Josh Hamilton market update - 3 years $60-75 million

[Dark Helmet]

Than the Mariners will sign him. If that falls through and every other team passes on him and he eventually is willing to settle for a 1-year, $4.5 million contract - he's all ours. It's all we have left from the Tex offer at this point.

Mariners? No way they can afford to sign Hamilton. They are in a small market and just as poor as the O's

[weams]

Mariners? No way they can afford to sign Hamilton. They are in a small market and just as poor as the O's

Ichiro was making 17 million. So they can go to 22. And the Northwest and Japan are not a small market. Ask Bruno.

[TradeAngelos]

Ichiro was making 17 million. So they can go to 22. And the Northwest and Japan are not a small market. Ask Bruno.

But they only drew 1.7 million last year with no playoffs, how can they possibly afford Hamilton??

[DrinkinWithFermi]

But they only drew 1.7 million last year with no playoffs, how can they possibly afford Hamilton??

Because they're in a decent market, their payroll was over $20 million less than the Orioles' payroll last year, and their offense was much worse than ours last year which therefore makes their need much greater?

[TradeAngelos]

Because their payroll was over $20 million less than the Orioles' payroll last year and their offense was much worse than ours last year which therefore makes their need much greater?

Oh so we don't have any money??

Got it!!

Thanks for clearing that up pal!

Does their owner own an entire region of 2 teams broadcast rights like ours does?

[DrinkinWithFermi]

Oh so we don't have any money??

Got it!!

Thanks for clearing that up pal!

Does their owner own an entire region of 2 teams broadcast rights like ours does?

Well, they do have the entire northwest United States and a decent following in Japan. If they want to make a bad investment for the next 4 or 5 years, that's their right.

[BrunoCherrytown]

Ichiro was making 17 million. So they can go to 22. And the Northwest and Japan are not a small market. Ask Bruno.

Mariners are only getting paid $45 million a year for their TV rights and they don't own 86-87% of the station doing the paying. So they aren't getting the profits from the forced cable dues like the owners of a certain "small market team" we all know and love that can only afford dumpster diving.

For the Mariners to be able to afford Josh Hamilton would be impossible because obviously it would cripple a team like them or the O's...obviously...I mean it's obvious spending on a legit free agent would cripple us right? That's what we're told by the O's so it must be right. And smoking is good for you because that's what tobacco companies told us for decades. Why would they lie?

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

Sadly, for the Mariners, Josh can only play one position at a time, that makes them about 5 "good" players short of being competitive.

[weams]

Mariners are only getting paid $45 million a year for their TV rights and they don't own 86-87% of the station doing the paying. So they aren't getting the profits from the forced cable dues like the owners of a certain "small market team" we all know and love that can only afford dumpster diving.

For the Mariners to be able to afford Josh Hamilton would be impossible because obviously it would cripple a team like them or the O's...obviously...I mean it's obvious spending on a legit free agent would cripple us right? That's what we're told by the O's so it must be right. And smoking is good for you because that's what tobacco companies told us for decades. Why would they lie?

I thought we were only getting paid 29 million. And that Angelos was keeping his MASNCASHMONEY. Thank you for clarifying though. I thought the Mariner revenues were higher because of Asian network contracts.

[TonySoprano]

I thought we were only getting paid 29 million. And that Angelos was keeping his MASNCASHMONEY. Thank you for clarifying though. I thought the Mariner revenues were higher because of Asian network contracts.

MASN rights fees will be going up in 2013, the amount TBD.

Because they're in a decent market, their payroll was over $20 million less than the Orioles' payroll last year, and their offense was much worse than ours last year which therefore makes their need much greater?

Actually, Seattle's opening day payroll was $550K higher. The last time the Orioles payroll was higher than Seattle's was in 2000

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

Mariners are only getting paid $45 million a year for their TV rights and they don't own 86-87% of the station doing the paying. So they aren't getting the profits from the forced cable dues like the owners of a certain "small market team" we all know and love that can only afford dumpster diving.

For the Mariners to be able to afford Josh Hamilton would be impossible because obviously it would cripple a team like them or the O's...obviously...I mean it's obvious spending on a legit free agent would cripple us right? That's what we're told by the O's so it must be right. And smoking is good for you because that's what tobacco companies told us for decades. Why would they lie?

Obviously you have a better handle than most of us do on TV revenue due to your resume. But I assume even you have some cap on what you'd offer Hamilton. What is it?

[BrunoCherrytown]

I thought we were only getting paid 29 million. And that Angelos was keeping his MASNCASHMONEY. Thank you for clarifying though. I thought the Mariner revenues were higher because of Asian network contracts.

Angelos and his fellow owners are pocketing that MASN money and collecting rev share checks too, which is offensive. I was surprised the Mariners were only getting $45m - it appears they did a 10-year rights deal in 2007 and they are very enthusiastic about renegotiating it.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

MASN rights fees will be going up in 2013, the amount TBD.

Actually, Seattle's opening day payroll was $550K higher.

Weird. The site I looked at had them at $59 million. Fair enough.

[BrunoCherrytown]

Obviously you have a better handle than most of us do on TV revenue due to your resume. But I assume even you have some cap on what you'd offer Hamilton. What is it?

My position on Hamilton has somewhat evolved over this short offseason. I didn't want to sign him at all at first, but that's just because he rubbed me the wrong way. Not for the drugs...not for the injuries...but just the "every time I screw up I find the Lord act." I don't mean that in an offensive way to religious people, we just see that "moral get out of jail free card" bit used quite often in society. It's very convenient and if it's used regularly what value does it truly have? That's a bit of a knee jerk on my part - he could truly be the nicest guy in the world and I don't know him. So I've stopped really applying that judgmental bias to my thinking on him.

And I also think the O's are so close and he is a top flight talent. We could get to the series next year if we took some real risks, not scrap heap, reclamation project signings.

So to your question...No way we offer a 6-7 year deal. Not even 5.

Try offering him a 3-year contract at the highest annual value in history with a 4th year that kicks in with some sort of serious performance milestones. Maybe in a pinch do the 4th year guaranteed in hopes he can make 3 of those years worth it and you eat the fourth. The highest annual salary in history gives him the ego win from a PR standpoint since he doesn't get the 6-7. Also shows the O's are ready to act like they're a serious franchise. Make the Rangers beat that offer.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

My position on Hamilton has somewhat evolved over this short offseason. I didn't want to sign him at all at first, but that's just because he rubbed me the wrong way. Not for the drugs...not for the injuries...but just the "every time I screw up I find the Lord act." I don't mean that in an offensive way to religious people, we just see that "moral get out of jail free card" bit used quite often in society. It's very convenient and if it's used regularly what value does it truly have? That's a bit of a knee jerk on my part - he could truly be the nicest guy in the world and I don't know him. So I've stopped really applying that judgmental bias to my thinking on him.

And I also think the O's are so close and he is a top flight talent. We could get to the series next year if we took some real risks, not scrap heap, reclamation project signings.

So to your question...No way we offer a 6-7 year deal. Not even 5.

Try offering him a 3-year contract at the highest annual value in history with a 4th year that kicks in with some sort of serious performance milestones. Maybe in a pinch do the 4th year guaranteed in hopes he can make 3 of those years worth it and you eat the fourth. The highest annual salary in history gives him the ego win from a PR standpoint since he doesn't get the 6-7. Also shows the O's are ready to act like they're a serious franchise. Make the Rangers beat that offer.

So ideally 3/$90, maybe as much as 4/$110?