is insane.

 

I have the same feeling I had before Hendry signed J. Jones. I mean, Pods just fits right into Hendry's MO. Left handed, CFer, "lead-off" hitter, "fast", etc...

 

I'm hoping the seemingly recent fascination with RBI (re: Bradley) will steer him away from Podsednik.

 

Shoulda put CF in quotes too.

[jersey cubs fan]

The scariest part is I haven't really read any reports, that I actually believe, that have keeping Bradley as an option.

It clearly isn't, which is insane.

 

I have the same feeling I had before Hendry signed J. Jones. I mean, Pods just fits right into Hendry's MO. Left handed, CFer, "lead-off" hitter, "fast", etc...

 

I'm hoping the seemingly recent fascination with RBI (re: Bradley) will steer him away from Podsednik.

 

Shoulda put CF in quotes too.

 

The media is foolishly portraying it as a "no choice" situation, and Hendry will be more than happy to fall back on that when he eventually does get screwed over. And you're right, Pods is hardly a LF, but he'll be portrayed as a "CF" if need be. But I do believe they will be looking for an RBI guy.

[CubColtPacer]

I fully expect Hendry to offer Cameron a multi-year deal that will end up being way higher than market value once we see what Bay/Holliday make (see: Ryan Dempster deal)

 

Dempster's deal wasn't way above market value though so I'm not sure what comparison you're trying to make there. If anything, it was maybe a little under market value.

 

I remember it being the perception at the time, but I don't have a full list of the 2008 off season contracts to verify

 

Here are the starting pitcher contracts of the big 4 pitchers from last year:

 

Sabathia: 7 years, 161 million

Burnett: 5 years, 82.5 million

Lowe: 4 years, 60 million

Dempster: 4 years, 52 million

 

There were only 3 other starters to get multi-year deals last year (Oliver Perez 3 years 36 million, Kawakami 3 years 23 million, Uehara 2 years 10 million).

 

The perception may have been that the market completely collapsed last year, but the top guys still all got paid. Dempster was among them and the reports were that he would have likely been signed by the Braves to a deal similar to the Lowe deal if the Cubs hadn't resigned him.

[jersey cubs fan]

I fully expect Hendry to offer Cameron a multi-year deal that will end up being way higher than market value once we see what Bay/Holliday make (see: Ryan Dempster deal)

 

Dempster's deal wasn't way above market value though so I'm not sure what comparison you're trying to make there. If anything, it was maybe a little under market value.

 

I remember it being the perception at the time, but I don't have a full list of the 2008 off season contracts to verify

 

Here are the starting pitcher contracts of the big 4 pitchers from last year:

 

Sabathia: 7 years, 161 million

Burnett: 5 years, 82.5 million

Lowe: 4 years, 60 million

Dempster: 4 years, 52 million

 

There were only 3 other starters to get multi-year deals last year (Oliver Perez 3 years 36 million, Kawakami 3 years 23 million, Uehara 2 years 10 million).

 

The perception may have been that the market completely collapsed last year, but the top guys still all got paid. Dempster was among them and the reports were that he would have likely been signed by the Braves to a deal similar to the Lowe deal if the Cubs hadn't resigned him.

 

Why does Dempster get to be compared to those players?

[soapy]

The scariest part is I haven't really read any reports, that I actually believe, that have keeping Bradley as an option.

It clearly isn't, which is insane.

 

I have the same feeling I had before Hendry signed J. Jones. I mean, Pods just fits right into Hendry's MO. Left handed, CFer, "lead-off" hitter, "fast", etc...

 

I'm hoping the seemingly recent fascination with RBI (re: Bradley) will steer him away from Podsednik.

 

Shoulda put CF in quotes too.

 

The media is foolishly portraying it as a "no choice" situation, and Hendry will be more than happy to fall back on that when he eventually does get screwed over. And you're right, Pods is hardly a LF, but he'll be portrayed as a "CF" if need be. But I do believe they will be looking for an RBI guy.

 

Good point about "CF", SSR.

 

And yes, it is annoying that Hendry seems to be getting a pass (from the media in particular) because his hands are tied money-wise and he can't get a huge payroll bump from the new owner. That is insane. Hendry has had a tremendous payroll advantage over much of the league (and still does). He's the one who made this mess, not Ricketts. The blame falls squarly at his feet and nobody else.

[CubColtPacer]

I fully expect Hendry to offer Cameron a multi-year deal that will end up being way higher than market value once we see what Bay/Holliday make (see: Ryan Dempster deal)

 

Dempster's deal wasn't way above market value though so I'm not sure what comparison you're trying to make there. If anything, it was maybe a little under market value.

 

I remember it being the perception at the time, but I don't have a full list of the 2008 off season contracts to verify

 

Here are the starting pitcher contracts of the big 4 pitchers from last year:

 

Sabathia: 7 years, 161 million

Burnett: 5 years, 82.5 million

Lowe: 4 years, 60 million

Dempster: 4 years, 52 million

 

There were only 3 other starters to get multi-year deals last year (Oliver Perez 3 years 36 million, Kawakami 3 years 23 million, Uehara 2 years 10 million).

 

The perception may have been that the market completely collapsed last year, but the top guys still all got paid. Dempster was among them and the reports were that he would have likely been signed by the Braves to a deal similar to the Lowe deal if the Cubs hadn't resigned him.

 

Why does Dempster get to be compared to those players?

 

Because we're talking about market value. Several of those teams had reports that they weren't sure who they valued more between Dempster, Burnett, or Lowe. Dempster was signed early which took him out of the bidding but before that he was right up there with the second level of starters (obviously Sabathia is in a completely different league). It doesn't matter what their actual value was likely to be. The Cubs couldn't have waited and then paid Dempster less. If they hadn't paid him that much they would have lost him. That makes him not overpaid compared to the market.

 

As far as actual value, after this year Dempster has just as much if not more chance of fulfilling his contract than Burnett or Lowe do.

[Sever82]

 

And yes, it is annoying that Hendry seems to be getting a pass (from the media in particular) because his hands are tied money-wise and he can't get a huge payroll bump from the new owner. That is insane. Hendry has had a tremendous payroll advantage over much of the league (and still does). He's the one who made this mess, not Ricketts. The blame falls squarly at his feet and nobody else.

 

 

I totally agree. As much as i like Bruce Levine, i'm tired of hearding reporters like him give Hendry a pass or imply that hendry has been the first cubs gm to bring them to the playoffs in consecutive seasons. I find it to be BS because i think any GM with a $140 million payroll can get a winner here. Hendry makes horrible decisions but yet his good ones have been over amplified. His Big name free agent signings were mistakes (Soriano, Bradley), and his smaller signings were also mistakes (Miles, etc. ).

[jersey cubs fan]

There were only 3 other Because we're talking about market value. Several of those teams had reports that they weren't sure who they valued more between Dempster, Burnett, or Lowe.

 

Oh please. Everybody can harp back on some report they heard to defend anything. Yeah, reports were dozens of teams were interested in Bradley this year as well.

 

Dempster was a 31 year old with 1 good year under his belt as a starter. Are of those guys were much better free agent targets and were always going to get much more money. There is no comparison.

[A-Cal]

There were only 3 other Because we're talking about market value. Several of those teams had reports that they weren't sure who they valued more between Dempster, Burnett, or Lowe.

 

Oh please. Everybody can harp back on some report they heard to defend anything. Yeah, reports were dozens of teams were interested in Bradley this year as well.

 

Dempster was a 31 year old with 1 good year under his belt as a starter. Are of those guys were much better free agent targets and were always going to get much more money. There is no comparison.

 

I think sometimes you argue just because you can. Reports? I would be willing to bet my left nut that dozens of teams ARE interested in Bradley. Remember, being interested and actually committing are two very different things.

 

As for the pitching issue, are you really going to sit here and argue that Dempster is all alone in his own category relative to the pitchers CCP listed? I don't see how you can. He had 2 good years under his belt as a starter. Plus, his career position trajectory is quite different from either Burnett or Lowe. However, relative to the market of available pitchers, those 3 are easily your most similar FA choices.

[Backtobanks]

There were only 3 other Because we're talking about market value. Several of those teams had reports that they weren't sure who they valued more between Dempster, Burnett, or Lowe.

 

Oh please. Everybody can harp back on some report they heard to defend anything. Yeah, reports were dozens of teams were interested in Bradley this year as well.

 

Dempster was a 31 year old with 1 good year under his belt as a starter. Are of those guys were much better free agent targets and were always going to get much more money. There is no comparison.

 

Look at Meche and Silva and their contracts.

[CubColtPacer]

There were only 3 other Because we're talking about market value. Several of those teams had reports that they weren't sure who they valued more between Dempster, Burnett, or Lowe.

 

Oh please. Everybody can harp back on some report they heard to defend anything. Yeah, reports were dozens of teams were interested in Bradley this year as well.

 

Dempster was a 31 year old with 1 good year under his belt as a starter. Are of those guys were much better free agent targets and were always going to get much more money. There is no comparison.

 

Dempster had the best year of any of them. You've never seen teams be willing to overpay based on one amazing year coming from a pitcher with good stuff?

 

And it wasn't just one report. Pretty much every single report had those three as interchangeable. In fact, there were lots of people here who wanted Burnett or Lowe instead of Dempster precisely because they were going to be around the same amount. Dempster ended up signing first, Burnett got the guaranteed 5th year because the Yankees knew that the Braves wouldn't give it, and then Lowe was signed as the only choice left by the Braves.

 

There has been no indication at any point that Dempster was seen as inferior to the other two. Saying otherwise is more of us putting a value on consistency which many GM's don't have (they are much more easily coerced with the possibility of what may be that comes from a career year).

[Backtobanks]

ankiel, pods and putz? ](*,)

 

Nothing wrong with talking to their agents.

 

Sure, assuming they were talking about somebody else and they just happaned to have the same agent as the unknown worthy players.

 

I still say nothing wrong with talking to their agents and finding out what their asking price is at this time. Somebody like Ankiel might be a bargain as a 4th OF later on.

[Derwood]

couldn't you argue that Hendry's quick signing of Dempster set the bar for the rest of those contracts? Had Dempster been signed for, say, 4/40 instead of 4/52 (not saying he would have, but theoretically) would all the rest of those contracts also been lower?

[Little Slide Rooter]

ankiel, pods and putz? ](*,)

 

Nothing wrong with talking to their agents.

 

Sure, assuming they were talking about somebody else and they just happaned to have the same agent as the unknown worthy players.

 

I still say nothing wrong with talking to their agents and finding out what their asking price is at this time. Somebody like Ankiel might be a bargain as a 4th OF later on.

 

Scott Boras and bargain are not terms that are often used together.

[davell]

couldn't you argue that Hendry's quick signing of Dempster set the bar for the rest of those contracts? Had Dempster been signed for, say, 4/40 instead of 4/52 (not saying he would have, but theoretically) would all the rest of those contracts also been lower?

 

Sure, that works if you could have actually gotten Dempster to sign for 4/40. My guess is there was zero chance of that happening. And if you let him out on the open market, then it's likely we may have paid more for him at that point. I thought I remembered reading that the Yankees were set to go after Dempster hard, if we hadn't re-signed him.

[jersey cubs fan]

couldn't you argue that Hendry's quick signing of Dempster set the bar for the rest of those contracts? Had Dempster been signed for, say, 4/40 instead of 4/52 (not saying he would have, but theoretically) would all the rest of those contracts also been lower?

 

Sure, that works if you could have actually gotten Dempster to sign for 4/40. My guess is there was zero chance of that happening. And if you let him out on the open market, then it's likely we may have paid more for him at that point. I thought I remembered reading that the Yankees were set to go after Dempster hard, if we hadn't re-signed him.

 

No, the Yankees had no interest in Dempster. There was speculation by some, but they were going big all along. They didn't want another Pavano.

[Flames24Rulz]

White Sox sign Putz for 1 year/$3 million.

[CUBZ99]

White Sox sign Putz for 1 year/$3 million.

 

Hendry is striking out on everyone so far this offseason.

[A-Cal]

White Sox sign Putz for 1 year/$3 million.

 

Hendry is striking out on everyone so far this offseason.

 

Maybe they didn't like what they saw?

 

I think it is funny that Hendry gets crap no matter what. Signs folks early, FU Jim! Possibly waiting to see things materialize, FU Jim!

[biittner77]

The media is foolishly portraying it as a "no choice" situation, and Hendry will be more than happy to fall back on that when he eventually does get screwed over.

 

Foolishly or deliberately because they don't want to have to deal with him next year? You could make the argument that they want him gone more than any of the players do.

[jersey cubs fan]

The media is foolishly portraying it as a "no choice" situation, and Hendry will be more than happy to fall back on that when he eventually does get screwed over.

 

Foolishly or deliberately because they don't want to have to deal with him next year? You could make the argument that they want him gone more than any of the players do.

 

This is true. That has to be playing a role.

[jersey cubs fan]

White Sox sign Putz for 1 year/$3 million.

 

Hendry is striking out on everyone so far this offseason.

 

Maybe they didn't like what they saw?

 

I think it is funny that Hendry gets crap no matter what. Signs folks early, FU Jim! Possibly waiting to see things materialize, FU Jim!

 

This is true, but it's true of everything in life because there's always one person out there who likes/dislikes counter to others. I'm glad he didn't sign Putz. I can't imagine why anybody would give Hendry crap for not signing him.