Nineteen days and counting, and not a single free agent signing has crossed the newswires.
If you thought last season’s long and snail-like negotiations between Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers was means for hair-pulling and newspaper tearing, then prepare for an off-season filled with similar progress.
After the Yankees won the World Series in their inaugural season in the new Yankee Stadium, Major League teams had an exclusive 15-day window to negotiate with their own free agents-to-be before they became unrestricted and other teams could signed them away.
The window opened and shut without as much as a blip on the free agent radar. No John Lackey being secured by the Angels to continue being their ace for the next five seasons, no Jason Bay being signed by the Red Sox to end his career as one of the many in a long line of legendary Boston outfielders. Even Ramirez did not bother throwing his hat (or bandana) into this year’s sluggish free agent market, instead opting to exercise his $20 million player option for another year in Los Angeles.
Having won their 27th championship, perhaps the Yankees will also quietly let the free agent period come and go without a significant move. And when the Yankees are not inclined to spend any more money, the market is definitely going to be in trouble.
With the economy still in recovery mode (survival mode for some franchises), the general consensus amongst teams is to not offer lucrative long-term deals. Perhaps the deals of CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira last year are a thing of the past. Unless a player was entering the prime of his career, free agents can all but kiss the days of seven- or eight-year contracts goodbye.
The Dodgers have opposed such signings since General Manager Ned Colletti signed Juan Pierre to a five-year deal three seasons ago. The last player the Angels signed to a long-term deal was Torii Hunter, who continues to arguably be the team’s best player and team captain. But when it comes to Lackey and Chone Figgins, the team appears leaning toward bringing back one over the other – most likely Lackey, who is seeking at least five years.
Matt Holliday, the Cardinals key mid-season acquisition, at 29, is also seeking a multi-year deal. Yet, it appears as though even St. Louis is not interested in securing him for the amount of money he is commanding.
For the Dodgers, who once again came up significantly short in the National League Championship Series, their core of players return. Like a year ago, Colletti will have to come up with a solution at second base and shuffle the starting rotation. Lackey would be a natural fit for the Dodgers and the pitching-friendly hill at Chavez Ravine, but after finally getting Jason Schmidt’s horrendous contract off the books, Colletti – and whoever will be running the Dodgers (that’s a completely different column of its own) – are surely hesitant of offering a multi-year deal for a pitcher.
Schmidt was hammered by arm trouble and appeared in just a handful of games. On the same token, Colletti was hammered in the court of public opinion for what was a perceived to be an over-zealous signing. Before the Dodgers made their playoff run in 2008, Colletti’s job was thought to be in jeopardy because of such unmovable contracts. Hence, expect Colletti to explore trade possibilities for Blue Jays’ ace Roy Halladay.
Of the more than 150 free agents, not one significant move has been made to set off the common domino effect in baseball.
When Ramirez, the man who set the precedent for a drawn out and snail-like negotiation, wants no part of this year’s free agent market, the signs are clearly there for a bleak forecast, and there appears to be a serious cash drought in store.
