Tigers Extend Verlander

[Piston Pete]

5 years - $80 million.

I think this is a great signing, plus we didn't overpay!

[ajaX82]

im fine with it. completely fine. kid is one of the best pitchers in the game, is young, and is a cornerstone for the team. We needed to lock him up long term and did. Him, Porcello and Scherzer give us a really good top 3. If we could get a lefty on board now...that rotation would really shine

[Liqourish]

He wanted a 6th year and instead we gave him more money in 5? umm... okay.

Plus the contract will be quite good after this season once Maggz, Guillen, etc are off the books. Good job by DD to get Verlander locked up long term.

[Piston Pete]

Anyone else confused after Linecum's new contract?

Linecum - 2 years, $23 million
Verlander - 5 years, $80 million

Too bad Linecum didn't sign his first. Would have been a nice bargaining chip to get Verlander cheaper....

[trwi7]

Anyone else confused after Linecum's new contract?

Linecum - 2 years, $23 million
Verlander - 5 years, $80 million

Too bad Linecum didn't sign his first. Would have been a nice bargaining chip to get Verlander cheaper....

Verlander's contract buys out three free agent years, Lincecum's contract buys out no free agent years and he still has two years of arbitration to go after that contract. Assuming he doesn't get hurt and continues doing what he's doing, he's going to get probably $18-20 million in his final year of arbitration.

It wouldn't have mattered if Lincecum signed first, because he didn't have any free agent years bought out like Verlander did.

[Piston Pete]

I'm confused....sorry. But Lincecum still signed a bargain of a deal when compared to Verlander. The same Lincecum who is younger than Verlander, and already has 2 cy young awards....

The part where I'm confused is, with his professional resume, why does it make sense that he signed for less? You'd think both he and the Giants would want something like a 5-6 year deal.

Giants love this deal IMO, whereas if I were Lincecum, I'd want AT LEAST $16 million per like recently-signed Verlander - who doesn't have 2 cy youngs already in his back pocket.....

[trwi7]

Lincecum was arbitration eligible for the first time. If he asked for $16 million, he would lose his case and would be paid far less.

First three years (or two if you're in the top 17% of service time of rookies in your class) you make peanuts. Then you go to arbitration for three more years (or four if you're in the top 17% of service time.) Verlander if he didn't sign his deal would be in his last two years of arbitration. Lincecum before signing his deal was in his first year of arbitration eligibility.

Just look at Verlander's contract this year and next year. That's what matters here since he couldn't become a free agent before then. 2010 and 2011 he'll be paid a total of $19.5 million. Compare that to Lincecum's $23 million in his first two years of arbitration and you'll see that Verlander was paid fairly.

I think the best comparison is Felix Hernandez's contract. Both young, hard throwing aces in their second years of arbitration signed to five year deals buying out three free agent years and both contracts are basically the same.

If Lincecum has his final two years of arbitration and first three years of free agency bought out and he continues on the path he has been, he's going to get far more than 5 years, $80 million.

[Piston Pete]

Makes a little more sense, thanks trwi7.