{"id":162859,"date":"2022-12-20T03:37:08","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T03:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rosenthal-why-jd-martinez-took-less-from-the-dodgers-and-the-latest-on-the-trade-market\/"},"modified":"2022-12-20T03:37:08","modified_gmt":"2022-12-20T03:37:08","slug":"rosenthal-why-jd-martinez-took-less-from-the-dodgers-and-the-latest-on-the-trade-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rosenthal-why-jd-martinez-took-less-from-the-dodgers-and-the-latest-on-the-trade-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Rosenthal: Why JD Martinez took less from the Dodgers and the latest on the trade market"},"content":{"rendered":"
The free-agent market always produces certain oddities. Consider this 2022 comparison of two right-handed hitters who recently reached switched teams, as if they were traded for one another.<\/p>\n
Player A:<\/strong> Age 38, 13 HRs, 116 OPS+, 532 PAs<\/p>\n Player B:<\/strong> Age 35, 16 HRs, 117 OPS+, 596 PAs<\/p>\n Player A is Justin Turner, who agreed with the Red Sox on a two-year, $21.7 million contract. Player B is JD Martinez, who agreed with the Dodgers on a one-year, $10 million deal.<\/p>\n How is it possible Turner signed a contract for more than twice as much as Martinez, considering both offer minimal defensive value at this stage of their respective careers?<\/p>\n Martinez’s agent, Scott Boras, pointed to the slugger’s relationship with his former Red Sox teammate, Mookie Betts, and Dodgers hitting instructor Robert Van Scoyoc, who helped Martinez revamp his swing after the 2013 season.<\/p>\n Martinez went for not only less than Turner, but also Josh Bell (two years, $33 million), Michael Brantley (one year, $12 million) and Joey Gallo (one year, $11 million).<\/p>\n \u201c(Dodgers president of baseball operations) Andrew Friedman and Mookie were like college coaches seeking the big recruit,\u201d Boras said. \u201cJD was fully aware of the recent signings and took $ 6 million to $ 7 million below his value.<\/p>\n \u201cHe wanted to win and he wanted to (optimize his ability). He felt the Dodgers were the best team to help him achieve those goals. He made them fully aware he has every intention to play well and seek his true value in the seasons ahead. \u201d<\/p>\n The day the Rays announced their signing of right-hander Zach Eflin, president of baseball operations Erik Neander all but signaled he was interested in free-agent outfielder Michael Brantley.<\/p>\n \u201cI think for us adding another player, that’s a rebound candidate, or a breakthrough candidate, I don’t know how much appeal it has relative to someone that has much more of a consistency to them, and a recent track record of success, \u201d Neander said.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I think that’s what this group probably needs most is someone that has demonstrated that and frankly, for the younger players, can take some of the attention and the expectations off of them.\u201d<\/p>\n As it turned out, the Rays indeed pursued Brantley, who turns 36 on May 15 and is a .296 hitter in 54 career postseason games. So did the Blue Jays, who also targeted Brantley the last time he was a free agent two years ago.<\/p>\n Brantley returned to the Astros that winter on a two-year, $32 million deal. This time, he agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with $4 million in incentives. Presumably, the Astros are confident Brantley will pass his physical. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a labrum tear in his right shoulder in August and missed the rest of the season.<\/p>\n For the past several years, I’ve been among those complaining that too many teams are rebuilding, damaging the competitive integrity of the sport. Well, we finally can report a measure of progress on that front. Three heads of baseball operations in recent days attributed the slow trade market to the number of clubs shunning veteran-for-prospect deals as they try to build rosters capable of contention.<\/p>\n \u201cThat’s the biggest dynamic in play,\u201d one executive said. \u201cWe can’t use our prospects to go get players. With a couple of teams we could, but it’s not enough. You need enough teams that have major-league players. That is definitely hanging things up, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n The new collective-bargaining agreement introduced a draft lottery, but otherwise did not appear to go far enough to boost competition. One aspect of the CBA, however \u2014 the expansion of the postseason from 10 to 12 teams \u2014 gave clubs perhaps more incentive than expected. Two sub-90 win outfits, the Phillies and Padres, reached the National League Championship Series.<\/p>\n The Reds, Pirates and A’s are the only teams truly in rebuilding mode, according to one executive; the Nationals, he said, are not quite behaving in that manner. The trade market is so quiet, not even Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto, one of the game’s leading deal-makers, could stir activity at the Winter Meetings. Dipoto said the Mariners made a few calls to check on possible matches and got feedback from one club, but outside of that teams seemed focused on free agents.<\/p>\n The trade market likely will accelerate as the number of free agents dwindles. The biggest deal thus far was the three-team, nine-player extravaganza that sent Sean Murphy from the A’s to the Braves and William Contreras from the Braves to the Brewers.<\/p>\nRays, Jays were in on Brantley<\/h2>\n
Where are the trades?<\/h2>\n