I believe they may only have to sacrifice their 2nd rounder? I'm not sure how qualifying offers work exactly, but, to my understanding, if Cuddyer fits in the lower threshold than it's only a 2nd rounder.
There are no tiers anymore in the new cba. Any player that rejects a QO will cost the signing team their first eligible pick (top 10 overall protected). Mets are giving up the number 15 overall pick with this signing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Source: Astros are one of about a dozen teams to inquire about free agent pitcher Jason Hammel <a href="http://t.co/B4WQYSEdVW">http://t.co/B4WQYSEdVW</a></p>— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) <a href="https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/status/531958721447227392">November 10, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
They're probably gonna do their due diligence and inquire on every middle of the rotation starter who might bite on a Feldman-like contract.
This is possibly the worst idea I've heard since Bagwell throwing LH. Put Carter in LF while you're at it, Singleton can play right, OF isn't that hard.
Hey I wasn't far off! It's crazy how inflated free agency is. But honestly, if it wasn't for the loss of the high draft pick, I am completely fine with the salary in this deal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a>, looking for help on left side of IF, have checked in on Hanley. Team has Correa coming at SS; Moran, Ruiz at 3B. So...</p>— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/532184575712432129">November 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>It is unclear whether <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> would be willing to sign Hanley to a contract as large as he wants. Might prefer more short-term solutions.</p>— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/532184605663973376">November 11, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I'm surprised. I thought he'd get closer to $15M over 2 years if he turned down the QO. Mets didn't let it get to that point (I assume Cuddyer's agent said they would take the QO if Mets didn't give them enough to sign before the deadline).
If he was looking for $15M, why would he have not just taken the QO of $15.3M? That would have only taken 1 year to earn as well. If it was going to be 2 years, it simply had to be in the 20-25M range for it to make sense for Cuddyer. The salary is fine with me (a slight overpay, but this is free agency, so a slight overpay ends up being a bargain sometimes), the loss of the high pick is the deal breaker for me.
Of course he would have. I just figured if he turned it down, he'd have been in trouble. Kendrys Morales was younger, healthier and just as good of an offensive player, and he ended up sitting out until after the draft. Stephen Drew sat out as well and ended up resigning with his own team and it cost him millions. Nelson Cruz had to settle for $8M. It worked out so badly for those guys, that I couldn't see it working out for Cuddyer. Instead his agent got a deal done before he had to decide on the QO, and it worked out well for him.
I understand your take. Overall valid, but I'd respectfully disagree and say that across the board, Cuddyer is, and over the last several seasons, has been a much better offensive player than Morales. Drew did surprise me, because he plays at a premium position. I think Cruz's PED suspension is what cost him millions, not necessarily the draft pick (although I'm sure the draft pick didn't help his cause). I was genuinely surprised when Morales turned down all of that guaranteed money.
Oh wow, he's a FA? I certainly wouldn't mind him on a shorter deal. Someone will surely give him a longer one though.
