The Major League Baseball GM Meetings were held in Naples this past week, thus beginning the Hot Stove League. Free agents are fielding offers, trades are being discussed, and the speculation of who will be playing where has started in baseball. The sport has money coming out of its eyeballs, and even though it is a weak free agent class, it won’t stop the owners from spending a boatload of cash.
The question is: Is that the right thing to do?
The answer here is no!
The owners are basing their spending habits on who is the best free agent available rather than how that player’s performance ranks among others at his position. The fact a player is a free agent does not increase his value. Look at the contracts given out already this season. The Blue Jays just gave Frank Thomas a 2 year deal worth an estimated $23 million. The Big Hurt had a big 2006 season with the A’s, but he has played over 100 games in a season only 50% of the time since 2001. If he has injury problems again next season, Toronto is paying a lot of money for nothing.
Now take the Indians’ Jake Westbrook, who could be a free agent after the 2007 season. Based on Westbrook being a workhorse, he will likely command about $10 million per year if he has another season similar to ’06 next season. If you owned a major league baseball team, would you pay the righty this much money? The reality is Westbrook is a #3 starter, not an ace of a staff if you plan on being a contender. There is probably no way the Tribe will pay him more than C.C. Sabathia in 2008. Some team will, but is it good use of your payroll to pay a pitcher like Westbrook that kind of money? Only if you are the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cubs.
The rest of baseball has to spend cash wisely. If Larry Dolan says that, he is called cheap. But he is correct. Teams like the Tribe cannot get bogged down in paying average players huge dollars. The Indians have two superstars, Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner. They are among the best in the game at their positions and merit big money. Sabathia is the Tribe’s best pitcher and is among the top starters in baseball. He deserves lots of cash. In order to keep these guys wearing a Tribe uniform, the team can’t pay the Jake Westbrooks of the world $10 million per year. I hope Tribe fans understand that.
The best plan of action this year may be to wait the market out and find some good value buys for the bullpen at a better price. Giving a three year deal to a situational lefty like Jamie Walker might work out, but chances are it will not. The owners will spend lots of money this year, and will complain about it 3-5 years from now. That’s what the crazy spending will do for the game.
KM
Cleveland Sports Perspective 