Rogers: Ante Up Or Else

[aboz56]

By Phil Rogers

Special to ESPN.com

 

CHICAGO -- One week after the Garret Anderson signing demonstrated that it can be done, Magglio Ordonez and the White Soxcontinue the delicate dance that is the in-season contract extension for a premier free agent-in-waiting.

 

The latest signs have been encouraging for Sox fans who had all but abandoned hope of keeping the homegrown superstar beyond 2004, but there's no way to know where this is leading.

 

It could be to a signing that keeps him in the organization for at least another four or five years or to a midseason trade to New York, Boston, Los Angeles or elsewhere. The most likely scenario could be a full season in Chicago, perhaps even with a run at an MVP, and then an organizational crisis as he allows the free-agent market to set his value.

 

Magglio Ordonez has hit safely in nine of his first 12 games this season, and also has hit four home runs.

 

General manager Ken Williams won't get painted into a corner. "It's my desire to keep all the good players and core players who are popular with our fans," Williams said. "[Yet] in the course of trying to put a team together, you have to be flexible and explore all options."

 

That's the crux of this situation from this unusual franchise's standpoint. Due to the marketing brilliance of the Cubs and a string of suspect decisions on their own part, the White Sox have become a middle-market team in the nation's third largest metropolitan area.

 

With a payroll in the mid-$60 million range -- a level which tied Williams' hands last winter -- they cannot afford to simply throw money at a player, no matter how productive he is.

 

And the 30-year-old Ordonez, a four-time All-Star in his sixth full big league season, is a quietly spectacular player. He's a career .307 hitter who delivered no less than 29 home runs and 99 RBI each of the last five years, while never striking out more than 77 times. He's a solid right fielder, and he's never been on the disabled list.

 

He leads by example in the clubhouse, letting his play define him, not his words. He appears immune to walk-year pressure.

 

Ordonez was the American League player of the week for the opening week of 2004. Through Sunday, he's hitting .286 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 11 games. He had two homers to help the White Sox split a four-game series at Yankee Stadium and he had one in the bottom of the 10th last Thursday, which allowed the Sox to finish a three-game sweep of Kansas City.

 

Ordonez has long been a favorite of Ozzie Guillen, the long-time shortstop who has replaced Jerry Manuel as the Sox's manager. Both are from Venezuela and Guillen lobbied for Ordonez to get a chance when he was an unknown minor-leaguer.

 

The Sox haven't always appreciated what they've had with Ordonez. They left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft in December 1996 after he had hit .263 with 18 homers in Double-A. They were blessed that no one grabbed him in that draft.

 

Williams had him traded to Boston last winter, but the deal for shortstop Nomar Garciaparra (who the White Sox insist they would have held onto, not flipped to Los Angeles, as was widely rumored) was contingent on the Red Sox completing the Alex Rodriguez trade.

 

This wasn't disrespect on Williams' part. It was simply an acknowledgement that the White Sox could not afford to re-sign Ordonez, who at the time was believed to be seeking a five-year, $75 million deal.

 

Ordonez is in the last year of a three-year extension he signed in July 2001, covering his last two arbitration seasons and his first possible free-agent year. His salary jumped from $9 million last year to $14 million this season, which makes him the highest-paid player in franchise history.

 

While Ordonez has always been a good fit on the South Side, where he is a blue-collar answer to the Sammy Sosa phenomenon at Wrigley Field, and says he wants to stay with the White Sox, he could be next winter's Vladimir Guerrero or Miguel Tejada.

 

"This is going to be my last big contract and I have to take advantage of that," Ordonez told Chicago reporters last week. "It's my last opportunity to get something done."

 

According to sources, the White Sox have recently offered Ordonez a four-year extension, which is only one year less than he is seeking. The offer is believed to be for about $14 million per year, but to contain language that makes it less attractive to Ordonez, such as possible deferrals and escape clauses.

 

It's easy to criticize White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf for not spending major market dollars on his payroll. But the reality is that his revenue stream has not kept up with what you'd consider major market, and he has priced many of his fans out of tickets on all but two-for-one nights and kids getting in for $1 on Sunday afternoons.

 

While defending Reinsdorf is about as much fun as selling the virtues of asbestos, the reality is that he and the men who have helped him keep an eye on the bottom line, the late Jack Gould (whom Guillen honors by wearing his initials on his jersey) and Harvard law and Northwest MBA grad Rick Hahn, have done a great job to keep their team competitive on limited resources. The truth is they shouldn't give Ordonez a blank check.

 

Did you happen to catch the attendance at U.S. Cellular since Opening Day? The Sox, going head-to-head with the Cubs, had 15,150 and 11,765 on hand for the walk-off victories against the Royals last Wednesday and Thursday.

 

You can argue, correctly, that these were afternoon games during the school week. But what those totals show is a perilously low season-ticket base.

 

To a significant degree, broadcast revenues have carried the White Sox in recent years. But they are in the next-to-last year of contracts that were joined with the Bulls at the end of the Michael Jordan era. What happens when those deals are up?

 

As of Opening Day, Ordonez's $14 million salary accounted for 21.4 percent of the White Sox's total payroll. This not being the NBA, it's not healthy to invest so heavily in one player. Eight teams have one player hogging a bigger share of the payroll -- Toronto (Carlos Delgado), Milwaukee (Geoff Jenkins), Cincinnati (Ken Griffey Jr.), Pittsburgh (Jason Kendall), Texas (Chan Ho Park), Kansas City (Mike Sweeney) and Arizona (Randy Johnson) -- and it's possible none of them will be playoff teams.

 

Florida and Anaheim had no super salaries when they won World Series in 2003 and '02. Ivan Rodriguez's salary was listed at $10 million last season, but the only way the Marlins were able to sign him was by his agreeing to defer $7 million without interest.

 

Ordonez is letting his agents, Tom Reich and Adam Katz, do their jobs while he keeps his eyes focused on the next night's pitcher. He is trying hard not to become too absorbed in the contract negotiations.

 

"If they give me something fair and the years I want, it'll be fine," Ordonez said. "If not, I guess I'll have to go to free agency."

 

In the meantime, the attention given Ordonez's situation appears to have unsettled Frank Thomas. The two-time MVP has now twice agreed to contracts with Reinsdorf which he later complained about, the latest being the highly complicated (and not completely guaranteed) deal he signed in December 2002 after the White Sox exercised a "diminished skills" clause in a deal he had signed shortly after winning the 1997 batting title.

 

Thomas exercised his 2004 player option for $6 million and figures to do the same next winter with a 2005 option for $8 million. But he says he's asked Reinsdorf to tear up the contract because "it's a little disappointing on the 1st and 15th of each month."

 

We should all face such disappointments, right?

 

There's a better chance of a meteor striking U.S. Cellular than of Reinsdorf revisiting the Thomas negotiations. The organization has its hands full with Ordonez.

 

If Ordonez wants to stay where he's comfortable, the White Sox are giving him a chance. If he'll stay only at maximum value -- and how does he find out what that is without testing the free-agent market? -- then Williams must consider his options.

 

He could trade for Griffey, try to win with Griffey and Ordonez playing together and then hang onto Griffey, who has agreed to defer $6.5 million of his $12.5 million salary, which runs through 2008. He could trade for Griffey, then deal Ordonez and open an outfield spot up for the left-handed-hitting Jeremy Reed, who has been compared to Darin Erstad. Reed hit .409 in 66 games at Double-A last year and is currently batting .364 for Triple-A Charlotte.

 

He could shop Ordonez before the trade deadline, knowing that the strength of the farm system currently is believed to be outfielders, with Joe Borchard and 2003 picks Brian Anderson and Ryan Sweeney among those in the pipeline. He could do the safest thing -- seldom the best -- and let the situation simmer until next winter.

 

But at this point, he has to consider the unpopular along with the popular.

[Texsox]

I cannot find a thing in there to disagree with. One option that hasn't been mentioned is sign Ordonez and trade Frank for a dozen balls and a pound of cheescake to the Yankees or someone who can handle his contract.

 

If I could only have Maggs or Frank, at this stage in their careers, I would take Maggs.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Damn good article & I'm glad Rogers has mentioned something I didn't consider:

The Griffey factor.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...l=cs-columnists

He could trade for Griffey, try to win with Griffey and Ordonez playing together and then hang onto Griffey, who has agreed to defer $6.5 million of his $12.5 million salary, which runs through 2008. He could trade for Griffey, then deal Ordonez and open an outfield spot up for the left-handed-hitting Jeremy Reed, who has been compared to Darin Erstad. Reed hit .409 in 66 games at Double-A last year and is currently batting .364 for Triple-A Charlotte.

 

That is a HUGE deferral & Griffey is definitely a better draw that Magglio.

There is no disputing that.

 

What it doesn't mention is what do we have to give the Reds for Griffey?

 

I like Maggs but he is NOT worth 14 MIL a year.

He is the highest paid position player in the AL right now to have never won an MVP.

 

At best he's worth betw 12-13 MIL a year.

Hidalgo, Dye, Normar, Thome, Andruw Jones are in that range.

That's the range & expectation for Maggs talent.

 

If I can get Griffey for about 7/5 a yr (7 cost, 5 deferred) then I can make the following changes without going green:

1) Replace Koney with Gload

2) Still cheap at 2B with Harris/Uribe

3) Still good cost/performance for an aging Valentin

4) Still cheap at 3B with Crede

5) Move Griffey to Right field to cut down on his injuries

6) Buy Beltran & put him in CF with Aaron has backup

7) Lee stays in LF with a good cost/performance contract

8) Thomas stays for 8MIL

The cost of Maggs+Koney (22 MIL) is split betw Griffey & Beltran.

 

Assuming there's enough to pay Garland, E-LO, Schow the SOX would be both lethal & a crowd DRAW. If you don't think Griffey on the SOX would mean a boost in both season ticket holders & package buyers you don't know Jack.

[JUGGERNAUT]

Please remember to post a link to the places on the Net you quote an article from.

Otherwise it's plagarizing & in violation of copy right. It is not enough to simply quote the author of the article because the writer works for a company & it's the company that owns the right to the content.

[Texsox]

What is sad is right now, in Chicago arguably the greatest Cub of all time, Sosa; and the greatest White Sox of all time, Thomas are playing. And we are talking about needing a bigger draw than Maggs. Frank isn;t even in the equation :headshake

[Steff]

What is sad is right now, in Chicago arguably the greatest Cub of all time, Sosa; and the greatest White Sox of all time, Thomas are playing. And we are talking about needing a bigger draw than Maggs. Frank isn;t even in the equation  :headshake

Sure he is. But that's not the popular opinion on this board. And heaven for bid you disagree

[JUGGERNAUT]

Sure he is. But that's not the popular opinion on this board. And heaven for bid you disagree 

SOSA is NOT the greatest CUB of all time. Look, I hate the N Siders with a vengenance but that's simply pissing all over their heritage.

 

Just as Frank being the greatest SOX of all time. But these organizations have a very long & rich history. Even swapping team names at one point. So in terms of that long history neither of these guys are the greatest of all time.

 

Frank is the best SOX player since free agency came into the league.

I think I'd agree with that.

 

SOSA? Please with the exception of HR's what makes him the greatest cub in the free agency era?

[Steff]

SOSA is NOT the greatest CUB of all time.  Look, I hate the N Siders with a vengenance but that's simply pissing all over their heritage. 

 

Just as Frank being the greatest SOX of all time.  But these organizations have a very long & rich history.  Even swapping team names at one point.  So in terms of that long history neither of these guys are the greatest of all time.

 

Frank is the best SOX player since free agency came into the league.

I think I'd agree with that.

 

SOSA?  Please with the exception of HR's what makes him the greatest cub in the free agency era?

Sorry Jugg.. I wasn't talking about Sosa. I was referring to Frank not being in the equasion.

[BrandoFan]

I like Maggs but he is NOT worth 14 MIL a year.

 

Agreed. I do not care what he is worth to the Yankees; may they shell out 50 Mill a year for him for all I care. To the WHITE SOX, he is not worth 14-15 over 5 years.

 

SOSA? Please with the exception of HR's what makes him the greatest cub in the free agency era?

 

The guy was producing runs in 1998 and 2001 at an incredible rate, and unlike Manny Ramirez, he didn't have Jim Thome, Alomar, Lofton, Williams, Giles or Sexton.

 

Maybe not the "greatest Cub" (whatever the f*** that means), but in the 1998 through 2001 period, he brought a TON of money to the Cubs and made a TON of casual/Sammy fans throughout the country and overseas. That should count for something (read: a lot) when evaluating a player's "worth"

[Texsox]

OK, how about two Hall of Fame players. I do not believe Frank is even on the bubble, except maybe because of his steller PR skills, but Sammy will be a certain HoF player, if not a first ballot kind of guy.

 

But, the main point I am making is this. Frank is one of the Sox greatest players and he can't draw flies.

[BrandoFan]

But, the main point I am making is this. Frank is one of the Sox greatest players and he can't draw flies

 

Talking attendance again? What, are you a Commie Cub fan?

 

By which I mean....Amen.

[Steff]

OK, how about two Hall of Fame players. I do not believe Frank is even on the bubble, except maybe because of his steller PR skills, but Sammy will be a certain HoF player, if not a first ballot kind of guy.

 

But, the main point I am making is this. Frank is one of the Sox greatest players and he can't draw flies.

I can't draw flies either.. I always mess up on the wings..

 

But I think we sell Frank short on his getting into the hall. I think in general most give him credit for his accomplishments. Right now the contract crap overshadows that. Once he's no longer playing I think he'll get the "love"..

[Texsox]

I can't draw flies either.. I always mess up on the wings.. 

 

But I think we sell Frank short on his getting into the hall. I think in general most give him credit for his accomplishments. Right now the contract crap overshadows that. Once he's no longer playing I think he'll get the "love"..

Maybe I phrased this wrong. I believe as soon as you show a highlight reel of the 1990s, he's in. Maybe it will take a vote or two, and it will depend on who else is eligable each year, but I cannot imagine the Hall without Thomas.

[False Alarm]

juggernaut, who would you say is the greatest sox player of all time? i'm just not sure if i've ever seen anyone declare with such confidence that frank isn't.

 

and thomas should get into the hall. his numbers are sick.

[Steff]

The Sox don't draw for 2 excellent reasons.. They don't win and people are still boycotting their owner. Sox fans have brains.. well.. most of them anyway. And they refuse to blindly pay money to see s*** on the field. Even the season ticket holders they do have still at every chance voice irritation with Jerry. And the misconseption that any money paid to watch a game there goes directly into his pocket. If the did anything at all to show the fans there was a commitment to winning.. (signing Maggs.. getting a pitcher for more than a season.. etc, etc.. ) fans would show up.

 

 

Until then there isn't a damn thing that will be done about the attendance.

The fans won't do what they percieve as throwing their money away..

[Steff]

Maybe I phrased this wrong. I believe as soon as you show a highlight reel of the 1990s, he's in. Maybe it will take a vote or two, and it will depend on who else is eligable each year, but I cannot imagine the Hall without Thomas.

I realized I misunderstood as I read it over again. But my flies drawing comment was just too good to delete

[SoxFanForever]

The Sox don't draw for 2 excellent reasons.. They don't win and people are still boycotting their owner. Sox fans have brains.. well.. most of them anyway. And they refuse to blindly pay money to see s*** on the field. Even the season ticket holders they do have still at every chance voice irritation with Jerry. And the misconseption that any money paid to watch a game there goes directly into his pocket. If the did anything at all to show the fans there was a commitment to winning.. (signing Maggs.. getting a pitcher for more than a season.. etc, etc.. ) fans would show up.

 

 

Until then there isn't a damn thing that will be done about the attendance.

The fans won't do what they percieve as throwing their money away..

Excellent post Steff

[Steff]

Excellent post Steff 

Thank you.. except that a "the" should be a "they" and I really should have specified "casual fan" (or those that sit home and scream at others to go... ) versus those that go to several games a year, or season ticket holders, or those who whole-heartedly support the Sox from a distance.

[SoxFanForever]

Thank you.. except that a "the" should be a "they" and I really should have specified "casual fan" (or those that sit home and scream at others to go...  ) versus those that go to several games a year, or season ticket holders, or those who whole-heartedly support the Sox from a distance.

I think we knew what you meant for the most part

[Steff]

I think we knew what you meant for the most part 

Just wanted to make sure I didn't offend someone like Matt in Canada who can't get here much. Or raf that can't get here at all.

[rafacosta]

Just wanted to make sure I didn't offend someone like Matt in Canada who can't get here much. Or raf that can't get here at all. 

One day i will...

[JUGGERNAUT]

I'll get back to you on the greatest SOX player ever. That's a lot of years I have to consider amongst current HOFers & those that never made the HOF due to political reasons.

 

Some things to think about when deciding to spend 70/5 on Maggs:

1) Maggs is NOT the only FA OF avail in 2004.

Delgado, Beltran are amongst that crowd.

TOR is on record as saying 10 MIL/yr for Delgado.

 

There is no way all 3 of them will command 15 MIL/yr deals.

 

The SOX need Beltran more than any one else.

They have played musical chairs at CF since they dealt Cameron for Koney.

Beltran solves that. If you trade for Griffey he can move to RF.

An OF of Lee, Beltran, & Griffey could be the best in the Majors.

That allows the SOX to trade some of the young OF talent for a solid 5th starter

to become UNBEATABLE. Keep Reed, trade Borchard.

 

This team is so close to domination it must scare Cub fans.

We are 8-4 & yet 2 of those loses are on Danny Wright's shoulders.

With a solid 5th starter & are offense we could have the best team in the majors

right now & that ain't crapping!

 

There is no question that ANA overpaid for Anderson w 48/4.

But they've overpaid for everybody this year so it's not surprising.

There is no way the new owner can keep this up.

If they don't win the division & get back to the dance this year

he's going to be in a mess of hurt next year. It's another franchise

that needs to win BIG to keep the fans coming.

 

I simply can not see how ANA will have $ left in 2005 to go after Delgado,

Beltran, or Maggs.

 

If I'm Kenny I call Maggs bluff & get him to sign a 60/5 or compete for him in FA.

I'm sure Delgado, Beltran, & Maggs are not the only big OF FA's avail in 2005.

[BrandoFan]

There is no question that ANA overpaid for Anderson w 48/4

 

You keep saying this for some reason even though it's not true.

 

Anderson got the money because his 2002 and 2003 numbers and accolades warranted it.

 

While Maggs was feasting in non-pressure situations in 2002, Anderson quietly led his team to the WS title and was excellent last year despite having no line-up protection. Did I menton he was the best clutch hitter in baseball in last 2 years and won the All-Star Game MVP?

 

A Gold Glove-caliber LF'er who can play CF and at this point of his career can generate 900+ OPS is definately worth 10+ Mill. Watch out for him this year.

 

And don't feel sorry for the Angels just yet. They are in GREAT shape and will free up a lot of dough in 2005 if they ever wished to get Delgado.

[JUGGERNAUT]

I don't deny that Anderson played a major role in the WS run for ANA, but this contract is about his future potential & not his past accolades.

 

When you are paying that much $$$ you need to look at their monthly performance to avoid the Koney syndrome.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/spli...89&type=batting

Take a look at the monthly's. Those are not numbers worth 48/4.

 

So to use Anderson as an example for Maggs is just burning $ the SOX don't have.

Why don't you look at Sosa, Vlad, Giles, Sheffield, Walker, Abreu, Jones, Beltran, Sweeney, Hidalgo, & Dye for comparison.

 

Maggs is about #6 in production in that lofty group yet #2 in 2004 pay.

If you compare his production against the others it says Maggs is legitimately worth

60/5. But then you have to argue whether it would be more beneficial to go after Jones or Beltran for less. Right now they are a bargain.

[BrandoFan]

I don't deny that Anderson played a major role in the WS run for ANA, but this contract is about his future potential & not his past accolades.

 

You just made my point.

 

There is no question that from 1999 to 2001, Maggs was a better hitter; if you were awarding strictly on past history, Maggs would be at least 3-4 Mill better per year.

 

BUT Anderson's value SHOT UP BIG-TIME since 2001; he's been very clutch in that span (how else do you drive in 120 runs in 2001 with the kind of OPS he had), and unlike Magglio, he actually led the team SOMEWHERE with the unspectacular Scott Spezio protecting him in the order.

 

Now he has Jose Guillen, Vlad Gerrero and Troy Glaus for full season around him, so the Angels GM (correctly) assumed Anderson could put up 900+ OPS and

120-130 RBI this year, which coupled with his underrated defense makes him a 12 Mill a year player to a big-budget team. Hell, right now Anderson is unexpectedly struggling with LHP (unlike 2002-2003 when he hit them very well), so his production is diluted -- as he starts hitting them again, he will be Maggs' offensive equal at the 930 OPS levels.

 

Maggs will laugh at 10-11 Mill offer and Sox can ill-afford to pay him much more than that. Is a 915-930 OPS hitter who does nothing else spectacularly worth 5/75 to a team with payroll problems in 2004?