Just one day after the Texas Rangers reportedly “blew away” free agent Zack Greinke with a huge contract
offer, the tides have turned and Greinke will not be heading to Texas. The two sides have reportedly agreed to a six-year contract worth $147 million.
Greinke, 29, was the top pitcher in this year’s free agent class after going 15-5 with a 3.48 ERA while striking out 200 batters in 212.1 innings pitched. Over the last four seasons, he has a 3.39 ERA and a stellar 3.86 K/BB rate with the Royals, Brewers, and Angels.
Grainke signing was really the first step in opening up the trade market for R.A. Dickey. This is very significant because the Rangers, who are desperately looking for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher, now will have to look for other options. James Shields is still on the market the Rangers can acquire via trade and Anibal Sanchez is still a free agent, but this was the first domino that had to fall in order for the Mets to trade Dickey at all. The losers now may become more aggressive with their offers to the Mets.
16 comments
Stick
12/8/2012-9:50pm at 9:50 pm (UTC -4)
well, that is certainly a lot of scratch for a good but not great pitcher. Really makes Dickey (and Niese) look like a steal now. 24mill/year? Wow.
Must be nice to have your team sold to a bunch of really rich guys that want to make a splash!
TX
12/8/2012-9:52pm at 9:52 pm (UTC -4)
Don’t make me start a Cuban chant.
Stick
12/8/2012-9:55pm at 9:55 pm (UTC -4)
I got it. We need to get the Wilpons onto Shark Tank. maybe Cuban will buy the team on the show?
srt
12/9/2012-12:12pm at 12:12 pm (UTC -4)
Agree.
TX
12/8/2012-9:50pm at 9:50 pm (UTC -4)
This is probably the perfect scenario for Sandy. Royals, BJs, Halos and Rangers in on this. Much better prospects than Dodgers. Now, RA is the top FA on the market and he isn’t even a FA!
Stick
12/8/2012-10:03pm at 10:03 pm (UTC -4)
I almost consider him one, because I honestly think that he wants to sign a couple of year extension even if traded. This is his retirement plan and he does not want to take a chance on breaking down and missing out on the payday.
so yeah, you have to give up a couple of prospects, but you realistically are getting the guy for about a total of 3/36 maybe (so Ollie money) or about 1/2 the going rate for a Cy Young Ace!
TX
12/8/2012-10:18pm at 10:18 pm (UTC -4)
Exactly.
TX
12/8/2012-10:20pm at 10:20 pm (UTC -4)
I can’t get that song “someone that I used to know” by Gotye out of my head. Been ther for like 4 days now. Might have to bust out the Superunknown album and have “just like suicide” stuck in my head for a week.
Hank
12/8/2012-10:50pm at 10:50 pm (UTC -4)
This is what happens when a team stops worrying about the luxury tax, and starts worrying about winning. We all know it’s not just spending, but spending smartly. That said, we also must admit that all of baseball have become number crunchers. The Dodgers, they could care less about everyone else, and even less about the luxury tax.
I think they realize that if they win, the money will come. Their impending TV deal might make the luxury tax a joke anyway. I don’t think Greinke is a great pitcher, but I also don’t think any other teams have a better 1-2 for the next 6 years. Good for the Dodgers and their fans.
We still got ball to play, but there’s quite a few fanbases that wouldn’t mind having the team the Dodgers are putting together on paper…as opposed to their own.
srt
12/9/2012-12:14pm at 12:14 pm (UTC -4)
As we’ve seen with the Marlins though, it’s not just all about buying the best talent out there. It’s got to be a good fit for the team. Not saying Greinke for the Dodgers is not, just wondering if they’ve got a plan other than spending money. I confess to not really paying that much attention right now to what their team looks like.
Prismo
12/9/2012-12:35pm at 12:35 pm (UTC -4)
MLB needs a salary cap NOW. This is becoming an embarrassing situation and if I were a fan from another NL West team I’d be PISSED. How are you supposed to compete with a team that has a $200MM+ payroll? The luxury tax is NOT working.
Unfortunately I do worry that if the league tries to institute a cap there could be a lockout because obviously the player’s union is happy when players with a lifetime 3.77 ERA get paid $24 million per season.
kingman 26
12/9/2012-12:39pm at 12:39 pm (UTC -4)
Could not agree more. TRS will stomp his feet that we are Communists, but there’s a reason the NFL has such amazing parity and popularity, and a reason why the best teams are often from markets like Pittsburgh and Green Bay.
The Dodgers are the new Yankees.
Prismo
12/9/2012-1:32pm at 1:32 pm (UTC -4)
Yep it’s a very cool thing that any team can win in a given year in the NFL. In the MLB we can eliminate several teams from contention before a season even begins.
I also don’t like how Selig can basically force the Marlins to increase their payroll (back when they extended Josh Johnson – ignore the recent stuff, you KNOW Selig is pissed about it), but he says nothing when the Dodgers take a huge dump on the luxury tax limit.
srt
12/9/2012-12:49pm at 12:49 pm (UTC -4)
It’s going to be interesting to see what the Dodgers produce on the field, in the standings – now that they’ve spent all that money.
I can’t believe any team – no matter how flush they are with money – can’t ignore the new luxury tax rules in place. If I’m not mistaken, if you go over the luxury tax 2 years in a row, the first year costs you something like 5% of your payroll but the second year it’s a whopping 50%. 50% of $200 + million is too ridiculous for any team to ignore.
Hence why the Yankees stated they are going into 2014 under the $189 MIL mark. Actually, looks like they’re doing that for 2013 as well. Which leads to all kinds of speculation on the Steinbrenner boys getting ready to sell.
Prismo
12/9/2012-1:24pm at 1:24 pm (UTC -4)
Couldn’t they make their player contracts so that every other year their payroll is $189 million and avoid that huge penalty?
So like:
2013 – 210 mil
2014 – 189 mil
2015 – 210 mil
etc
Stick
12/9/2012-1:33pm at 1:33 pm (UTC -4)
might work in theory, but it is hard to be that exact year to year when you factor in having to get new players, arbitration, etc.