Boras & Elias Conversations On Extensions

[Prayin4Reign]

I haven't seen this posted anywhere else...so if it is feel free to delete.  Interesting nonetheless to read the Boras quote about how Baltimore reaches out once or twice a day about extending Gunnar and Jackson.  It's encouraging too.  There's very little we see or hear outside of the occasional Elias quote on extensions.  After reading this I wondered if Elias actually asked Boras as some kind of favor to put this out in the media....

https://www.masnsports.com/blog/boras-talks-about-conversations-with-elias-regarding-contract-extensions

[Gunnar]

It's positive news on the surface, but I am very pessimistic that any of our young stars will sign extensions until we start to see real cultural changes in the organization.  Why would Gunnar, Jackson, Adley even consider it until there is some sign that ownership is serious about signing other supporting pieces to ensure long term success?  A bit of chicken and egg I know, but if I were in their shoes I would be very hesitant to forego free agency.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Gunnar said:

It's positive news on the surface, but I am very pessimistic that any of our young stars will sign extensions until we start to see real cultural changes in the organization.  Why would Gunnar, Jackson, Adley even consider it until there is some sign that ownership is serious about signing other supporting pieces to ensure long term success?  A bit of chicken and egg I know, but if I were in their shoes I would be very hesitant to forego free agency.

The reason would be guaranteed money, lots of it.

It's easier to go ring chasing after you've made your mint.

[Gunnar]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

The reason would be guaranteed money, lots of it.

It's easier to go ring chasing after you've made your mint.

True, but this what Boras is good at (convincing players to go to FA, and getting max contracts). Presumably these players knew that when they signed with him. I would love to be proven wrong of course.

[ThisIsBirdland]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

The reason would be guaranteed money, lots of it.

It's easier to go ring chasing after you've made your mint.

I just can't imagine we're offering these guys enough guaranteed money to make them forego reaching the open market for an extra 2-3 years, but I hope I'm wrong. They're probably each assuming there's a good chance they'll be in line for 10 year/$300m type of deals.

[Moose Milligan]

I don't think Elias or anyone from the Orioles is reaching out once or twice a day.  That sounds completely obnoxious and I'd prefer to think that Elias has a bit more tact when it comes to dealing with agents.

[Aristotelian]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don't think Elias or anyone from the Orioles is reaching out once or twice a day.  That sounds completely obnoxious and I'd prefer to think that Elias has a bit more tact when it comes to dealing with agents.

I am sure it was exaggeration (although possibly that frequent this week due to the Winter Meeting). Overall, good sign that O's are in active discussion. If it doesn't happen, it won't be for lack of trying as has been suggested in the past. 

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

I just can't imagine we're offering these guys enough guaranteed money to make them forego reaching the open market for an extra 2-3 years, but I hope I'm wrong. They're probably each assuming there's a good chance they'll be in line for 10 year/$300m type of deals.

I agree but that would be the reason.

Not everyone's main goal is a ring.

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

I am sure it was exaggeration (although possibly that frequent this week due to the Winter Meeting). Overall, good sign that O's are in active discussion. If it doesn't happen, it won't be for lack of trying as has been suggested in the past. 

Sure seems like it's an exaggeration.  

If it doesn't happen, we'll have the "Boras is teh debil and ruining baseball!" dead horse to beat in tandem with the "Angelos is a skinflint!" bloody pulp of a stallion.

[yark14]

9 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don't think Elias or anyone from the Orioles is reaching out once or twice a day.  That sounds completely obnoxious and I'd prefer to think that Elias has a bit more tact when it comes to dealing with agents.

Agreed.  Boras has one job: to get his clients as much money as possible.  We all know he isn't above exaggerating or even lying in order to prop up his clients value.

[baltfan]

23 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I don't think Elias or anyone from the Orioles is reaching out once or twice a day.  That sounds completely obnoxious and I'd prefer to think that Elias has a bit more tact when it comes to dealing with agents.

Of course, they are not.  But I posted about this in another thread, the point is that they are trying and likely being persistent.  There are tons of people on this board screaming that JA is the problem.  The offers could be awful of course, but the odds are that this is a matter of Boras advising his guys to wait for free agency.  Note this is a perfectly acceptable strategy.

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

I just can't imagine we're offering these guys enough guaranteed money to make them forego reaching the open market for an extra 2-3 years, but I hope I'm wrong. They're probably each assuming there's a good chance they'll be in line for 10 year/$300m type of deals.

Remember, if they suffer a catastrophic injury they finish their career with essentially nothing. Or they may just turn into a dud. An extension in their first couple years guarantees their family and a generation or two of progeny are set for life, whereas they are guaranteed nothing but the league minimum or next year's arbitration salary. Even if the washout scenario is improbable, there is huge downside risk there. 

An extension makes even more sense for high school draftees like Gunnar and Holliday since they can eliminate the downside risk and guarantee a couple years of $20M+, while still being young enough to hit free agency in the prime of their career. (Of course, Holliday is a special case since he is already rich, unless Matt comes from the Warren Buffet school of parenting). 

[ThisIsBirdland]

1 minute ago, Aristotelian said:

Remember, if they suffer a catastrophic injury they finish their career with essentially nothing. Or they may just turn into a dud. An extension in their first couple years guarantees their family and a generation or two of progeny are set for life, whereas they are guaranteed nothing but the league minimum or next year's arbitration salary. Even if the washout scenario is improbable, there is huge downside risk there. 

An extension makes even more sense for high school draftees like Gunnar and Holliday since they can eliminate the downside risk and guarantee a couple years of $20M+, while still being young enough to hit free agency in the prime of their career. (Of course, Holliday is a special case since he is already rich, unless Matt comes from the Warren Buffet school of parenting). 

Oh believe me I agree. Players sign these early extensions for a reason.

I just think the odds of these injuries are low, significant injuries can be overcome (Machado is a good example), and these are young, confident athletes who probably feel pretty damn invulnerable, with Boras in their ear telling them what they're in line to receive in free agency.

[Just Regular]

The Boras Winter Meetings scrum is its own kind of festivus.

My favorite bit this year was him messaging to Philadelphia they should get to work on extending Bryce Harper.

I wonder if the Sigbot leverages something like ConstantContact where Boras Corp gets a text every 12 or so hours:

Noon today - will Gunnar accept 8/80.314?

Midnight tonight - will Gunnar accept 8/80.315?

 

[Sports Guy]

People are taking that comment too literally.