Werth close with Nationals

[lint06]

Buster Olney tweets

The Werth contract has had an impact of an 8.0 earthquake. Rival gms, execs are going nuts about the terms.

[Mad Mark]

Seven years @ $18MM per? To a 31-year old OF? What are they smoking???

[twoBshorty]

A rival general manager, upon hearing that the contract was for seven years, offered this reaction to Jayson Werth’s signing with the Nationals:

“Absolutely bat---- crazy.”

And that was before the GM even learned the contract was for $126 million, an average of $18 million per season.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/boras-seeking-insane-contract-for-werth-120510

That about sums it up.

[thiscat41]

Awesome for the Nats! They can probably compete in that division if they shore up the rotation with Pavano or go all out crazy for Lee. They are definitely heading in the right direction and got the guy they wanted. Good for them! I'm jealous

[NewMarketSean]

I am looking at Werth's BBR comps and wondering if any one of them would get a 7 year, $126 million dollar deal at 31 years old.

1. Brad Hawpe

2. Jeffrey Hammonds

5. Henry Rodriguez

7. Trot Nixon

9. Juan Rivera

[srock]

I like Werth and think he would really tie together the O's OF.

But for 7 years $18 million per? How about I'll stick Felix Pie's cheap legs out there and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Nationals just made a reactionary move to quell discontent about letting Dunn go.

And another thing! This means Crawford is right out as an option because he will want, rightfully so, a bigger deal then Werth got.

[CharmCityLights]

Nationals just made a reactionary move to quell discontent about letting Dunn go.

And another thing! This means Crawford is right out as an option because he will want, rightfully so, a bigger deal then Werth got.

I originally thought that they were bidding against the Red Sox. When I heard that wasn't the case, I immediately thought that it was a reactionary move to not being able to re-sign Dunn.

Crawford's agent must be so happy.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Awesome for the Nats! They can probably compete in that division if they shore up the rotation with Pavano or go all out crazy for Lee. They are definitely heading in the right direction and got the guy they wanted. Good for them! I'm jealous

Go root for them. We won't stop you.

Just don't try to come back in three years when the Orioles are making another playoff run while the Nationals are treading water.

[Crazysilver03]

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets the breakdown of Jayson Werth's contract. His $4MM signing bonus will be paid between January 2011 and January 2012, and his annual salaries are as follows: $10MM, $13MM, $16MM, $20MM, $21MM, $21MM, and $21MM.

While this was to be expected, I am surprised that they structured this deal this way. While the contract depreciates with time, I would think they would want to pay it out even, or at least add more money to the beginning, especially with a low payroll in the coming years. Their payroll will have little flexibility in '15, '16, and '17 when Strasburg, Storen, and Harper are going through arbitration.

[Stotle]

While this was to be expected, I am surprised that they structured this deal this way. While the contract depreciates with time, I would think they would want to pay it out even, or at least add more money to the beginning, especially with a low payroll in the coming years. Their payroll will have little flexibility in '15, '16, and '17 when Strasburg, Storen, and Harper are going through arbitration.

I think maybe WAS is banking on having a lot more money coming in by 2015?

[O's are Legends]

"When he found out I was coming here," Lee said, "he wasn't the happiest person in the world."

.... So he gets to sit in last place and watch Lee and the Phillies play NL wrecking ball.

"The news in Philadelphia, they got their boy back, I guess," Werth said. "That's fine. I think that's good. I like that. If you're going to be the best, you've got to beat the best. They make their plays, and we're going to make ours."

I'm sure the Phillies are worried...