Loading ...According to Hal McCoy in the DDN:
Q: Shouldn’t the Reds be trying to sign Bronson Arroyo to a long-term deal right now? Of course, that’s assuming he wants to come back. — Michael, Wilmington, N.C.
A: And that’s the big assumption one shouldn’t make. Arroyo left Boston kicking and screaming. Because he was traded in the midst of a long-term contract, he has the option of becoming a free agent after the season. If he continues to have a monster year the Red Sox might offer him millions and the deed to The Old Church and Kenmore Square. He hasn’t sold his new house in Boston, either.
I thought it had been determined that Arroyo didn’t have enough major league time to void his deal? If this is true, no matter how good he is this year, one year of Arroyo isn’t worth giving up Pena.
1. Hal McCoy is in need of a “fact check” button as much as a 5th grade student is in need of a “spell check” button.
2. Is a 3 year contract truly long term? When I think long term contract I think 5-6-7 years.
I’m not defending McCoy, who has driven me crazy for years and is know for inaccuracies, but what does MLB consider a “long term deal”?
The MLBPA agreement allows ballplayers to be a FA if they are traded during a long term contract? That’s the craziest thing I have ever heard. Why would a team make a deal if that were the case?
I doubt Arroyo returns to Boston. The Red Sox were trying to trade him all winter. Why would he return to a place where he was unwanted?
The idea is to give the player some more bargaining power. It stops teams from making sign and trades. So that the Yankees can’t sign someone on the cheap and then trade the player to the D-Backs.
A long-term deal (or in reality a mult-year deal, as the rules call it) is anything longer than one year.
In Arroyo’s case he was traded during his 3 year deal, so if he has enough Major League time he could void the rest of his deal. However Arroyo doesn’t have enough time. He only has 3.15 years, and he needs 5.
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Also, a player with five years of service time who is traded in the middle of a multi-year contract may demand another trade prior to the start of the season following the one in which he was traded.
Link
Thanks for the info, Pinski – that’s a relief. It was my understsanding that Arroyo was stuck with us for three years, so you’ve just verified that.
Yeah, I freaked out about this the day after the trade, because I was looking for anything to bash the trade.
I still don’t like the trade, but if Arroyo pitchers like he has for a full season I’ll warm up really quick.
I did the same legwork as Pinski (for the same reason). McCoy’s off his nut. The best part is that he’s five weeks late in being wrong. If he was right, shouldn’t he have written that at the time of the deal, since it would’ve been a HUGE screwup by Krivsky? Instead, he just slips it into a Q&A column a long time later. I’m disappointed in the level of effort he shows.
I even looked at the Basic Agreement on this – you need to have your 5 yrs service time at the time of the trade. Arroyo didn’t, so he’s stuck here.
i’m constantly amazed by how bad hal mccoy is at reporting about baseball, and how popular he is for the same reporting. I wish i could be that terrible and well thought of at my job.
I am that terrible. I’m just missing the kudos.