/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62933202/usa_today_11192257.0.jpg)
COLLUSION!
That is the word on the street. It was a big topic last year - Marc Normandin wrote all about it just over a year ago - and with top free agents still unsigned - notably Bryce Harper and Manny Machado - it has come up again.
There were a lot of other theories swirling around at that time, though, to explain away the lack of free agent signings. Maybe teams are just “smarter” and less willing to take on large contracts for aging players. Teams are also trying to stay under the Luxury Tax and don’t want to give out big contracts. That is why the market for what we will call A- players has seemingly dried up. The A+ players, though, the Bryce Harpers and the Manny Machados of the league, they should be fine.
Except it is almost February and they are still unsigned.
It is weird. In the past, we have seen these players sign much earlier. Jason Heyward signed with the Cubs in 2015 - just over three years ago - on December15. Albert Pujols signed with the Angels in 2011 on December 8. What is going on?
The players have definitely taken notice. This is what Matt Carpenter had to say, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
“The last offseason — the kind of thought you left (with) was OK, well, teams are evaluating age,” third baseman Matt Carpenter said. “But when you look at the two guys that are unsigned now — I mean, they’re 26 years old. So that can’t be the reason. So I don’t know. It’s a situation that is obviously an issue.”
New Cardinal Paul Goldschmidt is worried as well. Per Goold again:
Goldschmidt expressed concern about what a static market means for the game. He described how baseball is in danger of slipping in quality because “to put out the best product, you need the best players.”
A change may be near; what type of change, though, remains a mystery.
As fans though, it is pretttttttttty boring.
what else is going on in baseball...
Martinez, Rivera, Mussina humbled by HOF news | MLB.com
Each MLB team's projected Opening Day rotation | MLB.com
Baseball rivalries and beefs are back | MLB.com
Mo'ne Davis gives talk on Play Ball initiative | MLB.com
Roy Halladay and the Collision of Baseball Immortality and Human Mortality | FanGraphs Baseball
The 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken card, 30 years later | SBNation.com
what the cardinals are up to...
Inbox: Will Jose Martinez stay in St. Louis? | St. Louis Cardinals
MLB's best prospects in the past 15 years | St. Louis Cardinals
KNOW THINE ENEMY...
the nl central
The Awfully Quiet Pirates | FanGraphs Baseball
Theo Epstein talks about the Cubs’ future ... and kicking field goals | Bleed Cubbie Blue
viva el stuff...
FanPost Friday: Reliving Your Most Memorable Games | Viva El Birdos
other things...
Blues Vs. Ducks Recap | St. Louis Game Time
Tweet or e-mail me links @lil_scooter93 or at lil_scooter93 AT msn DOT com!