How much is too much?

[Arky Vaughan]

If Lee and Soriano command salaries around $15 million per year, is that too much for the Astros to sink into them? I think it is. That's more than they're paying Berkman, who's easily a better player than either of them.

[HPFRic]

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That's more than they're paying Berkman, who's easily a better player than either of them.

they paid bagwell more than berkman last year; what's the big deal as long as it doesn't directly impede your ability to make other moves?

[Arky Vaughan]

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they paid bagwell more than berkman last year; what's the big deal as long as it doesn't directly impede your ability to make other moves?

I guess it doesn't make a difference, since Berkman's contract is a reflection of the prevailing salaries at the time it was executed.  Do you think tying up $15 million in Lee or Soriano does impede other moves, though?  I think that's a lot to spend on someone who isn't a centerpiece to your organization.  I think Soriano is more likely a franchise player than Lee is.

[DVauthrin]

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If Lee and Soriano command salaries around $15 million per year, is that too much for the Astros to sink into them? I think it is. That's more than they're paying Berkman, who's easily a better player than either of them.

I think that when you need offense, you do what you need to do to get it.    Also, just like they did with bagwell, pettitte, and kent, Drayton can defer salary over time if needs be.

[HPFRic]

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Do you think tying up $15 million in Lee or Soriano does impede other moves, though?  I think that's a lot to spend on someone who isn't a centerpiece to your organization.  I think Soriano is more likely a franchise player than Lee is.

well, i'm spending drayton's money, so, sure! why not?!!

i don't think either guy's worth $15M; i agree. they're both 30; not 25. their best years are not ahead of them and you sure as heck-fire don't want to be paying for great years someone else enjoyed.

but what's the alternative?

[DVauthrin]

If I knew Soriano could be an above average defensive CF, I'd prefer him by leaps and bounds to Lee and I would go in that 14-16 mil range for him.    Because of his combination of power/speed and it's much easier to find a good hitting corner OF.   However, he has never played CF, so it would all depend on whether the organization thought he could.

[Arky Vaughan]

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I think that when you need offense, you do what you need to do to get it.    Also, just like they did with bagwell, pettitte, and kent, Drayton can defer salary over time if needs be.

I disagree. I think spending more money than something's worth just because you have a hole to fill is bad practice. And I think deferring money for somebody whose contract is valued properly is a different matter than deferring money for an overpriced contract.

[Arky Vaughan]

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well, i'm spending drayton's money, so, sure! why not?!!

i don't think either guy's worth $15M; i agree. they're both 30; not 25. their best years are not ahead of them and you sure as heck-fire don't want to be paying for great years someone else enjoyed.

but what's the alternative?

You sign somebody else who isn't as good but costs less. You make trades. You get by with what you've got in your system. The Astros have been careful the last couple of seasons in markets where the availability of players for value wasn't all that great. They suffered somewhat for it, but what would've been the cost down the road for seriously overpaying just because that's the only thing out there?

[DVauthrin]

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I think that when you need offense, you do what you need to do to get it.    Also, just like they did with bagwell, pettitte, and kent, Drayton can defer salary over time if needs be.

I disagree. I think spending more money than something's worth just because you have a hole to fill is bad practice. And I think deferring money for somebody whose contract is valued properly is a different matter than deferring money for an overpriced contract.

It is if you do it all the time, see the Angelos orioles.     I'm not suggesting either player deserves that money nor will get it either.    However, there are times that you have to way finances against your needs and the cost of going a different route, plus whether you fancy yourself as a contender or a team that with some breaks could contend.  If you could get Vernon Wells or Tejada or a player of that ilk without killing your farm system than great, but that won't be easy to do, and it's not as if the Astros have a deep farm system as is.

If they thought Lee or Soriano was too expensive, would a target like Alou or Luis Gonzalez be next in line in FA.  If I knew Alou could stay healthy he would be a nice bargain price signing, but right now I can't say that.

[Browneye]

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If Lee and Soriano command salaries around $15 million per year, is that too much for the Astros to sink into them? I think it is. That's more than they're paying Berkman, who's easily a better player than either of them.

And if Berkman were a free agent, he would make more than Lee and Soriano. Its todays market and the luck of when you become a free agent. I think Berkman would understand and he will certainly remember on his next go around.

[HPFRic]

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You sign somebody else who isn't as good but costs less.

yep, and i think preston wilson is a free agent again...

lee isn't worth $15M in the grand context of baseball. but if a) your budget can absorb the cost and still leave $$ to make additional moves and b) you feel relatively safe he'll still be a producitve player in years 4 and/or 5 of your deal... how much he actually costs you is kind of irrelevant, no?

[Arky Vaughan]

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lee isn't worth $15M in the grand context of baseball. but if a) your budget can absorb the cost and still leave $$ to make additional moves and b) you feel relatively safe he'll still be a producitve player in years 4 and/or 5 of your deal... how much he actually costs you is kind of irrelevant, no?

If money were no object, then true. But money is an object, and tying him up for more money than he's worth may have the consequence of not being able to keep somebody else around, or bring someone else in, down the road.

[HPFRic]

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If money were no object, then true. But money is an object, and tying him up for more money than he's worth may have the consequence of not being able to keep somebody else around, or bring someone else in, down the road.

i just think people get TOO hung up on actual dollar amounts. if lee wants $20M and you can absorb that cost and STILL upgrade... what does it ultimately matter whether he's "worth" it as long as he produces?

[JimR]

like you said, it is someone else's money. your approach is irresponsible.

[HPFRic]

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like you said, it is someone else's money. your approach is irresponsible.

advocating that the team set a player's worth, as opposed to the player setting a player's worth, is irresponsible?

[pravata]

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like you said, it is someone else's money. your approach is irresponsible.

Purpura says he's surprised,

"It seems like there's a lot of money out there that's being spent on players that we would have expected to go for lesser amounts," Purpura said
The Link

The bidding has sent some GMs into trade talks, however Purpura has found his way blocked, he says,

(I'm)"probably a little disappointed, in some ways, because there are some players out there we thought we might match up for, and we probably don't have the matches."
The Link

However, they may not give up on the free agents and bidding wars.  It's only money and there's more where that came from, a lot more.

Major League Baseball owners on Thursday unanimously approved television contracts with Fox and TBS that run through 2013 and are worth more than $3 billion.
The Link

[Arky Vaughan]

Nice new quote.

[pravata]

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like you said, it is someone else's money. your approach is irresponsible.

advocating that the team set a player's worth, as opposed to the player setting a player's worth, is irresponsible?

It is "irresponsible" if that has any relevance these day, to advocate for acquisitions that you think are affordable.  Merely because you "want" them.  Anyone who has been in a grocery store with a 2 year old sitting in the shopping cart can relate.  In a larger context, fans pointing and grasping in venues that the team pays attention to, and this shirley can't be one of those, does tempt teams to buy the large box of Count Chocula.  To the eventual disappointment of everyone.