Projo Sox Blog

By Erik Matuszewski
Bloomberg

Boston Red Sox President Larry Lucchino said he's expecting "crazy competition" for Major League Baseball's elite free agents, even with the global economic crisis.

Today is the first day that major-league teams can have contract discussions with free agents who were with other clubs last season. Among the 171 players whose contracts expired and filed for free agency are All-Stars outfielder Manny Ramirez, pitcher CC Sabathia, first baseman Mark Teixeira, and reliever Francisco Rodriguez.

Lucchino said while the economic slowdown would probably substantially impact almost all aspects of professional baseball, the free-agent market would be largely unaffected.

"I think it's a little too soon to feel the likely effects of this deep recession that the country is veering into," Lucchino said last night before a speaking engagement at Princeton University, his alma mater. "There may still be some crazy competition going on for this year's free agents."

Sabathia, who went 11-2 with a 1.65 earned run average for Milwaukee after being traded from Cleveland, has received an offer to stay with the Brewers that could pay him $100 million over five seasons, SI.com reported last week. Ramirez was offered a two-year deal in the neighborhood of $55 million to stay with the Dodgers, MLB.com said.

Both are likely to receive offers from other teams as the free agent signing period opens today.

Global Slide

Statistics published within the last 24 hours showed deterioration in economies around the world. The 15-nation euro area fell into its first recession in 15 years, retail sales in the U.S. fell by the most on record in October, and Chinese industrial production rose last month at the slowest pace in seven years.

"I'm hopeful people will realize our game is not impervious to these kinds of financial problems and that teams will adjust," Lucchino said. "But the system that's in place is so heavily tilted towards the leverage and benefits and opportunities of free agents."

The New York Yankees, who had a league-high team payroll of more than $200 million last season, have said they'll turn to free agency to upgrade their starting pitching staff after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 1994.

They may be in the mix for Sabathia's services along with teams such as the Brewers and Los Angeles' Angels and Dodgers, MLB.com said.

"Everything has a price," Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said at a news conference this week. "We understand free agency. We're going to go after what we need. If what we're willing to do is not enough, then it won't be enough. But we're going to pursue the market aggressively."

Varitek's Future

Lucchino said yesterday he's unsure whether the Red Sox will bring back 36-year-old catcher Jason Varitek, who's spent his 11-year major-league career in Boston. Varitek was one of nine Red Sox to file for free agency.

Nine Yankees are free agents, including pitchers Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano, outfielder Bobby Abreu, first baseman Jason Giambi and catcher Ivan Rodriguez. There were 11 Mets who filed for free agency, including pitcher Pedro Martinez and outfielder Moises Alou.

Other free agent pitchers include A.J. Burnett, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, Derek Lowe and Ben Sheets. A total of 175 players filed for free agency, though four have already reached agreements to rejoin their previous teams.

"I suspect that this year you would see very modest impact on the highest levels of free agents, but a more significant impact on the lower level of free agents, the three-to-six million-dollar players," Lucchino said. "The players who are in the $15 (million) to $20 million range are likely to be rare enough and the impact of the recession delayed enough, that they may not be affected."

 Tags  free agency Larry Lucchino

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