Machado to the Padres

[Bluenoser]

$30M a year for 10 years. - https://www.mlb.com/news/manny-macha...?tid=282421090

Mind boggling the amount these contracts are reaching.

[Cobra Mgr]

Too much for too long, IMO. But hopefully it will help the Pads reach relevancy. It has been too long. I've got a soft spot for them.

[ForeverRoyalKC]

Did. not. see. that. coming. Period.

[Déjà Bru]

Adios, muchacho!

[Caporegime]

I'm just glad it wasn't the Yanks. The local media here in NYC has stopped just short this winter of openly shaming Hal Steinbrenner into following in his dad's footsteps and signing Machado or Harper or both.

Not that the Yankees can't use him, but after witnessing Machado's clown act in the WS I'd rather the Yanks spend that dough elsewhere. Besides, after being almost three years removed from the A-Rod circus, I kinda like the new and improved and decidedly boring Yankees.

[ukhotstove]

It's been mentioned for a bit the Padres were interested, kind of blows the players unions boats out of the water of under payed players and conspiracy theories. They'll look like real fools when they go on strike claiming poverty and players have got $300m contracts

[ForeverRoyalKC]

So will this be one of those "plays for several years with the Padres, Padres look to trade and unload contract?"

[rudel.dietrich]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoyalKC

So will this be one of those "plays for several years with the Padres, Padres look to trade and unload contract?"

It depends, the Padres have the best farm system in baseball according to ESPN, BA and BP.
And BA and BP has their farm system strength scores pretty far ahead of everyone else.
The Padres might not make the playoffs for another season or two but they have the players coming up from the minors to be contenders if they are patient.
And with FA you give out a lot of money but don't have to give up any assets to get the player.

My only concern is that Machado is making it openly known that he would like to remain at SS. I don't watch enough baseball anymore to know, but I think he is much better at 3B and as he ages would be better sticking at 3B as his athleticism declines.
And Fernando Tatís Jr is a natural SS.

Maybe Machado is a better SS than I realize. But the Padres as they rebuild need to be firm if circumstances warrant it and strongly 'encourage' Machado to go back to 3B

I like this contract for the Padres. As someone said earlier, they were near irrelevance in MLB.
13 years of not making the playoffs and a decade of not being above .500

If you are not going to spend some money and take some chances why have a team?

They have super talented farm system. Now if the time to spend some money and see if you can do something with this current group.

[MorseMoose]

Machado is making a ton of money! Even better, he's going to have all of October to half of March off!

[RchW]

Originally Posted by ukhotstove

It's been mentioned for a bit the Padres were interested, kind of blows the players unions boats out of the water of under payed players and conspiracy theories. They'll look like real fools when they go on strike claiming poverty and players have got $300m contracts

Nothing to do with poverty but always about a fair share of revenue. Baseball does not have a hard salary cap but the luxury tax and some collusion have reduced the player share of revenue substantially.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Caporegime

I'm just glad it wasn't the Yanks. The local media here in NYC has stopped just short this winter of openly shaming Hal Steinbrenner into following in his dad's footsteps and signing Machado or Harper or both.

Not that the Yankees can't use him, but after witnessing Machado's clown act in the WS I'd rather the Yanks spend that dough elsewhere. Besides, after being almost three years removed from the A-Rod circus, I kinda like the new and improved and decidedly boring Yankees.

Hear, hear. I'm with you, Capo.

It's interesting to note that Machado settled for pretty much the same deal that Harper turned down with the Nats.

[nutt]

Machado is rumored to have an opt-out after the fifth year of the deal. I wonder if they frontloaded this contract like Hosmer's.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by ForeverRoyalKC

So will this be one of those "plays for several years with the Padres, Padres look to trade and unload contract?"

Guaranteed! I'd be floored if he stays with them for the next 10 years.

I'm not sure whether to be happy for Padres fans or sad. I mean, he's got plenty of talent, but as a baseball fan is this not the last guy you want personality-wise right now? If they have as great of a farm system as everyone says, do you really want him being a role model for them? I sure wouldn't.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

My only concern is that Machado is making it openly known that he would like to remain at SS. I don't watch enough baseball anymore to know, but I think he is much better at 3B and as he ages would be better sticking at 3B as his athleticism declines.
And Fernando Tatís Jr is a natural SS.

Maybe Machado is a better SS than I realize. But the Padres as they rebuild need to be firm if circumstances warrant it and strongly 'encourage' Machado to go back to 3B

If I'm paying anyone $30M a year, he better be ready to play San Diego Chicken if I ask him to.

[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by DéjÃ* Bru

Hear, hear. I'm with you, Capo.

It's interesting to note that Machado settled for pretty much the same deal that Harper turned down with the Nats.

You mean, Scott Boras turned down that deal.


Boras always thinks he can get more for his clients. Sometimes he's right, other times wrong. In this instance, he assuredly misread the tea leaves.


What I don't think he (or anyone for that matter) anticipated was Yankees expressing zero interest in his star client. The word is that the Yanks didn't even bother to meet with Harper & Boras. That essentially put a damper on any hope of Boras netting a more lucrative offer for his client.


Boras doesn't have a lot of leverage here. No doubt that whatever deal he's able to negotiate for Harper (probably with the Phils) Boras will insist on an opt-out clause after 3-4 years in the hope that the FA market will be very different then.

[Westheim]

I'm pretty sure that you work out the kinks of the employee's tasks, do's and don't's before you sign him to a $300m contract.

Then again, it's the Padres, and there must be reasons while they have been legendarily irrelevant for most of their existence.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

$30M a year for 10 years. - https://www.mlb.com/news/manny-macha...?tid=282421090

Mind boggling the amount these contracts are reaching.

MLB revenue keeps going up. Only makes sense for the contract values to as well.

[ThatSeventiesGuy]

Shocker. Figured he was a Phillie for sure. Didn't figure he'd get maxi Pad money.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

MLB revenue keeps going up. Only makes sense for the contract values to as well.

Yup, doesn't make it any less mind boggling

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

$30M a year for 10 years. - https://www.mlb.com/news/manny-macha...?tid=282421090

Mind boggling the amount these contracts are reaching.

You ain't seen nothing yet. Trout, Betts, Arenado, and Lindor are coming up (Arenado after 2019, Trout and Betts after 2020, and Lindor after 2021). Those guys are better all around players than Machado and Harper. Trout and Arenado will be three years older than Harper and Machado are now, while Betts and Lindor will be two years older. This will probably hold the length of their contracts down a bit, but Trout and Betts in particular are gonna hit the jackpot in terms of AAV. The sky is the limit if they keep playing at the level they are now, which is stupendous. Buckle up because it's gonna get bumpy.

The owners are making tons of money right now, and the players' percentage of the pie has been going down recently from what I can see, even with the Machado contract. There are so many different revenue streams apart from butts in the seats these days. I don't turn on the TV/go to the game in order to watch the Pinochle games that are going on in the owner's/front office box. The players are the stars of the show, and they should be getting their cut.

Owners don't have to disclose what they're making publically, but we know a player's salary down to the penny. This knowledge helps the players because the can compare the salaries of other players to themselves and say, well if player X is worth Y, then I'm worth Z. On the other hand the full disclosure puts a target on the players' backs in the public eye. Not saying I feel sorry for them. Not one iota. They're not going to be clipping coupons anytime soon, and they're making tremendous money, but if it comes down to billionaire owners against millionaire players, I'm gonna side with the players every time.

I do wish the fans could get a seat at the bargaining table though...Ah, who am I kidding? It'll never happen. A break for the fans at the cost of the players and the owners? Pshaw! That'll be the day.