It's more likely that Hendry help set the market by giving ridiculus money and years to two mediocre middle relievers. There was a quote from one agent suggesting as much. An agent said it? OMG it must be true! So Hendry giving 3 year deals for $4M or less pressured the Jays into giving Ryan 5 years at over twice as much per year? If true, that seems like quite an exaggerated response. More likely is that the Mets flirting with Wagner is what pushed the Jays into that offer. It is one thing to debate a point and quite another to take a point and run. Keep running you might get somewhere someday. As to my post. Agent's use figure to establish market value. Those figuers are know because of the collective bargining agreement. I do not know for certian that Hendry's overpaying of Howry and Erye led to Ryans outrageous contract, but here is what I do know. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-051118cubseyre,1,6706818.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines This leads me to believe that Hendry's offer was so far beyond what anyone else was going to give Eyre he did even need to look for other offeres. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-051123cubshowry,1,7027563.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines Now Howry signed for 3 years for 12 million. I'd expect that these two signing had something to do with Ryan's contract. But that is just me. I like to form my opinions on evidence. I'm kind of crazy like that. How do you form yours? Exactly what in the articles provides your evidence other than conjecture by unnamed sources? It is pretty simple. Erye signs for x amount- Market set for Howry Howry signs for x amount- Market set for Ryan Ryan signs for x amont- Market set for Wagner Wagner will sgin for x amont based on what the others signed for. I don't say there is a direct proportional arrangement to the contracts. But that is how things work. Each agent knows exactly how much the last guy got and they base their proposal on president. They don't work on chemistry or magic. They work on money. Hendry has set the market for relivers. You two can choose to believe what you want. But every year we see the same thing. The little fish sign, the medium size fish sign, the big fish sign. Their are always exceptions but that is generally how it works.