Diamondbacks Bullpen

allstar

Free agent Mulder meets with D-backs

Mark Mulder met with many team officials in the Chase Field, and everyone described the meeting, "very enjoyable." Mark Mulder wants to make up his mind and is likely going to make a choice tonight to come to Arizona due to couple factors such as orgainization famility, youth movenment/talent, and his home being here in Arizona. He will likely become the team's #2 starter once he fully recovers from his surgery behind Brandon Webb, infront of Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis.

I think it's a good move. A very good move.
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Too many girls out there to choose from. Just too many. lol.

levski · Veteran Presence Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1763

Obviously, you cannot read.

The quotation in question is:

Guitar Salad · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:51 pm Post subject:

TAP · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:55 pm Post subject:

YBC-Dog · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:56 pm Post subject:

I was hopeful they'd sign Mulder to a hometown contract, but everyone out here has thoroughly crushed my optimism with damn facts and statistics...

But one benefit in signing Mulder is that he won't be ready at the beginning of the season, so we could have two of the young guys in the rotation for the first couple months - and we'd then have options as to who stays and goes when (and if) Mulder returns.

If we sign Ohka, only one of the young guys is gonna get a look.

Projekt · AAA Stud Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 72

I like Mulder more than Ohka. Both will garner similar contracts, but Mulder has a higher upside...

baldmaga · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject:

Mulder has the potential to be either the best or worst FA signing this offseason. Either way he'll be cheaper than some other options out there, and I hope they give Mulder a shot.

EvilJuan · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:55 am Post subject:

From the article linked in allstar's initial post in this thread:

shoewizard · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:47 am Post subject:

Keep in mind that was in relation to his OPTION YEAR, and only affected the value of his option, did not affect his 2006 salary. Also, the dollar difference overall were less than half a million. And knowing if it was going to be the higher or lower figure was something they were able to figure out by around the All Star Break.

Thats alot different than the probably millions of cost uncertainty that would exist in a Mulder incentive contract. Still, I have to think that Josh will take some kind of incentive based deal back to ownership for approval.

Tucson DBacks Fan · MLB Rookie Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 208

The Diamondbacks are not going to be very successful in the free agent market this year for any "hot" players they are competing with other teams for, especially this early in the offseason. The Dodgers or one of the other NL West teams might offer Mulder a nice package just to keep Arizona from getting him. I predict another team wins the auction for Mulder. If not, I'll be happy to say I was wrong. The Diamondbacks are watching their pocketbook a lot more closely than most of the teams they are competing against. Rolling Eyes

In this crazy free agent market, that is not a strategy that is going to net many good players for the Diamondbacks. Other teams seem all too happy to pay these guys way more than they look to be worth.

TAP · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:33 am Post subject:

Tucson DBacks Fan · MLB Rookie Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 208

I don't think it's worth grossly overpaying for players. What I do think is that fans should not get taken in by newspaper articles that the Diamondbacks are close to signing high profile free agents when there are some crazy teams also bidding for them who have a lot of money to throw around. This thread began with the assumption that the Diamondbacks are close to signing Mulder, and I don't think it will happen.

TAP · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 9:56 am Post subject:

Media will always speculate. It's their job to create articles and talk-shows that sell ad time, and sizzling trade rumors create the kind of excitement that does just that.

EvilJuan · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:16 am Post subject:

baldmaga · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:25 pm Post subject:

Was a list ever compiled here that had names of MLB pitchers who have had similar rotator cuff surgery?

Bob A · MLB Rookie Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 229 Location: Tucson

Mulder DOES have the potentital to be either the BEST or WORST FA signing we have made in a long time. To further complicate matters the D'backs for some reason don't want to give incidentive-laden contracts. Therefore we have to pay more than other teams to get him, or so it seems. I know we've mentioned this before but this strategy makes little or no sense to me.

diamondbacker · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject:

I don't know about worst (Ortiz)

dirtygary · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:29 am Post subject:

Hell, if Mulder never stepped on the mound it'd be better than Ortiz.

I'm in favor of incentive deals, big time. I think every deal shoul have personal and team performance incentives. Like Shoe said, if you're getting production for that $, there's no problem with that.

That said, Mulder is risky. What's the highest $ he has guaranteed? '07 is going to be a zero year for him, but the potential is there for an improved '08 and solid '09/'10 yrs. But he's also been deteriorating for the last few years, so he's a risk even if he gets healthier.

Maybe making a push for another trade would be best. We picked up Davis without losing any prospects, which leaves options on the table to pick up the #2 we need.
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TAP · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:37 am Post subject:

The meeting - which included Mulder, Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes and manager Bob Melvin, among others - took place Wednesday.

Just how serious the dollar-conscious Diamondbacks are is unclear.

"We had a good meeting," Byrnes said Thursday. "I won't get into specifics, but I will confirm that we met."

shoewizard · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:50 am Post subject:

I really would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that meeting.

I wonder what Mulder wants.

If he wants some kind of multi year guaranteed deal, for security, then he has to know he is not going to get top dollar because he's coming off surgery, and must be considered a big injury risk. Whereas before the 2006 season, he was looking forward to a payday similar to what Zito is likely to get, obviously he would get substantially less than that as of right now. His possible 5/75 or whatever has probably turned into Adam Eaton money or 3/24 at best, on a long term Guaranteed deal. (I don't see lower than 3/21 is possible at all)

OTOH, he may want to try the Nomar method, i.e., sign a one year deal, prove he can come back, and if he has a good second half in 2007, set himself up for the bigger payday next season. That is a very risky strategy for Mulder, but Athletes are a confident breed. While I don't think this is what he is aiming for, I wouldn't rule it out.

There are alot of teams chasing him, it seems, but I am sure most of the other teams are thinking about incentive deals. So I am sure he will be weighing the balance between how much is guaranteed and how much is likely to come from incentives.

My guess is that Mulder and his agent probably revealed the direction they would like to see this go in, and now the D backs have to figure out what kind of deal they are willing to offer.

So....if you are Mulder what to you want?

A) Lower cost multi year deal, security
B) One year deal at higher amount, another crack at FA after 2007
C) A combination incentive deal, but reasonable Guaranteed money.

At the end of the day, it seems there are enough suitors for Mulder, and the market is up so much, that it will push the risk/reward needle a bit too far into the risk side of the meter. It will be a longshot to have the deal work out in terms of production value per dollar ratio...if you know what I mean.

levski · Veteran Presence Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1763

dirtygary · Posted: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject:

Given the fact that he won't even be ready til May or so, I don't think he'd be wise to go the Nomar route. And given the injury, an incentive deal is a big risk for him also. He's taking the highest guaranteed deal on the table.
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The pen is mightier than the sword, if that pen is shot out of a gun

levski · Veteran Presence Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1763

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=79991

shoewizard · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:41 am Post subject:

Prediction:

5 million for 2007, 8 million for 2008, Club Option for 2009 at around 9 million.

B. O. N. D. · Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:45 am Post subject: