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When I read the headline I thought MLB had found a new way to take more money out of the fans pockets.......like maybe charging us to hear games on the radio.

baseballpurist | 05/17/08, 07:14 AM

Don't give them any ideas!

Sports_Fan_19 | 05/17/08, 09:04 AM

Yeah, the teams think it's great and the players get the money and security now, but does anyone really believe that when guys like Ryan Braun, Hanley Ramirez and Evan Longoria are hitting 40 HR's a year at age 28 or so, 5 years into these deals, and they are making about $5 mill a year (aka utility player/middle reliever money) they are not going to renegotiate these deals for bigger money?

NYFan | 05/17/08, 12:23 PM

Ramirez, for example, will be making about $8 mill a year, I think, in the same age years that A-Rod and Jeter were making $25 and $17 mill respectively...and those deals were signed 7 years ago!

NYFan | 05/17/08, 12:26 PM

What if they stink? Plenty of guys sign big deals after a decent year or two and then just suck. I think the risk/reward difference in these deals is huge.

bsar85 | 05/17/08, 01:40 PM

Baseball's new business plan - MAKE MORE MONEY !!!

Hub Man | 05/17/08, 02:06 PM

These guys will sign young and try to renegotiate later.

golfwacko | 05/17/08, 03:50 PM

The Braves did the same with Brian McCann.... it's a good idea...

Sir Robin (as himself) | 05/17/08, 04:14 PM

"More teams are signing younger players to multiyear deals now than ever before, and it is an approach that could save franchises millions while reshaping baseball's way of doing business."

Very smart but a no-brainer. Why don't they let him hit .300 and join the 3030 club for 3 consecutive seasons then sign him? CUZ ITD BE THREE TIMES AS EXPENSIVE!

This kid is already one of the most dynamic players--this isn't even taking a chance. Barring injuries they have the greatest offensive-producing SS in the game for years. The DRays started doing this too.

OtherOne81 | 05/17/08, 04:39 PM

Baseball's New Business Plan:

1-Collect underpants
2-?
3-Profit.

It's all so simple.

baseballpurist | 05/17/08, 04:39 PM

This is how small-market teams survive. They take chances.

OtherOne81 | 05/17/08, 04:40 PM

The Braun contract I scratched my head @. The guy makes errors like it's his job.

OtherOne81 | 05/17/08, 04:41 PM

That's what I thought at first too NYFan, but that's now how these deals work. They start off low, like $500 000 the first year and gradually work their way up in value so the last year is about $10 Million, and then there's usually options years of about $12 - $15 Million.

Sports_Fan_19 | 05/17/08, 05:35 PM

I don't think long term contracts are going to help teams all that much. As soon as they get superceded by richer contracts, the players are going to start balking at their terms, just like NFL players under contract are now.

Plus, if the player gets seriously hurt or their last year turns out to be a career high fluke, then the team will be on the hook to overpay them for the length of the contact. They can't get released without pay the way they can in the NFL.

KenoshaMark | 05/17/08, 05:53 PM

looks like the owners are wearing golden thongs too.

vaughn9 | 05/17/08, 07:35 PM

all other owners need to do is look at the lackluster play of Yankees long-term millionaires in the final years of their 'big deals' to see what a really really bad idea this is. modest contracts with incentives for games played and performance is the wiser 'business plan' notwithstanding the opposition of the union and agents

silverblack23 | 05/18/08, 11:01 AM

The Braun contract I scratched my head @. The guy makes errors like it's his job.
OtherOne81 | 05/17/08, 04:41 PM
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He's shifted to left now and hasn't made an error...he's misplayed a few but has looked very comfortable out there....third base was a disaster....

but at the plate is where he is earning the contract...he is a legitimate triple crown threat.....8 HR in the last 8 games, average rising over .300.....he's the real deal and the face of the brewers for the next 8 seasons....

praasch | 05/19/08, 10:24 AM