OnlyBucs

I agree that I want to enjoy what we have now in Bell but it’s hard not to think and prepare for the absolute worst with this ownership group and management team. I just continue to despise the fact everyday that Bob Nutting owns this team and doesn’t give a damn about winning on the field.

675559594D7F5C55585D5255340 wrote: Josh Bell will be traded before he hits free agency.  Get prepared.
I don't know, why don't we just be happy about now for now and worry about that down the road.


I'm very happy about now. But I want to see a title ... not content with an ever changing organization that can't keep its good players because the owner sucks and is cheap.

Oh yeah I understand. But who knows what else will be happening two or three offseasons from now.

272B2A7178717974736C76410 wrote: I am already wondering what salary figure Boras will request for Bell in arbitration for next season. If Bell continues to have this tremendous season, and I hope he does, Boras will request an arbitration amount which might be the highest for a first year arbitration eligible player. If that happens you know the Bucs will take Bell through the trial process which stinks.




The highest first year arbitration number is just under $11M to Kris Bryant after his 2017 season. At that point, Bryant totaled almost 21 WAR. Ryan Howard might have the highest first year 1B arb number at around $10M. He had a total WAR around 12, because 1B. But he also had like 130 career HR at that point. Bell's total WAR will be between 7-8 and his career HR will be like 70-80.



Bell is probably looking at somewhere between 5-7 million.

Is Cody Bellinger eligible for arbitration after this season? Don't know if he came up before super two or not but he will get a lot bigger deal than Josh.



I agree with Orlando that 5-7 million is range, Boras may go for 8 or 9 to be aggressive but that would make it riskier to win.



I've got my hopes up that Bell can continue to hit for a 300 average this year. He only hit 208 in June but is 308 thus far in July.

Offer him five years, $50 million. Be willing to go 4/48. That would buy out a year of FA, with an AAV of $10-12 million. That should be a nice middle ground. The Pirates can easily afford this. Would Bell do it? I don't really care about Boras. He advises Bell and represents him, but at the end of the day, he works for Bell, and if Bell says he wants to sign, there's nothing Boras can do about it.



But, given the FA market the last two years, maybe Bell would opt for more money up front. Personally, I think this is doable. Boras' comments seemed to be a sort of "shot across the bow" at Nutting.

61696A5D4B6E4946280 wrote: Offer him five years, $50 million. Be willing to go 4/48. That would buy out a year of FA, with an AAV of $10-12 million. That should be a nice middle ground. The Pirates can easily afford this. Would Bell do it? I don't really care about Boras. He advises Bell and represents him, but at the end of the day, he works for Bell, and if Bell says he wants to sign, there's nothing Boras can do about it.






Just look out if he puts out an ad in the paper saying he's definitely retiring to go to college. ;D

151D1E293F1A3D325C0 wrote: Offer him five years, $50 million. Be willing to go 4/48. That would buy out a year of FA, with an AAV of $10-12 million. That should be a nice middle ground. The Pirates can easily afford this. Would Bell do it? I don't really care about Boras. He advises Bell and represents him, but at the end of the day, he works for Bell, and if Bell says he wants to sign, there's nothing Boras can do about it.



But, given the FA market the last two years, maybe Bell would opt for more money up front. Personally, I think this is doable. Boras' comments seemed to be a sort of "shot across the bow" at Nutting.


It's true that Bell makes the final decision. But you hire Boras because of his business history. And that is to reach free agency as quickly as possible and to negotiate for as much money as possible at that point.

13343F1C510 wrote: Offer him five years, $50 million. Be willing to go 4/48. That would buy out a year of FA, with an AAV of $10-12 million. That should be a nice middle ground. The Pirates can easily afford this. Would Bell do it? I don't really care about Boras. He advises Bell and represents him, but at the end of the day, he works for Bell, and if Bell says he wants to sign, there's nothing Boras can do about it.



But, given the FA market the last two years, maybe Bell would opt for more money up front. Personally, I think this is doable. Boras' comments seemed to be a sort of "shot across the bow" at Nutting.


It's true that Bell makes the final decision. But you hire Boras because of his business history. And that is to reach free agency as quickly as possible and to negotiate for as much money as possible at that point.


The Pirates offer the unique opportunity to tie yourself thru your most productive years to a team that will pay you less than what others would pay while never doing enough to enable you to win the championship you would like to win at least once in your career. That's a tempting offer.

;D