San Francisco has seen the LA Dodgers spend more than 1 Billion Dollars on player contracts over the last 4 years – all culminating into 4 straight Division titles in the process. Under the new Luxury Tax Yes the organization has handed out big money recently to Johnny Cueto (6 Years/$130 MIL) and both Hunter Pence and Jeff Samardzija are on 5 year pacts that call for $90 MIL.  The only blip against the radar is the Matt Cain contract.  Brian Sabean can actually stomach that abysmal deal because of the sweetheart pact he put forth in retaining Madison Bumgarner early for 6 Years and $35.9 MIL of total money, in which he is in the 6th year of currently. The team still holds two more Team Options for him additionally in 2018 & 2019 which they will surely activate. His deal paved the way for the team to add valuable players after.

We have been saying for years that the LA Dodgers were going to force the rest of the MLB into many changes as soon as they switched ownership group to the Guggenheim Consortium.

Since that proclamation, the Dodger Blue has spent over 1 Billion Dollars in players salaries over the last 4 years, and are on pace to whisk away $240 MIL more in 2017 (without adding any more players to their current salary structure.)

It has caused a chain reaction among the top clubs competing in the Senior Circuit.  One of those said clubs is the San Francisco Giants.  The team that has won the World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014 has seen a rapid escalation in the money they are doling out on an annual basis.

The major difference between the Giants and Dodgers is how many of the players are being paid that the club originally drafted.

During last year’s Trade Deadline, also threw heavy praise at the brass for picking up Matt Moore, who is listed as the clubs 4th Starting Pitcher, and has 3 separate Team Option for a total of $25 MIL over the next 3 campaigns if picked up. 

Another team friendly option as they can decide each offseason whether it is worth it.

Moore also provides protection in case Cueto opts out of his contract after 2017.

AT & T Park is always sold out to help the cause of the team’s finances. This club is also setup to not lose many people after 2017 either, with just Eduardo Nunez and Matt Cain potentially being on the open market after. Perhaps the biggest recipients of the harsher penalties for Salary Tux Threshold Abuse in the new CBA are the SF Giants. The Dodgers are already at a 95 cents per dollar penalty for anymore cash they spent on their roster the rest of the way this season. So Los Angeles will not break the bank much further.

With the Giants lurking around $160 MIL in money for the current squad, they do have some room underneath the $195 MIL Luxury Tax Threshold.  They might jst put it all on their Bullpen help.  It was their Achilles Heel in 2016.

The club could always add another Outfielder for the stretch – or another Starter like they seem to do every seasnn.

This is in contrast to 2015 when the Dodgers spent oer $300 MIL on Team Payroll and last years $280 MIL clip.

While the rest of the clubs just has to suck in the Division they are in with these two powerhouse clubs, the CBA failed to address any real help for the Padres, D’Backs and Rockies.

Buster Posey, Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford are the heart of this lineup and all have contracts through the net 5 seasons before hitting Free Agency in 2022.

If the club can work out their Relief core issues than this team should be in great shape for the next 3 – 5 years

Guaranteed Contracts/POS/AGE:

Johnny Cueto – SP (31): Cueto rebounded back to form in 2016 with a top 6 CY Young finish.  He earns $21.8 MIL for each season between 2017 – 2021, but does have an opt out clause following this year. 

Should he remain a Giant, there is also a team Option in 2022 for $22 MIL – or a $5 MIL Buyout.

This contract calls for him to make at least $130 MIL over  6 years, but would be $147 MIL/7 YRs if the club picks up the 7th year.  If Cueto bails after 2017, he would only have earned $37.7 MIL for 2016 and 2017 combined. 

A brilliant move by Sabean to have done the deal that way.

Cueto, for the record, typically is not as strong following his top 6 Cy Young finishes in 2012, 2014 and 2016.  you could actually say he has the odd number curse.

Buster Posey – C (30):  The premiere Catcher in the National League will earn $21. 4 MIL for each of the next five years. 

Our Chief Writer Hunter Stokes has argued that the team should really think about moving him to 1st Base on a more permanent basis considering the club will pay him $107 MIL over that time span.

The numbers took a little bit of a dip in 2016.  Catching all of these games over the years will continue to limit his output, and now you are paying him among the top salaries across the league. 

Something to look out for.  Posey is a Free Agent after the ’21 year – when he will be 35.

Matt Cain – SP (32):  It is tough to imagine that Cain is just 32 as he has had multiple poor years in a row for the organization.  He is in Year 7 of a 8 YRs/$140 MIL deal.  Health has been an issue with just Starting 73 Games over the last 4 years.

Cain may struggle to maintain a spot in the Giants rotation in 2017, and will certainly be bought out of his 2018 Team Option.  Essentially it coats San Fran $28.5 MIL to have him this campaign.  Yikes…

Jeff Samardzija – SP (32):  The ‘Shark’ had a nice bounce back season for the Giants in 2016, and that is good to hear for Giants fans because he will make $19.8 MIL per season for the next 4 years.

Hunter Pence – OF (34):  The often injured OF will make $18.5 per annum the next 2 straight years.  Pence has only played in 158 Games over the last 2 campaigns, although he has hit usual power numbers in that time with 22 hRs and 97 RBI.

Denard Span – OF (33): Span will earn $11 MIL in both 2017 and 2018 – prior to a Team Option in 2019 of $12 MIL – or a Buyout of $4 MIL.  At worst, he will cost the club $26 MIL over the next 2 years (and 3 YRs/$31 MIL overall) if the club bails on him after 2018.

Span had a down year in 2016, although it was not bad by any means,  He will try to rebound in 2017, and is not overpaid at all yet.

The popular RF also has hit pretty close to his 3 career  Slash Line of .284/.339/.470 during those years as well.  If the Giants can keep him upright then he is full value for the money he is being paid.

Madison Bumgarner – SP (27):  MadBum has 4 straight NL CY Young top 10 finishes, and finally will be paid an 8 figure salary in 2017 – with pulling down $11.5 MIL.

Not that his $12 MIL 2018 Team Option would ever be in question of being exercised, but the LHP can also guarantee his Team Option by lugging just 173.1 IP in 2017.  Needless to say Bumgarner’s contract is one of the best valued contracts on the board in the MLB.

Brandon Belt – 1B/OF (29):  Belt will make $8.8 MIL in 2017 – before running into a yearly salary of $16 MIL per season from 2018 – 2021.   Belt is coming off career highs across the board in 2016 for offensive categories – and saw his 1st ALL – Star Game.

Brandon Crawford – SS (30):  Much like Belt, Crawford continues to improve each year as a hitter, and he has also won back to back Gold Gloves.  His contract pays him $8.2 MIL in 2017 – before escalating to $15.2 MIL for each year between 2018 – 2021 afterward.

Matt Moore – SP (28):  The LHP was brought in at the Trade Deadline for 3B Matt Duffy.  Moore is a perfect #4 or #5 guy on a club, and earns $7 MIL for the upcoming year.  The club has a $9 MIL Team Option for 2018 – or a $1.5 MIL Buyout.

If Moore is picked up for a 2019 Team Option of $10 MIL (or 750K Buyout), his salary would increase by $500,000 each for 98 starts or 600 innings from 2016-18 and 66 starts or 400 innings from 2017-18.

Total Money for this Category for 2017: $149.0 MIL (10 Players)

Arbitration Eligible/POS/AGE

3rd  year

Eduardo Nunez – INF (30):  Nunez is projected to earn $4.4 MIL in his last year of Arbitration before he becomes a Free Agent in 2018.  The man made his 1st All – Star Game, swiped 40 Bags and held an OPS for the season at .758.

2nd  year

Conor Gillaspie – UT (29):  The postseason hero of Game 3 in the LDS round vs the Cubs is slated to earn around 900K in 2017, has one more year of Arbitration in 2018 – and hits the open market in 2019.

1st  year

Ehire Adrianza – UT (28):  will earn 600K in 2017, and has 3 more years left of Arbitration as a ‘Super 2″ before hitting Free Agency in 2021.

Will Smith – RP (27):  The quintessential setup guy is slated to make around $2.3 MIL in Arb this year.  He has 2 more years of Arbitration in 2018 & 2019 before hitting Free Agency in 2020.

George Kontos – RP  (32):  Is projected to earn $1.7 MIL in 2017.  He has 2 more years of Arbitration in 2018 & 2019 before hitting Free Agency in 2020.

Cory Gearrin – RP (31): Is slated to earn around $1.1 MIL in 2017. He has 2 more years of Arbitration in 2018 & 2019 before hitting Free Agency in 2020.

Total Money for this Category in 2017: $5.7 MIL Toral Money Oveall – $154.7 MIL

Pre-Arbitration – Entry Level Contracts:

Joe Panik – 2B (25):  Tough to believe but Panik isn’t at Arbitration yet.  Arbitration Eligible from 2018 – 2020 and  a Free Agent in 2021.

Josh Osich – RP (28): Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022.

Hunter Strickland – RP (28): Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022

Kelby Tomlinson – UT (27): Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022

Derek Law – RP (26):  Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022

Gorkys Hernandez OF (30): Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022

Trevor Brown – C (25): Arbitration Eligible from 2019 – 2021 and  a Free Agent in 2022

Jarrett Parker – OF (28) Arbitration Eligible from 2020 – 2022 and  a Free Agent in 2023.

Mac Williamson – OF (27): (Arbitration Eligible from 2020 – 2022 and  a Free Agent in 2023.

Ty Blach – RP (26): Arbitration Eligible from 2020 – 2022 and  a Free Agent in 2023.

Chris Stratton – RP (25): Arbitration Eligible from 2020 – 2022 and  a Free Agent in 2023.

Steven Okert – RP (26): Arbitration Eligible from 2020 – 2022 and  a Free Agent in 2023.

Total Money for this Category for 2017: $6.5 MIL Toral Money Oveall – $160.7 MIL

Buyouts/Dead Money

The Giants have done a great job of avoiding this category, albeit that Cain could easily factor in here at some point.  But Daniel Carbonell is the only dough wasted at $350 K this year. 

2018 should see the club eat Cain’s contract of $7.5 MIL, and there is always the Moore Buyout if his season goes awry for $1.5 MIL.

Still San Fran is way above the normal use of contending clubs blowing cash in Buyouts, and should be commended for exemplary salary uses.

Total Money for this Category for 2017: $350K Toral Money Oveall – $161.1 MIL

The team should be able to acquire whomever they want to the Bullpen, Starting Rotation or midway season deal for another if so be it.  They are still $34 Million away from the Luxury Tax Threshold.  Maybe this year they will break the odd year jinx?

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Teams often can often reap massive benefits and payroll flexibility if they are able to lock up their young talent early enough. Sabean certainly accomplished this feat with signing MadBum, Posey,, Crawford and even Belt to longterm deals that saved the franchise money.This opened the door to re-sing a guy like Pence after he was traded over to the club in 2013 – but also paved the way for the Cueto and Saajardzija contracts – even though the club had to eat a heavy portion of Cain’s salary for the last half decade.

*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***

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