Devil Rays - Signed Baldelli
Tampa Bay Devil Rays - Signed OF Rocco Baldelli to a 6-year contract potentially worth $33 million.
At first glance, this looks like a terrible idea, but it becomes much less so when you realize that the contract only reaches that number thanks to some reportedly large playing time incentives and half the contract being option years. Kind of like the big deal that Rolen spurned from the Phillies that the team trumpeted as this massive, awesome, offer but had about enough guaranteed to get Rolen 2 Meatnormous Omelet Sandwiches and some Twizzlers.
That being said, it’s still not a great deal. Baldelli, though very young, was a rather average player in his first two years and doesn’t have the physical tools and hence, the upside, of Carl Crawford, who signed a similar deal. Plus, the Devil Rays have some talented outfielders in the minors that could make Baldelli irrelevant in the near future. But on the other hand, he seems popular in Tampa and it won’t hurt the Rays to throw a bone to the 18 die-hard fans of the team, so I’ll chicken out and put my thumb in the middle.
2006 ZiPS Projection - Rocco Baldelli
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AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG
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622 96 182 26 5 18 87 36 114 21 .293 .337 .437
Dan Szymborski
Posted: November 09, 2005 at 05:28 PM |
13 comment(s)
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1. Hurdle's Heroes (SuperBaes) Posted: November 09, 2005 at 05:57 PM (#1725081)The only way this looks bad is if Baldelli never makes itback from his various and sundry injuries. In that case, they'd have been better off letting his arbitration years play out annually instead of buying them out with this contract.
The contract offers the Rays some protection if Baldelli gets injured again, with only $9-million guaranteed over the first three years. He gets salaries of $2-million in 2006, $750,000 in 2007 with $1.75-million in plate appearance incentives, and $2.25-million in 2008 with $2.25-million in incentives.
He can guarantee the incentives in both years by making 600 plate appearances in 2006, or guarantee the 2008 incentives by making 600 appearances in 2007.
The Rays have a $6-million option for 2009 with a $4-million buyout, and an option for 2010 and 2011 with salaries of $8-million and $9-million, or a $2-million buyout.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/11/11/Rays/Baldelli___I_want_to_.shtml
That's a damned nice deal for the Rays.
Interesting point.
I don't know quite what to make of the deal. I'm not that optimistic on Baldelli ever becoming an elite hitter, but I like Tampa's options in the final two years of the contract if he somehow does (he'd otherwise have been a free agent after 2009, right?). And the buyouts minimize their longterm obligation.
... still, Crawford/Baldelli/Gomes is a pretty intriguing OF, overall ...
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