Longoria's Record Deal Latest Sign Of Trend Among MLB Teams
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| Rays Sign Rookie Longoria To Long-Term Deal |
The Rays Friday signed 3B Evan Longoria to a six-year, $17.5M deal with options for three additional years that could increase the total value of the contract to $44.5M in what is thought to be the “largest contract for a player … with less than one year of major-league service,” according to Marc Topkin of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Longoria signed the deal after just six MLB games. The deal gives the Rays “cost certainty over what he will make during his arbitration years.” Rays GM Andrew Friedman: “With the economics of the game right now, and us being a low-revenue team, we have to think differently and take chances such as this to keep our nucleus in place for as long as we can” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/19). The TIMES’ Topkin yesterday wrote the deal is "definitely a gamble.” However, it is “one the Rays felt good about. And that they had to take.” Topkin wrote, “Maybe the Rays would have been wise to wait to see how Longoria played for two seasons, or his first one. … But there were downsides to waiting” (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/20). ESPN’s Eduardo Perez said the only way the Rays "can compete is they have to do this. ... They’re not investing a lot: $17.5(M) for six years. That in (MLB) is not a lot. I think this is a brilliant move" ("Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 4/18).
UNION NOT HAPPY WITH DEAL: ESPN’s Chris Singleton said the MLBPA is “not real happy” with the contract because “a player that has been as highly touted as Longoria, you expect him to really help raise those salaries in the major leagues.” Singleton: “You’re baffled over the fact that he’d sign a contract that seems so slow." ESPN's Perez added, "I talked to a few major leaguers around the league and they weren’t too happy with this signing” (ESPN, 4/18).
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Rays In Talks With Upton (r)
On Inking Long-Term Deal |
RAYS LOCKING UP YOUNG TALENT: In Florida, Roger Mooney reported signing “young talent, some unproven, for the long-term gain … has become the trend” with the Rays since Owner Stuart Sternberg took over in ’05, including agreeing to extensions with LF Carl Crawford, 1B Carlos Pena and Ps James Shields and Dan Wheeler. Friedman said that the club “will continue to discuss long-term deals” with P Scott Kazmir and CF B.J. Upton. Friedman: “Something that was so important to us (when we took over the team) was to create a destination spot. … That’s been a big priority to us, and we think we’ve made massive headway on that front” (BRADENTON HERALD, 4/19).
OTHER TEAMS JUMPING INTO TREND: SPORTING NEWS’ Gerry Fraley notes D’Backs CF Chris Young, Indians P Fausto Carmona and Blue Jays 2B Aaron Hill and RF Alex Rios all have signed long-term extensions since the season started, and the deals “fell in line with a retain-your-players trend that gained momentum in the offseason.” Players “exchanged arbitration rights and delayed their free agency in return for the security of guaranteed long-term contracts.” While teams risk that the player “might be a costly flash in the pan,” they are “more comfortable taking this gamble than diving into the money pit of free agency” (SPORTING NEWS, 4/21 issue). Former MLB GM Fred Claire wrote in a special for MLB.com that "never in the history of the game have so many young players signed significant contracts.” Teams are “fully aware of the financial impact of arbitration” after Phillies 1B Ryan Howard during the offseason won in arbitration a $10M salary for ’08. Howard made just $900,000 in '07 (MLB.com, 4/19).
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