Tell me
baseball fans, do you really want Josh Hamilton on your team for the contract
he reportedly wants?
Seven years,
$175 million?
You know I'm a
bit of a Nationals fan, and there is a small possibility the Curly Dubs
ballclub, striving toward long-term success, could bring the free agent
outfielder to the District.
It's a small
chance.
It appears the
only way the club would sign Hamilton, is if Adam LaRoch moves elsewhere and
the Nationals move Michael Morse to first base.
An outfield of
Hamilton in left, emerging superstar (fingers crossed) Bryce Harper in center
and Jason Werth in right could be a monster. Can you imagine having those three
in the batting order?
Bang, zoom go
the fireworks!
This past
season in Texas, Hamilton hit .285 in 148 games with 43 home runs and 128 RBIs.
(Every time I write about RBIs, I hear guys yelling at me: RBIs don't matter.
They mattered to Henry Chadwick, dammit. Never mind.). Hamilton also struck out
a whopping 162 times last year.
Anyway, the
free agent, who won his third Silver Slugger award Thursday, had an excellent
season. Some of his numbers were down, like batting average – remember he hit a
league-leading .359 in 2010 – and some were up, 43 homers compared with 25 in
2011 and 32 in 2010.
Of course, the
home run totals are larger because he played in more games in 2012; 148, versus
121 in 2011 and 133 in 2010.
One of the
concerns with signing Hamilton, particularly to a high-dollar, long-term deal,
is his durability. Can he stay on the field, whether it be avoiding injuries
or, you know, battling past demons, for more than 120-130 games?
Certainly if a
general manager is willing to fork over $175 million for seven years to a
ballplayer who'll be 32 year old in May, the GM will want to have some
assurance Hamilton is going to stay on the field and produce. But those
assurances, as you know, don't exist.
Does anyone have Nate Silver's number?
Let's say
Hamilton does get a seven-year deal. He'll be 39 when it expires, and it's
unlikely he'll be producing numbers worthy of a $175 million contract in years
five, six and seven. And who knows how much value he'll have in years three and
four, even if he plays 150 games. (I'm 41, and I know, once you hit about 35,
the physical stuff doesn’t get easier.)
Still, the
thoughts of having Hamilton in the lineup and jacking moon shots is a
tantalizing thought for any clubs, and I'm certainly entertaining the prospect
if I'm Nationals' General Manager Mike Rizzo or any GM in the majors.
But that big
contract – the Nats already are playing Werth and Ryan Zimmerman more than $100
million – is tough to get past.
Look at the
situation in New York with the Yankees and Alex Rodriquez.
Sure A-Rod
helped the Yanks win a World Series title in '09, but it's been all down hill
since. And you know Brian Cashman wants to urinate on his third baseman's
contract each time he thinks about having to pay A-Rod to strike out with
runners in scoring position for five more years.
Who knows
where Hamilton will eventually sign and how much money he'll garner. A number
of teams, Nationals, Phillies, Brewers, Orioles and Mariners (ain't happenin')
are all in the rumor mill.
So tell me, if
you're suddenly named general manager of your favorite MLB team, do you sign
Hamilton or do you pass?
If I'm the
making the call for the Nationals, I'm passing. I can see this deal going
turning sour fast.
And for that
much money, give me Zack Grienke.
