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Related: About this forumFreddie Freeman is dead to me!
Freddie Freeman reaches agreement with Los Angeles Dodgers on six-year, $162 million deal, sources say
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33523386/freddie-freeman-reaches-agreement-los-angeles-dodgers-six-year-162-million-deal-sources-say
Freeman, 32, reached free agency for the first time in his career after helping the Atlanta Braves win their first World Series since 1995 with a six-game triumph over the Houston Astros. During his 12th big league season, the first baseman hit .300 (eighth in the National League) with 31 homers, 83 RBIs and an NL-leading 120 runs.
Freeman's deal has the second-highest average annual value ($27 million) ever for a first baseman (behind Miguel Cabrera's eight-year deal with the Tigers, $31 million AAV) and is the seventh-richest by total value at the position.
The Dodgers now have given out a $100 million contract in three straight years, following massive deals for Mookie Betts in 2020 and Trevor Bauer in 2021. Freeman is the first infielder (and seventh player overall) to receive a $100 million deal from the Dodgers.
Gore1FL
(21,885 posts)redstateblues
(10,565 posts)who is 5 years younger!
underpants
(186,644 posts)Going cheaper and younger.
True Dough
(20,263 posts)They're auctioning off the present. Hopefully they have a roadmap for the future.
underpants
(186,644 posts)but I guess they got a younger cheaper 1st baseman as noted below.
Clash City Rocker
(3,541 posts)JT45242
(2,893 posts)If he has more than 2 good years, I will be shocked. So approximately 80 million dollars wasted...
This is the sort of stupid deal that guarantees that small market teams are really just the minor leagues for big market teams. The Reds have traded away basically all their talent (even reasonably priced talent like Sonny Gray's 10 mill a year for a solid starter) to once again be the AAAA affiliate of teams with money. Other small market teams also jettisoning players because they cannot compete.
While teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, and Cubs have unlimited funds to spend.
Until baseball has real revenue sharing and a salary floor and a salary cap like the NBA and NFL it will be an unwatchable affair with 8-12 teams that will hover around 100 losses ans cannot make the playoffs beyond a play in Wildcard win and 8 teams that hover around 100 wins and always make the playoffs.
The only smallish market team with any success is the SL Cardinals because with an unbalanced schedule they can beat the crap out of the Reds, Pirates, and Brewers. Only the big money Cubs between them and a safe playoff spot.
Once you get to the real playoffs it is a crap shoot because of pitchers and wonky strike zones. But if you have deep pockets you can buy your way to 95 wins and a post season birth (see the Yankees), even if you don't win the championship.
They might as well relegate small market teams to the AAAA league because that is all they are now.
Baked Potato
(7,733 posts)As a Braves fan, there is always the dream of players being loyal and sticking around until retirement like Chipper. But, Maddux and Glavine left too.
I like our pick up with Matt Olson.