Amongst the first group of free agents who have signed, oddly enough, are two players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and suspended by MLB for 50 games during the 2012 season. Bartolo Colon re-signed with the Oakland Athletics for 1 year and $3 million. Melky Cabrera, banished from a San Francisco Giants team that ended up winning the World Series, signed a two year deal for $16 million with the Toronto Blue Jays. Both players were expected to get another chance, especially with the suspicion that many in the game are still using. But they have arguably gotten more money on the open market than a lot of us would expect.
Colon getting $3 million will clearly drive up the price for pitchers filling up the back end of a rotation. Guys like Chris Young, Erik Bedard, Kevin Correia and Freddy Garcia will look at that as a starting point. Who is to say they don't say, "I'm worth more than that since I am clean." Obviously Colon's deal will not impact top starters such as Zack Greinke, Kyle Lohse, Anibal Sanchez, Hiroki Kuroda and Edwin Jackson. All could get multi-year deals for at least $12-$15 million annually, more in Greinke's case. But what about Kevin Millwood, Carlos Villenueva, Jeff Francis and even Chien-Ming Wang? Teams looking to add a veteran for a cheap solution for the back end of their rotation will have to pay a little more than they may have anticipated.
Cabrera signing early may jump the prices of some of the higher price OF options. He was initially though of as a player a team may sign for 1 year with a lower base salary with incentives. BJ Upton should think he is worth three times that in free agency. Nobody in their right minds would sign him for six years. Or would they? Somebody like Juan Pierre or Scott Hairston may have now guaranteed themselves a two year deal because of Cabrera. Not the start to the offseason teams looking for a bargain should be happy about.
Colon getting $3 million will clearly drive up the price for pitchers filling up the back end of a rotation. Guys like Chris Young, Erik Bedard, Kevin Correia and Freddy Garcia will look at that as a starting point. Who is to say they don't say, "I'm worth more than that since I am clean." Obviously Colon's deal will not impact top starters such as Zack Greinke, Kyle Lohse, Anibal Sanchez, Hiroki Kuroda and Edwin Jackson. All could get multi-year deals for at least $12-$15 million annually, more in Greinke's case. But what about Kevin Millwood, Carlos Villenueva, Jeff Francis and even Chien-Ming Wang? Teams looking to add a veteran for a cheap solution for the back end of their rotation will have to pay a little more than they may have anticipated.
Cabrera signing early may jump the prices of some of the higher price OF options. He was initially though of as a player a team may sign for 1 year with a lower base salary with incentives. BJ Upton should think he is worth three times that in free agency. Nobody in their right minds would sign him for six years. Or would they? Somebody like Juan Pierre or Scott Hairston may have now guaranteed themselves a two year deal because of Cabrera. Not the start to the offseason teams looking for a bargain should be happy about.
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