Alex Gordon Returns to the Royals - 4 years, $72 mil

[And That]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/01/royals-to-re-sign-alex-gordon.html

 

Looks to me like the Royals got a good hometown discount. I thought he would have gotten a lot closer to $100 mil guaranteed and/or $20 mil AAV.

 

The impact on the Brewers is, one less valuable corner OF available on the market.

[pacopete4]

$18m/year is a good contract for him. Let's not forget that he will be 32 coming soon (Feb) and he's no where near the hitter Braun was in his prime and he's not even the hitter Braun was last season. His defense is good but at the age he's at, decline is on the way in that department as well.

[reillymcshane]

Happy Gordon is returning to KC. I'm sentimental about players hanging on to their 'signature' team as long as possible. He's still a good player, and KC should be decent for a few years. Good for him and the club.

 

As noted, the years and dollars are a little shy of what was predicted, but I think the starting pitching has sucked up a lot of the available free agent dollars. And teams are just being smarter with regards to overpaying for guys in their declining years.

 

Perhaps this starts the dominos with position players.

[Outlander]

To me a contract like this shows me Braun needs one more good year before being moved. If he shows something again in 2016, he will have a contract comparable to this.

[Oldcity]

Not a great development for those hoping to trade Braun. I was thinking the remainder of Braun's contract, which is essentially 5/$105 mil, would be about market value. Gordon is the most similar FA to Braun, so it seems Braun's deal is still above market value.

[3and2Fastball]

As a Baseball fan I think it is great to see Gordon going back to the Royals. Good to have players on the same team for most of their careers.

[mlloyd10]

Horrible deal -

[reillymcshane]

Not a great development for those hoping to trade Braun. I was thinking the remainder of Braun's contract, which is essentially 5/$105 mil, would be about market value. Gordon is the most similar FA to Braun, so it seems Braun's deal is still above market value.

Braun's remaining contract is actually 5/$95M.

 

The team paid him a $10M signing bonus, which is off the books.

 

There's also $18M in deferred money, which reduces the overall value a bit as well.

[pacopete4]

Braun's contract is actually about what the marker should/could pay him. He's still an elite hitter in today's game and if played in LF where he belongs, he's okay there too.

[logan82]

Not a great development for those hoping to trade Braun. I was thinking the remainder of Braun's contract, which is essentially 5/$105 mil, would be about market value. Gordon is the most similar FA to Braun, so it seems Braun's deal is still above market value.

It's 9/$95. You have to subtract the signing bonus which was already paid. It adds up to 5/$91 but I don't know where the other $4m went. A good chunk of money is deffered every year so he is mever paid more than $15m in any year.

[reillymcshane]

Not a great development for those hoping to trade Braun. I was thinking the remainder of Braun's contract, which is essentially 5/$105 mil, would be about market value. Gordon is the most similar FA to Braun, so it seems Braun's deal is still above market value.

It's 9/$95. You have to subtract the signing bonus which was already paid. It adds up to 5/$91 but I don't know where the other $4m went. A good chunk of money is deffered every year so he is mever paid more than $15m in any year.

The other $4M is a buyout on a $15M team option for 2021. So, assuming that the sixth year option is declined by the club and he get the $4M, it gets up to 5/$95M.

[Roderick]

Horrible deal -

 

For who? Per the article it sounds like a substantial amount is backloaded and/or deferred. So it would seem to me in line with baseball inflation as it is. As long as he can stay away from those groin injuries.

[Fear The Chorizo]

it's the type of deal a small market team shouldn't pay out to a FA outfielder headed towards his mid 30's, no matter how good he is.

 

that's the reason it's a horrible deal. When they can't resign Cain, Escobar, Ventura, or someone else a couple years from now, Gordon's contract will be one of the reasons.

[pacopete4]

it's the type of deal a small market team shouldn't pay out to a FA outfielder headed towards his mid 30's, no matter how good he is.

 

that's the reason it's a horrible deal. When they can't resign Cain, Escobar, Ventura, or someone else a couple years from now, Gordon's contract will be one of the reasons.

 

You mean when Cain and Escobar are 31-32 (both not FA's til 2018 and they are already 29) and they want to sign him to a similar contract as Gordon? Which by then, 2 of the 4 years of this contract will be over.

 

Ventura wil be 30-31 by the time he's a FA as well. Oh and that will be in 2020, Gordon's contract won't even be on the team at that point.

[logan82]

Not a great development for those hoping to trade Braun. I was thinking the remainder of Braun's contract, which is essentially 5/$105 mil, would be about market value. Gordon is the most similar FA to Braun, so it seems Braun's deal is still above market value.

It's 9/$95. You have to subtract the signing bonus which was already paid. It adds up to 5/$91 but I don't know where the other $4m went. A good chunk of money is deffered every year so he is mever paid more than $15m in any year.

The other $4M is a buyout on a $15M team option for 2021. So, assuming that the sixth year option is declined by the club and he get the $4M, it gets up to 5/$95M.

That option may have increased. Not sure by how much.

[mlloyd10]

Horrible deal -

 

For who? Per the article it sounds like a substantial amount is backloaded and/or deferred. So it would seem to me in line with baseball inflation as it is. As long as he can stay away from those groin injuries.

 

Royals

[reillymcshane]

It's 9/$95. You have to subtract the signing bonus which was already paid. It adds up to 5/$91 but I don't know where the other $4m went. A good chunk of money is deffered every year so he is mever paid more than $15m in any year.

The other $4M is a buyout on a $15M team option for 2021. So, assuming that the sixth year option is declined by the club and he get the $4M, it gets up to 5/$95M.

That option may have increased. Not sure by how much.

Actually, the 2021 option is a mutual option. Here's details from Cots website: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/national-league-central/milwaukee-brewers/

 

The option value can change based upon MVP, Gold Glove (Hah!) or Sliver Slugger awards. That may change, but all indications are that that the buy out is the same - which is $4M.

 

5 years/$105M (2016-20), plus 2021 mutual option

 

• 5 years/$105M (2016-20), plus 2021 option • signed extension with Milwaukee 4/21/11

• $10M signing bonus (paid in 4 equal installments each April 1 from 2012 to 2015)

• 16:$19M, 17:$19M, 18:$19M, 19:$18M, 20:$16M, 21:$15M mutual option ($4M buyout)

• price of option may increase to $20M based on MVP, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove awards (if earned, award escalators are deferred without interest)

• $18M in salary ($4M each in 2016-18 and $3M each in 2019-20) deferred without interest, to be paid in equal installments each July 1 from 2022 to 2031

• no-trade protection allowing Braun to block deals to all clubs except LA Angels, LA Dodgers, Miami, Tampa Bay and Washington

[umphrey]

it's the type of deal a small market team shouldn't pay out to a FA outfielder headed towards his mid 30's, no matter how good he is.

 

that's the reason it's a horrible deal. When they can't resign Cain, Escobar, Ventura, or someone else a couple years from now, Gordon's contract will be one of the reasons.

 

If there was a player worth $300M and we could sign him for $200M I would want us to do it. Take any surplus value when possible. Won't be hard to trade a great player on a team friendly deal if needed.