2060.32 No Bargain bin Nawaf
Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2024 7:52 pm
One of the things GM Rob McMonigal always liked to do is get his extensions completed before the All-Star game, which made planning for the following season easier. If a player wouldn't play ball, better to get them traded for something rather than lose them at the end of the year, either via free agency or non-tender.
Last year had been frustrating on that score. McMonigal just didn't have very many good trade chips.
One player McMonigal definitely wanted to sign long-term was Majd bin Nawaf, whom he'd given away three players to acquire. While he wasn't having the best season so far, on pace for barely 2 WAR, making him an extremely expensive overpay at 10.5 million, McMonigal was sure he'd recover and be the superstar Yellow Springs needed. He'd passed the threshhold for a long-term deal and it was time to get to work.
McMonigal called up his agent, Marcus "Bot" Scoras, so named because it felt like dealing with a robot rather than a human. Personally, McMonigal felt like almost all the players' agents were that way. They barely spoke, repeated answers, and generally didn't share a human's natural reactions.
It was weird.
"How's it going, Marcus?" McMonigal asked. "I'm sure you know why I'm calling."
"I do," said Scoros. The line must have been particularly bad because his voice had an even more metalic ting than usual. Maybe he was stuck in one of Ron's forgotten gates or whatever the hell they're called. "And Majd is extremely excited to talk a deal."
"Excellent. What are you thinking?"
"How about 130 million?"
"How about you go to hell?"
"Come on, Rob, he's going to be your marquis player. People will come from miles around to that sleepy little town to see him play. You know he's worth it."
"That would require him to be a 7 WAR player," said McMonigal. "You always talk your people up, but even you know that's not happening. Hell, he's barely hitting .250. His OPS is down 200 points. He's on pace for half his usual home run output in a similar stadium. Be realistic."
The other side of the line went dead for a bit. McMonigal thought maybe Bot had hung up.
"Okay, maybe you're right."
"That's better," said McMonigal.
"Let's go with 120 million instead."
"I'm hanging up now, Marcus."
"Fine, maybe that won't work. Do you have a better offer?"
McMonigal did, pushing it out to the agent via an email while they spoke on the cell. He waited, tapping his fingers idly on the fake oak desk. It was a very satisfying sound. At last, Bot responded.
"Not even close, McMonigal. Try again."
"It's not going to work, Marcus. Let's just look at a one year deal."
"Absolutely. How's 16 million work for you?"
"I'll see you in arbitration, Marcus."
"No you won't, you never take anyone to arbitration. You'll come around. He's a 5+ WAR player, McMonigal, and you know it. He's just struggling to adjust to a lesser team."
"Oh, that's gonna help your cause, Scoras. You know what, there's always a first time for everything. When you're ready to be serious, call me back. Otherwise, we'll settle this in the off-season in front of a judge."
McMonigal hung up.
"Stupid Bot," he said, turning his attention to potential deals for Cory McGuire and Tristan Colenutt. "He'll come around, he has to."
If he didn't, it was going to be an interesting decision, possibly as soon as the trade deadline...
Last year had been frustrating on that score. McMonigal just didn't have very many good trade chips.
One player McMonigal definitely wanted to sign long-term was Majd bin Nawaf, whom he'd given away three players to acquire. While he wasn't having the best season so far, on pace for barely 2 WAR, making him an extremely expensive overpay at 10.5 million, McMonigal was sure he'd recover and be the superstar Yellow Springs needed. He'd passed the threshhold for a long-term deal and it was time to get to work.
McMonigal called up his agent, Marcus "Bot" Scoras, so named because it felt like dealing with a robot rather than a human. Personally, McMonigal felt like almost all the players' agents were that way. They barely spoke, repeated answers, and generally didn't share a human's natural reactions.
It was weird.
"How's it going, Marcus?" McMonigal asked. "I'm sure you know why I'm calling."
"I do," said Scoros. The line must have been particularly bad because his voice had an even more metalic ting than usual. Maybe he was stuck in one of Ron's forgotten gates or whatever the hell they're called. "And Majd is extremely excited to talk a deal."
"Excellent. What are you thinking?"
"How about 130 million?"
"How about you go to hell?"
"Come on, Rob, he's going to be your marquis player. People will come from miles around to that sleepy little town to see him play. You know he's worth it."
"That would require him to be a 7 WAR player," said McMonigal. "You always talk your people up, but even you know that's not happening. Hell, he's barely hitting .250. His OPS is down 200 points. He's on pace for half his usual home run output in a similar stadium. Be realistic."
The other side of the line went dead for a bit. McMonigal thought maybe Bot had hung up.
"Okay, maybe you're right."
"That's better," said McMonigal.
"Let's go with 120 million instead."
"I'm hanging up now, Marcus."
"Fine, maybe that won't work. Do you have a better offer?"
McMonigal did, pushing it out to the agent via an email while they spoke on the cell. He waited, tapping his fingers idly on the fake oak desk. It was a very satisfying sound. At last, Bot responded.
"Not even close, McMonigal. Try again."
"It's not going to work, Marcus. Let's just look at a one year deal."
"Absolutely. How's 16 million work for you?"
"I'll see you in arbitration, Marcus."
"No you won't, you never take anyone to arbitration. You'll come around. He's a 5+ WAR player, McMonigal, and you know it. He's just struggling to adjust to a lesser team."
"Oh, that's gonna help your cause, Scoras. You know what, there's always a first time for everything. When you're ready to be serious, call me back. Otherwise, we'll settle this in the off-season in front of a judge."
McMonigal hung up.
"Stupid Bot," he said, turning his attention to potential deals for Cory McGuire and Tristan Colenutt. "He'll come around, he has to."
If he didn't, it was going to be an interesting decision, possibly as soon as the trade deadline...