The Washington Nationals signed free agent lumberjack Jayson Werth to a seven-year contract this afternoon, taking the entire baseball world by surprise. In an offseason where people have laughed at players like Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre for their contract length demands, the Nationals decided not only to meet Werth's demands, but to exceed them in a negotiation maneuver that is without a name on account of it's unprecedented and stupid. It's a move that's pissed off executives around the league, but I can think of a few folks who're delighted:
That Werth signed with the Nationals means a few things. For one, it means the Nationals should get a little more attention at the Winter Meetings, provided they can still afford the tickets. The Werth signing made a statement, and as crazy a statement as it is, players and agents love this sort of thing.
For two, it means Werth didn't sign with the Red Sox. The contract, of course, is silly, but as far as I'm concerned, the fewer elite-level players there are on my least-favorite teams, the better. Carl Crawford's still going to sign with a team I can't stand, but he's only one really good outfielder, when it could've been two. The Nationals are the perfect destination. I don't have any reason to care one way or another about the Nationals, and probably never will.
For three, it means we have our snark material. The internet thrives on snark, and while sometimes that snark isn't warranted, it's had to justify giving Werth a seven-year contract. This isn't a retarded, brainless, franchise-crippling move, but it is a pretty bad one that deserves to be mocked with an appropriate level of humor.
And for four, it means this is probably a good offseason for the Mariners to not have much money to spend, because the middle- and upper-tier markets appear to be inflated. One wonders if guys like David Aardsma and Chone Figgins might not look a little more appealing now with the market suddenly paying out so much money. If you're looking for the Mariners to have an interesting week, this could be how it happens.
What a wild few days it's been. And to think, the meetings haven't even started.
3 recs | 35 comments
I never cared much for Joe Sheehan.
SeaKoala - December 5, 2010
Yeah, I don't get that snark at all.
The Typical Idiot Fan - December 5, 2010
I never heard of him until now.
A quick Google search indicates he used to write for Baseball Prospectus and now contributes to SI? Nuts to that. Mariner bloggers run FanGraphs and don’t write for a publication that embarasses me to be a sports fan. Screw that guy.
katal - December 5, 2010
What a cock smack.
Thanks for the rundown, you just saved me the trouble.
Kermit. - December 5, 2010
I agree that with the inflating market it might make Figgins more appealing to teams looking for a third baseman
But what does that do to our team? Obviously we could get another in a trade, or go dumpster diving in the free agents (again though… inflated market), or the internal options at this point are what… Tui and Mangini? With a team so young and a veteran player who should rebound with a contract that now might look more reasonable, I’m thinking it might make most sense to hang onto Figgy…
I’m all for dealing Aardsma though, plenty of good internal replacements for him.
BaronVonBullshit - December 5, 2010
GMZ is nothing if not a clever trader.
If there’s a decent third baseman to be had by trade this winter, I’m sure our front office will be on it.
katal - December 5, 2010
Z mention he likes Mangini's bat
And said he has the chance to earn a job out of ST.
Scruffy Lefty - December 6, 2010
I would laugh so hard if this turned out to be a Carlos Silva thing.
Werth better not bust.
dba - December 5, 2010
He will have to prove his Werth.
Fin - December 5, 2010
.
Not even Strasburg?
The Nationals are also looking at pitching, and I really hope they sign a certain Brad out there so I can see this headline: “Werth every Penny.”
perfectstrat - December 5, 2010
I, unfortunately, watch the Nats.
So now I will be staring at this lumberjack wildebeest for the next seven effing years. Look at him. He looks like a bad surfer mixed with Kid Rock.
SeattExPat - December 5, 2010
Between Benoit and Werth, I love the inflation the market is seeing.
We aren’t planning on spending real money this off season, but our main rivals certainly are. At the very best, this Werth contract will ignite a bidding war between Anaheim and a Boston team that is now setting its sights on a new outfielder.
Further, like the Baron wrote above, this can likely improve the Mariners’ position in the trading market as well. Here’s hoping the team’s future looks a lot brighter by the end of the work week.
katal - December 5, 2010
I figured there would be a rebound after last years buyers market, but Jesus!
JAH - December 5, 2010
You heard about these new corduroy pillows?
They’re makin’ headlines.
Sorry.
slamcactus - December 5, 2010
If this GM is dumb enough to give him that deal
then GMZ needs to be asking the price for Ryan Zimmerman.
Darth Flamingo - December 5, 2010
I suppose the Nats have to pay a premium for any free agent
cause who the hell wants to play for the Nats. But if the Nats are a true talent 75-85 win team the next few years with Werth and all of their young talent, they might be able to luck into a playoff spot or two, and, uh the contract would be werth it.
vivaelpujols - December 5, 2010
ladieth and gentlemen, the winner of thith yeart'th werth pun contetht!
fiftyone - December 5, 2010 via mobile
It just goes to show the stench of playing for a losing team can be easily masked over
with a high pile of money.
44FAN - December 5, 2010
Mo Vaughn and Albert Belle
Both show that you don’t even need to play for the losing team all that much and you still get that high pile of money.
Trenchtown - December 5, 2010
Pujols must be smiling next year
If Werth can get 126 million dollars, he must at least get 10 year 300 million.
Jose Lopez's swing - December 5, 2010
Jayson of a bitch those puns are annoying.
CapSea - December 5, 2010
Looking at the ludicrous contracts that are being handed out, this may be the best offseason yet for the Mariners.
All they have to do is not be retarded and they’ll be the only team that doesn’t have an albatross contract come 2014.
CapSea - December 5, 2010
Are Ted Lerner and Ben Bernake friends?
This deal would indicate that interest rates will not be raised for the next seven years. I wonder if the Rockies’ ownership is in on this as well?
Trenchtown - December 5, 2010
Hmm... investing in a ballplayer as a long term hedge against inflation.
Interesting idea. Especially since baseball teams get to devalue the worth of their contracts on the books for tax purposes on a standard depreciation schedule.
SeattExPat - December 6, 2010
This contract is just the werthst.
joof - December 6, 2010
Points for not being literal about the whole "worth/Werth" homophone.
SeattExPat - December 6, 2010
You could say it was Werth's original.
ThomasG - December 6, 2010
What did we do to deserve this pun-ishment?
Oh well, it was probably Werth it in the end.
thehemogoblin - December 6, 2010
The Washington Nationals are known to court controversies and setting up somehow ‘stupid’ records hence I was not surprised to read that Werth had signed a seven year contract. But again I am happy because the whole scenario is going to change and we are going to have a break now.
ghorbanejadhossein - December 6, 2010
It's a stupid contract that hurts the market more than helps it.
How does that give anyone a break?
ToddK - December 6, 2010
Mike Morse's age 27 season vs. Jayson Werth's age 27 season
Werth (2007):
94 games, 8 HR, 43 RBI, .298/.404/.459;.385 wOBA
Morse (last year)
98 games, 15 HR, 48 RBI, .289/.352/.519; .374 wOBA
Yeah… Morse is a mess in RF. He’s also under contract for like, no money at all.
ICANHIT - December 6, 2010
This is actually kinda hilarious
seattlebruin - December 6, 2010
Eh, he can move to first
Poochie - December 6, 2010
If only he had went to Toronto
Then they could have used the “Jays” in his first name as well
Boots 58 - December 6, 2010
Then if he did well the non-pun title would be Jays Jayson Worth Werth his contract.
You’d pretty much have to pun it.
CapSea - December 6, 2010
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