Cons and Icons

www.thestlcardinals.com

Brian Walton

February 5, 2005

Cons and Icons

By Brian Walton

News item: Free-agent outfielder Magglio Ordonez agrees to a five-year contract with the Detroit Tigers for $75 million. The total value could end up being as much as $105 million by the time it is over.

Even before Carlos Delgado and Ordonez signed, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported that over $1 billion of free agents had been signed this off-season. That is mind-boggling enough on its own until one realizes that one man, one agent, was personally responsible of 2/5 of that amount, almost $400 million dollars.

Yep, no one other than the man most despised by owners and general managers; none other than Scott Boras.

This off-season, Boras represented 11 free agents, having coined his own term to describe them. “Icon players have proven to be great investments for their businesses,” said Boras during the November GM meetings.

Not starving from past plundering missions, Boras previously negotiated Alex Rodriguez' 10-year, $252 million contract, Barry Bonds' five-year, $90 million deal and Kevin Brown's seven-year, $105 million contract. Boras, 52, has been a player agent for 24 years.

Back in November, an AP story made this laughable observation. “Only a few teams might be willing to spend the kind of money Boras’ guys want.” Of course, it didn’t happen that way. It never happens that way. Boras waits and waits and eventually, the market comes to him. Owners and GMs can’t resist. It’s like the moth’s attraction to the flame and is predictable as the tides.

This season, Boras’ top seven “icon” free-agents have signed contracts with six different teams totaling $396 million. Boras gets the industry-standard 5%, meaning he will be lining his pockets with just under $20 million.

Like his free agents, Boras, too, is an icon. He is universally recognized as an icon of greed and has surely earned the title.

Player New TeamContract DurationBoras’ take

Adrian Beltre

Seattle

$64 M

5 years

$3.2 M

Carlos Beltran

NY Mets

$119 M

7 years

$5.95 M

Derek Lowe

LA Dodgers

$36 M

4 years

$1.8 M

Kevin Millwood

Cleveland

$7 M

1 year

$0.35M

Jason Varitek

Boston

$40 M

4 years

$2.0 M

J.D. Drew

LA Dodgers

$55 M

5 years

$2.75 M

Magglio Ordonez

Detroit

$75 M

5 years

$3.75 M

Total

$396 M

$19.8M

Rarely does Boras have to compromise, but Varitek’s deal presented a real challenge. The leader of the World Champions stated his desire to stay with the team, but his five-year deal and demand for a no-trade clause were in direct conflict with team policy. In addition, four other Sox players’ contracts enable them to get no-trade clauses if any one else receives one.

No problem. While Boras and Varitek backed their $11 million a year demand all the way down to $10 million and five years to four, they also got a change in team policy to enact a no-trade clause after eight consecutive years of service. ‘Tek’s the only player who is close to meeting that. In addition, in a sad move that signaled anything can be negotiated, Varitek was named Sox team captain.

And, how about that Drew deal? He can walk away from the Dodgers after two seasons if he so chooses. Why would he do that? Only to get more money elsewhere, of course. If the opportunity presents itself, you can be sure that “five-percent Scott” will be right there to seal the deal.

In a recent Boston Herald article, Boras called the market “lush”. He could have been using the word as an adjective, meaning “excessively productive or thriving”. Then again, “lush” could have been a noun, which is a better reflection of Boras. “A drunkard”, not by alcohol, but by power, ego and greed.

Said Boras to Forbes last month, “Any sport or business or product is about attention.” He went on to proudly point out the value to a team and to the game overall when his icons are in the headlines even during the off-season. “It’s like a company that has a product. The product is getting publicity, and you’re not paying for it.”

Guess who pays in the end? Yep, you and I.