VMart signs a new 4 year deal

[manchild98]

The Detroit Tigers and veteran Victor Martinez have agreed to a four-year deal, a team source told ESPN's Jim Bowden.

The deal will be worth around $70 million, sources told ESPN Deportes' Enrique Rojas, and will carry an annual average salary of $17 million, a league source told Bowden.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski had said Tuesday that re-signing Martinez was the team's top priority this offseason.

Martinez, who will turn 36 on Dec. 23, had an MVP-caliber season in 2014, hitting .335 with 32 home runs, 103 RBIs and an American League-leading .409 on-base percentage.

He was paid $12 million in 2014 in the last season of a four-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Tigers before the 2011 season.

In three seasons with Detroit (he missed the 2012 season with a knee injury) he has hit .321 with 58 homers and 298 RBIs, getting the majority of his at-bats as a designated hitter.

In 12 seasons with the Indians, Red Sox and Tigers, he has a .306 batting average, 189 homers and 927 RBIs. He's been just as successful in the postseason, where he has hit .315 with 6 homers and 22 RBIs in 39 games.

The Tigers made a one-year qualifying offer of $15.3 million to Martinez for 2015, which he rejected, ensuring them draft-pick compensation if he had signed with another team.

 

[zoombabyzoom]

Looks like its 68million

 

[tigermud]

This is very good news! I Am so happy to hear victor is staying put...huge

 

[mhughes0021]

good news. 20 mil more than his last 4 year deal and this one ends when hes 40....yeeesh those haven't worked out for other teams....gotta hope this one goes against that trend or were fucked.

 

[biggunsbob]

Expensive......But I guess we had no choice..

 

[Thumb]

Expensive......But I guess we had no choice..

Exactly. Other than Cabrera, we had no other source of significant and consistent offense.

It's more about how we couldn't afford NOT to re-sign him.

 

[biggunsbob]

Yup I agree for sure..

 

[tonyballs]

I expect 2 more solid years out of him. Overpaid about 8MIL on the deal, but he deserved it.
Keeps Miggy happy too...

 

[Mitchrapp]

Victor seems to get better with age.

 

[tomdalton22]

The Tigers were kind of backed into a corner on this one. Might be OK for a few years but this team will be the Phillies before we know it.

 

[tomdalton22]

Too bad there wasn't someone available that could actually play in the field for that price!

 

[byco42]

Too bad there wasn't someone available that could actually play in the field for that price!

Which begs the question: Who will play first base in three years? And what do you do with two DHs? And if Castellanos remains a pylon at third, the Tigers have the potential of three DHs on the roster.

 

[tomdalton22]

Which begs the question: Who will play first base in three years? And what do you do with two DHs? And if Castellanos remains a pylon at third, the Tigers have the potential of three DHs on the roster.

I don't think DD cares about that stuff...he has his little fantasy baseball team with some stars / big name players. I fully expect the downward spiral to start VERY soon!

 

[kingofdetroit57]

I am pleasantly surprised with the deal. Most analysts we predicting a 4yr deal in the $75-$80mil range. So, $68mil doesn't seem too bad to me. It's a lot of cash for a DH, but he's also a hell of a hitter and a superb clubhouse leader from all accounts.

 

[kingofdetroit57]

Which begs the question: Who will play first base in three years? And what do you do with two DHs? And if Castellanos remains a pylon at third, the Tigers have the potential of three DHs on the roster.

If Castellanos doesn't improve on defense, he'll be moved to corner OF or traded away. He doesn't hit good enough to be a DH on this team, so it's play in the field or play somewhere else for him.

 

[sggatecl]

Which begs the question: Who will play first base in three years? And what do you do with two DHs? And if Castellanos remains a pylon at third, the Tigers have the potential of three DHs on the roster.

I'll be very surprised if V-Mart is a Tiger for all 4 years. I think the Tigers window is closed (if you don't believe it is already) by that 3rd/4th year and they trade him.

 

[Sbee]

Victor did have the best offensive season in baseball last year, of course he will decline as he gets older but maybe not as steep as some since he's a full time DH. Edgar Martinez posted OPS #s of 1.001, 1.002, .966. 888 at ages 36-39. I'm not saying that they're the same player but similar hitters and are both full time DH's

 

[firehim]

If Castellanos doesn't improve on defense, he'll be moved to corner OF or traded away. He doesn't hit good enough to be a DH on this team, so it's play in the field or play somewhere else for him.

I don't get why everyone is so down on Castellanos defense. I thought that he did a good job over there. Plus, he has been playing outfield for the last couple of years in the minors, so some rust at third base should have been expected. If you think that you can find a better thirdbasemen, just look around the league. It is the thinnest position in the big leagues. Get off Nick's back. He is a 23 year old rookie.

 

[kalinecountry]

I don't get why everyone is so down on Castellanos defense. I thought that he did a good job over there. Plus, he has been playing outfield for the last couple of years in the minors, so some rust at third base should have been expected. If you think that you can find a better thirdbasemen, just look around the league. It is the thinnest position in the big leagues. Get off Nick's back. He is a 23 year old rookie.

When he heard the Tigers traded Prince for Kinsler, he says he knew Miggy would go back to first base. He said he took 650 ground balls every day at third while in Fla/Lakeland before ST,.....it should have been 6,500 grounders. He doesn't have a quick first step or instinctive quick reaction. His range by any of several or 4 of the defensive metrics, was rated worse than Miggy at third.

 

[Thumb]

I don't get why everyone is so down on Castellanos defense. I thought that he did a good job over there. Plus, he has been playing outfield for the last couple of years in the minors, so some rust at third base should have been expected. If you think that you can find a better thirdbasemen, just look around the league. It is the thinnest position in the big leagues. Get off Nick's back. He is a 23 year old rookie.

Everyone is so down on his defense because he is terrible. Literally the worst defensive 3B in baseball. and it's not because he is old, or had bad knees, or is injured. He just does not the have the tools to play there.

And if you think he did a good job over there...then I don't know what is a bad job in your opinion.