Priced Out! Why Agents are Costing Players

After the World Series was over, free agent to be Johnny Damon said that he wanted to finish his career with the Yankees.  He called them the best organization he's ever played for.  So why is that unlikely to happen?  Damon's agent is Scott Boras and Boras wanted big bucks and a multi-year deal for his free agent outfielder.  The Yankees were unwilling to acquiesce to Boras' demands (for once!) and offered Damon two years $13 million.  Boras had wanted a three or four year deal for Damon, despite the fact that Damon is going to be 36 next year.  Once it became apparent the Yankees were going to sign Nick Johnson, Damon came back to the Yankees with a counteroffer of two years $20 million.  The Yankees didn't budge.

Across the AL East, Jason Bay wants five years and close to $60 million.  Throughout the season and the beginning of the off-season, the Red Sox and Bay flirted with a contract extension to keep the left fielder in Boston.  It never happened.  The Red Sox were reluctant to commit that amount of money to Bay and found themselves a cheaper outfield option in veteran Mike Cameron.  The addition of Cameron will likely shift Jacoby Ellsbury to left field and Bay to a new home. 

The days of teams offering huge contracts to decent-if-not-pretty-good players is over.  Remember when Carlos Silva signed a four year $48 million contract?  Or when Gary Matthews, Jr. signed with the Angels for five years and $50 million?  Teams are being more cautious with long-term contracts as baseball shifts away from high priced free agents and back toward development of young talent.  It's cheaper, and in some cases you get a better player, sticking with internal options.  Is anyone going to give a 36 year old outfielder a four year contract?  Probably not, especially if there is a 20-something outfielder waiting in the wings in AAA.  There are very few players that are worth a long-term commitment for a lot of money: Albert Pujols, Joe Mauer, Felix Hernandez.  For everyone else, if agents are going to continue to demand ludicrous contracts, players are going to get priced out of good situations. 

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