Jose Bautista at an average of $13 million a year

[savafan]

For this: http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...autijo02.shtml the Blue Jays have signed Bautista to a 5 year $64 million extension. At 30 years old after stops with five major league organizations and one good season, Bautista has apparently "earned" this.

I imagine that Blue Jays fans have to be thrilled now that Vernon Wells' contract is gone and management can be smart about how they spend money. I don't know, I think I would have waited until after this season just to see if 2010 was a fluke.

[The Operator]

Yea, I think I would have wanted a little more evidence that he was for real.

[RedsManRick]

I'll never understand moves this like. Is the guy going to get better? Why lock yourself in to a deal when the guy is at the absolute peak of his value?

[hebroncougar]

Especially after just finding a sucker to take the Wells contract. They need to save money to chase Votto in 3 years, you know he wants to go there.

[Razor Shines]

Especially after just finding a sucker to take the Wells contract. They need to save money to chase Votto in 3 years, you know he wants to go there.

Well as much as a lot of us thought the Wells move set them up at a run at Votto, maybe this cancels that out. One less team for the reds to contend with?

[Johnny Footstool]

But he's clean! He said so in interviews!

[Griffey012]

I'll never understand moves this like. Is the guy going to get better? Why lock yourself in to a deal when the guy is at the absolute peak of his value?

Which is potentially what the Reds did with Arroyo and Votto.

[KronoRed]

Time for him to get off the juice and sit back and relax.

[kpresidente]

I imagine that Blue Jays fans have to be thrilled now that Vernon Wells' contract is gone and management can be smart about how they spend money. I don't know, I think I would have waited until after this season just to see if 2010 was a fluke.

Of course, if you wait and he repeats, you're never going to get him for $13M/year. I think that's a good contract, the uncertainty seems accounted for. After all, it's the same amount we're paying for Arroyo. I don't think the guy's going to hit 54 HRs ever again in his career, but even if he only averages 30 home runs, I'd rather have that in LF than Arroyo on the mound.

[PuffyPig]

I'll never understand moves this like. Is the guy going to get better? Why lock yourself in to a deal when the guy is at the absolute peak of his value?

He repeats his year (or anything close) and you will see his "absolute peak value" take a huge upward jump like a rocket. He might then be a $20m player.

$13M could be a huge steal, but if he regresses into the .850 OPS range, it's still an OK deal.

[traderumor]

Call it the "Brady Anderson" effect.

This can also be used as an example whenever one needs it to support the stupidity that resides in professional sports franchise front offices. I am usually first in line to give management the benefit of the doubt, but the Jays front office is on their own here.

[Tom Servo]

He grows a sweet beard.

[Big Klu]

I still can't get past him being a below-average utility infielder for the Pirates.

[traderumor]

I still can't get past him being a below-average utility infielder for the Pirates.

He just had to embrace the aggressive hitting style taught by the Jays hitting coach. That's all there was to it.

[Ghosts of 1990]

Which is potentially what the Reds did with Arroyo and Votto.

It was a little different. Arroyo has been consistent for a while, not just one season that jumps off the page and whole bunch of other mediocre seasons.

Votto's contract was a raise in good faith that he'll remember he was treated right when he's heading for free agency in a short amount of time. Also, Votto is only 27 this year and is coming off an MVP season--possibly still building to his peak while Mr. Bautista is already older than that and has probably reached his peak.