An Easy Call

[Rog]

Based on Wins Above Replacement, the call between Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields is an easy one.  Scherzer stands above the other two.

The average WAR over the past five seasons has been:

Scherzer         3.8

Lester             2.6

Shields           2.6


Their WAR this past season was:

Scherzer         5.0

Lester             4.2

Shields           2.9


Based on their history, Scherzer is the only player who has performed at the level of his proposed contract.  He has had the highest WAR of the three in each of the past three seasons.  Shields has the advantages of being the most consistent and of pitching the most innings.

Based solely on WAR, it's an easy call:  Scherzer.  Max is also the youngers of the trio, although by only six months compared to Lester.

Lots more to look at, but right now the leader (for me) is Scherzer, even though he is believed to be getting the longest contract of the three.  WAR says it's really not all that close.

Scherzer.

[rxmeister]

Scherzer is represented by Scott Boras, which will scare off most of the GM's though. It's not only the money, it's the waiting. Will the Giants watch a bunch of starters that could have helped sign elsewhere while they wait Boras out? I'd prefer Scherzer too, but he'll cost more.

[Rog]

The Boras situation makes it a tough one alright.

As you point out, the timing of the situation will likely be awkward, since it could leave your team holding the bag. The way I would approach it would be to turn the tables. I would make a final offer and give it a deadline. Unless he felt the offer was the highest that would be available, he would advise his client not to take it, and then the Giants could move on to Plan C.

And of course if he did take it, Plan B would have been started.

As for Boras, I realize he is hated by many -- but why? He does his job to the fullest, and isn't that what he's supposed to do? He builds strong cases for his clients and has the guts to wait it out to get the best offer.

Take a look at one of his early triumphs. It came at the expense of the Giants, who failed to make a timely offer to first round draft choice Matt White, allowing him to become a free because of Boras' vigilant eye. White never made it (arm problems IIRC), but Boras helped him to benefit from his talents as much as possible.

Why is an agent hated for doing his job well? Has he done anything unethical? Dishonest? Immoral? If so, please bring it to light with proof. Otherwise, we might not want to hate a guy for doing his job to the fullest.

Or we could simply put the Reserve Clause back into place.

By the way, we have badly criticized Pablo Sandoval for leaving the Giants. Care to guess how many seasons he was with them before he gained his freedom to choose? Did you guess 11?

Would you say that gave him the right to choose as he pleased and that our criticism of him was self righteous? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. And perhaps after we've walked a mile in Pablo's shoes.

Personally, I think Pablo made the wrong decision. At the end of his contract he might feel that way to -- or he might not. Either way, the decision was his to make. It took him 11 seasons to earn that right.

That's right.

[rxmeister]

The Giants are meeting with Jon Lester today, according to Buster Olney. I can't see the Giants being the high bidder with the Yankees and Red Sox involved, but without a doubt they have to be at the top of his list because of the rings and the ballpark. It's definitely the only pitching friendly park of the four finalists. The only thing that might trump this is his previous relationship with the Red Sox.
Getting back to the topic, Rog, the problem I see with Boras is that he basically takes all personal relationships out of the negotiations and makes it about the dollars only, which has to be a big turnoff to teams. You see the way the Red Sox wined and dined Pablo and sold him on the team to the extent that Pablo might have taken less money? That won't happen with Boras, it's just how much cash you're offering. And the worst part by far is after you make your offer, even if it's the highest one, he won't take it at first, he will literally sit by the phone for months waiting for another team to top it, basically holding your off season hostage. You'll sit there waiting for him, while other options dry up, because other free agents sign elsewhere and trades get made while you wait for your answer. If another team than pops in with a better offer, you're left without the player and it's too late to do anything else. Who wants to deal with that?

[Rog]

Mark -- the problem I see with Boras is that he basically takes all personal relationships out of the negotiations and makes it about the dollars only, which has to be a big turnoff to teams.

Rog -- Do we know that Boras himself takes all the personal relationships out of the equation? I think he leans toward the money, but I presume that if his client has other interests, he takes them into consideration. But most players are about the money, so he probably doesn't have to go far beyond the money.

Mark -- You see the way the Red Sox wined and dined Pablo and sold him on the team to the extent that Pablo might have taken less money? That won't happen with Boras, it's just how much cash you're offering.

Rog -- Perhaps that wouldn't have been the case with Pablo though, if Pablo expressed other interests to Boras besides money. It may be Boras is more likely to attract players who are all about the money, but I think he would represent other interests if they expressed them to him.

As for Pablo, for whatever reasons he just didn't seem to want to return to the Giants. He said he would go with his heart, and it appears he did so. Perhaps he still didn't feel properly appreciated by the Giants. That is my guess.

Remember, Pablo didn't have very good representation. They were characterized as being very unprofessional. That's not to say that they didn't serve Pablo well, but it would make it appear it wasn't all about the money for Pablo.

Mark -- And the worst part by far is after you make your offer, even if it's the highest one, he won't take it at first, he will literally sit by the phone for months waiting for another team to top it, basically holding your off season hostage. You'll sit there waiting for him, while other options dry up, because other free agents sign elsewhere and trades get made while you wait for your answer. If another team than pops in with a better offer, you're left without the player and it's too late to do anything else. Who wants to deal with that?

Rog -- Which is why I said I would make my best offer and put a time limit on it. Teams don't HAVE to deal with Boras' delaying tactics. They merely choose to do so despite the negative way it might affect him.

What Boras is very good at is presenting his client in the best possible light, and using patience to get the best offer. His tactics don't always work, but the vast majority of the time they do.

The longer Boras waits, the scarcer his player's commodity becomes. You don't think Chase Headley will get a bigger contract now that Pablo has signed? Before Pablo signed, Headley was a good candidate for third base, but he was still viewed as the 2nd-best free agent at the position. Now he's viewed as being clearly the best available.

I can see why teams aren't exactly enamored of Boras. He costs them money. And if that is the case, he is doing a very good job if his client is after the biggest contract. Why should Boras be criticized for doing his job well?

Read more: sfgiantsmessageboard.proboards.com/thread/2603/easy-call#ixzz3Keo6e4WZ

[rxmeister]

Have you noticed that Scott Boras has just one major client this offseason? I guess it's not just GM's that don't like him, it appears he's not popular with players either. His "getting the most money for his clients" reputation has taken serious hits over the last few years. Holding the player out till the last possible moment often backfires on him, ask Stephen Drew what he thinks. He cost him a multi year deal last year by waiting too long, and Drew had a terrible year because he missed spring training while Boras waited for the right deal. The same thing happened to Boras with Kyle Lohse. Boras has also been accused of condoning PED's and possibly acted illegally when he was ARod's agent in a cover up. I think players are starting to think that Boras isn't worth the aggravation. The player's get antsy when spring training is approaching and they don't have a team yet.