2039 NL Albatross List
Aug 10, 2016 11:06:40 GMT -5
Texas Rangers, Tim_GiantsGM, and 3 more like this
Post by MetDaMeats on Aug 10, 2016 11:06:40 GMT -5
The Albatrosses are back. Just a reminder these are the list of long term/big money contracts. They are ranked as Albatross contracts if they have the possibility to severely hamper a team's performance by eating up large sums of cash over long periods of time.
Legend:
* A great contract. No need to worry.
** Has some downside, but could make you look pretty smart.
*** A few red flags that could go either way.
**** This contract may be having a negative impact on the team.
***** Severe Albatross potential on every level.
Arizona Diamondbacks
*** (New) Bruce Pinnock (SP)
*** (New) Robbie Gill (SP)
* (-1 star) Orlando Perez (SP)
Atlanta Braves
** (New) Keith Henson (CF)
Carolina Warhounds
**** (+3 stars) Ryan Ross (SP)
*** (-1 star) Kwan-Cheol Nang (1B)
** (No change) Marcos Pena (3B)
Chicago Cubs
** (-1 star) Salvador Soto (SP)
* (No Change) Jim Lacy (SP)
Cincinnati Reds
*** (+1 star) Ken Rauschenbe (LF/RF)
* (No change) Will Taylor (SP)
Los Angeles Dodgers
**** (+1 star) Jose Guerrero. (CF)
*** (+1 star) Raymond Harrington (3B)
*** (New) Tony Shelton (1B)
*** (No change) Wilson Martinez. (LF/RF)
** (No change) Danny Hayes (SP)
** (New) Dominic Pearson (2B)
Miami Marlins
** (No change) Chris Bryant (SP)
** (New) Jeff Bunyan (1B/DH)
** (-1 star) Jose Rivera (1B/OF)
** (New) Richard Crisci (CF/RF)
* (-1 star) Mike Lucas (SP)
Milwaukee Brewers
Actually it’s pronounced “Mill-ee-wah-que” which is Algonquin for “Team doesn’t spend money.”
Montreal Expos
They’re on pace for a 24 Mill payroll next year. They have to buy some free agents then, right?
New York Mets
** (+1 Star) Jorge Ramos (1B/OF)
Philadelphia Phillies
*** (No change) Scott Sempill (SP)
** (No change) Warren Smith (SP)
Pittsburgh Pirates
** (-1 star) Alvin Raymond (1B)
** (New) Curt Peterson (CF)
** (New) Ray Barry (SP)
* (No change) Carlos Sims (SP)
* (No change) Stanton Jimenez (3B)
San Diego Padres
**** (No change) Derek McCauley (2B)
** (-1 star) Arturo Rivera (LF/RF)
San Francisco Giants
** (New) Cristian Medina (2B/SS/3B)
** (New) Octavio Hernando (LF)
** (New) Pablo Cordero (RF)
St. Louis Cardinals
Guaranteed payroll will drop from 71.4 Mill in 2039 to $37.4 Mill in 2040. I expect to see some major spending next off season!
Washington Nationals
*** (New) Jake Perry (SP)
* (New) Keith Parks (SP)
Legend:
* A great contract. No need to worry.
** Has some downside, but could make you look pretty smart.
*** A few red flags that could go either way.
**** This contract may be having a negative impact on the team.
***** Severe Albatross potential on every level.
Arizona Diamondbacks
*** (New) Bruce Pinnock (SP)
- $99 Mill through 2041.
- $33 Mill vesting option in 2042 after 200 IP.
- Well, you can’t say he doesn’t deserve the raise, but going from 8.42 Million to 25 Million is quite a pay jump. Have to wonder if it might have been possible to trade Pinnock last year and leave that budget space open.
*** (New) Robbie Gill (SP)
- $147 Mill through 2046.
- You can never fault the Diamondbacks for not holding on to young talent. But this guy is definitely the weakest of Arizona’s three big time starters. And he’s locked in at big money till his late thirties.
* (-1 star) Orlando Perez (SP)
- $50 Mill through 2040.
- If his career ended today (and I certainly hope it doesn’t) he wouldn’t be a shoe-in for the Hall Of Fame, but his case would be incredibly strong. And he’s still not out of his prime.
Atlanta Braves
** (New) Keith Henson (CF)
- $10 Mill through 2039.
- Player opt out after 2039.
- $10 Mill through 2040.
- $10 Mill team option in 2041 with $2,500,000 buyout.
- On the one hand, I don’t like his injury history. On the other, he has a record of batting success at a weak position. On the third hand, his opt out could render this contract very short. On the fourth hand, the price is right… I’m just saying I have a lot of feelings about this contract.
Carolina Warhounds
**** (+3 stars) Ryan Ross (SP)
- $68.92 Mill through 2044.
- Promised Role: Starting Pitcher.
- NO TRADE CLAUSE
- Last year I loved this contract. It doesn’t take much to throw me into a full scale panic, but if I were Carolina I’d be a little freaked out by his sudden, inexplicable drop in skill. His stuff just disappeared overnight!
*** (-1 star) Kwan-Cheol Nang (1B)
- $36 Mill through 2040.
- Huge bounce-back year in 2038 for his best statistical batting season in five years. Certainly has the capacity to repeat this performance.
** (No change) Marcos Pena (3B)
- $74.5 Mill through 2043.
- Promised Role: Starting Lineup.
- NO TRADE CLAUSE.
- I have absolutely no reason to be concerned about him, and yet I worry about having him locked down for 5 more years. But, to repeat myself, I have absolutely no reason to be concerned yet.
Chicago Cubs
** (-1 star) Salvador Soto (SP)
- $64.8 Mill through 2041.
- There were a lot of gasps of shock when we saw the price the Cubs paid to acquire Soto. Although it was justified slightly when the Cubs 2nd pick overall in the draft turned into the Cincinatti’s 6th pick overall due to the draft lottery. Still, an expensive acquisition.
* (No Change) Jim Lacy (SP)
- $13 Mill through 2039.
- $13 Mill player option in 2040.
- His ERA tells a tale of a pitcher in decline, though his FIP says he’s performing at about the usual level. In fact, in 2038 his K/9 were the highest in his career at 9.3.
Cincinnati Reds
*** (+1 star) Ken Rauschenbe (LF/RF)
- $52 Mill through 2040.
- Losing him for the entirety of 2038 was simply brutal for the Reds. And there are reasons to be concerned that his skills might be eroding post-injury.
* (No change) Will Taylor (SP)
- $42 Mill through 2040.
- $20 Mill player option in 2041.
- One of the few players on Cincy that weren’t walking wounded last year. I think it’s reasonable to assume that the jump in his losses total was due to the fact that field behind him was filled with cardboard cutouts of injured Reds players.
Los Angeles Dodgers
**** (+1 star) Jose Guerrero. (CF)
- $40 Mill through 2041.
- Promised Role: Starting Lineup.
- Hitter award bonus: $2 Mill.
- One of his main selling points has always been his defense in center. But his skill at the position dropped precipitously in 2038, to the point where he may be a corner outfielder now. That significantly reduced his value since he can’t really hit for any power.
*** (+1 star) Raymond Harrington (3B)
- $38 Mill through 2040.
- $24 Mill team option in 2041.
- Absolutely, positively, cannot be allowed to play third base anymore. He had a -22.7 ZR in the hot corner for 2038, which is simply unacceptable. Needs to become DH, like, yesterday.
*** (New) Tony Shelton (1B)
- $28.12 Mill through 2040.
- Player Opt Out after 2040.
- $15 Mill through 2041.
- Gotta say, I don’t understand this signing. Does he swing a good bat? Sure. But where do you put him? DH should go to Raymond Harrington, and Shelton has played exactly 53 games at first base in the past 5 years. For good reason.
*** (No change) Wilson Martinez. (LF/RF)
- $30 Mill through 2040.
- Player Opt Out after 2040.
- $43 Mill through 2042.
- $30 Mill team option in 2043 with $8,000,000 buyout.
- Promise Role: Starting Lineup.
- Hitter Award Bonus: $2 Mill.
- Still confused about him. Should be a solid platoon bat, but never got the hang of things last year both before and after an injured hammy. So much depends on whether he decides to opt out.
** (No change) Danny Hayes (SP)
- $131 Mill through 2042.
- $30 Mill vesting option in 2043 after 200 IP.
- $27.5 Mill vesting option in 2044 after 180 IP.
- How does your WAR drop when you lead the league in lowest WHIP and BB/9? Well, if you want that remarkable set of circumstances to occur you’re going to need to allow nearly double as many homeruns as you did in the previous year. I label this as a freak outcome.
** (New) Dominic Pearson (2B)
- $10.5 Mill through 2039.
- $11.5 Mill player option in 2040.
- Has a ton of power for a second baseman. Problem is, he’s guaranteed to bat sub .250.
Miami Marlins
** (No change) Chris Bryant (SP)
- $114 Mill through 2044.
- $18 Mill player option in 2045.
- $18 Mill player option in 2046.
- Promised Role: Starting Pitcher.
- Still fantastic. As long as he can stay fantastic till he’s 40 there won’t be any problems.
** (New) Jeff Bunyan (1B/DH)
- $21.84 Mill through 2040.
- Sidelined by a broken hand last season, but still one of the best pure contact guys around. However, his skills drop from ‘amazing’ to ‘very good’ when he’s batting against a lefty.
** (-1 star) Jose Rivera (1B/OF)
- $125 Mill through 2043.
- Player Opt Out after 2043.
- $30 Mill in 2044.
- $30 Mill vesting option after 130 games in 2045.
- $30 Mill vesting option after 130 games in 2046.
- An amazing 55 homerun season found the Marlins paying top dollar for the best season of Rivera’s career. If you’re gonna spend an absurd sum, this is exactly what you’re hoping to buy.
** (New) Richard Crisci (CF/RF)
- $21 Mill through 2040.
- $15.5 Mill vesting option in 2041 after 120 games.
- Has been on 5 teams in the past 3 years. It’s hard to see why though. Maybe it’s because he’s only very recently found his homerun swing.
* (-1 star) Mike Lucas (SP)
- $30.78 Mill through 2041.
- $10.26 Mill team option in 2042 with no buyout.
- Not only was 2038’s K total replicable, he topped it by one for a grand total of 219. Looks like a pretty shrewd investment in the prime of his career.
Milwaukee Brewers
Actually it’s pronounced “Mill-ee-wah-que” which is Algonquin for “Team doesn’t spend money.”
Montreal Expos
They’re on pace for a 24 Mill payroll next year. They have to buy some free agents then, right?
New York Mets
** (+1 Star) Jorge Ramos (1B/OF)
- $36 Mill through 2041.
- Hitter Award Bonus: $1 Mill.
- Just didn’t look right last year. With the kind of drop off in performance he experienced, you’d expect some kind of catastrophic injury. A week of back spasms doesn’t explain a .113 point drop in OPS.
Philadelphia Phillies
*** (No change) Scott Sempill (SP)
- $41.5 Mill through 2040.
- Promised Role: Starting Pitcher.
- If you were casting “Solid Innings Eater: The Movie” you wouldn’t have Scott Sempill star in it. You’d have Paul Rudd star in it, because he is delightful. But Sempill would be a good second choice.
** (No change) Warren Smith (SP)
- $12 Mill through 2039.
- $12 Mill player option in 2040.
- Had some bad luck last season which rose his BABIP to .314. He’s a better player than that.
Pittsburgh Pirates
** (-1 star) Alvin Raymond (1B)
- $64.52 Mill through 2042.
- $16.13 Mill player option in 2043 with an $8.065 Mill buyout.
- One of the few hard hitting first baseman out there who is actually stellar at fielding his position. That kind of bonus really adds value in the long term.
** (New) Curt Peterson (CF)
- $47.3 Mill through 2042.
- Speed, defense and powerless contact are all the hallmarks of a classic centerfielder. This guy is the mold you want to build them from.
** (New) Ray Barry (SP)
- $63.7 Mill through 2043.
- $15.5 Mill team option in 2044 with a $7.75 Mill buyout.
- Has the longest guaranteed contract of any Pirate, but is certainly the kind of player you want locked down for years to come.
* (No change) Carlos Sims (SP)
- $41 Mill through 2041.
- $15 Mill team option in 2042 with a $7.5 Mill buyout.
- Let me paint the nightmare scenario for this guy: His slider never develops, making him essentially a 2 pitch pitcher, and his stamina drops precipitously for some reason. That would transmogrify him a very, very expensive reliever.
* (No change) Stanton Jimenez (3B)
- $57.25 Mill through 2041.
- This guy is one of the cornerstones of Pittsburgh’s success. However, you can start to see the end of his contract approaching. Do you consider extending him at 35, or trading him early, or just letting him fade away?
San Diego Padres
**** (No change) Derek McCauley (2B)
- $31.8 Mill through 2041.
- $11.5 Mill vesting option in 2042 after 140 games.
- Hitter award bonus: $1 Mill.
- Still a wonderful player, but he just can’t stay healthy. Let’s see him give one solid injury-less season before I downgrade the star-level on this deal.
** (-1 star) Arturo Rivera (LF/RF)
- $99 Mill through 2042.
- $30 Mill vesting option in 2043 after 500 PA.
- Hitter Award Bonus: $1 Mill.
- I’m still not sold on the size and length of this contract for a 35 year old guy, but you can’t argue with 63 home runs. Not even a little.
San Francisco Giants
** (New) Cristian Medina (2B/SS/3B)
- $30 Mill through 2040.
- $15 Mill team option in 2041 with a $3.75 Mill buyout.
- When you have a decent hitter who can play lockdown defense at three hard to fill infield positions, sometimes you just have to shell out the cash to keep him in town.
** (New) Octavio Hernando (LF)
- $85 Mill through 2043.
- Promised Role: Starting Lineup.
- Does San Fran just have some pipeline to international free agents that the rest of us just don’t know about? Between this guy and Pablo, I feel like some one is feeding the GM inside info.
** (New) Pablo Cordero (RF)
- $134 Mill through 2045.
- This guy just appeared, fully formed, out of nowhere. The Giants threw down the huge money and they’ll have him locked down for a good, long time. One criticism: He has the kind of skills I’d prefer from a centerfielder, rather than a right fielder.
St. Louis Cardinals
Guaranteed payroll will drop from 71.4 Mill in 2039 to $37.4 Mill in 2040. I expect to see some major spending next off season!
Washington Nationals
*** (New) Jake Perry (SP)
- $15 Mill through 2040.
- $7.5 Mill player option in 2041.
- A pretty bizarre guy. Makes his living on speed, walks, and defense at first base. He doesn’t make near enough contact for my tastes, but those other factors do have value.
* (New) Keith Parks (SP)
- $19 Mill through 2040.
- Frankly, for most any other team this wouldn’t count as a long term expenditure, but for the thrifty Nationals this qualifies.