Eloy Jimenez signs 6-year $43mil contract w/ 2 club options

[MrTPlush]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/whitesox/2019/03/20/eloy-jimenez-white-sox-contract/3225674002/

 

$43mil assured! WOW! If he is good enough for the club options it is an 8-year deal potentially worth $77.5mil.

 

Rarely have we seen this type of deal. I always find them to be fascinating and great talking points. Locks up money for life at the expense of just two FA years. I recall an Astros 1st baseman doing a similar deal and totally flopping (way less money though).

 

I haven't run the numbers, but wow...what an insane deal for Eloy. That is a ton of money over 8-years or a ton if he totally flops. White Sox are only getting a deal here if he is a total star. Anything less and it will probably be close to the market rate. Hard to predict that though without a total breakdown and future salary predictions across baseball.

[homer]

I mean I get the Sox trying to save money but unless they thought Eloy's agent was going to have him avoid an extension if he mashed his rookie year then I don't see the rush.

[MrTPlush]

I mean I get the Sox trying to save money but unless they thought Eloy's agent was going to have him avoid an extension if he mashed his rookie year then I don't see the rush.

 

That is what I was thinking. That is a steep price to pay when he is a total mystery. Also $43mil through arbitration is a lofty number to reach as is. They are really banking on him being a star. All that risk to get two years of FA at a cost of $17.5mil a year? Hardly a discount for enormous risk.

 

This all coming from a team that already has one mega prospect flaming out at the MLB level (Moncada).

 

More I think the more I hate this deal. It may very well end up working out for them well or just "meh"...but they didn't get the discount needed to incur that much risk.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I sort of get the point - but it almost reeks of the Sox appearing to throw money at somebody because they lost out on both Harper and Machado. I know their payroll heading into 2019 was peanuts, and it's not like this deal actually boosts it at all, but at least it makes some headlines for them?

 

Honestly, let the kid have a few MLB at bats before opening up the guaranteed checkbook - and I'm a big advocate of both clubs and players taking contract extensions early to surpass arbitration and a couple FA years if it gives them financial securitty.

[young guns]

Does this mean he won't start in triple a or does he still start there for "reasons"?

[MrTPlush]

Does this mean he won't start in triple a or does he still start there for "reasons"?

 

No...no reason to wait now.

 

Which now makes me realize by signing this contract he really is only sacrificing one year of FA. Due to this deal the White Sox won’t hold him back (assuming they would) to control him an additional “year”. So basically this year will count instead of the White Sox trying to play the system.

 

His hypothetical team control money is that $43mil plus whatever the 7th year is worth. If the same as the 8th year that is approx. $60mil during the team control period of 7 years he was stuck there regardless. Divide that money up over 3 arbitration years (where he would have made his money had he not took this deal) that is an average of $20mil!!

 

Who is his agent? They need the highest honor possible.

[MadScientist]

Does this mean he won't start in triple a or does he still start there for "reasons"?

 

Given the contract, there is no financial advantage to the Sox for putting him in AAA, so any reasons should actually be legit. Otherwise they are paying a whole lot for a guy to be in the minors.

[JosephC]

The ironic thing is that Jimenez has pretty much stunk it up in spring training this year, .154/.154/.346/.500, and probably would be better off to get a solid 6-8 weeks in AAA to start off the year before being called up.

 

It's risky for the White Sox, but this guy does have "pure MLB masher" written all over him. I have the feeling the Cubs will really regret trading this guy away. Time will tell.

[jerichoholicninja]

I honestly wonder if all these deals lately are just the owners trying to show that they will give out big money to players, just not free agents.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I have the feeling the Cubs will really regret trading this guy away. Time will tell.

 

I've had that feeling since the day the Quintana trade went down...and even Cease has outperformed what I thought he could become as a pitching prospect. Barring injury, Jimenez is going to be a perennial all star.

 

Trading Gleyber Torres to get Aroldis to solidify their pen en route to a monumental World Series win for the Cubs will amount to a painful but worthwhile sacrifice...trading Jimenez and Cease to acquire what amounts to a mid-rotation starter on a team-friendly contract will go down as a complete blunder of a trade for Theo and company.