Friday Morning Rockpile: Aggressive Negotiations

by Russ Oates on Jan 18, 2008 8:40 AM MST in Rockpile

Nothing better to find out on a Friday morning than this:

The Rockies and the agent for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki are expected to begin "intense" negotiations next week in an attempt to finalize a potentially historic long-term contract.

We're looking at a 6-year, ~$30M contract here that goes through the first year of free agency. The only thing holding up the completion of the deal, so it appears, is the team's concern with its arbitration-eligible players. I find very little not to like here. When you have a reliable and steady player like Tulo, who took over the team as a rookie, you have someone special. Getting this deal done now further demonstrates a commitment to keeping the core group together. ~~Francis~~. ~~Cook~~. ~~Tulo~~. And as usual, we must wait on Holliday.

On the arbitration front, there has been no progress. I wouldn't have expected the Rockies to negotiate up to the deadline with Boras over his two clients while talks with Atkins "halted."

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Yesterday, the Players Association released figures detailing average salaries by position and teams for the 2007 season. The Yankees, the Red Sox, and the Mets took the top three spots for average salary on the team, none of which are surprising. Colorado came in 24th, with a $1.83M average. The salary numbers also included average salary by position. Not surprisingly, Todd Helton's salary ($16.6M/$17M+ with the prorated buyout) dwarfed the average for a first baseman ($5.68M) and all other positions. Rodrigo Lopez, Brian Fuentes, and LaTroy Hawkins were the other Rockies to receive a salary greater than the average for their position (though Byung-Hyun Kim would have qualified had he not been traded). With several key players from the 2007 team now going through their arbitration years, the Rockies will do their part in not only increasing the team payroll, but also bringing the average player salary to over $3M in 2008.

And the man who has overseen the increases in revenues and salaries will stay in his position as commissioner until 2012 after agreeing to a three-year extension that comes into effect after the 2009 season.

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Gerry Fraley at the Sporting News ranked the NL rotations a little over a week ago. For the NL West, the D'Backs, the Padres, and the Dodgers take the first three spots, followed by the Giants and Rockies at five and six. Rox Girl went over her rotation rankings the other day. Then there's Grant over at McCovey Chronicles who is always good for a laugh. That laugh? The Rockies are a bunch of bastards:

5. Rockies - What annoys me the most is that the Rockies have a good rotation too. They don't have a partner for Francis to match up with the other 1-2 punches in the division, but their offense will probably be good enough to make up the difference, the bastards.

Even though there can be a wide range of opinion on the state of the rotations in the NL West, it's clear that when deciding the "worst" rotation, whichever one that may be, there still isn't that much of a separation between all five (though the gap between the Giants at the bottom of the NL West standings in 2008 and the rest of the teams in the division should be fairly significant). Sure, at the moment Francis might not have a partner to match up with the other rotations, but if U-Ball emerges to take that spot and the offense clicks (and why shouldn't it?), the Rockies really are a bunch of bastards.

Update [2008-1-18 14:20:2 by Russ]: Holliday signs two-year, $23M deal; Taveras also agrees to terms.

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BORAS

Reports are that Carlos Pena - a Boras client - just inked a 3 year deal, buying out a year of free agency. Only $24M, too. Could be good news for Rox with respect to Holliday.

by em3 on Jan 18, 2008 9:05 AM MST reply actions

I doubt that

Pena isn't as hot or as big a star as Holliday and his near MVP season.

Rockies floated $60 Million for 4 year deal for Holliday. ($10 Mill each for his last 2 years of arbitration, and then $20 Million each for his first 2 years of free agency). Though not a formal offer by any means, Boras came back wanting a 7 year deal at minimum ($120 MILLION!). That would make Holliday 35 years old at the end of the contract. The Rockies don't want to give a 7 year deal to a corner outfielder of that age range. (and I'm not sure I blame them either)

And if I was Holliday and a 30 year old Free Agent (as he will be in 2 years) I'd want the biggest contract I could get. And in today's baseball world, the Rockies don't have the biggest wallet. The Mets or Yankees or Angels, or Dodgers or Red Sox can over pay...they have money. The reality is the Twins, A's, Rockies, Royals aren't in the same boat as the rich big market teams....it sucks but it's reality. (and IMHO it's the #1 problem in baseball...and has to be addressed for the good of the sport)

2006 TIME magazine "Person of the Year"

by Redhawk on Jan 18, 2008 11:24 AM MST up reply actions

Locking up Tulo

This is fantastic. Not only does this make sense for the organization, but it shows the faithful fans that the Rockies are not about to be a farm team for the other higher bank rolled organizations (Red Sox, Yankess & Mets come to mind).

This really is outstanding.

Mike from The Mile High Beat. www.themilehighbeat.com

by Mike @ Purple Row on Jan 18, 2008 10:15 AM MST reply actions

Um...

we have Tulo controlled anyway for several years. This won't affect his ability to be a free agent, except for one year (according to rumored offers).

What it does do, is create a little good will for when the contract is up. "The Rockies paid me when they didn't have to, so I'm willing to re-sign with them for less then I could get else-where" is what the Rockies are hoping for in the future.

An example is Holliday. He didn't/hasn't gotten anything more then what ever arbitration has given him (granted I could live just fine on $9 million a year). But he'll be 30 when he's a free agent. He'll have only ONE small window for a block buster, long term, MONGO-bucks deal. And since he didn't get any extra love (read CASH) from the the Rockies.....why not go for the gold ring?

2006 TIME magazine "Person of the Year"

by Redhawk on Jan 18, 2008 10:28 AM MST up reply actions

Holliday, Taveras sign

Just saw this at the Denver Post.

2007 NL Champions, baby!

by rockhead on Jan 18, 2008 11:29 AM MST reply actions

Re: Holliday

It's nice to see Holliday is willing to avoid arbitration the next two years, but I sure wish you'd have been specific about the nature of the deal in your post so that visions of a six-year deal didn't start dancing in my head ;)

mvn.com/mlb-rockies - Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Jan 18, 2008 11:39 AM MST up reply actions

2 years/23 million.

He gets 9.5 million this year, and 13.5 next.

by Prospector on Jan 18, 2008 12:00 PM MST up reply actions

Holliday/Taveras

Yeah, I saw it here too:

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2008/01/18/rockies-agree-with-holliday-taveras-avoid-arbitration/

by ET90210 on Jan 18, 2008 12:07 PM MST reply actions

Good News in the Interim

I think it is good that Holliday accepted the offer fairly quickly it seems. The article mentions he hadnt heard anything about a two year deal prior to today.

This does not seem like a Scott Boras kind of deal so it shows me that Holliday is staying true to his words when he says that HE will decide his future and not anybody else.

I am still a little concerned about a long term deal though. At least we have him til he's 30 yrs old for sure

Navy Chief- Best Job in the World

by DingeratSea on Jan 18, 2008 2:33 PM MST reply actions

Holliday

Personally, I don't put any credence at all into the theory that because Holliday signed a two-year deal today it may yet be possible to sign him to an extension at some point. Obviously the Rockies controls him for two more seasons regardless of what transpired today, so other than providing the team cost certainty for Matt's 2009 contract, this deal means nothing substantive.

If the Monforts want to sign him for the king's ransom that Boras is certain to demand, they will. If not, and I'd sure bet this way, he'll wind up with a money-is-no-object team that may or may not be of Boras' choosing.

by moose14 on Jan 18, 2008 5:40 PM MST reply actions

Holliday

I dont understand why some people, not to target anybody specifically on here, (see comments below the article in the Post, etc) continue to put down the ownership and dont see anything positive coming from the signing of Holliday today.

I think signing Holliday today is very substantive. No abritration cloud hanging over the team next offseason. After the 2009 season, the Rockies could offer Holliday a larger contract due to the fact Helton's contract is off the books in two seasons, not four, allowing them to potentially backload a contract for only two. This would seem to me a more attractive option for Matt.

Also, signing him to a big long term deal this offseason ties down a large portion the budget for the next four seasons between two players (Helton and Holliday). Its not a cost effecient way to build and run a baseball team.

A mid market (we are not small, but not big) must manage their budget efficiently. Signing Tulo long term, Francis long term, and Cook long term to all below market deals should open the public's eyes that ownership is finally doing it the right way. Tie up a core, and supplement that with players continuously coming through system.

Do people forget the Hampton and Neagle deals? Ownership spent money then... have a lot to show for it too, dont they? <sarcasm>

BTW, found this article on the Rockies and Latin America. Sounds as though ownership is spending more money internationally too, a good sign.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jan/17/rockies-spending-in-latin-america/

Sorry to rant, just a little frustrated. Give ownership some time...its obvious progress is being made. They did make it to the World Series this past year, didnt they? You would think that would install some hope into fans that thought everything was lost and ownership had no clue what they were doing. Im actually glad that we have an ownership group that doesn't listen to the media, etc....

who knows where we would be

by Rockiesbiggestfan on Jan 18, 2008 6:32 PM MST reply actions

I think...

this is a good deal. Mostly, it's about cost certainty for 2009, of course. I think the Rox value cost certainty a little higher than other teams (for example, the Jeff Francis extension, the hopefully-upcoming Tulo extension, etc) and I agree with them.

While I agree that in two years we'll probably be able to offer more money than now (due to Helton's deal being closer to done, hopefully higher revenue, etc), but you do have to take into account the fact he'll be a free agent, and undoubtably getting HUGE offers from the usual players.

I am very encouraged by the latin american article. Does anyone know if the Rox are scouting in other foreign countries, like Europe, South Africa, or Australia? While none are producing a lot of prospects just yet, they all have a lot of potential, and experience in those places now could really pay off down the road.

"I want to live forever or die trying" Yossarian in "Catch-22"

by Dieb on Jan 18, 2008 8:00 PM MST up reply actions

Well, it only took five days

(I exaggerate but little), but my copy of the wildcard tiebreaker finally downloaded. Now I can relive all those four long hours of hope, heartbreak, and euphoria.

Get Demented :: Gang Gridiron.

by Silverblood on Jan 19, 2008 12:45 AM MST reply actions