March 19, 2008
Should He Stay or Should He Go?
Via BBTF, John Romano discusses the economics of keeping Longoria in the majors or sending him to the minors to delay his free agency for a year. If he plays the full year in the majors, the Rays might lose him after the 2013 season. If the Rays let him play a month at AAA, then they get an extra year of control, but he'll go to arbitration four times.
I like the solution John offers near the end of the article:
Of course, there is another scenario. The Rays could sign Longoria to a long-term deal right now. They probably won't buy out his free-agent seasons, but they could get some cost certainty during his arbitration seasons and they could keep him happy by giving him a big raise today.
I don't agree that sending Longoria down now doesn't make a difference because the Rays are not going to contend. There's no way of knowing that. This is the best team the Rays have ever put on the field. Too much good luck can happen to propel a team to the playoffs during a season, and good luck is more likely to come about if they put their best players on the field.
I'd take the route the Rockies did with Tulowitzki. Start Longoria in the majors, and if he has a great season, sign him to a long term deal. That makes everyone happy, and give the Rays the best chance to compete in 2008.
Posted by David Pinto at
10:27 AM
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