The Braves renewd Jeff Francouer's contract this
weekend, and he will recieve a raise from $384,500 to $427,000 after a season that saw him hit .260 with 29 HRs and 103 RBIs, as well as being one of the top two out run producers in baseball. This amount is a little less than the Braves are thought to have originally offered the right fielder but as a zero to three player he, as well as Brian McCann, who recieved a raise to $444,000 last week have no leverage. The media seems to be making this out as though it caused a rift between Francouer and the team, but all reports have him saying he understands how it works, and that no matter how much or little he is paid, he will still play the same.
weekend, and he will recieve a raise from $384,500 to $427,000 after a season that saw him hit .260 with 29 HRs and 103 RBIs, as well as being one of the top two out run producers in baseball. This amount is a little less than the Braves are thought to have originally offered the right fielder but as a zero to three player he, as well as Brian McCann, who recieved a raise to $444,000 last week have no leverage. The media seems to be making this out as though it caused a rift between Francouer and the team, but all reports have him saying he understands how it works, and that no matter how much or little he is paid, he will still play the same.If you don't understand baseball contracts, for the first three years a player is in the majors, the club has complete control over their contract, so they can give a player the minimum or any amount higher than that. That is why you see someone like Ryan Howard, who just came off a 58 HR season making only $900,000. Between the fourth and the sixth year they become arbitration eligible. This means the two parties (the team and the player) submit numbers for how much they think they should be paid. If the numbers are close enough, they can usually work out a number in the middle ground, but if not they go to an arbitrator that hears a case from both for their amount and makes a decision. Both players and teams like to avoid this, because this means someone representing the team will have to get up and basically point out a players bad points. The new big thing it looks like is buying out the arbitration years or the arbitration years and the first couple years of free agency with a long term deal. Again these deals are usually small because the player still has little leverage. Matt Cain, who signed a four-year deal with an option for a fifth is an example. He will take more money in the next couple years but will make less than he would in the final years. The Mets this offseason signed both Jose Reyes and David Wright to long-term deals that knock out the first couple years of free agency as well.
This has led to a lot of fans, writers, and the like wondering if McCann, James, and Francouer will recieve similar contracts as well. I have yet to see John Schuerholz actively shoot down the idea in an interview, but reports are saying that the Braves are not working on one right now with any of those three.
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