Bringing compliance buyouts to Major League Baseball
The last two weeks are huge on the hockey schedule. Yes, you read that correctly. This is the time of year when teams shed unwieldy contracts, using the new “compliance buyout” feature in the NHL’s latest collective bargaining agreement (read more about compliance buyouts right here.)
Teams can buyout ugly contracts without penalty to their salary cap, a rare feature only permissible during this end-of-June window. While baseball is not saddled with the great salary cap panacea, there are plenty of teams that would gladly pay for some of their problems to go away.
Starting with the American League, let’s play GM and dump one contract from every team. They have twice the term of the deal to pay the difference back, which is 2/3 of the contract for players over 26. Let’s try to keep it grounded in reality so feelings count, too.
All contract information courtesy of Cot’s Contracts
Exceptions
In order to buyout contracts, you must sign contracts in the first place. The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays don’t have much in the way of contract meat on their respective bones. The Astro have few non-arbitration contracts on the books beyond this season, with only the teeny-tiny deals for Jose Altuve and Jon Singleton to stress about. Current rotation mainstay Scott Feldman has two years left but he’s giving them what they paid for.
Tampa Bay isn’t so simple. Evan Longoria is in the midst of the worst season of his career. Might Rays ownership want out from the six years and $100 million extension with their franchise third baseman, considering it doesn’t even begin until 2017?
They’d have to think about it. Feelings count, even for the ghoulish Rays. Seems pretty unlikely they’d walk away from Longoria’s deal, especially since he retains a good deal of trade value should they pursue that angle.
Baltimore Orioles
Is it too early to pull the chute on the Ubaldo Jimenez deal? Sticking with the NHL’s framework, the Orioles would have to pay Jimenez 67% of his remaining contract, so around $25 million. Freeing themselves to the duty to run Ubaldo out there for three more years is surely worth the price of slapping the “sunk cost” sticker on him and moving on with their lives.
Boston Red Sox
Feelings count. So while the Dustin Pedroia of today isn’t the same as the one of the not-too-distant past, there is no way - none at all - the Red Sox let the Laser Show era end so ingloriously, even though he’s owed a shade under $100 million over the next seven years. A buyout would cost $60 million in addition to an unbelievable PR hit to the Red Sox brand.
But the temptation would be very, very real. The only other real buyout option on the Red Sox is Shane Victorino, who would be set free for just under $4 million.
Chicago White Sox
John Danks’ contract isn’t pretty and, if the White Sox really wanted, they might shed his deal. With Adam Dunn coming off the books, there isn’t a lot of dead money on Chicago’s books right now. Any money they save on Danks should go straight to Chris Sale out of principle.
Cleveland Indians
Remember feelings counting? Nick Swisher’s contract might make hurting the feelings of a native son the cost of doing business. Swisher wasn’t great in 2013 and is off to an even worse start to 2014. Maybe freedom from the remaining $30 million on his contract is something worth investigating.
If not Swisher, perhaps Michael Bourn?
Detroit Tigers
FEELINGS! Justin Verlander is a feelings factory for Tigers fans but the staggering contract extension bearing his name is just getting started. $140 million or so between now and 2019? To say nothing of his 2020 vesting option. Yikes.
Miguel Cabrera is not a pitcher and is also a demigod so his deal sticks. (psst, he’s owned one quarter of a BILLION dollars on a deal that doesn’t begin until 2016. Who needs a drink?)
Kansas City Royals
Are general managers buyout candidates? Asking for fanbase.
Omar Infante is probably the best candidate, with $25 million remaining over three years and his best days likely behind him. But they knew this when the signed him.
Los Angeles Angels
Feelings are important. Angels fans would feel much, much better if they knew the Albert Pujols was never, ever, going to play for their team again. Take the money (an astounding $190 million remaining on the deal) and run.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout Joe Mauer. The Twins would not buyout J
New York Yankees
The Yankees are spoiled for choice in the buyout department. In our hypothetical game, they only get to pick one to dump, sadly.
Would it be the diminishing ace that is CC Sabathia, still sitting on $50 million of guaranteed salary for two years plus an option? What about Mark Teixeira’s $45 million through 2016?
No, the elephant in the room is Alex Rodriguez’s $61 million and three years on the books. For the low, low price of $40 million dollars, the Yankees could make A-Rod go away. All the headaches and nightmares in the past, nothing could make Brian Cashman and friends happier.
Oakland Athletics
How many more years on Jim Johnson’s deal? None? How the hell do the A’s get away with this stuff?
Seattle Mariners
Robinson Cano is not a pitcher nor is he a local folk hero. He is a very good baseball player. Would the M’s take a do-over and a $150 million haircut? Not yet they wouldn’t.
Texas Rangers
In a salary cap world, axing Prince Fielder is a no-brainer. In our mythical, non-salary cap world, axing Prince Fielder is also a no-brainer. Poor Matt Harrison might get some thought as well, not to mention Rey Ordonez Elvis Andrus’ insane extension of insanity ($120 million over eight years starting in 2015.)
Toronto Blue Jays
Jose Reyes plays for the Toronto Blue Jays. He’s a very popular player with the fans and a superstar in the traditional sense of the word. He’s also a shortstop on the wrong side of the 30 with diminishing range and a host of injury concerns.
The Jays are in the thick of the playoff race right now, but if you asked them in November, would they like to free themselves from the $70 million and three guaranteed years coming his way? They’d certainly listen.
What about R.A. Dickey? His pay packet is reasonable but with one year plus an option ($13 million total owed), the Jays could renew their search for a non-40-year-old with a trick pitch and home run problem.