Originally Posted by
GAC
I wasn't ignoring this "20%", which you say could include escalators, incentives, perks, etc. I wasn't going in that great of detail about what any offer (contract), if any, would be. I was coming solely from the vantage point (generality), and I acknowledged it was my subjective opinion (nothing more, isn't a guarantee) that in all likelihood they won't be able to afford him. But again, I also said - I could be wrong, and I hope I'm wrong.
I'm not doing any hand-wronging or worrying. I don't fret over the game of baseball (especially the financial aspect which I have no control over).
Look - everything I'm seeing everyone post on here, including myself, is rooted in what? ...... rumors, word-of-mouth, and what is being reported. Right now that's all any of us have to go on. And it's still early in the off-season too.
When it comes to the Reds facing payroll constraints ... I never said they had to drastically cut payroll, but only that they've basically taken it, stretched it out, as far they can) ... that has been reported by numerous sources ranging from HardballTalk to MLBTRadeRumors to various sports outlets/analysts from ESPN, Sporting News, SI, etc.
Are they right? Heck I don't know. I just take it for what it's worth. But yes, I do think there is some truth to it if so many are reporting it. It can't be totally discounted. And everyone of them makes the same contention...... that the Reds want to resign Choo .... BUT .... in order to accomplish this (find the money) they have to clear payroll, get creative (i.e. trade a contract).
Now there may be other reasoning as to why they might be dangling Phillips; but most agree it's to create payroll flexibility if they want any shot at resigning Choo.
They have several players in arb situations (including Bailey and Leake). Do they intend to keep Bailey? He made 5.3M last year. Leake had a solid year. And then Latos' contract is up after next season.
So yeah - my wild guess is that their payroll is constrained in the sense of trying to find that money to resign Choo. Especially if Boras is looking for a contract around $90-100M. And he'll probably get it when one looks at the contracts of Hunter Pence and Jayson Werth.