2061.10 Bo Jordan's Directive on Arbitration/Free Agents

[Trebro]

To: Eric Russell

From: Bo Jordan

Subject: Directions on Arbitration/Free Agents DO NOT #$%# This Up!

Eric,

Here are my directions on how to handle arbitration and pending free agents. Do not deviate from this one iota. I've even given my reasons, so that it's perfectly clear.

Do not offer arbitration to these players:

IF Felix Abernathy This one hurts. It's also one of the things that McMonigal might not agree with me on. He's a former number one draft pick, but after a promising September in 2057, he got hurt in 2058 and was never the same player again, going from 1.8 WAR to -.1 in 2059 and 2060. Just lost all of his bat speed or something, His defense remains pretty good, but I don't want to pay several million for someone who can't back up shortstop reliably. I wish him well, but I think he's a first round bust.

RP Ken Bautista Perfectly useful at league minimum but with his poor attention to details and generally lousy outlook on life, when combined with weak control, just isn't a player I want. He was one of Mac's Rule 5 picks but between the injuries and poor performance this year at Indianapolis (6.39 ERA), it's time to cut bait.

RP Bob English If Abernathy hurts, this one frustrates. Every scout tells me he has stuff that's ahead of his peers and that he throws a fastball/curveball combo that bends mock hitters at the knees. But that's the problem it's only mock hitters. Get him in BBA action and you end up with ERAs over 5 and WHIP over 1.60, with the exception of his debut year, 2057. Man, 2057 really messed with my head. I thought sure we'd be able to compete in 2058, or at the latest 2059. It's why I signed off on those trades everyone questioned. Oh well. But back to English this poor guy and his negative WAR just can't be kept around. We've tried too many times at this point to make it work. He's just one of those players that should be better than they are. A real shame.

RP Christopher Mead Hard to believe this guy would be in arbitration still at age 34, but that's how things go. He did an okay job down the stretch, and I appreciate his leadership, but he's just not worth what it would cost in arbitration.

RP Bruhier Najeeb He tries hard, but the 6.00 ERA doesn't lie. He's a classic AAAA pitcher, I think, but when he plays the best of the best, he walks as many as he strikes out.

Do not extend a deal to these players:

3B Mal Fountain Mal's still pretty good at 39, but you can see he's losing a step. He was a good soldier but he can only be our DH and we need someone who can hit more homers than he's capable of doing no. I'll be curious if he signs anywhere.

C Farid bin Mubarak I like what he offered defensively, like the 11+ framing, but his hitting has gotten worse every year and he's heading into his age 35 season. I ate the option payment because I felt strongly he's going to decline. I know scouts still love his ability to get bat on ball, but it's going straight to fielders. And since you kept Jim Kantor, we already have our two catchers.

SP Brody Picot I made the hard decision to pay 3 million to cut him loose. I don't think he will be able to maintain his pace, and there were some signs of decline, like his ERA+, that the stats people pointed me to. I might regret this one, but don't pursue until I say otherwise.

C Jesus Rodriguez His career is over, he just doesn't know it yet. I paid him to go away. Don't answer any calls when he comes crawling back, but apparently he's sure someone will sign him.

RP Bryce Sparks McMonigal got him as part of a frustration trade, but it worked out. Still, he wants roughly 7 million to stay in Yellow Springs, which he refers to as "a small town." Can't handle that insult and he's not worth that money. Let him walk. We can get someone similar later in the off-season.

1B Burhan Tahir This is going to go down really, really poorly with the fans. I will handle the fallout. Do NOT talk to the press. The fact is, we overpaid for him based on being the 2054, 2-WAR player with a solid fanbase. Instead, we got the 2055, barely 1-WAR player who couldn't even break 15 home runs a year and apparently thought hitting off a left-handed pitcher was a sin. He thinks he's worth 8 million a year. Absolutely not. But again NO COMMENT on this, you hear me?

I'll be watching to ensure this happens.

-Bo