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“Scott Boras-Love Him-Hate Him”
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Which street corner do you stand on?

The one that likes super agent Scott Boras?
The one that detests Scott Boras?

As always, baseball’s mega agent is always in the spotlight in season and in the off season.

Here we are on the eve of the opening of the popular Cactus League and Grapefruit Circuit, and 4-of the biggest named free agents, all whom he represents, are not in camp.

A Cy Young Award winner, a former MVP, a World Series arm and a premiere DH.

And the conversations are not just about who is out of camp, but the next record setting free agent whom he reps too.

He’s not doing anything wrong, just doing his job.  His job is to get the best contract, whether that is length of deal, or average salary, for his clients.

If you are willing to pay, then he will send you the 60-page statistical brochure, about the client you are interested in.  He will spend the off season playing your offer against whatever other offers he can dig up.

Not his job to care whether he puts a club in Luxury Tax hell.  Not his concern if he is going to force your favorite team to trade a star player he reps, who is about to become a free agent next off season.  Not caring if people paint him for holding teams ‘hostage’ in free agent talks.

Just doing the job that’s all.

So Blake Snell, exiting the Padres, remains unsigned.  As does Texas Rangers frontliner Jordan Montgomery.  As does the Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger. Plus well travelled but productive DH-JD Martinez, all unsigned for a wide variety of reasons.

Some people like Boras and his bravado style of hammering deals thru.
Some dislike him because he sales pitches every client as the next best deserving megabucks

It must be hard being a team owner knowing what is ahead and how it might impact your franchise.

So here we are wondering about the big names still out there.

BLAKE SNELL..A most unique talent, a double Cy Young Award winner, who put up Bob Gibson type numbers in 2023 for the Padres (1.20-ERA), dominating like he did the year he won the same award with the Tampa Bay Rays.  Asking price according to MLB sources (7Y-210M).  That is alot of money for a 5-inning per start pitcher, who leads the world in walks, yet has high octane stuff pitching out of trouble.  But 7-years long is alot for a power pitcher, who has had 1-elbow surgery already.  I tend to think 30M a year is what he deserves, considering the market place for quality arms.  What works against him is the 7-year length.  The Angels should make a pitch (3Y-150M) pitch, for they still have Ohtani dollars to spend and a critical need.  Arte Moreno needs to set aside his dislike for Boras, and do what is right, get an ace for an in-need pitching staff.  Boras drives a hard bargain.  Does Snell blink and take the best offer now for the next 3-years or stand strong and wait for his terms?

JORDAN MONTGOMERY…He reinvented himself in Texas, end result a strong season, a World Series ring too.  But 30M a year for a second tier starter seems excessive.  The Cardinals and Yankees both had him, but both let him go.  He is a different pitcher now, just  refer to page 20-on Boras’ brochure on the hurler.  But Texas is really up against the luxury tax and has spent a ton over 3-years to build this winner.  Maybe he winds up going back there on maybe 1Y plus an option.  Not many other people seem willing to do a big deal for him, considering whom he was, despite whom he became.

CODY BELLINGER…Some superb season-recapturing the magic he once had with the Dodgers, in his MVP type season.  He’s healthy.  Who knows if the long rehab from shoulder issues impacted his two final lousy seasons at Dodgers Stadium.  He had a huge bounceback season with the Cubs, maybe should have been ‘Comeback Player of the Year’ with that (.306-26HR) season.  The Boras price tag, (8Y-200M) package seems over the top.  Wonder what playing at Wrigley Field had to do with the big 2023 summer of baseball?  But he is young, now healthy, and ready to be a multi position player.   Maybe he should consider staying at Wrigleyville, on a shorter big money deal the Cubs could afford.  Win-win, hit for average and hit homers in Chicago and become an icon.

JD MARTINEZ…Pretty good years for the often moved DH, first with the Red Sox and the Dodgers.  But as a 1-position guy, DH, the offers come with a lower price tag.  But cannot see someone willing to write an 8M check for an aging DH.  Also cannot see him taking a veteran’s minimum 1M package with incentives.  Somewhere in between there should be a good deal for him, maybe with a pennant contender.  Maybe he waits to see if spring training shows a club short of the right guy to designate hit.  Maybe somebody has an injury.  Sure Boras’ phone will ring in Newport Beach.

JUAN SOTO..The next name to watch.  Don’t think they speak highly of Boras there in Washington after rejected something like a (440M) package from the Nationals, forcing his early trade to the Padres.  Now that all has happened in San Diego, we see Soto moved to the Yankees.  And now NY-GM Brian Cashman says Soto-in-pinstripes is a one year situation before he goes to free agency.  They don’t hate Boras in San Diego, yet, but if the players the Padres get in the Soto trade don’t work out, they will be taking numbers to stand in line and fire criticism at the agent.

Fascinating to watch the machinations of clubs who have to deal with Boras.  Some MLB execs compare him with the hostage taking tactics of former NFL agent Howard Slusher, or Alan Eagleson-NHL or some people in the NBA, who have turned that league into a players league, give me my money, screw the GM, the owner, the league, pay me.

Love him or hate him, the super agent is just doing his job.

Will see where the next couple of weeks take us with the big names-seeking big dollars, still on the board.

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