OT- Max Scherzer rejects Tigers' extension

Submitted by WMUgoblue on

Max Scherzer is taking a gamble on himself to reproduce or upstage his 2013 Cy Young season by rejecting a long term offer from the Tigers. It would appear Dombrowski's offer was more than fair considering Max would have paid among the top 6 pitchers in baseball. 

Thoughts on this? Honestly it's a bit surprising that Dombrowski offered that much, and it's even more surprising the Scherzer rejected said offer. I suppose this could be Boras being Boras, but honestly that seems like a huge gamble for Max or he doesn't enjoy Detroit nearly as much as he puts out there.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/03/tigers-scherzer-done-talking-extension-for-season-.html


  EDIT: updated to show the figures. 

Source: Tigers’ offer to Max Scherzer was six years, $144 million. That was what Cole Hamels signed for in 2012. @FOXSportsLive

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 23, 2014
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Baseball/Softball
Detroit Tigers
Dave Dombrowski
Max Scherzer

Jeff4179

March 23rd, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^

If the Tigers had that much money to pay him, and he walks (as it looks like he will), then they will have that much money available to find a pitcher on the free agent market next year.  Not sure who will become avaiable, but that's a lof of money to find a new star.

The frustrating thing about Scherzer -- his saying repeatedly how much he enjoys Detroit and how much he wants to be here.  By saying that, fans who live and die for the Tigers think that (a) if Scherzer wants to be here, and (b) the Tigers are smart enough to pay  him market value, then Scherzer is likely to return.  His turning down an offer to become the 6th highest paid pitcher in baseball after one super season shows that all of his talk was just a bunch of BS.  Fans could have more easily handled him saying "I want to see how I do this year and figure out my value" because at least he wouldn't have been full of BS then.  

Joined: 02/23/2011

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ca_prophet

March 23rd, 2014 at 9:43 PM ^

He might not think that the Tigers offer is market value. It is, after all, the same as Hamels got two years ago, before the Dodgers (and others) reset the free agent market with their huge TV deals providing the resources. The thing that's hardest for most fans is realizing how much inflation is affecting free agency salaries. The game is swimming in cash and the players are getting some (not as much as ownership, but that's a different rant). I would expect a new entrant into the top five contracts ever nearly every year, and Scherzer may think that there's no reason he shouldn't be that guy, while still liking Detroit and wanting to be here. And if the Tigers don't win this year, then the Tigers might very well up their offer. As to those who think he should accept less because he can't spend it all in in one lifetime, what if he wants to own a team himself one day? That will take a lot more than this contract, but every $10M helps ...

Joined: 09/07/2010

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