I don't think that's how multi-year guaranteed contracts work in MLB.
You can't non-tender but teams like the Phillies would rather eat $11 million in hard cash than carry the $15M AAV.
Hoffman might get three years with a fourth-year option - that you can you walk away from with only the buyout counting towards the AAV. Meanwhile Holmes got an opt-out after Year 2 which I guess is supposed to allow him to get a richer new deal as a proven starting pitcher if it works out, or keeps him paid in Year 3 in either role if not.
Things are gonna roll now. Does Scott set the market, do the Phillies with Hoffman or will someone get traded first?
Honestly, while it's not my money and I'm all for players getting their fair share from ridiculously wealthy owners, this number seems ridiculously high. I get Ohtani because he's basically 2 players in one, but Soto? If it's in the $700 million range than that's almost double the previous record setting contract (other than Ohtani).
These owners really are doing that well. I wonder if collectively they are feeling good about the next round of media deals in the streaming era.
And yeah the big numbers are deceptive because of the years. They don't want to give him a $400 or 500 million contract if it means a higher AAV.
And Ohtani's barely getting any of that money for years, instead the Dodgers merely have to set it aside, but can invest it, and they get to keep the returns.The fact that you have to actually have and account for the money each year explains why more teams aren't doing it, both because they don't have the cash nor the appetite for the sort of investments the new breed of rich guy owners have.
What a proven and basically average (well, above-average at the plate but only for a back-up catcher) costs ($8.5 million)
It’s even better to be 26 and be looking forward to a guaranteed income exceeding half a billion dollars.
And what’s the luxury tax hit - another $25 million on top of the $51 million a year? When money doesn’t prevent you from doing what you want, well, there’s no excuse not to.
Kind of makes me hope the Phils lean into pitching, and setting up a next generation to pair with Wheeler and Nola (Painter and Crochett please)
Big overpay for Soto for sure. How much better does it make the Mets. The answer is probably not much at all. Alonso has not resigned and word is he may be signing elsewhere. They lost several starting pitchers. They are experimenting with Clay Holmes becoming a starter and overpaid him to do that. They are going to need to spend more a lot more to get themselves in Dodger territory as far as talent goes.
For the moment I believe the Mets' payroll is still lower than the Phillies' payroll, even with Soto.
So, using $10M/ WAR, 76.5 WAR. over 15 seasons or 5.1 WAR per year. Yea, that is not happening for that long of a time I suspect, especially for someone not known for defense.
Now, if you say $15M /WAR that makes it 3.4 WAR/ Season. That might happen.
Either way for the next 6-8 years the Mets just got much, much better. Not good.
By the time this contract ends he wont even be in the top 30 AAV if things keep going like they are. Of course the TV / Streaming contracts could significantly dry up and the Mets would be in huge trouble. Of course, the whole league would be also.
Mets owner Steve Cohen has a net worth of 21 Billion. If the tv contracts dry up, the Mets are probably in the best shape
True, the teams owned by the ridiculously wealthy would not be hurting, of course he didn’t get to $21B by owning things that lose money either (even with value of franchise included). If the team loses too much he may cash out.
I get the sense that MLB owners are bullish on the streaming future. We've already seen some less likely teams throwing money around a little bit. And also, the big market teams (the Yankees but probably the Phillies too) will likely fight to maintain their rights or a larger share.
But you don't sign Juan Soto thinking about WAR per dollar (or year). You sign him because he's a superstar. He's gonna generate cash for several years even if the Mets don't start winning more, and even more cash if they do. And of course they know he won't be worth the last five years but that's SOP (both in terms of AAV and the price of big-ticket free agency).