Dye re-ups with ChiSox, 2 yr/22M

[Brian the Automator]

Per rotoworld:

 

White Sox signed outfielder Jermaine Dye to a two-year, $22 million extension with a mutual option for 2010.

It's less than the White Sox thought they'd have to spend to keep him at the beginning of the year, but he'll still be getting a healthy raise over his previous deal. Dye will receive $9.5 million in 2008 and $11.5 million in 2009. The mutual option is worth $12 million and includes a $1 million buyout. The 33-year-old Dye was a legitimate MVP candidate in 2006, but he could finish this year with a sub-800 OPS for the fourth time in six years. Also, he's hit substantially worse with runners on and RISP both this year and in his career. That they're only guaranteeing him two years makes this a fair signing for the White Sox, but he probably won't ever again have a season like his 2006.

Seems like a lot of guy whose 1.000 OPS season in '06 seems to stick out like a sore thumb, especially for someone at his age. Seems like they could have done better just saving the cash to sign a bunch of draftees over slot.

[dadofandrew]

And most corner OF's just fall off a cliff in their mid 30's...geesh. That's just a horrible signing, though it's only for 2 years.

[Jopal78]

Given what the White Sox have in their organization for corner OFers, I think it is a good deal for them. Besides Dye, the White Sox have Podsednik, and a bunch of CFers miscast as corners: Erstad (who is all around awful), unproven youngsters Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney.

 

Sure, Dye is probably on the downside of his career, but who else could they have gotten who is clearly better for that price?

[Brian the Automator]

Given what the White Sox have in their organization for corner OFers, I think it is a good deal for them. Besides Dye, the White Sox have Podsednik, and a bunch of CFers miscast as corners: Erstad (who is all around awful), unproven youngsters Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney.

 

Sure, Dye is probably on the downside of his career, but who else could they have gotten who is clearly better for that price?

Personally, I think they should scrap and rebuild. They only have 2 guys with an OPS higher than .800, a 1B and a DH. The Indians and Tigers aren't going to get weaker to the point where whatever Chicago can throw out there will be competitive.

But if they're hell-bent on band-aiding their team, they could go with Jenkins, Luis Gonzalez, or someone that's going to put up a near .800 OPS for a cheaper price.

 

[mothershipconnection]

Wow, this is stupid. I'm with Brian - tear it down and rebuild. This team is weak in many areas and not about to retake this division by re-signing old players who've been crummy aside from an upswing in 2005 and huge 2006. You should never count on a player replicating a season they had when they were too old to perform that well. If Dye isn't on illegal performance enhancers, he's going to continue to fall apart as he approaches 35.

[berniebrewer4life]

Given what the White Sox have in their organization for corner OFers, I think it is a good deal for them. Besides Dye, the White Sox have Podsednik, and a bunch of CFers miscast as corners: Erstad (who is all around awful), unproven youngsters Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney.

 

Sure, Dye is probably on the downside of his career, but who else could they have gotten who is clearly better for that price?

Personally, I think they should scrap and rebuild. They only have 2 guys with an OPS higher than .800, a 1B and a DH. The Indians and Tigers aren't going to get weaker to the point where whatever Chicago can throw out there will be competitive.

But if they're hell-bent on band-aiding their team, they could go with Jenkins, Luis Gonzalez, or someone that's going to put up a near .800 OPS for a cheaper price.

 

I have to agree with Brian on this one. Dye might have one or two more good years left in him, but not for that price. They really should just rebuild and start fresh.

[crewcrazy]

If Jermaine Dye got that, I shudder to think what Geoff Jenkins would get on the open market. Deals like this make me think the Brewers might just pick up Jenkins' option, since it'll practically be league average salary for his position soon.

[dadofandrew]

For $11M per, I'd just think you could get a player who is not in his mid 30's and has both career norms and a current season of purely mediocre numbers. Goodness, CLE has both Trot Nixon and Dave Dellucci making far less than this, and I'd much rather have either one of them than Dye.

 

To me, this is one of those things where you could sign a veteran AAA LF/RF with warts (speed, fielding) for $350K and get 90% of Dye's production for 3.2% of the cost. Plus, there's no risk, you can always just sign another one. I have to think Russ Branyan at $550K would give you a better OPS.

[endaround]

Of course Nixon was that cheap because he is likely to miss huge amounts of time. Delucci is a pure platoon player as well. Not sure where this cheap player is coming from Al. And yes if you pick the right 28 year old AAA player having a career year you can get Luke Scott. Of course you could also get Nelson Cruz.

[dadofandrew]

What would Cruz do if just left alone to play every day? I have to believe .300/.400 is well within what you'd project...that'd be about 90% of what I would project Dye for at 34. If i made a list, I can't believe Nelson would be in my top 5-10.

 

And what's wrong with a LH half of a platoon...that's 120 games right there. There's a plethora of RH OF's that's be fine for 40 games. They would not be likely to produce Mench-like 900 OPS, but Dye doesn't exactly set a high bar.

[Sepolevne]

Every White Sox fan I know is baffled by this one. Maybe they're thinking that if they have the money they can unload him next year and be on the hook for the salary. It would make him an easier trade if other teams didn't have to pay for him.

[danzig6767]

For $11M per, I'd just think you could get a player who is not in his mid 30's and has both career norms and a current season of purely mediocre numbers. Goodness, CLE has both Trot Nixon and Dave Dellucci making far less than this, and I'd much rather have either one of them than Dye.

 

To me, this is one of those things where you could sign a veteran AAA LF/RF with warts (speed, fielding) for $350K and get 90% of Dye's production for 3.2% of the cost. Plus, there's no risk, you can always just sign another one. I have to think Russ Branyan at $550K would give you a better OPS.

 

I wouldn't pay Dye that much either,but Nixon is really looking to be washed up,his power is in a three year nosedive.Dellucci had a miserable year until getting hurt,but it possibly was just an offseason.I could see him bouncing back,Nixon i think very well could be done.

One other thing to consider is that while 11 million is excessive,player salaries are really going up.Guys like Suppan cost 11 million a year,not long ago people would have found paying him 42 million over four years to be pretty silly.A yearly salary of 10 million used to bring a top notch player,now it will only bring a decent player.It'll be interesting to see the salaries free agents fetch this offseason,i suspects we'll hear lots of "are you kidding me"?

[endaround]

Eric Byrnes took a discount to get $10 million a year over 4 years. Byrnes over 4 vs Dye over two is a toss up. My problem with the Dye signing is that the White Sox really aren't able to compete over the next two years. But to pretend that there would some cheap solution out there that can give you an 800 OPS without a large injury risk is just not true. Sure they coudl bring in Milton Bradley at $6 million, but there is a reason for that.

[Jopal78]

The White Sox have Buehrle and Vazquez signed long term. Garland will be back in '08. Danks is an up and coming left hander, and Contreras has a history of running hot and cold for long periods of time. In other words, they have a rotation that is able to compete with those of the top of the AL. Not to mention that Jenks is a dominant closer and is pre-arbitration eligible. Based on the pitching talent alone, there is no need to strip the team down and re-build.

 

Sure they have holes at 2B, SS, LF, and CF, but with reigning Dye that insures that the middle of their lineup in 2008 should be: Thome, Konerko, Dye, Crede, and Pierzynski. Now, if they are successful in making a run at one of the big four free agent CFers that would give them 6 really good hitters that would generate enough offense that they could carry some dead weight in LF, 2B, and SS.

 

Finally, Dye wanted to stay with the White Sox; what are they going to do let a guy walk away, who over the last three seasons will have hit .280 with over 80 doubles, 100 homeruns and will have driven in close to 280 runs for the team and scored 250? If it was Melvin who gave a 2 year 22 million dollar deal for those type of numbers people would be calling it the steal of the season.