And Longoria’s not the first, even on the Rays - in 2005, the Rays bought out arb years (and potentially some FA years) for Rocco Baldelli with a six-year deal that could potentially be worth up to $32 million. It includes club options for 2009, 10, and 11 - which given Baldelli’s injuries are unlikely to be picked up… but that’s the point. Would Baldelli have made over $5 million from 2006-08 on arbitration? Nope. He didn’t play in 2005, so how much would he have gotten for 2006 without this long-term deal? In 2006, he did play (well) in 92 games - then only 35 last year. He starts this season on the 60-day DL, and I’m not sure he’ll even play 35 games by year-end. Good for him, he leveraged his arb-eligible years and potential ability for guaranteed money, just in case something derailed his career… and sadly (at least temprorarily) something has. The union and the player should be elated that the current system allowed him to get paid despite a lack of career fulfillment.

Back to Longoria, if he gets hurt tomorrow, he’s got $17.5 million. If he reaches his potential, he gets $44 million and is a (highly sought after) FA at age 31. What exactly is there to be pissed about?

The union has created an environment where the player has a number of freedoms - the freedom of free agency after six years to play wherever they want for however much they want (some players do actually turn down more money one place to play somewhere else), and with the arbitration schedule they get the opportunity to get (oftentimes large) raises even though the team controls their rights… so some guys are free to elect to trade some (or all) of that for guaranteed money now i.e. they get paid even if they don’t play another game after signing the deal. What could be better?

But as said, $17.5 million is good money if you can get it…