Phillies sign Gordon to replace Wagner

[E.J.]

Link

 

Free-agent right-hander Tom Gordon has signed a three-year contract to be the Phillies' closer, FOXSports.com has learned.

 

The value of the deal is believed to be between $18-21 million.

 

The Yankees made a late push for Gordon, increasing their offer from two to three years in their bid to retain him as Mariano Rivera's setup man.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

[E.J.]

haha. I posted this like 2 hours ago and it's just now showing up. :lol:

[Drew Doughty]

Well, this topic beat mine.

 

I wonder when/if mine will show up.

 

Anyways, Hendry set the market, but I'm glad he didn't do it with the likes of Wagner or Gordon.

[Andy]

Somehow I am starting to think Hendry may just escape being hung in effigy on this board, particularly if we get Furcal and a decent OF.

[Careless]

So hendry's plan: sign relievers to huge contracts. wait for other teams to sign the remaining relievers for bigger contracts. Tell other GM's "you know, I've got 37 spare relief pitchers at or about ML quality..."

[TrueBlueCubFan]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

Absolutely, they are!

 

If I had a choice of 2 out of these contracts:

Howry(3/12),Eyre(3/11), Farnsworth(3/17) & Gordon (3/18)

 

Howry & Eyre are definately the better bargain!

 

FYI pessimists & haters, Howry had higher offers from other teams (Det 3/15.5) & chose the Cubs. Neither Ryan or Wagner were options for the Cubs. The Cubs have a closer!

[CubinNY]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

 

Not at all since Hendry set the market value for relievers. I'd probably call Hendry an accomplice.

[frostwyrm]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

[XZero771679666304]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

 

Not at all since Hendry set the market value for relievers. I'd probably call Hendry an accomplice.

 

Hendry may have elevated the market, but what the Jays gave Ryan and what the Yanks are reportedly going to give Farns are well beyond the overpaying that Hendry did.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

Stupidty would be ignoring your BP problem

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

Stupidty would be ignoring your BP problem

 

there are other ways to address the pen. free agency isn't the only way to acquire arms, if we don't trust our minor leaguers to contribute.

[frostwyrm]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

Stupidty would be ignoring your BP problem

 

Yeah, but throwing huge bucks at mediocre 30-something relievers coming off career years is not the best way of fixing anything. To justify what they're being paid Eyre and Howry will need to stay close to their 2005 numbers for the next 3 years. Based on their track records it's crazy to expect that, and I could say the same about Farnsworth. People are just wildly overpaying for relief pitching now. It's like some kind of infectious disease.

[XZero771679666304]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

Stupidty would be ignoring your BP problem

 

there are other ways to address the pen. free agency isn't the only way to acquire arms, if we don't trust our minor leaguers to contribute.

 

True, but with the premium we are seeing placed on good bullpen help, getting those arms via trade may be more costly than via FA.

[CuseCubFan69]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

 

Dempster too.

[CubinNY]

Howry and Eyre are looking like steals with every signing that happens.

 

Dempster too.

 

Dempster I agree with. However, I can do without the high wire act every other outing.

[frostwyrm]

I think some people here might want to take a longer view. If FA reliever prices drop back to sane levels next year, as I expect they will, then none these signings will look smart. It reminds of the late 90's when stock analysts would talk about "bargains" in the dotcom sector. Truth was, NONE of those stocks were bargains. They were all wildly overpriced, only some were more wildly overpriced than others. Nobody who bought that crap as a longterm investment ended up being happy about it. Even the relative bargains were horrible investments.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

I think some people here might want to take a longer view. If FA reliever prices drop back to sane levels next year, as I expect they will, then none these signings will look smart. It reminds of the late 90's when stock analysts would talk about "bargains" in the dotcom sector. Truth was, NONE of those stocks were bargains. They were all wildly overpriced, only some were more wildly overpriced than others. Nobody who bought that crap as a longterm investment ended up being happy about it. Even the relative bargains were horrible investments.

What if reliever prices don't drop back down to "sane levels"? This sounds like just speculation & predictions to me & nothing else.

[frostwyrm]

I think some people here might want to take a longer view. If FA reliever prices drop back to sane levels next year, as I expect they will, then none these signings will look smart. It reminds of the late 90's when stock analysts would talk about "bargains" in the dotcom sector. Truth was, NONE of those stocks were bargains. They were all wildly overpriced, only some were more wildly overpriced than others. Nobody who bought that crap as a longterm investment ended up being happy about it. Even the relative bargains were horrible investments.

What if reliever prices don't drop back down to "sane levels"? This sounds like just speculation & predictions to me & nothing else.

 

I can't see these prices being sustainable. If they persist MLB bullpens will soon eat up a portion of the average team's payroll that is grossly disproportionate to their actual contribution to winning.

[CUBZ99]

This a silly silly market for relief pitching. In my eyes no GM is smart who lowers himself to get involved in this carnival of stupidity. You can argue that the Eyre/Howry signings were less dumb than some other deals we're seeing, but 'less dumb' does not equal 'smart'

Stupidty would be ignoring your BP problem

 

there are other ways to address the pen. free agency isn't the only way to acquire arms, if we don't trust our minor leaguers to contribute.

 

You make it sound so easy. Problem is that teams aren't just willing to give Hendry a break just so he can save on payroll or help the Cubs field a good team. Especially, if they have a cheap arm in the bullpen, what motivation would they have to trade them?