It used to be the case in Major League Baseball that the closer it came to Spring Training, the less value you had as a free agent. The fact that you were still around come mid-to-late January meant you had some wart that scared teams off. Whether it be a rigid agent or a glaring weakness in your game, many free agents over the years have had to settle for less money or fewer years in the dying embers of baseball’s offseason. That myth has been all but debunked this year as several marquee free agents were handsomely rewarded in the past few weeks. There could even be more big time money splashed before pitchers and catchers report. The waiting game has gone from an nervy affair to a bountiful endeavor in Major League Baseball.
That isn’t to say there isn’t precedent with patience paying off in the past. Prince Fielder and Max Scherzer have both bided their time in recent years and landed $200 million deals for their troubles. Those however were exceptions to the rule as the duo were one of the, if not the, top free agents available during their given free agency years. They were also both Scott Boras clients. Anybody with even a minimal knowledge of agents in sports knows that Boras rarely budges when he sets a market for those he represents. More often than not those that stood by as signings poured in ended up like Nelson Cruz.
Cruz made two All-Star Games as a member of the Texas Rangers and was ready for his maiden voyage into free agent waters. Initially viewed as one of the top free agents available on the market, Cruz was a man without a club entering Spring Training 2014. In the end, the slugger decided to settle on a one year deal with the Orioles for $8 million and hope that he could give it another go the following winter. He did more than just give it “the old college try” as led the Major Leagues in home runs, finished seventh in the AL MVP voting, and led Baltimore to the ALCS for the first time since 1997. He barely had to wait a month into his second run of free agency before the Mariners dropped a 4 year, $59 million contract at his feet.
After the plentiful pitching market dissipated, many fans were wondering what type of money would be left over for the plethora of offensive free agents. Jason Heyward was looking like he was going to be the only hitter inking a nine figure deal this offseason as the new year rang in without other financial fireworks going off. That all changed when rumblings began that the Orioles were going to break the bank to keep Chris Davis patrolling Camden Yards.
Though it just became official recently, Davis and the Orioles’ agreement over a 7 year, $161 million deal quelled the fears of free agent boppers still unsigned. Alex Gordon would re-up with the World Champion Kansas City Royals shortly thereafter, leaving the spotlight on the duo of Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes.
Both men had been linked to nearly half the league in one way or another. Both talented outfielders had reached the point where the discussion of taking a one year deal and double dipping was a daily one on social media. Alas, Upton was first to strike it big as Detroit, Cespedes’ old stomping grounds, paid him to the tune of 6 years for $132,750,000. With Kansas City’s recent success, Detroit knew they needed to splurge this winter and paying out nearly $275 million to free agents thus far wasn’t unexpected. The only surprise is that they waited as long as they did for a player that the organization seemed keen on from jump street.
That left Cespedes to absorb the brunt of baseball media scrutiny as he decides between dueling NL East offers from the Nationals and his most recent club, the Mets. It seemed as if this was going to be a drawn out affair between two division rivals battling for one of the most coveted free agents. In the end though, the heart beat out the wallet as Cespedes returned to New York for three years and $75 million. But with an opt out after one season and $25 million annually, one can say that Cespedes didn’t lose anything in this “compromise.”
As we’ve seen over the last week, MLB teams are becoming more and more inclined to pay up late on in free agent proceedings. We’ll see during next winter if this is just a short term trend or the new normal. Until then, the likes of Ian Desmond, Howie Kendrick, Dexter Fowler, Austin Jackson, and Yovani Gallardo are going to hope that their respective waits end in similar cash influxes.