Signing Cespedes  has signed the biggest contract of the offseason thus far at 4 YRs/$110 MIL.  it is ranked tied for 60th ALL – Time even though the Annual Average Value is tied for 2nd ALL – Time among position players.  With power having been devalued and a firm new set of penalties for Luxury Tax Threshold Abusers, it may take until the winter of 2018 – heading into 2019 – for another player to ink a contract that places them in the top 50 ALL – Time Salaries.

The winter has seen a lot of great Free Agents sign like Yoenis Cespedes, Aroldis Chapman, Dexter Fowler, Kenley Jansen, Ian Desmond, Mark Melancon and Edwin Encarnacion, however none of them were historic by any means.

While Cespedes’s $110 MIL pact over 4 years is $27.5 MIL per year, which ties him for the  2nd best AAV ALL – Time for a position player with Alex Rodriguez, (trailing Miguel Cabrera‘s 8 YR/$248 MIL extension that started in 2016) – only brings him in for a tie for about 60th on the ALL – Time Biggest Contracts list.

To crack the top 50 list ALL – Time right now, you need to bring in a deal that makes at least $120 MIL for the life of the contract.

During last years offeseason, David Price ($217 MIL), Zack Greinke, ($206.5 MIL) Jason Heyward, ($184 MIL), Chris Davis, ($161 MIL), Justin Upton ($132.8 MIL) and Johnny Cueto ($130 MIL) all inked pacts in excess of that.

Early in the season, Stephen Strasburg shocked the world with his new 7 YRs/$175 MIL deal soon afterwards.

J.D. Martinez backed up his 2014 impressive breakout season with a Silver Slugger Award/top 15 AL MVP Voting and ALL – Star Appearance in 2015. Martinez smacked 38 HRS and added 103 RBI, which led the club in both categories.  While he couldn’t maintain upright for more than 120 contests in 2016 – he still posted an OPS of .908 – and an OPS+ of 144.  With a huge 2017 year, and being just 30 years old as the premiere Free Agent on the board, it stands to reason he could land a 6 or 7 year deal well above $120 MIL.

With no big named Free Agents left (apologies to Mike Napoli and Chris Carter) the next Free Agent class may be the next time we see this mark crossed.

Jake Arrieta is talking to the Cubs in preliminary conversations, however I doubt Chicago will ante up the amount of jack needed to suffice the 2015 NL Cy Young winner.  At age 32 next season. Arrieta may even find it hard to make it past $120 MIL himself on a new deal.

Johnny Cueto has an opt-out clause in his current deal that comes into effect after this next campaign.  If he duplicates a ye, it ar like he put forth in 2016 – he should test the market again considering the lack of rotation chuckers.  Even then, it might be hard to surpass $120 MIL.

Eric Hosmer, who might be the best Free Agent right now on the open market next winter, could also make a push towards the top 60, but would probably need to strike at least a 6 or 7 year deal in order to make it happen.

Carlos Gonzalez and J.D. Martinez are extremely talented offensive forces, and will be 32 and 30 years old respectively heading into Free Agency. I think the Coors Field effect/injury history will set back CARGO from completing this mission, and Martinez while just into his 30’s, may have to sigh a 7 year contract for this to take shape.

Other extension candidates for young superstars like Bryce Harper, Manny Machado are not likely, as are Nolan Arenado or Kris Bryant.  All guys who could command a huge bounty if out for everyone to bid on right now.

Younger players like Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa are also just too young into their time service clock.

I don’t foresee the Mets extending any of their young pitchers either.

One wildcard could be the Boston Red Sox.  If I were them. I would extend 3 years on Sale for an additional $94 MIL right now and make the deal to be $132 MIL over 6 years to have the AAV only cost $22 MIL, and guarantee the team has he and Price until 2023.

At a $31.3 MIL AAV for the years of 2020 – 2022, that would slightly pay Sale a little bit over Price’s $31.0 MIL  to be the biggest AAV in AL Pitcher history.

The highest contracts in MLB history (Maroon means Active Contract)

 *1. Giancarlo Stanton, $325, 000, 000 (2015 – 2027)

*2. Alex Rodriguez, $275,000,000 (2008-17)

*** With A-Rod’s suspension in 2014, he forfeited $22.13 MIL bucks, so it will end up 10 YRs/$252.87 MIL for the duration of his deal.  Arod also has the 23rd highest contract in history too.

*3. Miguel Cabrera $248,000, 000 (2016 – 2023)

Go see #30 as well.  He has the 3rd and 30th top contracts of ALL – Time.

*4. Albert Pujols, $242,000,000 (2012-21)

*5. Robinson Cano, $240,000,000 (2014 – 2023)

*6. Joey Votto, $225,000,000 (2014-23)

*7.  David Price, $217,000,000 (2016 – 2022)

*8.  Clayton Kershaw $215,000,000 (2014 – 2020)

*9. Prince Fielder, $214,000,000 (2012-20)

*10.  Max Scherzer, $210,000,000 (2015 – 2021)

*11. Zack Greinke, $206,500,000 (2016 – 2022)

12. Derek Jeter, $189,000,000 (2001-10)

*T13. Joe Mauer, $184,000,000 (2011-18)

*T13. Jason Heyward, $184,000,000 (2016 – 2023)

*T15. Mark Teixeira, $180,000,000 (2009-16)

*T15. Justin Verlander, $180,000,000 (2013-19)

*T17. Felix Hernandez, $175,000,000 (2013-19)

*T17. Stephen Strasburg, $175,000,000 (2017-2023)

*19. Buster Posey, $167,000,000 (2013-21)

*T20. Chris Davis, $161,000,000 (2016 – 2022)

*T20 CC Sabathia, $161,000,000 (2009-15)

T-22. Manny Ramirez, $160,000,000 (2001-08)

*T-22. Matt Kemp, $160,000,000 (2012-19)

24. Alex Rodriguez, $158,400,000 (2001-2007)

*25 Troy Tulowitzki, $157,750,000 (2011-20)

*T26  Masahiro Tanaka, $155,000,000 (2014 – 20) (Doesn’t include his $20 MIL posting fee)

*T26.  Jon Lester, $155,000,000 (2015 – 2021)

*T28. Adrian Gonzalez, $154,000,000 (2012-18)

*T28. Jacoby Ellsbury , $153,000,000 (2014-2020)

30. Miguel Cabrera, $152,300,000 (2008-15)

*31.  Mike Trout, $144, 500, 000 (2015 – 2020)

*32. Cole Hamels, $144,000,000 (2013-18) 

*33. Carl Crawford, $142,000,000 (2011-17)

34. Todd Helton, $141,500,000 (2003-11)

35. Johan Santana, $137,500,000 (2008-13)

*36. David Wright, $138,000,000 (2013-20)

37. Alfonso Soriano, $136,000,000 (2007-14)

*38.  Freddie Freeman, $135,000,000 (2014-21)

*39.  Justin Upton,  $132, 750, 000 (2016 – 2021)

*T40.  Shin-Soo Choo, $130,000,000 (2014-20)

*T40.  Johnny Cueto, $130, 000, 000 (2016 – 2021)

*42. Matt Cain, $127,500,000 (2012-17)

T 43. Vernon Wells, $126,000,000 (2008-14)

T-43. Barry Zito, $126,000,000 (2007-13)

*T43. Jayson Werth, $126,000,000 (2011-17)

T-46. Ryan Howard, $125,000,000 (2012-16)

*T-46: Josh Hamilton, $125,000,000 (2013-17)

48. Mike Hampton, $121,000,000 (2001-08)

T-49. Jason Giambi, $120,000,000 (2002-08)

T-49. Matt Holliday, $120,000,000 (2010-16)

*T-49: Elvis Andrus, $120,000,000 (2015-22)

 T-49:  Cliff Lee, $120,000,000 (2011-15)

Just Outside the BAR

53. Carlos Beltran, $119,000,000 (2005-2015)

54 .Ken Griffey Jr., $116,500,000 (2000-08)

As it stands,we may go through to after the World Series ends to see whether a team actually bucks us north of $120 MIL. If J.D. Martinez or Arrieta has a season less than the ones they just had, it may take until 2018 to have some one else enter this top 50. That year will see a pile of record contracts with Harper, Machado, Kershaw (if he opts out) among others on the open market.

Follow @chuckbooth3024 @mlbreports

*** 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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