After years of miserable play the Houston Astros have assembled what looks to be an elite squad for the future.  Nobody expects them to turn heads in 2014, let me be clear.  This season and the next will serve as an opportunity for their top talent to develop in both the pro and minor league levels.  With a virtually non-existent payroll and no real salary commitments for years to come you can imagine these prospects blossoming and being coupled with some nice veteran signings to result in a competitive MLB roster.  

That is a recipe for success that has proven itself in recent memory for teams like the Rays and Royals

The Mariners latest signing of Robinson Cano to a $240/10-year contract may prove yet again that failing to look to the past when deciding a course for the future can cost you big time. As if there weren’t already enough big contract underperformers, dare I say busts(?) over the past few years (Crawford, Howard, Hamilton, B.J Upton, Teixeira…) to prove teams must exercise extreme caution when considering lengthy big money contract; the Mariners need only glance back two years and a few hundred miles south down the west coast to Los Angeles for the most recent gut check on wide-eyed ambitious MLB CEO’s who forget that a decade means TEN WHOLE YEARS!

When the Angels signed Albert Pujols to a $240 million 10 year deal it opened up an honest debate. Even if you are talking about one of the most consistent and potent hitters of the current MLB generation, can you ever seriously commit $20-30 million a year to a guy 7-8-9-10 years out and feel good about the contract? The similarities between these two players and their mega contract signings are eerily ominous. Both signed their big contracts at 31 years of age. Remember what that means: guaranteed average salaries in the $25 million range when they are 38-41 years old. Care to venture a guess how many 40 year olds in MLB history would of been worth that kind of cash? Me either because I don’t like to spend my time looking for mythical things that likely don’t exist. IE…Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, a $25 million dollar 41 year old MLB slugger, etc, etc.

This debate could go on endlessly and only time will tell if Cano or Pujols or any of these big signings pan out. But one thing is for sure. Baseball is a business first and foremost. To the casual fan, dreaming of vicarious World Series glory from the armchair of their living room, contracts like this seem like a waste of money. But in reality for any MLB franchise the decision to sign these deals usually can produce a win-win outcome. Or if things turn sour, a neutral result. Teams like the Angels and Rangers currently have a 20 year, $3 billion local broadcasting contracts. The Mariners just recently positioned themselves to earn approximately $2 billion over 20 years with their acquisition of a majority stake in the ROOT network. When all emotions and fandom are set aside, none of these contracts will really hurt a team financially at the end of the day (or ten year contract).

Negotiations nearly broke down completely last night between Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners. Reports indicate that Cano’s agent Jay Z rebuked the Mariners offer of 8 years and $200 million and countered with an Arod record contract matching demand of 10 years and $252 million. Howard Lincoln, CEO and Chairman of the Mariners apparently “exploded” in response and abruptly ended the meeting. The story if true is a clear indicator that being a rap mogul doesn’t qualify you for power brokering professional athlete contracts. Is anyone shocked by this revelation? At a time when no other team seems willing to offer anywhere near Cano’s demands it is stunning that Jay Z would push the envelope so far. Fortunately for all involved (except Cano’s future World Series hopes) a deal was struck in the end. A compromise between the Mariner’s $225 million over 9 years last offer and Jay Z’s $252 over 10 years demand resulted in a comfortable $240 million over 10 year deal. Score this one a victory for newly minted power broker Jay Z…all drama aside.

Free agent relief pitcher Brian Wilson agrees to a one year, $10 million  contract to stay with the Dodgers. This contract also includes an $8.5 Million player option for the 2015 season. The right hander has had two Tommy John Surgeries in his career. Which is probably the main reason why the Giants declined to being him back last year. Wilson has not pitched a full season since 2011 and had a shortened 2012 season due to another injury. With the risk of him injuring his arm again the Dodgers are gambling $10 million. Hopefully the ball drops on the right color for them.  It appears the Dodgers are becoming  more and more  like the Yankees by throwing lots of money at people in the hopes of buying themselves a championship ring.