Jordan Zimmermann to Tigers - 5-years, $110M

[reillymcshane]

The first of the the major free agents, Jordan Zimmerman, is off the hard. The Wisconsin native signs with Detroit - 5 years and $110M.

 

Detroit loses their 2nd round pick since their #1 pick falls in the top 10 and is thus protected.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/11/tigers-to-sign-jordan-zimmermann.html

[Austin Tatious]

Wow, getting even for Scherzer.

[3and2Fastball]

Good signing for Detroit. A little risky of course but they need pitching & have money

[WV Brew]

The Nationals were never going to re-sign him. They think it's too much of an injury risk for the money. Therefore, they're not getting even, they're getting taken again.

[bill hAll Star]

Not a huge fan of Zimmermann for big $ but it does seem to be a short deal. Tigers are going to be the worst team in baseball by a wide margin in 2-3 years.

[MVP2110]

I don't mind it, Much rather have Zimmermann at 5/110 than what Cueto Price and Greinke will go far probably.

 

P.S. should update the thread title so the name is correct. Zimmermann*

[CheezWizHed]

I watched a game in a Detroit restaurant where the Tigers trotted out Wolf for 5 innings. I'm not surprised by this at all

[pacopete4]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

[jerichoholicninja]

Now we can stop that ridiculous talk about him taking a "hometown discount" to play for the Brewers.

[Eye Black]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

I really like Zimmermann and he has certainly been a very good pitcher, but even if they were closer to contending I would not want the Brewers to make a free agent signing like this. The Nationals paid $32.5 million for over 1,000 innings of the pitcher Zimmermann has been. Now for $110 million the Tigers are getting what will most likely be a declining pitcher over the life of the contract who is six years removed from Tommy John surgery. Taking on this risk at a high price tag seems like bad business. It also reaffirms why the focus on developing a base of homegrown cost controlled talent is so important for the Brewers.

[bill hAll Star]

^Exactly. Garza looked solid at age 29 as well, which is just before the Brewers signed him. Zimmermann does not seem like a pitcher that's going to age incredibly well.

 

At the very least, he's going to a division with the DH and he does not get garbage lineups of his old division in 2014 and mostly 2015 (Mets improved late) in cavernous parks.

[MrTPlush]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

 

I'd rather pay David Price $30mil...or whatever Greinke gets paid.

[pacopete4]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

 

I'd rather pay David Price $30mil...or whatever Greinke gets paid.

 

 

Me too.

[ZBTMP]

Odd timing, would have thought there would be more money waiting for him after someone misses out on Cueto/Grienke/Price. Thought he'd get more as this is about what Bailey got and Zimmermann has been worth about 20 wins over the last 5 seasons. But he is coming off his worst season with a slight velocity/k rate dip so I guess this isn't too far off.

[monty57]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

 

I'd rather pay David Price $30mil...or whatever Greinke gets paid.

 

Money being no object I'd agree, but the Brewers shouldn't be paying 30% of their payroll for any player. It isn't realistic that they could keep enough pre-arby talent on their team through the length of that contract to have the contract not blow up on them.

 

 

Now we can stop that ridiculous talk about him taking a "hometown discount" to play for the Brewers.

 

 

Agree. That's the best part about this deal. Other than that, it's another big money team keeping the price tag on top free agents out of the realm of possibility for teams like the Brewers, who instead have to rely on a strategy of making few mistakes during a long process of growing your future team on the farm, taking advantage of the rules allowing teams to seriously underpay for a few years before good players' price tags skyrocket.

[brewcrewdue80]

Count me in the, glad he's no longer to be considered a Brewer with a home-town discount.

The team needs to acquire this kind of pitching talent via the draft or trades like Gomez/Fiers got.

The team should have learned by now that signing a FA SP is going to end badly. Grow from within and try to get an team friendly extension when you get your gem. Talking just 7th&8th year beyond the standard 6yr team control.

[3and2Fastball]

Count me in the, glad he's no longer to be considered a Brewer with a home-town discount.

The team needs to acquire this kind of pitching talent via the draft or trades like Gomez/Fiers got.

The team should have learned by now that signing a FA SP is going to end badly. Grow from within and try to get an team friendly extension when you get your gem. Talking just 7th&8th year beyond the standard 6yr team control.

 

Exactly correct. I think they have learned that lesson, or at least the new GM knows it very well.

 

Look at the Top 5 MLB Pitchers in WAR in 2011:

 

Halladay

Lee

Verlander

Sabathia

Weaver

 

Investing big money in long term contracts for any of them for the 2012 season and beyond would have (and in the case of most of them in reality) result in disaster.

 

I will admit I was very wrong in wanting the Brewers to break the bank for Sabathia way back when. Very very wrong.

[MrTPlush]

Count me in the, glad he's no longer to be considered a Brewer with a home-town discount.

 

That boat sailed last April when we sank like the titanic. That idea was only floated if we managed to compete this year and had a decent outlook for next year. Once that was gone signing Zimmerman was on no ones mind.

[tmwiese55]

It seems like a deal considering the pitcher he has been. I wish the Brewers were in a better state because this is the type of a deal they could do if close to contending. Rather pay a guy like Zimmermann $22/year than Garza $12-13/year.

 

I'd rather pay David Price $30mil...or whatever Greinke gets paid.

 

I think most like it on account of only being 5 years though, not so much the yearly. So you end up committing less than 50% as much money that those top guys will get. And as long as you get the first 3 years at reasonably close to what he's been then you can sigh that you didn't get completely killed on it.

 

Also, I'm not sure on an opt out on zimmerman. But most of these mega deals for pitchers include an opt out after 3-4 years. So, if they guy is good he's going to demand another 7+ year deal after 3 years, so you're on the hook now for 10. If he's bad or gets hurt during the first deal, you're stuck with 7.

[Invader3K]

Count me in the, glad he's no longer to be considered a Brewer with a home-town discount.

 

That boat sailed last April when we sank like the titanic. That idea was only floated if we managed to compete this year and had a decent outlook for next year. Once that was gone signing Zimmerman was on no ones mind.

 

Yes, I agree. I haven't really heard any talk of "The Brewers should sign Zimmermann", in quite a long time.

 

Do "hometown discounts" ever really happen in baseball anymore? I can't think of any examples in recent history.

Maybe Prince Fielder signing with Detroit.

[pacopete4]

Count me in the, glad he's no longer to be considered a Brewer with a home-town discount.

 

That boat sailed last April when we sank like the titanic. That idea was only floated if we managed to compete this year and had a decent outlook for next year. Once that was gone signing Zimmerman was on no ones mind.

 

Yes, I agree. I haven't really heard any talk of "The Brewers should sign Zimmermann", in quite a long time.

 

Do "hometown discounts" ever really happen in baseball anymore? I can't think of any examples in recent history.

Maybe Prince Fielder signing with Detroit.

 

 

http://artzunk.com/uploads/sp-dead-horse.gif

[markedman5]

Zimmerman got in a little trouble with the fans of his new team last night.......lol

[3and2Fastball]

Zimmerman got in a little trouble with the fans of his new team last night.......lol

 

Wow that is pretty funny. The reactions on Twitter when an athlete or celebrity tweets is a bizarre look into the dynamics between stars & fans. Shows why so many stars are hesitant to speak their mind!

[MrTPlush]

Zimmerman got in a little trouble with the fans of his new team last night.......lol

 

I find this kind of annoying. It is the Packers who are in a totally different sport, who cares? Not only that but Green Bay doesn't have an MLB team. I hate how athletes have to pretend to like that cities teams and what not just because they play one sport there.

[CheezWizHed]

[sarcasm]Aaron Rodgers should've worn red![/sarcasm]