Cabrera gets extension from Tigers

[TwinsTerritory]

So the Tigers have added 8 years and $248 million to the 2 years and $44 million they already owed Miguel Cabrera. I know he's been one of the best (if not the best) hitters over the past 8-10 years, but this seems like the type of contract that will give the Tigers a lot of headaches starting about 5-6 years from now.

 

I love watching Cabrera hit, but this sounds like good news for the Twins. Hopefully this contract will be an albatross for the Tigers during the prime years of Sano, Buxton, Meyer, etc.

[biggentleben]

This seems to be the newest Albert Pujols deal. Simply crazy!

[JB_Iowa]

According to Twitter Land, this is very unpopular with the execs of other clubs.

 

Maybe Mike Illitch is trying to reduce the value of the club for estate tax purposes.

[Thrylos]

Love that move for the Twins. This takes care of Cabrera's age 31 to 41 seasons. Also he has vesting options for his age 42 and 43 seasons. And this is not a player who will age well... Think Mo Vaughn and Ryan Howard.

 

Just love it.

[TheLeviathan]

Yowza.

 

That's all I've got.

[kydoty]

Your move, Mike Trout.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Holy balls.

[Willihammer]

My heart goes out to Tigers fans

[Craig Arko]

Perhaps Illitch should have just left him the deed to the franchise in his will. Or maybe he did.

[Oldgoat_MN]

That is really odd.

If Cabrera's agent was committed to getting the highest per year salary ever then the team could have protected themselves better than this.

 

$32 Million/year for 5 years, with team options after that?

[iTwins]

The craziest part is that Cabrera's monster deal likely means the Tigers won't be able to resign Max Scherzer in the coming offseason. Scherzer would look good in a Twins uniform...

[nicksaviking]

Awful deal. He hit well last year but already looked to be starting to break down.

 

Though I also thought the Prince Fielder contract was bad and they somehow managed to wiggle out of that one.

 

Any way, this certainly doesn't bode well for the Twins chances of keeping any potential superstar in the coming years. The Twins got their stadium so they would be able to afford the going rate for star players of the time and now the bar is raised again, likely out of their reach.

[Mike Sixel]

That Ellsbury deal looks better and better.....

[tobi0040]

The craziest part is that Cabrera's monster deal likely means the Tigers won't be able to resign Max Scherzer in the coming offseason. Scherzer would look good in a Twins uniform...

 

They approached Max first and he rejected 6 - 144. Personally, seems like a reasonable offer for him and he is taking on a lot of risk. He has only really been good two years and could get hurt this year.

 

Regarding the contract. Will this look really bad when he is 38, 39? Of course and they have to know that. But what you have is an owner who is a huge sports fan. He owns the Tigers and Red Wings. He is the founder of a company that is making money hand over fist (Little Caesars). He is worth almost $2.7B and he really, really wants to win a championship before he passes away. This team loses money every year and I would not expect the Twins to do that, but I am jealous.

[gil4]

My heart goes out to Tigers fans

 

Mine doesn't. At all. Ever.

 

They aren't quite White Sox fans, but they're close.

[kab21]

All of these arguments are the same as every other 200+M contract. Or Mauer's contract.

 

This is the price that you are going to pay for adding/retaining an elite player and it doesn't spell any doom for the Tigers.

[Thrylos]

The craziest part is that Cabrera's monster deal likely means the Tigers won't be able to resign Max Scherzer in the coming offseason. Scherzer would look good in a Twins uniform...

 

Wonder if you will say this after he posts a 9-13 record with a 4.56 ERA this season

[Kwak]

Harumpphh. Same ole sour grapes from Twins fans about somebody else's contract. Anybody consider the inflation factor for the next ten years? Or that this contract may be capitalized and depreciated--serving as a giant tax break? I don't recall any backlash from Twins fans (ya know those true fans!) considering the Mauer contract, so why on Cabrera? Anybody who eats (their) pizza deserves what they get.

[gil4]

All of these arguments are the same as every other 200+M contract. Or Mauer's contract. This is the price that you are going to pay for adding/retaining an elite player and it doesn't spell any doom for the Tigers.

 

He was under contract for two more years. They signed him to a ridiculously long deal at least a year before they had to, and they got no discount for doing so. The Pujols and Hamilton contracts might doom the Angels, and this one doesn't look any better.

[kab21]

He was under contract for two more years. They signed him to a ridiculously long deal at least a year before they had to, and they got no discount for doing so. The Pujols and Hamilton contracts might doom the Angels, and this one doesn't look any better.

 

You don't get discounts for extensions for elite players 1-2 years from FA. The Twins didn't with Mauer. The M's didn't with felix. the Reds didn't with votto. The Dodgers didn't with Kershaw.

 

What the Tigers got was a guarantee to keep Miguel. Some teams would be willing to move on and not lock into the decline years but the tigers have silly money to spend and this isn't going to doom them.

[iastfan112]

You don't get discounts for extensions for elite players 1-2 years from FA. The Twins didn't with Mauer. The M's didn't with felix. the Reds didn't with votto. The Dodgers didn't with Kershaw.

 

What the Tigers got was a guarantee to keep Miguel. Some teams would be willing to move on and not lock into the decline years but the tigers have silly money to spend and this isn't going to doom them.

 

You do get a discount if he struggles next year though, or the foresight not to commit a lot of years to a guy already in his 30's. Signing a guy in his 30's, coming off a career year when you already have him under contract for 2 more years is a highly questionable contract decision.

[kab21]

I don't think you really understand Miguel Cabrera's career. Last year was his best season but it was just a blip above his typical season.

 

You continue to ignore that every 200+M contract is questionable. Did they pay too much/too long? Yes. Do they care? No.

 

Helton's contract didn't sink the Rockies. Mauer's contract won't sink the twins. ARod's contract won't sink the Yankees. Cabrera's contract won't sink the Tigers. All this means is that the Tigers can't bid on the next Cano level FA to hit the market.

[BigTrane]

The craziest part is that Cabrera's monster deal likely means the Tigers won't be able to resign Max Scherzer in the coming offseason. Scherzer would look good in a Twins uniform...

 

I respectfully disagree: Craziest part is that Cabrera is not a Boras client!

Wouldn't be surprised if they tossed in the UP as a deal-sweetner, too.