Boras Blog

Keeping the Status Quo

The Mariners and Josh Fields are still $500k apart.  SeattlePi talked with Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik about what is going on:

''We've had a few discussions now,'' Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. ''We're keeping the status quo.''

Is that good or bad?

''I don't really know,'' Zduriencik said. ''I like Scott Boras. I realize he's a professional, and my discussions with him have always been pleasant going back 15 years now.''

But so far, that hasn't produced common ground or a contract. The Mariners would like to see Fields, who was deemed to be close to being major league ready a year ago, pitching in their system this season.

Ideally, they'd like to see him at spring training when camp opens Feb. 13, but there's no evidence that's a strong possibility.

If he doesn't sign with Seattle, he could pitch in one of the independent leagues and then go back into the draft in June. Were that to happen, the Mariners would get an extra pick in the first round, the choice coming immediately after the 20th pick.

This is playing out like a bad suspense film.  We all know the ending and it involves Boras and Fields toasting champagne before the credits roll.  It just doesnt make sense for the Mariners to lose him over $500k, and at the end of the day, Zduriencik will pony up.  But you've got to admire the fact that he has a little fight in him. 

Silly Player Evaluators

Over at Marinerds, they had a chance to meet the GM, and relayed  the following story from his meeting with Zduriencik:

As for GM-Z, or Z-man, or whatever -- Paul even asked him, "We have trouble spelling your name in the blogosphere, do you have a nickname?" -- he was very entertaining and candid with the crowd. He told some funny stories about how guys like Scott Boras will sell you old players or young players and go on about how great their age is, and also about player evaluation. It was also great to hear him say outright, "We work for you guys -- the fans are the ones paying our salaries, if you don't like the product on the field, then we're not doing our jobs." But at the same time he said that he's still sticking it to the players to get out there and get it done; all the front office can do is provide the talent to hopefully make it work.

Well, ok, yeah, isnt that what Boras is paid to do?  And shouldnt the reaction from Zduriencik be more of an intellectual acceptance or debate as to the value of age, rather than taking a defensive stance?  And shouldnt he be more of a player evaluation geek than the agents?