Friday, December 02, 2005 |
Angels Sign Carrasco, Give Up On Byrd, Washburn; Sign Salmon To Minor League Deal
Also, the Angels signed Tim Salmon to a minor league contract. Salmon's contract gives him a $400,000 signing bonus, and releases him if he doesn't make the team by March 22.
Also at MLB.com.
Reaction: The Rev is unhappy about this, but let's step back a moment. The Angels' bullpen needed help more than the rotation, even without Byrd or Washburn. The chances of a significant regression from the 34-year-old in 2006 was considerable. Byrd's pitched more than 200 innings only twice in his career, and one of those years was 2005 with the Angels.
We knew Washburn was a goner: his ongoing health problems plus the fact that he's a Scott Boras client made it even more likely he would sign elsewhere. Carrasco coming off Tommy John surgery means he's liable to have at least one good year in him, and maybe two, though I have a sneaking feeling he's the second coming of Esteban Yan. Losing a first round draft pick over a guy who had a fluky (in comparison to his career numbers) career year doesn't strike me as a good signing. The Angels must have a pretty good feeling they can repeat their 2004 draft by stealing high-risk, high-reward guys in lower rounds.
Update: Apparently the Halos think he's a candidate for the fifth starter slot in spring training.
Update 2: Hmm, maybe the way to think about this is as a low cost, high upside signing. Huh? Unsquinch your eyes and follow me for a sec. Sure, $6.1M and two years is a ton, but if the guy works out as a starter, it's the cheapest starter anyone's going to sign this offseason.
: 12/02/2005 06:48:00 PM
Rescinding a contract offer that hasn't been accepted is standard business procedure. The Angels did the same thing with Jered Weaver this spring: rescinded their last, best offer, forcing Weaver to come back and reinstitute negotations.
If you leave an offer on the table indefinitely, you run the risk that the player will accept it long after you've committed the money elsewhere.
Here's another point to consider. The Angels save a minimum of $5 million over two years by going with Carrasco instead of Byrd, which effectively gives them $5 million more to pay Man-Ram or, possibly, eat the Finley contract.
This is not entirely bad, although Carrasco's decade-plus career of mediocrity looms much larger than one fluke career year at an advanced age, playing in a pitcher's park.
If someone (say, Saunders) wins the 5th rotation spot in Spring Training, then this signing also helps bolster the team's middle relief corps. Carrasco is at least the equal of Gregg and Yan. Whey the Scott Eyres of the world get $12 million deals, $6 million for two years really isn't that bad.
: 12/02/2005 06:57:00 PM : 12/02/2005 07:02:00 PM : 12/02/2005 07:04:00 PM : 12/02/2005 07:31:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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