Aramis Ramirez opts out of final two years of contract with Cubs

[savafan]

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=2592

Aramis Ramirez opted out of the final two years of his deal with the Cubs and filed for free agency on Monday.
Had Ramirez not opted out, the Cubs would have had him at $22.5 million for the next two years with an $11 million option for 2009. As a free agent, the 28-year-old could receive at least $60 million over five years. He'll keep negotiating with the Cubs, but it doesn't look like the two sides are at all close to a deal. The Angels, Dodgers, Phillies, Red Sox, Giants and Padres are among the other teams that could talk to him.

[Will M]

The Cubs were really dumb to give him the opt out clause to begin with.

I'm willing to bet that if he was hurt he wouldn't have opted out of the last 2 years of his contract.

[Chip R]

Please let him go to the AL or at least outside our division. :pray:

[Natty Redlocks]

The Cubs were really dumb to give him the opt out clause to begin with.

I'm willing to bet that if he was hurt he wouldn't have opted out of the last 2 years of his contract.

I don't see what was so dumb about it. He wouldn't have signed the extension without it.

It was either give him the opt out clause or give him the big contract back then. This is his only chance to get a huge deal and he's going to get it, probably from the Cubs.

[terminator]

Wow, so this guy is passing up $11MM/yr for two years because he and his agent are pretty sure he can get more on the free agent market?

Ramirez has 3,892 ABs. Hmm, I know a guy who in 1,060 fewer AB's has scored two more runs than Ramirez, has two more HRs than Ramirez, has walked 295 times more than Ramirez and stolen three dozen more bases than Ramirez and when he reaches 3,892 ABs he'll have about the same number of 2Bs and RBIs as Ramirez. Oh, BTW, this other guy also has an OBP that's 48 points higher than Ramirez, a SLG that's 20 points higher than Ramirez and an OPS that's 66 points higher. Also, this other guy is a year younger than Ramirez too and people seem to think that he had a bad year and are hoping he can "turn it around" next year and "learn to hit."

Anyway, it makes you wonder what this other guy could get on the free agent market, doesn't it? :devil:

[flyer85]

Wow, so this guy is passing up $11MM/yr for two years because he and his agent are pretty sure he can get more on the free agent market?and he likely will. the free agent market has been very thin in recent years and that really drives up prices for those available

[SultanOfSwing]

Wow, so this guy is passing up $11MM/yr for two years because he and his agent are pretty sure he can get more on the free agent market?

Ramirez has 3,892 ABs. Hmm, I know a guy who in 1,060 fewer AB's has scored two more runs than Ramirez, has two more HRs than Ramirez, has walked 295 times more than Ramirez and stolen three dozen more bases than Ramirez and when he reaches 3,892 ABs he'll have about the same number of 2Bs and RBIs as Ramirez. Oh, BTW, this other guy also has an OBP that's 48 points higher than Ramirez, a SLG that's 20 points higher than Ramirez and an OPS that's 66 points higher. Also, this other guy is a year younger than Ramirez too and people seem to think that he had a bad year and are hoping he can "turn it around" next year and "learn to hit."

Anyway, it makes you wonder what this other guy could get on the free agent market, doesn't it? :devil:
Good point. I like your thinking.

Some people just don't get it. They still are blinded by old-fashioned baseball perspectives. Oh well! :)

[dougdirt]

Great, Adam Dunn could probably get a similar sized contract on the open market. What does that do the Reds any good for? Nothing. I have no idea why everything has to turn into a comparison of how Adam Dunn is better and or worse than someone else. This board is obsessed with him, either in a good or bad way.