MLB T-Bay copies strategy of Peba's Kentucky

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Duane · #1 Post by **Duane** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:21 pm

In an effort to make headlines and not be one-upped by the Peba league, the T-Bay Rays sign Longoria to a 9 year deal after 6 games in the ML.

Similar to Kentucky's signing of Sancho Martinez to a 10 year deal???

You bet ... Bill acknowledges that he has had conversations with the T-Bay front office

#2 Post by **John** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:26 pm

There is a pretty key difference between the two contracts. Martinez's 10-year contract entire covers free agency years. Only 3 of Longoria's 9-year contract covers free agency years. One other difference: Longoria's contract would be legal according to this PEBA rule (adopted after Martinez's contract was signed):

Any contract extension signed by a player under the age of 30 which buys out 4 or more free agency years must have an average yearly salary at least equivalent to the league average salary, which for the 2007 season is $ 2,197,188.

Regarding Longoria, I'd say it's a pretty good deal for the Rays. It's along the lines of what the Indians did with Fausto Carmona. Longoria is an even better bet than Carmona IMO because of a lesser risk of injury. Tampa Bay is a team that seems to be headed in the right direction.

Sandgnats (Bill) · #3 Post by **Sandgnats (Bill)** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:38 pm

HOLY CRAP!!
Way to go Thoroughbreds! Obviously that deal was completed before I was aboard so I had no idea. My God, I just did a quick scout with one of mine that 100 at rating hitters and he has Sancho Martinez as 4 of the 5 hitting ratings being blue. Wow! Of course, he could be a 1 star potential in 6 months. lol Very nice job on the contract though. If drunken Bill ever gets into a personal fiasco with Sancho, feel free to unload his long term contract on the Sandgnats.

-Sober Bill

Tyler · #4 Post by **Tyler** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:43 pm

Are those ratings potential, though, or actual? My scouts too love his potential, but he's 28 and should already have reached his peak. In actual ratings he's barely a MLer, and his stats show it. The Coal Sox organization would label him an official "bust". But Kentucky signed him cheap, so there's little risk in taking a chance on him.

Sandgnats (Bill) · #5 Post by **Sandgnats (Bill)** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 6:09 pm

Oops, wasn't specific enough. The ratings I was referring to were definitely POTENTIAL.
I show him currently as a 1 star player as you said. Good point about he should have reached his potential by now, but maybe that potential has been recently(within last year) assigned. We have no way of knowing as PEBA only has 1 season under it's belt.

#6 Post by **John** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:09 am

Just to make sure there's no confusion, a reminder that a contract like Martinez would no longer be legal according to PEBA's rules. Contracts buying out 4 or more years of free agency for a player under 30 must now have an average yearly salary at least equivalent to the league average salary.

Regarding Martinez, I take a similar view as the Coal Sox. In my opinion there's a point where placing too much stock on potential ratings becomes counterproductive. If a player hasn't reached his potential by age 28, what are the chances that he ever will? Granted it's possible, but by that point I'd dub that player more "suspect" than "prospect".

Of course now that I've said that, watch Sancho go off all Dan Hankins style on the league.

Matt · #7 Post by **Matt** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:37 am

So the rule only applies to players under age 30? If i have a player wanting a 3 yr extension for less than league average, and he's 34 yrs old, I can sign him to that?

#8 Post by **Hitmen** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:44 am

Borealis - Commissioner wrote: Granted it's possible, but by that point I'd dub that player more "suspect" than "prospect".

Ooh, I like that. We need to ask for "suspect" ratings in OOTP9

Duane · #9 Post by **Duane** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:52 am

Borealis - Commissioner wrote: Regarding Martinez, I take a similar view as the Coal Sox. In my opinion there's a point where placing too much stock on potential ratings becomes counterproductive. If a player hasn't reached his potential by age 28, what are the chances that he ever will? Granted it's possible, but by that point I'd dub that player more "suspect" than "prospect".

Of course now that I've said that, watch Sancho go off all Dan Hankins style on the league.

And that was my point fat the time - that Sancho PROBABLY was willing to sign such a deal because he will never meet those potential ratings. I haven't been able to come close to this contract with any other young guys (I have tried with 3 others).

#10 Post by **John** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:03 am

Calzones wrote:So the rule only applies to players under age 30? If i have a player wanting a 3 yr extension for less than league average, and he's 34 yrs old, I can sign him to that?

That would be legal both for the fact that he's over 30 and for the fact that it's just a 3-year extension (the rule doesn't kick in until you buy out 4 or more free agency years).

It's possible the rule will get tweaked some going forward, but I'd say it's highly unlikely there'd ever be a restriction on signing a 34-year-old to a long-term contract. By that point you (and everyone else) probably have a clear idea of what the guy's all about. If you want to lock him up long-term, it'll be a case of, "You bought your ticket, you knew what you were getting into!"