Now that Hosmer Got his... He calls out league

[redseat]

Eric Hosmer says 'something is wrong' with MLB free agency

“[Commissioner Rob] Manfred says the integrity of the game is first and foremost, that’s what we want to protect,’’ Hosmer says. “But the way the process went down this year, something is wrong with it.

“I don’t think all of the teams are trying to be competitive or doing everything they can to protect the integrity of the game. If that was the case, why are guys like Carlos Gonzalez and [former Royals teammate] Mike Moustakas still on the market? That raises a lot of red flags.”

 

[redseat]

But he is right in a way, it is odd how players like Gonzalez and Moose aren't signed... Then again, it could be because they want an obscene amount of money

 

[redseat]

 

[Fountain City Blues]

But he is right in a way, it is odd how players like Gonzalez and Moose aren't signed... Then again, it could be because they want an obscene amount of money

Well, occam's razor suggests...

 

[redseat]

Well, occam's razor suggests...

 

[navamind]

But he is right in a way, it is odd how players like Gonzalez and Moose aren't signed... Then again, it could be because they want an obscene amount of money

Gonzalez was atrocious last year. Teams are probably scared of his home/road splits as well (.323/.383/.593 at home; .252/.308/.427 on the road). There's also the matter of platoon splits, he was flt out useless against lefties last year (.206/.241/.321 in 137 PA last year). Oh yeah, and his defense sucks too.

I am a bit surprised Moose hasn't been signed, but he isn't without issues either. He's not a good baserunner at all and he does have OBP issues, though KC wasn't exactly a hitters paradise either. I think there's a pretty decent chance he provides more value than Hosmer.

 

[Cedrique]

Gonzalez was atrocious last year. Teams are probably scared of his home/road splits as well (.323/.383/.593 at home; .252/.308/.427 on the road). There's also the matter of platoon splits, he was flt out useless against lefties last year (.206/.241/.321 in 137 PA last year). Oh yeah, and his defense sucks too.

I am a bit surprised Moose hasn't been signed, but he isn't without issues either. He's not a good baserunner at all and he does have OBP issues, though KC wasn't exactly a hitters paradise either. I think there's a pretty decent chance he provides more value than Hosmer.

Yeah for a corner outfielder Gonzalez has flat out sucked outside of Coors (.735 OPS Lifetime). He just needs to fade away, knowing he's already milked the Rockies for 78 million dollars in his career.

 

[Cedrique]

Ok maybe I was a little hard on Gonzalez. He seems like a good guy. Maybe he can open a bar with Vinny Castilla or something.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Gonzalez is done IMO. He's getting old, he's always had injury issues and he sucked donkey balls last season.

 

[JohnU]

If these guys have not been signed, it's likely nobody needs them that bad.
A big-league 3B is good to find but evaluating team needs (which I don't) I would think that teams needing a 3B probably also have other needs as well. You can't sign everybody who's out there.

A corner OF, meh ... hell, there are dozens of guys who can learn to play LF.

 

[tducey]

Yeah, given it's spring training I'm surprised 2 quality guys like Moose and Gonzalez are still unsigned.

 

[Voltaire26]

Teams appear to be either going for it big time or rebuilding ... neither really fits

 

[Cyder]

This is just a market correction. Teams have finally learned these long term big money deals rarely work out. Without steroids getting value at a guy in his late 30's isn't going to happen. Throw in there that the Yanks have a bunch of young talent so they aren't running up the prices. They can trade for what they need rather than buy. The Dodgers and Yanks are also both trying to reset what they're paying in luxury tax and it's squeezing the market. Houston also has a ton of young talent so they can trade rather than buy.
The baseball players had it really easy for a while. Now they have to shift their focus in the next round of negotiations. When it's time to renegotiate they need to have the amount of time a team can control a player before free agency lowered because teams are not going to pay guys into their late 30's like they used to. Young guys like Harper will be fine, they can sign a 10 year deal and only be 34 or 35 at the end. Guys that are controlled into their late 20's (Degrom on the Mets is a perfect example, he'll be 29 or 30 when he hits free agency) aren't going to get that mega year deal like they used to.

 

[Montalban]

But he is right in a way, it is odd how players like Gonzalez and Moose aren't signed... Then again, it could be because they want an obscene amount of money

There is always a market correction when an economic situation like we find with free agent situation goes haywire.

 

[JohnU]

This is just a market correction. Teams have finally learned these long term big money deals rarely work out. Without steroids getting value at a guy in his late 30's isn't going to happen. Throw in there that the Yanks have a bunch of young talent so they aren't running up the prices. They can trade for what they need rather than buy. The Dodgers and Yanks are also both trying to reset what they're paying in luxury tax and it's squeezing the market. Houston also has a ton of young talent so they can trade rather than buy.
The baseball players had it really easy for a while. Now they have to shift their focus in the next round of negotiations. When it's time to renegotiate they need to have the amount of time a team can control a player before free agency lowered because teams are not going to pay guys into their late 30's like they used to. Young guys like Harper will be fine, they can sign a 10 year deal and only be 34 or 35 at the end. Guys that are controlled into their late 20's (Degrom on the Mets is a perfect example, he'll be 29 or 30 when he hits free agency) aren't going to get that mega year deal like they used to.

Kinda sucks to know your top earning years are over before you hit age 30. Dang, I should have worked harder on my bunting game.

 

[VikingFan2k2]

Ok maybe I was a little hard on Gonzalez. He seems like a good guy. Maybe he can open a bar with Vinny Castilla or something.

Vinny Cash Steala! I haven't thought about that guy in years.

 

[VikingFan2k2]

This is just a market correction. Teams have finally learned these long term big money deals rarely work out. Without steroids getting value at a guy in his late 30's isn't going to happen. Throw in there that the Yanks have a bunch of young talent so they aren't running up the prices. They can trade for what they need rather than buy. The Dodgers and Yanks are also both trying to reset what they're paying in luxury tax and it's squeezing the market. Houston also has a ton of young talent so they can trade rather than buy.
The baseball players had it really easy for a while. Now they have to shift their focus in the next round of negotiations. When it's time to renegotiate they need to have the amount of time a team can control a player before free agency lowered because teams are not going to pay guys into their late 30's like they used to. Young guys like Harper will be fine, they can sign a 10 year deal and only be 34 or 35 at the end. Guys that are controlled into their late 20's (Degrom on the Mets is a perfect example, he'll be 29 or 30 when he hits free agency) aren't going to get that mega year deal like they used to.

Great post. I think that front offices are all composed of smart, numbers guys. Ivey League guys who know that wasting money on aging players is a bad idea.

Scott Boras always was the smartest guy in the room for years, decades even. That's just not the case anymore.

A guy like Moose has a definite spot as a starting (potentially stud) 3B. He could start for 10-12 teams and be an upgrade. But not enough of an upgrade that a team, at his age, is going to give him 4/80 or 5/90 or whatever he's asking for.

 

[wazzu31]

I'm not sure why players complaining. It was eventually going to happen. The main teams that drive up the prices went young. Players being dumb enough to listen to their agents that's on them.