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Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Rocco’s modern life-time contract?!
Outfielder Rocco Baldelli likes what the Devil Rays’ new ownership and management has done. He showed how much by agreeing to six-year contract that could be worth about $33-million and keep him with the Rays through 2011.
The contract, expected to be announced at a Thursday news conference, covers three seasons of arbitration eligibility and his first three seasons of free agency.
“I’ll be a Devil Ray for a while,” Baldelli said by telephone. “I didn’t just do this to do a deal. I want to win. I like what I’ve seen from the new ownership, and I think this is going to be a winning organization and I want to be there.”
Repoz
Posted: November 09, 2005 at 12:17 PM | 22 comment(s)
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1. Optimus_Primate Posted: November 09, 2005 at 01:40 PM (#1724819)Um, okay.
I assume this means that Huff is gone. I guess Rays fans are hoping it doesn't mean that Gomes is gone.
How is Baldelli worth as much as Crawford?
I suppose Carl could ask his agent.
Statistically they're pretty close (minus those steals, obviously). Baldelli is great in the field as well.
Why the rush to lock up the least talented of your stable of young OFs when he's coming off a season completely lost to injuries?
Buy low, sell high. This guy was (wrongly) inspiring Joe D. comparisons not too far back. As for Huff - he's gone and, even if he wasn't, could slot in at first if need be.
The Rays are simply placing a bet that Rocco's injuries and unfortunate lack of plate discipline won't keep him from becoming valuable. The fact that they have a growing surplus of talent in the OF doesn't mean they should squander some of it; this way, they get to watch and see who is working out and who isn't, and if their OF gets too crowded, they deal from strength.
If this contract (or any other) works out to be below-market, they get more talent back in return. If it's above-market, it's just money. So this is another sign that the new kids running the show down there are serious.
They could have done all that with a one year contract for $500k. Baldeli's year on the 60 day DL counts as service time, but it's not like he was going to rob them blind in arbitration coming off a lost season.
Bow before me, for I am your God!
Because it covers a different time period in their careers. Crawford signed his as a 2+ (non-arb eligible), so the first year of that deal is something like 500K I think. So eliminating that first year on Crawford's deal in order to compare apples to apples (i.e. same service years starting when both are 3+ arb eligible), Crawford's potential deal is really 5/32 versus Rocco's 6/33 from that point.
Who has next?
I am thrilled at deal. Now, if we can only get a batting coach to work on plate selection.
Wallaby, I think.
As for his injuries, the TJ surgery is pretty unlikely to have any effect on him. The ACL is more worrisome but he's supposed to recover full function and was reportedly looking very good running at full speed and doing drills before he blew out his elbow. The only concern is post-recovery issues like Carlos Guillen had but thanks to the TJ surgery he'll have around seven months after his projected return date before he plays again. They probably aren't a significant concern.
No -- it's 3 years guaranteed, with the other three being option years. I don't mind the deal all that much, but I would've like to see them deal Baldelli for some pitching.
I suppose it could still happen, of course.
May God have mercy on your soul.
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