Troy Tulowitski...
Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2018 2:38 pm
143934252233246467560 wrote: This is a weird all-around deal. He may well want a one-year pact to rebuild his value and resign for something longer term (beyond his current Blue Jays deal), or he might want something longer term right away. But on this one unique occasion, the Pirates are able to bid with anyone (until it goes beyond the current two-year Toronto assist).
His deal is already set. Any team that signs him takes over his current contract. The catch is that because Toronto released him, they are responsible for continuing to pay all but the MLB minimum each year. His contract calls for 20 million in 2019, 14 million for 2020 and the 4 million buyout for 2021. But the team that signs him will pay only $555,000 for 2019 and whatever the increase is for 2020. So because his contract is already established and any team that signs him pays only the MLB minimum portion of it, Tulo's only issue is how much and where he will play. Any team has nothing to lose by taking him while Toronto pays him, but his injury history makes it tough for top contenders to rely on him. So while he wants to be a starter, a team that signs him and starts him will have to have a solid plan B in case he can't make it thru the season. But the better he looks in a workout, the more likely a top contender is to sign him. IMHO, the Pirates would be a last resort for him if they were offering him the starting SS job while better teams weren't promising him he would start.
I'd still think that most true contenders either already have a SS or don't want to gamble on one. As much as we like to complain about the team (rightly), the Pirates don't completely suck and also have a gaping hole at his position. I can actually see how he might like the situation here and think it's better than at most of the other likely landing spots.
His deal is already set. Any team that signs him takes over his current contract. The catch is that because Toronto released him, they are responsible for continuing to pay all but the MLB minimum each year. His contract calls for 20 million in 2019, 14 million for 2020 and the 4 million buyout for 2021. But the team that signs him will pay only $555,000 for 2019 and whatever the increase is for 2020. So because his contract is already established and any team that signs him pays only the MLB minimum portion of it, Tulo's only issue is how much and where he will play. Any team has nothing to lose by taking him while Toronto pays him, but his injury history makes it tough for top contenders to rely on him. So while he wants to be a starter, a team that signs him and starts him will have to have a solid plan B in case he can't make it thru the season. But the better he looks in a workout, the more likely a top contender is to sign him. IMHO, the Pirates would be a last resort for him if they were offering him the starting SS job while better teams weren't promising him he would start.
I'd still think that most true contenders either already have a SS or don't want to gamble on one. As much as we like to complain about the team (rightly), the Pirates don't completely suck and also have a gaping hole at his position. I can actually see how he might like the situation here and think it's better than at most of the other likely landing spots.