The contracts I'd write, RIGHT NOW!

by connie mack on Sep 16, 2006 9:17 PM PDT

Greetings all,
If I were the GM, I would sign the big hurt before the end of the season to the following contract (assuming he would take it)
4 years
3 million per year base salary
2 million bonus for 500 PAs per year
1 million bonus for 600 PAs per year
1 million mutual buyout provision after the first year for each side. Which could be exercised after years one, two and three.
Benefits to Frank,
If he has a good or great year, he makes 5 or 6 million.
He's guaranteed 4 million at first.
If he has a MONSTER year, he can buyout and renegotiate.
Its not priced so high that he has to keep wandering every year or two from team to team.
The A's training staff/Macha worked well with him.
Benefits to the A's:
They get to keep Frank F-ing Thomas
He legitimizes their order.
In the event he breaks down, they are "only" out four million.

the second contract I'd write: I would sign Marco Scutaro through the year he turns 34 for the major league minimum each year. (with a mutual 1 million buyout for each side).
Benefits to Marco:
He gets security. for investments et cetera, can afford to buy a house and all that stuff.
Benefits to the A's:
they begin to develop a quality bench. they lock him up through the years expected to be his prime.

Third contract, sign the Duke RIGHT NOW to a six year deal that takes him three years past arbitration.
Duke gets security, the A's sign a long term contract with an effective ML pitcher while his value is based on being a reliever. then convert him to a starter.

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I'm sorry, but I don't want to see Scutaro's prime

It will look a helluva a lot like Neifi Perez's prime. Ugh.

by The Hypocrite on Sep 16, 2006 9:24 PM PDT reply actions

All valid decisions

But I think each are too long. The six years you give Duke are years you normally see given to an ARod/Giambi/Tejada type player, not a relief pitcher with a cranky back, however good he may be. But yes keeping the nucleus of that 'pen (i.e. Guadin, Kennedy, Duke, Calero, and Street) is necessary for our continued success because you'd be hard pressed to find a better, and younger 'pen.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin, Seattle Mariners

by Helloooo 1st on Sep 16, 2006 9:31 PM PDT reply actions

The A's tendency is to

avoid getting saddled with players who cost more than they produce (exception: Kendall) due to age, health, and price. So...

I don't see a 4-year deal for Thomas, because I don't see it being necessary--I think he'll sign for 2 years if it's a fair offer.

I wouldn't want Scutaro locked up for several years, at least not in the way you're thinking...

Despite the cranky back and pending arbitration, I would take the chance on signing Duke to an extension. But in the way I once wanted to see Giambi and Hudson signed, I may look back in a few years and go, once again, "OK, Beane's smarter than I am." but currently, that's my position: Duke's worth the money and the risk.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 16, 2006 10:03 PM PDT reply actions

One deal I'd do not mentioned above

Mark Mulder for $500K, which can rise to about $3M with incentives.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Sep 16, 2006 10:18 PM PDT reply actions

I never thought I'd say this,

but I'm not sure I'd do it. I mean I would, for $500,000, but I'd fear a whole season of May-Loaiza. And the guy was the single winningest lefty in the major leagues from (IIRC) 2000-03.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 16, 2006 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Lots of people said that about FT, too.

I think that with so many capable replacements waiting in the wings, taking a shot on your fifth starter being the Mark Mulder of old is worthwhile. The flip side is blocking the advancement of a Gaudin/Kennedy/Windsor/Komine/Williams--but when you look at those guys honestly, can you say that one of them is likely to be as good as Mulder was before getting hurt?

That said, I think he'll get more than that on the open market--he might even get more than a year. Being 6' 6", left-handed, and a good athlete has its privileges. Heck, in baseball, being 5' 6", left-handed, and ambulatory has its priveleges if you're a pitcher.

"The first night, we were right there," Bradley said. "All we needed was a couple of touchdowns, and we would have had them."

by jeepers on Sep 16, 2006 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow, if you had said

right-handed it would have sounded just like Rashad.

I do agree with you--there aren't too many 5th starter FAs out there who might turn out to be your ace.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 16, 2006 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions

haha

what?

"The are only two places in this league. First place and no place." -Tom Seaver

by greekpride08 @ Athletics Nation on Sep 16, 2006 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions

wear it

"Even if you know the deck is stacked in your favor, you still have to have the discipline to trust the math and the cojones to go to the ATM." BB

by green star oakland on Sep 16, 2006 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions

wRonG!!

hah! i talked to steve and courtni & they told me that rashad is totally abmydextrus! so SNAP!

"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s

by Nick on Sep 17, 2006 7:30 AM PDT up reply actions

He's ambidextrous?

:-( Eating disorders are so sad.

-Cindi.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2006 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions

No, no

He can read minds!

Asked where Zito's perfect fit would be, Hudson said, "Do they have a league on Mars?"
*Magic #: Bobby Crosby!*

by JLaff on Sep 17, 2006 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions

i'd do that in a second

problem is, there are enough lousy GMs out there that he'll get a decent contract elsewhere.
i predict three years. i'm not kidding.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Sep 16, 2006 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd do 3 years.

As long as they were 2001-03.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 16, 2006 10:45 PM PDT up reply actions

maybe we can also sign

brady anderson to a one year deal in 1996.

A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05

by xbhaskarx on Sep 16, 2006 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Or the '99 Big Mac

for what he's making right now.

by DMOAS on Sep 17, 2006 2:31 AM PDT up reply actions

We could get Rogers Hornsby for league min.

Totally!

"I smell like a meadow." - Yuniesky Betancourt

by Ozzz on Sep 17, 2006 9:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Yes, but..

I would love to reward Frank for what he has done,(and is doing), and I think Billy will take care of him. I think Marco's market value will be higher than that though. I think we will sign him, but for more than the minimum.

Free Clarett Now!

by tresselfan on Sep 17, 2006 8:45 AM PDT reply actions

just a guess, of course

but I think Thomas would sign with the A's for 2 years guaranteed with an option for a third year.

If the A's won't sign Marco to a decent multiyear contract, some other team sure will.

by OaklandSi on Sep 17, 2006 9:32 AM PDT reply actions

Why not lock up Scutaro long term?

If he does better than you figure:
say .270 BA, .330 OBP, league average defense. He's basically a league average player, with versatility at three infield positions and he fits in the clubhouse. Rosters across the league are riddled with guys like that making way more than the minimum.

And I don't buy the notion that a five year player makes the same mistakes as a first year player (slide Jeremy, touch the plate, Eric). For two many years we've gone into the playoffs with our 23 through 25 roster spots holding Billy McMillon type players. At this point Scutaro has close to 1000 Major League At Bats, he's going to execute more than the typical A's minimum wage back of the roster rookie.

And if he outperforms our expectations, he becomes worth even more than his numbers would suggest due to his below market contract.

Regarding FT, If you can lock him up for four years (for only one million if its not working) you do it. Especially given the better health he has and the fact that he's now only playing DH.

Interesting comments about Duke, I have no idea if starting would be easier or harder on his back, but don't forget he was a starter in the minors and a spot starter when he joined the A's.

by connie mack on Sep 17, 2006 10:13 AM PDT reply actions

Scutaro is redundant

Scutaro is a poor defensive SS and despite his recent hot streak is never likely to be a league average hitter at any position. I like Scutaro and it wouldn't be the end of the world if he came back next year, but if I were Billy I would be looking for a utility infielder who could actually play as a major league average SS defensively. Those guys are available, and Scutaro would have more value to a club where he could be use strictly as a 2B (he would have been a great fit for Kansas City if they hadn't stupidly resigned Grudzielanek.)

Green Day was right: Wake me up when September ends.

by BlameChannel53 on Sep 17, 2006 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

Mark Ellis

Phoenix's thread on 2nd base talks about Mark, I'd sign him, too. Especially since we know we get consistent above average defense at two positions 2b and SS. and his worth is lower this year after a poor offensive year.

by connie mack on Sep 17, 2006 10:42 AM PDT reply actions

THIS JUST IN:

We signed MaEl last offseason to an extension.

"Their batters are patient to the point that it's annoying." -Ryan Franklin, Seattle Mariners

by Helloooo 1st on Sep 17, 2006 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

JaCu

And we signed Jack Cust too!

Green eyes come from yellow flecks of fatty pigment on a dark background. Some men think a green-eyed woman is exotic. The truth is she's got fat eyes.

by Furious George on Sep 17, 2006 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions

ellis

I think that was a typical A's contract, to the end of his arb period.

by connie mack on Sep 17, 2006 11:48 AM PDT reply actions

Sign Street!

This may be crazy, but I would give Huston a similar contract that Dipietro got from the Oilers. Shore up the closer position for 15 years and give Street 3-4 million a year. What do you think?

by asyouwish33 on Sep 17, 2006 2:26 PM PDT reply actions

Correction

Islanders

by asyouwish33 on Sep 17, 2006 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

lol

you and conniemack sure must admire the job Garth Snow is doing over in Long Island...yeah, let's sign everyone to long-term deals, especially the oldest guys, the most injury-prone ones, and the last guy on the roster. No one's worth a 15-year contract in professional sports for any sizable amount of money. I think the 2006 A's have proven that roster flexibility and depth is crucial, and that's made possible only by properly valued or undervalued short-term deals, not inflated long-term ones.

Garth Snow may have made a Billy Beane-esque career move in going directly from the roster to being in charge of assembling the roster (although Snow's career path was, eh, a little more direct to the top, somehow), but one major decision into his managerial career, he's showing the comparisons end there.

Sign FT and Bonds to incentive-laden one-year deals with decent base salaries this offseason (4-5 mil apiece w/ the potential to reach 6-7 mil) and we've got ourselves a geriatric nucleus that Brian Sabean will envy for the rest of his life. And that will walk and homer our way to at least a repeat division crown.

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 18, 2006 6:51 AM PDT up reply actions

last line...

should read "And one that will walk and..."

I am no drunkard, I'm a hard-working man.

by Cutthemullet on Sep 18, 2006 6:53 AM PDT up reply actions

i can't believe

that thomas couldn't do better than 5-6 mill. per year. 40 homers, 100+ rbis ... a few dozen inferior hitters make over 10 mill per year. Yes, he's relatively old and fragile, but I don't see him signing for less than 8 mill/yr, and I think that's optimistic.

"WTF is wrong with you people TASTELESS COMMENTS. I'm disgusted. Mocking a 10 year old's horrible painful death." --eshock

by rubin sierra on Sep 17, 2006 9:37 PM PDT reply actions