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Damon will be getting more than twice as much as Ramirez, if Manny has a hot start and Damon struggles out of the gate, Manny will probably start demanding that his deal be renegotiated. However, since the Rays were smart enough to sign Ramirez for just one year, that removes the Manny pout/slow down weapons, they can simply release him without enduring a fatal economic blow.
I wonder to what degree the Rays' management is looking at the Manny signing as a boost to their on field fortunes as opposed to a boost at the box office. If the latter, it is doubtful that it will help very much. Even when winning the division they have failed to turn into a big draw. Watching a last hurrah performance by Ramirez isn't going to be that much of a gate attraction. As Yogi Berra noted "If people don't want to come out to the park, how ya gonna stop em?"
In 2010 Manny hit:
.298 BA, 265 AB, 79 hits, 16 2B, 0 3B, 9 HR, 1 SB, .409 OBP, .460 SLG, 1.6 WAR.
But, manny lost .5 WAR for defense. As a DH he won't have that problem. So put Manny down for 2.1 WAR
If Manny does exactly what he did last year, the Rays should pick up about 3 wins.
Per 600 PA's that comes to
Manny: 497 AB, 148 hits, 30 2B, 0 3B, 17 HR, 2 SB, .298 BA, .409 OBP, .460 SLG, 349 outs, 3.9 WAR
RaysDH: 523 AB, 125 hits, 30 2B, 1 3B, 16 HR, 7 SB, .238 BA, .322 OBP, .391 SLG, 398 outs, -.7 WAR
So Manny would have had 23 more hits, with about equal numbers of 2B, 3B, and HR while making 50 less outs.
That's a gain of more than 4.5 WAR
It is almost certain that Manny will provide more offense than what the Rays' DHs did last year.
KC Royals sign of of their best young players
Royals, Butler agree to four-year, $30 million extension - KansasCity.com (http://www.kansascity.com/2011/01/22/2602121/royals-butler-gets-30m-four-year.html - broken link)
1B Billy Butler signs for 4 years and $30 million.
Let's see how that shakes out.
Butler has been worth 2.6 and 3.4 WAR the last 2 season.
Let's be pessimistic (Pessimistic because it's more likely that Butler will continue to get better for the next few years) and say that Butler is a 3 WAR player in 2011 and 2012 and declines to a 2.5 WAR player in 2013 and 2014.
2011 is Butler's first year of arbitration. 1st year players usually get 40% of the market value in arbitration (60% in the 2nd year and 80% in the 3rd year).
If Butler is a 3 WAR player in 2011 and 1 WAR is worth $5 million and Butler gets 40% of his value he should be worth $6 million this year.
2012: 3 WAR, $5.25 / WAR (5% inflation), 60% = $9.5 million
2013: 2.5 WAR, $5.5 / WAR, 80% = $11 million
2014: 2.5 WAR, $5.8 / WAR, 100% (first year of free agency) = $14.5 million
Total 11 WAR and $41 million in value
But KC got him for $30 million. Good move to lock him up long term. There is some risk, he could decline or get injured, but that's why they get him for $30 instead of $40 million.
A source with knowledge of the situation said the A's are trying to trade for Seattle infielder Chone Figgins, and that current A's third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and perhaps a pitcher could be shipped to the Mariners in return.
A weird move from the A's perspective
Over the last 4 seasons:
2007: Figgins = 3.2 WAR, Kouz = 2.5 WAR
2008: Figgins = 2.7 WAR, Kouz = 2.7 WAR
2009: Figgins = 6.1 WAR, Kouz = 2.7 WAR
2010: Figgins = 0.6 WAR, Kouz = 2.9 WAR
TOTAL: Figgins = 12.6 WAR, Kouz = 11 WAR
Figgins is owed: '11 = $9 million, '12 = $9 million, '13 = $8 million, '14 = vesting option at $9 million
Kouz is owed: '11 = $4.75 million, '12 = Arbitration (about $7 million), '13 Free Agent
By trading for Figgins they are getting a player who is slightly better but costs a lot more
Over the last 4 seasons:
2007: Figgins = 3.2 WAR, Kouz = 2.5 WAR
2008: Figgins = 2.7 WAR, Kouz = 2.7 WAR
2009: Figgins = 6.1 WAR, Kouz = 2.7 WAR
2010: Figgins = 0.6 WAR, Kouz = 2.9 WAR
TOTAL: Figgins = 12.6 WAR, Kouz = 11 WAR
Figgins is owed: '11 = $9 million, '12 = $9 million, '13 = $8 million, '14 = vesting option at $9 million
Kouz is owed: '11 = $4.75 million, '12 = Arbitration (about $7 million), '13 Free Agent
By trading for Figgins they are getting a player who is slightly better but costs a lot more
Baseball reference has different WAR numbers.
2007: Figgins= 2.8 Kouz= 1.9
2008: Figgins= 2.5 Kouz= 1.2
2009: Figgins= 6.9 Kouz= 1.8
2010: Figgins= 1.3 Kouz= 1.2
The Seattle Mariners and third baseman Chone Figgins tried to quiet trade rumors during the team's annual fanfest celebration Saturday.
Both Figgins and general manager Jack Zduriencik downplayed the possibility of a deal that would send the speedy, defensive standout to the Oakland Athletics. The Oakland Tribune , citing unnamed sources, first reported Friday the A's interest in acquiring Figgins.
Figgins
"I've always said it's a great thing to be wanted but I want to win here," Figgins said. "I'll always love playing here and like I said before this is where I want to be. Until they force me out of here this is where I'm going to be."
Zduriencik said the team is going forward under the assumption that Figgins will be their opening-day starter at third base. The two had a conversation where Zduriencik explained the situation to Figgins, trying to ease any concerns he may have had.
Texas Rangers veteran Michael Young said he asked for a trade because he's been "misled and manipulated on different occasions."
"I'm tired of it," Young said.........
............"I think a lot of things happened behind closed doors that just pushed me into a corner," Young said. "I got tired of being given less than all the facts when I'm being asked to make important decisions that are going to affect me and my family.
"If that's the case," he went on, "I want the facts. I don't want half-truths. I want everything, and we can go from there. It's a relationship I wish would have been built on complete honesty, especially after 10 years of pulling in the same direction."
What has upset Young is really the fact that the Rangers planned to remove him from the infield and make him a fulltime DH. Young has had a below average defensive WAR at thirdbase in each of the last two seasons, and his offensive contributions declined sharply last year.
Young is 34 years old and has three years remaining at a total of 48 million dollars, so it is difficult to see some club taking him in trade unless the Rangers agree to pay a portion of his salary. Further complicating the matter is that Young has a restricted trade clause in his contract which specifies the eight teams to which he can be traded. So far, Young has not waived that clause.
I don't have any inside information on the dispute, but my guess would be that what Young is referencing as the club's lack of honesty with him, was actually their efforts to let him know that they didn't see him as a position player any longer...without hurting his feelings.
New Zealand softball rep Te Wera Bishop is the latest Kiwi getting a chance to chase the American baseball dream after nailing a deal with the Boston Red Sox.
The Porirua 17-year-old was spotted by Red Sox scout Jon Deeble while he was in New Zealand checking out the Oceania AA Baseball Championships in Auckland last month.
Hamilton: $7.25 mm in 2011, $13.75 mm in 2012. $3 mm signing bonus
Pretty good deal for the Rangers.
Hamilton had asked $12 million in arbitration. The Rangers had offered $8.7 million.
This move covers Hamilton's last 2 years of arbitration. Players typically receive 60% of their market value in the 2nd to last arb year and 80% in their last arb year.
That means his 'true' market value should be $14.6 million in 2011 and $19 million in 2012 for a total of $33.6 million
At $5 million per WAR, $33.6 million comes out to 6.7 total WAR or 3.3 WAR per season.
Hamilton has been worth:
2007 2.5 WAR
2008 3.8 WAR
2009 1.3 WAR
2010 8.0 WAR and AL MVP
If he's healthy, Hamilton should be a cinch to surpass 3.3 WAR considering he had more WAR last season than he'd need to have in 2 years to match his contract.
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Rangers' Young Demands Trade
