Why are so many players hiring Lionel Hutz to be their agent?

Interesting there is an accelerator if he becomes a starting pitcher. Nice to know management is considering moving him to the rotation.

The story doesn't have the financial details, but unless the Royals gave him eleventy billion dollars, I like the signing. Soria's a stud. That 68 MPH curve he throws is unfair.

Damn. I wonder who had Joakim Soria next in the "The Young Player to Sign a Contract Which Gives Away Free Agent Years" pool.

Strong work by Dayton Moore. The Royals have been under a little pressure here in KC to lock up some of their young players since the other "small market" teams have done so in the last couple of weeks. They should lock up Grienke too.

The story doesn't have the financial details, but unless the Royals gave him eleventy billion dollars, I like the signing. Soria's a stud. That 68 MPH curve he throws is unfair.

Its updated now. Total value with options could be $32 million.

Players like Soria seem best suited for deals like this. He was able to secure a guaranteed $8 million with less than 90 career innings. If he continues to pitch like he has so far, he's a bargain for the Royals, even during the option years when it's basically 3 years, $22 million if he's a reliever. If he flames out, at least he got a bit of a payday.

I like the look of this contract from both sides, even with Soria possibly giving up free agent years. Relatively minimal risk on the Royals part, relatively large year-to-year security on Soria's part.

So it's $8 million guaranteed over the next three years, with options for the next three years at ~$8 million per, ending at age 30.

That's a pretty nice deal for the Royals. In an open market, you'd be thrilled to get Soria at $8 million just for this year. You get about half of the age 28-32 years, and Soria hits the market with some prime years still to sell.

I have to admit, I thought Soria would be a lock to go to the Yankees when Mariano Rivera retired. I'm not sure if it's the complexion, the facial expression, or what, but he and Rivera are linked in my mind.

Hmmm....

comps. Papelbon hasn't hit arb years or been bought out yet. Street is making $3.3 in his first arb year (no buyout) so we can project him to be around $5 next year, barring a buyout/collapse/injury ... let's call it $8.5 total for his first two arb years. After that he'd probably be $7.5-8 in his last arb year then who knows what on the FA market.

Chad Cordero actually went to arb in his first year and got $4.2; the Nats signed him for $6.2 this year. That's $10.4 for his first two years of arb, making Soria look like a bargain.

Any other good ones?

So, with inflation, assuming he continues to close and do reasonably well, surely he'd at least match Street and probably be in Cordero territory or higher. So if things go well, the Royals save $2-3 M in the first two arb years, probably another $1-2 M in the 3rd and potentially heaps in the 2 FA years. If things go OK but not good (i.e. starting soon he becomes a mediocre closer or a good middle guy), they probably lose 2-3 M in the first 2 years, then don't pick up the option. With a disaster, they're out $5-8 M. That looks a reasonable risk to me given the closer market -- even if it's not optimal (and I'm not saying it isn't), it's close enough. (Whether the closer market is "reasonable" is a whole other question.)

So, with inflation, assuming he continues to close and do reasonably well, surely he'd at least match Street and probably be in Cordero territory or higher. So if things go well, the Royals save $2-3 M in the first two arb years, probably another $1-2 M in the 3rd and potentially heaps in the 2 FA years. If things go OK but not good (i.e. starting soon he becomes a mediocre closer or a good middle guy), they probably lose 2-3 M in the first 2 years, then don't pick up the option. With a disaster, they're out $5-8 M. That looks a reasonable risk to me given the closer market -- even if it's not optimal (and I'm not saying it isn't), it's close enough. (Whether the closer market is "reasonable" is a whole other question.)

And just imagine if he can successfully make the transition to starter.

Not bad for a rule 5 pick. In a few years, health permitting, he'll be the new ace of the Mets.

Not bad for a rule 5 pick. In a few years, health permitting, he'll be the new ace of the Mets.

With Justin Upton backing him in RF.

Unfortunately, I doubt the Royals are planning to have him attempt that transition.