There’s nothing I’d like better than to see slugger J.D. Martinez
wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform in 2018 and beyond. The free agent has been in
serious negotiations with the team for quite some time now, and reports
are that he is holding out for a contract that exceeds six years in length and
$180 million in value. If that’s true than no matter how much Boston may need
his power in the lineup they should pass on his services.
The 30-year-old right-handed hitter bashed .303 with 45 home
runs in 119 games last season with the Detroit Tigers and Arizona D-Backs.
There is no doubt that he is an impact bat with few peers in the game. However,
for a nuanced team like the Red Sox who have deep pockets every postseason, he
may be too much of a luxury if his price rises too high.
Martinez is an outfielder by name only. His advanced
defensive metrics suggest he is among the worst glove men in the game. Given
his age, it’s only reasonable to surmise that his “nimbleness” in the field is
only going to decline over the life of his next contract. His value to the Red
Sox (who have a pretty loaded outfield already with Mookie
Betts, Andrew
Benintendi and Jackie
Bradley Jr.) is strictly his bat. While that is high value for a team that
finished last in the league in home runs last year, it is not enough to pay him
$30 million a year for a better part of the next decade.
When negotiating a contract with Martinez, one must also
take his health into account. About to enter his eighth year in the majors, he
has appeared in more than 123 games just once before (2015). Lingering nagging
injuries have kept him off the field in just about every season except one.
This is no attempt to minimize or take down Martinez. He is
a wonderful player and particularly a top-flight hitter. However, there are
concerns, and enough of them, that a team should be resolute in only going as
far as they feel comfortable in terms of dollars and years. When a car has some
mileage and dings, it should not be expected that they command a brand new
dealership lot sticker price (but there is no shame in trying).
The Red Sox have reportedly been willing to go as far as a
five-year offer somewhere in the $120-$150 million range. That seems awfully
strong for a likely designated hitter with a couple of rather significant
concerns on file—not to mention entering his thirties.
Hopefully Boston and Martinez can reach an agreement that
works for the both of them. The fit seems mutually strong, with the team’s desperate
need for power and the potential damage he could do playing half his games in a
cozy stadium like Fenway Park.
Although spring training is just around the corner, the
off-season can be a waiting game, especially for free agents like Martinez. His
agent, Scott Boras, is also the best in the business when it comes to playing
every angle and getting his client the best contract possible. If he believes
there is even a chance he can get his asking price, he’s not afraid to roll the
dice and refuse to budge off his position.
The Red Sox should remain strong in their pursuit of
Martinez, yet should keep their eyes clear in terms of not spending past the
value they have assigned him. Hitters like him don’t come along very often but the
risks associated with signing him keep him from being a slam dunk. Time will
only tell if this will all work out but in the meantime Sox fans remain on the
end of their seats to see if their team will be able to work out a deal for
this intriguing upgrade.
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