Final notes on Hamilton
Dec 14, 2012, 3:41 PM | Updated: Dec 17, 2012, 12:02 am
By Shannon Drayer
A few more things on Josh Hamilton and then I think it is time to put it to rest.
Greg Johns of MLB.com reports that Jack Zduriencik made a “substantial offer” to Josh Hamilton. Ryan Divish of the News Tribune writes that the offer was for four years, $100 million with vesting options for a fifth and sixth year. Certainly substantial but obviously not enough. Hamilton apparently preferred a guaranteed fifth year in Anaheim to the possibility of six in Seattle. Read into that what you want. Didn’t want to come to Seattle, wasn’t confident he could stay healthy for six years? Only he knows.
The deal offered some protection for the Mariners but Hamilton had the luxury of not having to take it. Smart deal, didn’t matter. For the record, I am okay with that. I also wouldn’t have been upset if he had taken it. That offer, to me seemed just right for this player and this organization. It was substantial, it wasn’t above and beyond, it offered protection to the club. In the end it probably didn’t matter. If the Mariners had matched Anaheim with the guaranteed fifth year I would have to think that with everything we have heard about Hamilton’s preferences he still would have chosen the Angels. Were you prepared to go six years/$150 million guaranteed? Would the Angels balk at that price tag?
Zduriencik still has money to spend. We will see if he is as aggressive on any other free agent front. The Rangers also have money to spend and very well could have similar targets. For all the talk of the crazy money the Dodgers and Angels have been spending with their TV deals it is interesting to see Texas, another team with a huge television deal and dollars to spend, strike out at every turn. As it stands they have around $100 million in payroll commitments in 2013 depending on what happens with their arbitration-eligible players.
Again, there are pieces out there that could help the Mariners and Zduriencik has money to spend. Perhaps in the long run there is more value in a couple of pieces rather than one big one. The names out there aren’t as sexy but they could be better fits. In the end it is all about the results and we will see how this plays out.
