Baseball's winter meetings have evolved again.
The annual convention of major-league and minor-league executives, which officially begins today at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., used to be an exciting offseason tradefest that recharged the expectations of fans and reshuffled big-league rosters for the coming season.
The nature of the meetings changed markedly with the advent of free agency, so much so that many longtime baseball officials soured on the event because it had been taken over by agents and turned into a giant auction block.
Now, it appears, there has been a shift back in the other direction.
The free-agent market will be open in Nashville, but the economics of the sport clearly changed with the signing of the new collective bargaining agreement. Few teams seem willing to take on additional payroll, which is making it hard for agents to create a competitive market for their players.
"It's not a quickly developing market, that's for sure," said Jim Beattie, the Orioles' executive vice president of baseball operations. "Even with the Dec. 7 deadline [for offering players salary arbitration], I didn't think there was much urgency. People are still tiptoeing into the water. There is a lot of consideration among teams not to be the one to set the market."
There are some exceptions, of course. The Philadelphia Phillies have been aggressive in their efforts to build a team on the projected revenues of the new stadium they will open in 2004. They signed power-hitting first baseman Jim Thome to a six-year, $85 million contract and gave a four-year, $17 million deal to third baseman David Bell. The New York Mets also anted up $35 million over three years to pluck free-agent pitcher Tom Glavine out of the Atlanta Braves' rotation.
In all, however, just 15 of the 168 players who filed for free agency have signed multi-year contracts, and only seven of those have changed teams. Collusion might be too strong a word, but there definitely are a lot of teams acting in a manner consistent with the industry's desire to slow the growth of player salaries.
"Rhetoric is one thing," Beattie said. "The proof will be in the pudding on April 1. People are saying all the right things, but when it comes down to it, some guys might jump up and try to sign some players."
That could happen this weekend, or it could happen after teams make a final attempt to sign the players who have been offered arbitration. Or it might not happen at all. Presumably, the later it gets in the offseason, the more likely players will jump at lesser offers to assure themselves a place to play. If so, it would be that rare offseason when the principle of supply and demand favors ownership.
The Orioles are considered one of the teams with money to spend, so the emphasis of Beattie and vice president of baseball operations Mike Flanagan figures to be on signing a free-agent shortstop and making a play for superstar catcher Ivan Rodriguez. The Orioles' new brain trust also will be working hard to identify potential trading partners, but free-agent negotiations probably will dominate their agenda at these meetings.
"Typically speaking, you would prefer to do things with free agents because you don't have to give players up," Beattie said. "That is, if you have the resources. There are not a lot of clubs in that position, so there has been more [trade] talk."
Completing deals in the era of multi-year contracts, no-trade clauses and salary deferrals already is complicated enough. Now, struggling teams face the added challenge of trying to balance the salaries in a deal so that neither club shows a significant increase in payroll.
The deal that sent Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielanek to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Todd Hundley is a great example, because it was a trade that made a whole lot more sense to the accountants in each front office than it seems likely to make on the field next season. And, to drive home the notion that payroll control is a baseball-wide concern, that was a deal made by two of baseball's large-market franchises.
"Making dollar-for-dollar deals seems to be the overriding concern," Beattie said. "If teams are going to improve themselves, they're going to have to put salaries in those deals so that they even out.
"When we have discussions with other clubs, we're hearing, 'We can't take on any more dollars.' "
There are attractive free agents at almost every position. Certain Hall of Famers Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux head the list of available starting pitchers. Rodriguez is the best player behind the plate. Jeff Kent should be the most popular infielder.
The Orioles have considered shortstops Deivi Cruz, Chris Gomez, Rey Sanchez and Jose Hernandez. Mike Bordick is another name on the list, but the Orioles are ineligible to re-sign him until May 1 because they did not offer arbitration.
The premier free-agent outfielder is Cliff Floyd, who was offered arbitration by the Boston Red Sox. The Orioles are known to be interested, along with a number of other clubs. Veteran sluggers David Justice and Reggie Sanders also are available, and could be signed easily in this soft market.
Shopping the market
A sampling of the top players still in the free-agent market. Players marked with an asterisk have been offered salary arbitration by their original clubs and can choose to delay free-agent eligibility until next winter by accepting arbitration by Dec. 19:
2002 Name P team Skinny Edgardo Alfonzo 3B NYM Would thrive in small ballpark.
Paul Byrd* P KC Orioles' interest has cooled.
Roger Clemens* P NYY Still has one big contract left.
Chuck Finley* P StL Return to Angels a possibility.
Cliff Floyd* OF Bos Would look great in O's lineup.
Jeff Kent* 2B SF Best available non-pitcher.
Greg Maddux* P Atl Might stay with Braves.
Ramiro Mendoza P NYY Swingman should draw offers.
Ivan Rodriguez C Tex Orioles, Cubs are interested.
Reggie Sanders OF SF Underachiever played in past 2 Series.